Adjoining the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on its northern border, the Nxai Pans were once salt lakes. Today, the Nxai Pan National Park preserves this precious area, which is rich in biodiversity and is now characterised by grasslands dotted with trees and small pans that fill in the rainy season. The striking, famous Baines Baobabs, first drawn by the renowned explorer in the 1860s are a must-see, and there are several activities to look forward to. Take a 4WD sunset or sunrise game drive, or a birdwatching tour. The Nxai Pan is a breeding ground for wildebeest, gemsbok, zebra, and eland, and an impressive list of other animals can be seen quite easily too including lions, ostriches, giraffes, cheetahs, jackals, bat-eared fox, and even the elusive nocturnal porcupine.
Situated in northeastern Botswana, the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park covers an impressive 4900 square kilometres area and brims with natural wonders. Game viewing is at its best during the wet season - the rains transform the salt pans into a magnificent lake, attracting an abundance of wildlife and, most spectacularly, large flocks of gloriously pink flamingos. The area is renowned for its massive herds of wildebeest and zebra which migrate to the park en masse, followed closely by a variety of predators including lion, cheetah, and hyena. Popular activities include game drives, bird watching, cultural tours of Gweta Village and several ancient historic sites, and 4WD and quad biking excursions on the pans.
Adventurous travellers seeking a truly remote African safari will be thrilled to discover it in central Botswana. The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second largest game reserve in the world and one of the least visited, nothing can prepare you for the sheer wonder of exploring this vast reserve with its wild, untouched beauty. The landscape is dominated by sand veld, acacias, and Kalahari apple-leaf, interspersed with grasslands and dotted with occasional sand dunes, pans and fossil river valleys. While the reserve is home to an impressive variety of wildlife, there is one animal that is rather obviously absent, the human being. It is this lack of human traffic, combined with the park’s lack of infrastructure, that makes for a challenging and marvellously authentic African experience. Visitors need to be entirely self-sufficient but those willing to make the effort will be richly rewarded.
Located in the heart of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert, Evolve Back Kalahari Private Reserve offers an exclusive wilderness escape in one of southern Africa’s most iconic landscapes. Spanning a vast, untouched expanse far from towns or urban centres, the reserve provides unparalleled privacy and a true immersion in nature. Travellers come to experience guided game drives, bush walks, and starlit evenings, with the chance to see desert-adapted wildlife, including lion, leopard, brown hyena, gemsbok, blue wildebeest, eland and over 250 bird species. Visitors can also enjoy cultural encounters with local San communities, learning about traditional survival skills and storytelling, making it a rich and unforgettable desert adventure.
