Makgadikgadi Pans, Tutume, BOTSWANA
Will you ever imagine an area the size of Portugal largely uninhabited by humans? Okay! There's one with a stark, flat, featureless terrain which seems stretches to eternity, meeting and fusing with a milky-blue horizon. This is the Makgadikgadi, an area of 12000 sq kms, part of the Kalahari Desert, one of the largest salt pans in the world. It's said you can hear your own blood flow in this vast area of dried-up salt pans, a landscape formed by a huge lake that dried up millennia ago.
Makgadikgadi, the name which implies a vast open lifeless land, is not without its folklore. There are stories of people setting out from Gweta to explore the land that lay between them and the Boteti River to seek a favourable environment in which to settle. They entered these great thirstlands at the driest time of year, drawn by what they perceived as large lakes of sparkling water on the horizon. Suffering badly from thirst, the lakes kept drawing them hurriedly on in their attempts to reach the life-giving water that always remained just ahead of them. Gradually, one by one, they fell and died. This is a sobering thought, but quite understandable when personally witnessing these mirages.
For much of the year, most of this desolate area remains waterless and extremely arid; and large mammals are thus absent. But during and following years of good rain, the two largest pans - Sowa to the east and Ntwetwe to the west - flood, attracting zebra and wildebeest on the grassy plains; and most spectacularly flamingos at Sowa and Nata Sanctuary. Flamingo numbers can run into the tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands, and the spectacle can be completely overwhelming. It is unfortunate that this huge water spectacle becomes practically inaccessible by road at this time, but anyone fortunate enough to fly over the area during the wet season surely sees a water wonderland of incredible scenic beauty.
The rainwater that pours down on the pans is supplemented by seasonal river flows from the Nata, Tutume, Semowane and Mosetse Rivers in the east, and in years of exceptional rains, the Okavango via the Boteti River in the west. During this time, the pans can be transformed into a powder blue lake, the waters gently lapping the shorelines, and flowing over the pebble beaches; a clear indication of the gigantic, prehistoric lake the Makgadikgadi once was.
The Makgadikgadi is in fact a series of pans, the largest of which are Sowa and Ntwetwe, both of which are surrounded by a myriad of smaller pans. North of these two pans are Kudiakam pan, Nxai Pan and Kaucaca Pan. Interspersed between the pans are sand dunes, rocky islands and peninsulas, and desert terrain. No vegetation can grow on the salty surface of the pans, but the fringes are covered with grasslands. Massive baobab trees populate some fringe areas and their silhouettes create dramatic landscapes against a setting sun.
The lesser known Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is situated roughly halfway between Maun and Nata on the road between these two villages in northern Botswana. A modest looking turnoff to the park's main entrance can be found 160 km east of Maun and 45 km west of the small village of Gweta, which has the nearest lodge accommodation, fuel and supplies.
The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is situated on State Land. People have never been resident in its waterless interior, but in times of drought, surrounding villagers were permitted to graze their livestock within the area, withdrawing them to their homes when conditions improved. 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 4900 sq km.
In the wet season, this reserve can offer good wildlife viewing, particularly when large herds of zebra and wildebeest begin their westward migration to the Boteti region. other species include gemsbok, eland and red hartebeest, as well as kudu, bushbuck, duiker, giraffe, springbok, steenbok, and even elephant, with all the accompanying predators, as well as the rare brown hyena.
From turning off the main tar road, 8 km 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.
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, 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. Makgadikgadi - a vast wilderness of space and timelessness.
Makgadikgadi, the name which implies a vast open lifeless land, is not without its folklore. There are stories of people setting out from Gweta to explore the land that lay between them and the Boteti River to seek a favourable environment in which to settle. They entered these great thirstlands at the driest time of year, drawn by what they perceived as large lakes of sparkling water on the horizon. Suffering badly from thirst, the lakes kept drawing them hurriedly on in their attempts to reach the life-giving water that always remained just ahead of them. Gradually, one by one, they fell and died. This is a sobering thought, but quite understandable when personally witnessing these mirages.
For much of the year, most of this desolate area remains waterless and extremely arid; and large mammals are thus absent. But during and following years of good rain, the two largest pans - Sowa to the east and Ntwetwe to the west - flood, attracting zebra and wildebeest on the grassy plains; and most spectacularly flamingos at Sowa and Nata Sanctuary. Flamingo numbers can run into the tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands, and the spectacle can be completely overwhelming. It is unfortunate that this huge water spectacle becomes practically inaccessible by road at this time, but anyone fortunate enough to fly over the area during the wet season surely sees a water wonderland of incredible scenic beauty.
The rainwater that pours down on the pans is supplemented by seasonal river flows from the Nata, Tutume, Semowane and Mosetse Rivers in the east, and in years of exceptional rains, the Okavango via the Boteti River in the west. During this time, the pans can be transformed into a powder blue lake, the waters gently lapping the shorelines, and flowing over the pebble beaches; a clear indication of the gigantic, prehistoric lake the Makgadikgadi once was.
The Makgadikgadi is in fact a series of pans, the largest of which are Sowa and Ntwetwe, both of which are surrounded by a myriad of smaller pans. North of these two pans are Kudiakam pan, Nxai Pan and Kaucaca Pan. Interspersed between the pans are sand dunes, rocky islands and peninsulas, and desert terrain. No vegetation can grow on the salty surface of the pans, but the fringes are covered with grasslands. Massive baobab trees populate some fringe areas and their silhouettes create dramatic landscapes against a setting sun.
The lesser known Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is situated roughly halfway between Maun and Nata on the road between these two villages in northern Botswana. A modest looking turnoff to the park's main entrance can be found 160 km east of Maun and 45 km west of the small village of Gweta, which has the nearest lodge accommodation, fuel and supplies.
The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is situated on State Land. People have never been resident in its waterless interior, but in times of drought, surrounding villagers were permitted to graze their livestock within the area, withdrawing them to their homes when conditions improved. 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 4900 sq km.
In the wet season, this reserve can offer good wildlife viewing, particularly when large herds of zebra and wildebeest begin their westward migration to the Boteti region. other species include gemsbok, eland and red hartebeest, as well as kudu, bushbuck, duiker, giraffe, springbok, steenbok, and even elephant, with all the accompanying predators, as well as the rare brown hyena.
From turning off the main tar road, 8 km 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.
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, 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. Makgadikgadi - a vast wilderness of space and timelessness.
Photo Credits: Botswana Tourism Board, Kingfishersafari Blog, Leisurewheels SA, CNN Travel
Sources: Botswana Tourism Board, Makgadikgadi National Park, CNN Travel, TripAdvisor
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