A Self-Drive Safari Guide to Nxai Pan National Park

Nxai Pan National Park is an accessible and rewarding self-drive destination in northern Botswana, famous for surreal landscapes and seasonal wildlife migrations. Located 137 km east of Maun along the tarred A3 highway, the park entry is 65 km west of Gweta. From the A3, a short 13 km sand track leads to the main gate.

Established in the early 1970’s, then extended in 1992 to encompass the terrain to the south that bordered what was Makgadikgadi Pans Game Reserve. The combined area of about 7,500km2 was dubbed the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans national park. The north area of the park north of the Nata – Maun road includes Nxai Pan and Baines’ Baobabs and has good wildlife observations particularly in the summer.

Nxai Pan is a grassland pan and draws big herds of Wildebeest and Zebra on their migration from the Makgadikgadi Pans during the rains. Impala frequent the pan edges while Gemsbok and Springbok are also sighted on the pan. Giraffe are prevalent, often in groups of 20 or more, and Elephant are drawn to the waterhole, especially in the dry season. Sighting of the predators is good with Lion, Cheetah, Bat-eared Fox and Black-backed Jackal all present in considerable numbers.

Bird watching is rewarding with several Pipits, Coursers and Larks sighted as well as Kori Bustard, Redcrested & Black Korhaans and Secretarybird. Watch out for raptors such as Dark Chanting Goshawk and Greater Kestrel occurring here.