Makgadikgadi Pans National Park |
Botswana Game Reserves: The lesser-known Makgadikgadi Pans Park is situated
roughly halfway between Maun and Nata on the Francistown road in northern Botswana.
A modest looking turnoff to the park's main entrance can be found 160 kilometres east of
Maun and 45 kilometres west of the small village of Gweta, which has the nearest lodge
accommodation, fuel and supplies. From turning off the main tar road, 8 kilometres of
rough gravel road leads to the park entrance gate, where entry fees are to be paid. All
roads within the park are rough and in many cases very sandy, so it is essential to have a
4x4 vehicle. It is also wise to carry water and travel in tandem with a second vehicle,
as, if there should be a breakdown deep within the park, it may be a long wait before any
other vehicle is likely to come along to assist.
The area was declared a game reserve in 1970 and in December 1992, the boundaries were
extended and National Park status was attained. The present park covers some 4,900 square
kilometres.
Here, as with all parks and reserves, the use of an anti-malarial prophylactic is strongly
recommended and, when travelling within these areas, a 4x4 vehicle, carrying emergency
water and food, is necessary. Engaging 4-wheel drive before negotiating sandy patches not
only minimises the possibility of becoming stuck, but also saves chewing up the road
surfaces for others.
Both dry season and wet season visits to this park are recommended in order to witness the
dramatic appearance of the pans at their driest and to experience the transformation to a
water wonderland, and see the wildebeest and zebra migrations, in the wet season. Linking
a few days in Makgadikgadi with a similar period of time in its nearby sister park, Nxai
Pan, will give visitors a distinctly different experience. |
