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Dreaming of visiting the infamous Botswana Makgadikgadi pans, but don’t know how to get there? Well, in this post, we will explore different ways to get there.
Whether the Botswana Makgadikgadi Pans is your only destination or part of your Botswana safari journey, getting there can be both challenging and adventurous, given how remote these areas are.
As a safari enthusiast who loves exploring Botswana, I share with you the absolute best ways to visit Makgadikgadi Pans.
In this article, you are going to learn about Botswana Makgadikgadi, travelling options, and more.
After learning about this, you’ll be prepared to visit these enormous salt pans for a safari of a lifetime.
This post is all about Botswana Makgadikgadi Pans.
Botswana Makgadikgadi Pans
Where is Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana
First things first, let’s figure out where this place is located so you can plan accordingly.
Makgadikgadi Pans is located in northeastern Botswana, in the middle of the dry savannah and the Kalahari Desert. It is southeast of the Okavango Delta and south of Nxai Pan National Park.
What is the environment like?
At first sight, the Makgadikgadi pans seem unreal and seemingly endless. Makgadikgadi pans are basically the residues of an ancient lake that dried up thousands of years ago.
So the environment is a dry, salt-crusted clay; however, this place seasonally becomes a wetland.
So, during the dry season, from May to October, Makgadikgadi will look white and dusty, and it looks stunning.
However, during the rainy season, the place looks completely different; the rains transform parts of the pans into shallow lakes, and the landscape is green. This is the best time to see flamingos and the infamous zebra migration.
How to get to Botswana Makgadikgadi
Getting to the Botswana Makgadikgadi can be done by flight, car, self-drive, or a combination of these. However, that depends on where you are travelling from.
Your next question might be how to get to Makgadikgadi from Maun, which is where most travellers start their journey. You can get there by road or plane.
Here are the best ways to travel to Botswana Makgadikgadi Pans from around the world.
How to visit Makgadikgadi Pans: International travellers
From the United States of America
The easiest and most common way to reach Botswana Makgadikgadi from the USA is via South Africa, as there are no direct flights to Botswana.
You can do these in two ways: fly from the USA to either Johannesburg or Cape Town, South Africa, and take a direct flight to Maun, Botswana.
However, if you want to see Cape Town before you head to Botswana, you can easily travel from Cape Town to Maun.
You can easily book these via Skyscanner. Then, from Maun, you can drive, fly, or take a guided tour to the Makgadikgadi Pans.
I know some people don’t like small planes, but from Maun to Makgadikgadi, you will be using small charter planes.
Therefore, for travellers who don’t like tiny planes, driving is doable and quite common.
For instance, if you are entering Makgadikgadi National Park via the Khumaga gate, the drive will take about 3 hours.
From Europe
No matter your departure country in Europe, there are no direct flights to Botswana.
The most common routes usually involve travelling through South Africa or Ethiopia.
Typically, travellers connect in Johannesburg, which offers the most affordable and fastest option. From Johannesburg, you can fly to Maun and then proceed to the Botswana salt pans.
For those from the UK heading to the infamous Makgadikgadi salt pans, the process is similar: fly from Heathrow to South Africa, then continue to Maun via Johannesburg or Cape Town.
Several major European airlines, including Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Swiss, and Ethiopian Airlines, operate these routes daily.
How to get to Botswana Makgadikgadi Pans from Johannesburg
If you are in South Africa, you can take a direct flight from Johannesburg to Maun, then take a charter flight or drive to Makgadikgadi National Park. This is quick, easy and convenient.
Moreover, if you are an overland explorer, you can drive from Johannesburg to Makgadikgadi, crossing at Martin’s Drift and Pioneer Gate.
From China
Planning a trip from China to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park? It’s quite similar to travelling to Europe, and the same goes if you’re heading to the Okavango Delta.
Typically, you might fly from major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Hong Kong, or Shanghai to Johannesburg, South Africa, since it’s a common hub.
From Johannesburg, catch a flight to Maun, Botswana, where you can be comfortably picked up and driven to your lodge or take a scenic bush plane ride.
An alternative route for Chinese travellers is flying via Ethiopia—direct flights from China to Ethiopia, then connecting to Gaborone.
From there, you can reach the park either through Maun or Kasane. You can arrange to be picked up from the airport and taken to your lodge, or take a bush plane
From Australia
The best way to travel from Australia to the Makgadikgadi salt pans is to fly through Johannesburg, South Africa.
You’ll notice that O.R. Tambo International Airport is quite bustling. Once you arrive in Johannesburg, you can easily catch a direct flight to Maun.
From Maun, you can travel by road or plane, making your journey flexible and convenient.
How to get to Botswana Makgadikgadi Pans: Local Travellers
If you are already in the country, reaching this Makgadikgadi shouldn’t be difficult. However, it depends on your location within the country.
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans From Gaborone
If you’re in Gaborone, the capital, the quickest and most efficient way to get to Maun is by plane.
From Maun, you can either charter a flight to Makgadikgadi or drive yourself if you’re comfortable with it.
I recommend that first-timers arrange for someone to pick them up at Maun Airport, as it will make their journey less stressful.
Furthermore, you can also travel from Gaborone to Maun by car or bus; the bus is the cheapest option but less comfortable.
Alternatively, you can drive directly from Gaborone to the Makgadikgadi pans.
What is the distance between Gaborone and Makgadikgadi pans, you might ask? The distance between Gaborone and Makgadikgadi National Park is approximately 780 km, and the road trip takes about 9 hours.
Kasane to Botswana Makgadikgadi Pans
Suppose you are in Kasane and wondering how to get to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana. Worry not! Travelling from Kasane to the Makgadikgadi pans by road is straightforward.
In case you were wondering, the distance from Kasane to Makgadikgadi Pans is about 350 km, making the drive about 5 hours.
My recommendation is that, if you are taking a charter flight from Kasane, let your tour operator arrange it for you; it makes the whole itinerary planning seamless.
On the other hand, you can take a direct flight from Kasane to Maun, then continue on to Makgadikgadi.
Another way to reach the Makgadikgadi is by self-drive, which is familiar to travellers on a self-drive safari.
The route from Kasane to Nata is a popular 4×4 self-drive or guided safari route connecting Chobe National Park to the salt pans. It is usually part of the itinerary.
How to get to Botswana Makgadikgadi pans by car
The most popular way is from Maun, with a drive duration of about 5 hours. You take an A3 road towards Nata and turn off towards Gweta.
The road conditions are reasonably good, with tarred roads, but you will have some sandy roads towards the park.
Alternatively, if you’re in Kasane, the drive will take around 6 hours via Nata.
As I mentioned above, a 4×4 vehicle is highly recommended.
