- Botswana
- ~490,000 hectares (4,900 km²) — Part of a larger pan complex of 1,600,000 ha.
- 1992
- Central District.
- Africa's second-largest zebra and wildebeest migration; desert species (brown hyena, suricates); and seasonal flamingos.
- Moderate risk (Seasonal water brings mosquitoes).
- ~20°35′S 24°40′E
- Fenced along the Boteti River (West) to prevent cattle conflict, but open to the east.
- Massive salt flats, grasslands, and the Boteti River (a seasonal lifeline).
- for the Boteti River migration; for the salt pan "bloom" and birdlife.
The Makgadikgadi is a place of two extremes. During the dry season, it is a shimmering, white crust of salt so flat you can see the curvature of the earth. When the rains arrive, the pans become a shallow sea, hosting one of Africa’s most underrated wildlife spectacles: the zebra migration.
- Khumaga Gate (West/Boteti River) and Njuca Hills (via the Phuduhudu side).
- * 2–3 hour drive or a short hop via light aircraft.
- Easily reached from the A3 highway (Maun to Nata).
- The Boteti side is sandy; the pans themselves are treacherous when wet (vehicles can sink into the clay).
- Up to 30,000 zebras and wildebeest move from the Boteti River to the pans as the seasons shift.
- World-famous habituated colonies (made popular by Meerkat Manor).
- One of the most important breeding grounds in Africa when Sowa and Nata pans flood.
- Specialized prides that wait for the migrating herds to arrive at the water.
Huge numbers of zebra concentrate at the Boteti River. Ideal for quad-biking on the pans.
The salt flats turn into lakes. Best for birding, flamingos, and seeing the migration move inland.
- A unique dry-season activity across the crust of the salt pans (often including a night under the stars).
- Classic game drives along the riverbanks to watch the herds drink.
- Sitting quietly while wild meerkats use your head as a sentry lookout post.
The Makgadikgadi offers a surreal, "otherworldly" aesthetic. It is the perfect destination for those who have already seen the "green" side of Africa and want to experience the haunting beauty of the salt flats and the drama of the desert migration.