Set in the heart of the dry savanna of northeastern Botswana, the Makgadikgadi Pan is the world’s largest network of salt pans stretching over 3900 square kilometres and formed on the bed of the ancient Makgadikgadi Lake that began evaporating aeons ago. Visiting Makgadikgadi is a unique salt desert experience: in the dry season, this vast expanse of sun-baked salt glistens in the light and when the rains come, the pan is home to a cornucopia of flamingos and other waterbirds, as well as one of Africa's biggest zebra populations, whose annual migration is a wonder to behold. Visitors can immerse themselves in the stark beauty of this incredible landscape, spot a host of wildlife and enjoy a number of activities including horse riding safaris, game drives, and excellent birdwatching. Other highlights include: quad biking across the vast expanse of dry salt pans or jumping in a helicopter and viewing countless flamingo flocks creating a magnificent pink spectacle dotting the landscape.
Pick up your quad bike and head out into the magical Makgadikgadi… Ntwetwe is the bigger of the two
Makgadikgadi saltpans and breath-taking views of sparkling saltpan extend as far as the eye can see.
Quad bikes enable us to explore the vast nothingness of the Makgadikgadi in an ecologically correct fashion
leaving only a shallow track that will be washed away by summer rains.
In the afternoon, you will meet some of the Kalahari’s most fascinating inhabitants, the meerkats. Due to an ongoing habituation programme, it’s possible for guests to get up close and personal with the captivating creatures. Remember: they are not tame, just used to our non-threatening presence, and in the absence of termite mounds or trees, you may find one using your head as a sentry lookout post. Observe these social, superbly-adapted animals and see how they interact with each other and their environment.
After your meerkat mission, it’s time to head to camp, or to be more accurate, the middle of nowheresville! Enjoy a drink before a barren and beauteous sunset, followed by a barbeque dinner cooked by your ever-talented guide. At the end of an action- packed day, snuggle up in your bedroll under the phenomenal Makgadikgadi skies, your very own star- spangled ceiling.
Wake up to the Kalahari sun rising between your feet. Warm your hands on a mug of piping hot coffee and soak up the solitude. Quad back to the edge of Ntwetwe Pan and explore the surrounding area in search of uniquely adapted desert species such as bat-eared foxes, springbok and kori bustards. Then, it’s time to leave your quad bike behind and head back to Planet Baobab in a 4×4 for a much-needed shower and a scrumptious Planet Baobab breakfast.
