Nxai Pan Overview
Nxai Pan was originally proclaimed as a protected area in the 1970’s and included a total area of 1676 square kilometers. In 1992, its boundaries were extended to encompass 2578 square kilometers when it was officially declared a National Park.
Set in the northern area of the Makgadikgadi Basin, which was once part of the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan National Park lies just north of the Maun-Nata main road and adjoins the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on its northern border. Unlike the salt-encrusted pans at Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan is a waterless fossil pan covered in grass with acacia islands. These pans, formed from the ancient salt lakes, are ringed to the south and west with thick fossil dunes of wind-blown Kalahari sand and the landscape is dotted with cluster of umbrella Acacia trees and Mopane woodlands in the north. The most striking and historical landmark in the area being the famous Baine’s Baobabs.
Whilst most other parks and reserves are not considered to be great for wildlife sightings during the rainy season, Nxai Pan undergoes a miraculous transformation from a ‘dry dust bowl’ to a lush green oasis resembling a ‘garden of Eden’ covered in spring flowers. Once the first rains fall, not only does the landscape transform but the park becomes excellent for both wildlife and birdlife sightings alike.
When To Travel
Nxai Pan has a well-defined Dry (April to October) and Wet (November to March) season, as well as a hot, desert climate.
April to May
This is the start of the dry season when it is mostly sunny and dry with warmer temperatures during the middle of the day reaching 29°C. September and October tend to be uncomfortably hot with average daytime temperatures above 34°C.
June to October
Temperatures between June and August generally average around 26°C during the day but can drop to as low 7°C/45°F, it is recommended to bring warm clothing for early morning game drives. September and October tend to be uncomfortably hot with average daytime temperatures above 34°C.
November & December
Conditions are hot with plenty of sunshine. Rain is inconsistent but comes as a relief because temperatures tend to build up before the rain and drop afterward. The average temperature during the early morning is about 19°C.
January to March
Generally these are the wettest months of the year but bring with it the concentrations of wildlife. Outbursts of thunderstorms are typical but the rain only falls for a few hours before clearing up again. During the wettest time of year, it often rains in the afternoon, but it is usually over in a few hours.
Getting There
The pan is open to visitors throughout the year, but generally wildlife is abundant from December to April at which time, if the rains have been heavy, the roads may be difficult to negotiate. The more accessible times to be in Nxai Pan are in the dry season which is from May to September. The park can be reached on a self-drive safari but is only recommended for experienced 4 x 4 drivers. Generally those staying at the lodge access Nxai Pan via light aircraft charter flights from Maun or Kasane Airports.
Species
Wildlife
Nxai Pan is not a conventional safari destination and the arid environment does not support a huge variety of species year round. Travel during or just after the rains however and you can expect to see a substantial amount of wildlife feeding off the lush green grass. Annually as the first rains fall, large herds of herbivores and antelope arrive into the area, many of them giving birth. This includes giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, eland, red hartebeest, and oryx. In addition, Nxai Pan is one of the only places in Botswana to see impala and springbok in the same place (these two species usually rely on different terrain and so it is unusual and rare to see them together).
Predators are well represented during this time of year with lion, cheetah, hyena and wild dogs often seen at sporadic intervals. A particular delight are all the smaller more elusive characters and species of the bush which can occasionally be seen both in the daytime and evenings including honey badgers, bat-eared foxes, African wildcats, banded mongoose, spring hare and porcupines.
Birdlife
Nxai Pan is estimated to have around 200 bird species and it is thought that this wide range of species is as a result of the different habitats – ranging from grassland, mopane woodland and acacia scrub. On the open pan, kori bustards and secretary birds mingle with the visiting white storks, and during the wetter months from November through to April, many migrant species are added to the mix. Specialities which can be seen in the area included Abdim’s stork, barred owl, black bustard, black cheeked waxbill, bronze-winged courser, capped wheatear, dusky lark, eastern paradise wydah, gabar goshawk, great white pelican, greater flamingo, lesser flamingo, pale chanting goshawk, pied avocet, southern ant-eater chat, temminck’s courser and wattled crane’s amongst others.
Nxai Pan was originally proclaimed as a protected area in the 1970’s and included a total area of 1676 square kilometers. In 1992, its boundaries were extended to encompass 2578 square kilometers when it was officially declared a National Park.
Set in the northern area of the Makgadikgadi Basin, which was once part of the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan National Park lies just north of the Maun-Nata main road and adjoins the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on its northern border. Unlike the salt-encrusted pans at Makgadikgadi, Nxai Pan is a waterless fossil pan covered in grass with acacia islands. These pans, formed from the ancient salt lakes, are ringed to the south and west with thick fossil dunes of wind-blown Kalahari sand and the landscape is dotted with cluster of umbrella Acacia trees and Mopane woodlands in the north. The most striking and historical landmark in the area being the famous Baine’s Baobabs.
Whilst most other parks and reserves are not considered to be great for wildlife sightings during the rainy season, Nxai Pan undergoes a miraculous transformation from a ‘dry dust bowl’ to a lush green oasis resembling a ‘garden of Eden’ covered in spring flowers. Once the first rains fall, not only does the landscape transform but the park becomes excellent for both wildlife and birdlife sightings alike.
Nxai Pan has a well-defined Dry (April to October) and Wet (November to March) season, as well as a hot, desert climate.
April to May
This is the start of the dry season when it is mostly sunny and dry with warmer temperatures during the middle of the day reaching 29°C. September and October tend to be uncomfortably hot with average daytime temperatures above 34°C.
June to October
Temperatures between June and August generally average around 26°C during the day but can drop to as low 7°C/45°F, it is recommended to bring warm clothing for early morning game drives. September and October tend to be uncomfortably hot with average daytime temperatures above 34°C.
November & December
Conditions are hot with plenty of sunshine. Rain is inconsistent but comes as a relief because temperatures tend to build up before the rain and drop afterward. The average temperature during the early morning is about 19°C.
January to March
Generally these are the wettest months of the year but bring with it the concentrations of wildlife. Outbursts of thunderstorms are typical but the rain only falls for a few hours before clearing up again. During the wettest time of year, it often rains in the afternoon, but it is usually over in a few hours.
The pan is open to visitors throughout the year, but generally wildlife is abundant from December to April at which time, if the rains have been heavy, the roads may be difficult to negotiate. The more accessible times to be in Nxai Pan are in the dry season which is from May to September. The park can be reached on a self-drive safari but is only recommended for experienced 4 x 4 drivers. Generally those staying at the lodge access Nxai Pan via light aircraft charter flights from Maun or Kasane Airports.
Wildlife
Nxai Pan is not a conventional safari destination and the arid environment does not support a huge variety of species year round. Travel during or just after the rains however and you can expect to see a substantial amount of wildlife feeding off the lush green grass. Annually as the first rains fall, large herds of herbivores and antelope arrive into the area, many of them giving birth. This includes giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, eland, red hartebeest, and oryx. In addition, Nxai Pan is one of the only places in Botswana to see impala and springbok in the same place (these two species usually rely on different terrain and so it is unusual and rare to see them together).
Predators are well represented during this time of year with lion, cheetah, hyena and wild dogs often seen at sporadic intervals. A particular delight are all the smaller more elusive characters and species of the bush which can occasionally be seen both in the daytime and evenings including honey badgers, bat-eared foxes, African wildcats, banded mongoose, spring hare and porcupines.
Birdlife
Nxai Pan is estimated to have around 200 bird species and it is thought that this wide range of species is as a result of the different habitats – ranging from grassland, mopane woodland and acacia scrub. On the open pan, kori bustards and secretary birds mingle with the visiting white storks, and during the wetter months from November through to April, many migrant species are added to the mix. Specialities which can be seen in the area included Abdim’s stork, barred owl, black bustard, black cheeked waxbill, bronze-winged courser, capped wheatear, dusky lark, eastern paradise wydah, gabar goshawk, great white pelican, greater flamingo, lesser flamingo, pale chanting goshawk, pied avocet, southern ant-eater chat, temminck’s courser and wattled crane’s amongst others.
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