Jack's Camp
- Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
- 9 Rooms
- US$ 1,995 — US$ 3,695 per night
While the watery channels of the Okavango Delta are a highlight for many travellers to Botswana, the iconic Makgadikgadi salt pans of central Botswana are no less remarkable, and the perfect desert counterpoint to a Delta safari. Here you’ll trade the lush grasslands and indigenous forests of the Okavango for the shimmering vastness of the Pans; and the Delta’s abundance of antelope for the thrill of unforgettable encounters with rare desert-adapted wildlife. No visit to Botswana is complete without a few days amid the majestic beauty of the Makgadikgadi Pans.
Southeast of the Okavango Delta, surrounded by the Kalahari Desert, you’ll find the Makgadikgadi, an enormous conservation area characterized by salt pans stretching as far as the eye can see, rocky granite islands, and open grasslands that spring to life in the wet season.
The Makgadikgadi salt pans are one of the largest salt flats on earth. A dry, salty, clay crust most of the year, the pans are seasonally covered with water and grass attracting Africa’s second-largest zebra migration.
The majority of the Makgadikgadi is covered by light acacia scrub and a vast open grasslands. The network of enormous salt pans themselves are dotted with isolated islands of palm and baobab trees. The Boteti River on its western boundary gives rise to a riverine sector that is heavily utilised by elephants.
Jack’s Camp, San Camp and Camp Kalahari are usually accessed by daily light aircraft flights to and from the main airport at Maun. This option provides stunning aerial views of the landscape. It is also possible to access these camps by private road transfer, a 4 to 5 hour drive from Maun.
Meno a Kwena camp is usually accessed by daily light aircraft flights to and from the main airport at Maun, a 20 minute flight. The drive between Meno a Kwena and Maun is about 2 hours.
The Makgadikgadi Pans have a semi-arid climate characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. The seasonal changes greatly influence the flora and fauna, providing spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the year.
Temperatures:
Dry Season daytime highs can reach 30°C (86°F) or more, while nighttime lows can drop to around 5°C (41°F).
Wet Season daytime temperatures often exceed 35°C (95°F), with humid conditions. Nights are warmer, typically around 15°C (59°F).
For those who crave the true and raw beauty of remoteness this stark lunar landscape is paradise. But it’s not without spectacular game-viewing.
The wildlife has specially adapted to this arid environment. The desert specialists include oryx, springbok, ground squirrels, bat-eared foxes, aardvarks, aardwolves, honey badgers, brown hyenas and meerkats. Some resilient animals include red hartebeest, zebra, cheetah, and black-maned lions.
When the rains fall during the wet season, the pans fill with water and attract not just the large numbers of wildebeest, zebra and springbok, but also elephants, giraffes and other grazers arriving in search of rain-sprouted grass. Naturally these are followed by a wide range of large predators, including lions, cheetahs and spotted hyenas – making for fantastic game viewing.
The superstar animal sighting of the area goes to the meerkats, however. These characterful creatures are gregarious and live in colonies. This fascinating and enjoyable experience is a highlight of a visit to the area.
Birdlife abounds and the most attractive of the feathered inhabitants are the flamingos – both lesser and greater – that flock to the pans to feed, mate and lay their eggs. The pans being one of the most important breeding sites in the world. The wet season also brings migratory birds such as ducks, geese and great white pelicans. The national bird of Botswana, the kori bustard, is also a regular sight, as are ostrich and the noisy northern black korhaan. Specialist birders are sure to tick off desert-adapted and grassland birds, too
