What to do in Makgadikgadi

The eerie, salt-cracked pans and the endless horizons of the Makgadikgadi Pans are well worth a visit on their own. But for a landscape that is seemingly so empty, there are plenty of things to keep you occupied – and some of them might not be quite what you expected! We’re talking interactions with the curious meerkats that call the pans home, quad bike safaris to Kubu Island, a sacred site in ancient folklore, fly camping under a star-spangled sky, fire dances and hunting lessons with the San people, and the chance to star gaze at one of the clearest skies in the southern hemisphere. Then, in November, the rain begins to fall and it’s all change. The pans fill with water, attracting clouds of pink flamingos and splendid migrant birds, whilst zebra, springbok and wildebeest all gather to drink, followed closely by predators. This is undoubtedly the best time of year for game drives (always keep your eyes peeled for brown hyena too), as well as the chance to see the herds of Botswana’s zebra migration as they congregate on the pans.