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At a glance

  • A vast salt-encrusted landscape of savage beauty, covering an area of 5,500 square miles
  • Witness the second-largest migration of zebra and wildebeest in Africa (November to April)
  • Quad bike across the pans, sleep beneath the stars (April to October) and walk with the San Bushmen
  • Get up close to colonies of habituated meerkats, spot African wild dogs and see rare brown hyena

Overview

The Makgadikgadi Pans are the world’s largest salt pans and the most visible reminder of a vast super-lake formed more than five million years ago. For much of the year this is an arid land, baked and cracked by the sun. It’s one of the most stark and dramatic landscapes you’ll find in all Africa and a perfect canvas for quad bike safaris, sleeping out beneath the stars and getting up close and personal with habituated meerkats.

When to visit

  • January
    19ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    32ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    75mm
    Average Rainfall
    January is in the peak of the green season, with hot sunny spells punctuated by spectacular afternoon thunderstorms, providing welcome relief from the summer heat. Rain transforms everything, turning the pans into lush watery grasslands. Pink clouds of flamingo and flocks of migratory birds arrive to nest. Wildlife viewing can be excellent as springbok and gemsbok numbers swell with the rains and Africa’s second-largest mammal migration of wildebeest and zebra flood the plains to feast on the sweet summer grasses, followed closely by a host of predators.
  • February
    19ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    32ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    73mm
    Average Rainfall
    February continues into the peak of the green season with hot humid days punctuated by spectacular thunderstorms. Birding is still excellent at this time of the year with many migrants still around. You may still see some animals giving birth, with increased predator activity in search of an easy meal. February is excellent for photography with dramatic skies and vibrant landscapes bursting with colour. In the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan, springbok and gemsbok numbers swell with the rains and the pans are filled with herds of migrating zebras and wildebeest. The green season offers the opportunity to stay in some truly wonderful camps at greatly reduced rates.
  • March
    31ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    17ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    72mm
    Average Rainfall
    March sees the temperatures start to cool down, although days are still hot and humid. The rains also start to ease off, however afternoon thunderstorms are still to be expected. March remains an excellent month for landscape photography with dramatic skies and clear air. It's also an excellent time for bird watching with many migrants in their breeding plumage. Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi are wonderful this time of the year, with many migrating wildebeest and zebra.
  • April
    31ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    15ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    25mm
    Average Rainfall
    April is a transitional month between summer and the start of winter. Days continue to be hot and sunny however the evenings are starting to get cooler. Rainfall has almost ceased across the country, although there may still be a few scattered showers. As the temperatures can vary significantly between the day and night, layers are recommended.
  • May
    28ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    10ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    3mm
    Average Rainfall
    May signals the start of the dry season and there is almost no rainfall throughout the month. Daytime temperatures are still pleasantly warm and sunny, however evenings and early mornings are cold and layers and a jacket are recommended. As the dry season progresses the surface of the pans dry to form vast, shimmering, salt-encrusted pans that stretch across the landscape. This is the perfect time to whizz across the pans on quad bikes and sleep out beneath the stars. The Boteti River forms the western boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and during the dry season a number of permanent pools remain, which attract enormous herds of zebra and wildebeest, as well as elephants, giraffe and a host of predators.
  • June
    25ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    6ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    1mm
    Average Rainfall
    The dry season is in full swing and there is almost no rainfall throughout the month. Daytime temperatures are still pleasantly warm and sunny, however evenings and early mornings are very cold and layers and a jacket are recommended. The vast, shimmering pans stretch across the landscape. This is the perfect time to whizz across the pans on quad bikes and sleep out beneath the stars. The Boteti River forms the western boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and during the dry season a number of permanent pools remain, which attract enormous herds of zebra and wildebeest, as well as elephants, giraffe and a host of predators.
  • July
    25ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    6ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    0mm
    Average Rainfall
    July is Botswana’s coldest month, with warm sunny days but near-freezing early mornings and evenings; layers and jackets are recommended. July is also the driest month in Botswana with no rainfall. The soft light combined with dust from the dry landscape make for some dramatic photography. More and more animals congregate around permanent water sources, which also become a focal point for predators. This is an excellent time of the year for quad biking across the vast salt-crusted Makgadikgadi Pans.
  • August
    28ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    8ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    0mm
    Average Rainfall
    August remains extremely dry with clear blue skies, temperatures on the rise and warm days, though evenings and early mornings are still cold. The Boteti River forms the western boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and during the dry season a number of permanent pools remain, which attract enormous herds of zebra and wildebeest, as well as elephants, giraffe and a host of predators. This is an excellent time of year for quad biking across the vast, salt-crusted Makgadikgadi Pans.
  • September
    33ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    13ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    1mm
    Average Rainfall
    The climate starts to change in September, signaling the end of winter. For the most part, the country is dry and temperatures start to rise quite rapidly with hot, dry days and warmer evenings. On the Makgadikgadi Pans this is the time for quad biking and sleeping out beneath the stars. The Boteti River forms the western boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and during the dry season a number of permanent pools remain, which attract enormous herds of zebra and wildebeest, as well as elephants, giraffe and a host of predators.
  • October
    35ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    18ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    13mm
    Average Rainfall
    October is the hottest month in Botswana with balmy evenings and daytime temperatures often reaching 40°C. On the Makgadikgadi Pans this is the time for quad biking and sleeping out beneath the stars. The Boteti River forms the western boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and during the dry season a number of permanent pools remain, which attract enormous herds of zebra and wildebeest, as well as elephants, giraffe and a host of predators.
  • November
    34ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    19ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    49mm
    Average Rainfall
    November sees Botswana emerging from the dry season, with soaring thunderclouds and more migrant bird species returning once the rains start. When the rains start to fall in November, the Makgadikgadi Pans are transformed. It’s a time of plenty and the salt flats are turned into watery grasslands, almost unrecognisable from the previous months. A layer of grass stretches out in every direction, flamingos and flocks of migratory birds arrive to nest, and Africa’s second-largest mammal migration of wildebeest and zebra flood the plains to graze on the sweet grass.
  • December
    33ºC
    Maximum Tempurature
    19ºC
    Minimum Tempurature
    71mm
    Average Rainfall
    December is the start of the green season. The rains become more regular, with thunderstorms every few days cooling down the hot daytime temperatures. Grazing is plentiful on the plains and predators take advantage of the newborn wildebeest and young antelope. Sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah are quite likely. The migrant birds have all arrived and birding is excellent. Africa’s second-largest mammal migration of wildebeest and zebra flood the plains to graze on the sweet grasses.

Accommodation

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