Experience the contrasting landscapes of the Kalahari with this short safari to the Nxai Pan National Park. Ancient Pans that ones formed part of a large inland lake system and now only filled with water during the rainy season, vast grasslands with herds of african wildlife and predators roaming the perimiters...
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INCLUDED IN PACKAGE:
Destinations: Botswana, the Kalahari and Nxai Pan National Park
Transfers: All Schedules Transfer
Accommodation: Luxury tented camp
Meals: All meals and some beverages while on Safari
Activities: see itinerary for details
Park Fees: Included
Guided: Yes
Package Price USD1,960.00 per person sharing
(This rate is calculated as a price for four people sharing – Accommodation and flights are subject to availability)
Day 1, 2 & 3 MOBILE CAMPING – NXAI PAN National Park
On arrival you will transfer from the Maun to Nxai Pan National Park. There is nothing here before the supply team arrives, but they travel ahead to set up camp, spacious meru tents with twin beds, fitted with sheets, blankets and warm duvets. The bathroom is ensuite, with a bush bucket shower, and a “long drop” toilet. A fibre-glass base sits over a deep hole, providing a toilet seat and we supply a bucket with ashes and a scoop to maintain a clean environment.
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Game drives are conducted in open sided 4 x 4 vehicles ensuring maximum visibility. After tea we embark on the afternoon game drive. As the sun sets on the African savannah, we enjoy sundowners and head back to camp for dinner. Three course meals are cooked over an open fire and dinner is served either in the marquee tent or under the stars. The evening is spent around the fire listening to the sounds of the wild, discussing the events of the day.
At dawn, we have an early light breakfast, and then head out on our morning activity, returning for a hearty brunch. Then there is a short siesta time to relax, and your showers are filled with warm water at your request, usually in the afternoon, as the morning breeze can be quite cold. As the midday hours are very hot, most of the animals retreat to the shade and are harder to spot during this time. If the roads are passable we will go and see the famous Baines Baobabs. The seven giant trees dominate a small island on the edge of the open grassless Kudiakam Pan.
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We spend two days here at Nxai Pan, exploring the pans that were once part of the great lake that covered central Botswana. Perhaps the focal point of Nxai Pan is the water hole, situated only two kilometres from the entrance gate, in the midst of a large grassy plain which is dotted with a few clumps of short umbrella thorn trees. The park is located just north of the Maun-Nata main road and adjoins the Makgadikgadi Pans on its northern border. The pan itself is a fossil lake bed about 15 sq. miles (40sq. km) in size. The landscape is dotted with clusters of umbrella acacia trees and Mopane woodland in the north. During the rains from November to April, the pans become covered in grass - a landscape typical of the Kalahari. Nxai Pan is well known for a huge springbok population, as the short-cropped grasses can testify, and extraordinarily large herds of giraffe with up to 30 in a group. Also to be seen are blue wildebeest, gemsbok, eland, greater kudu and red hartebeest. The more commonly seen predators are spotted hyena, cheetah, leopard and jackal with the elusive brown hyena a rare treat.
Day 4 Transfer back to Maun
After breakfast, we drive back to Maun to connect to your onward flight to your next destination.
Kalahari Safari - Botswana Safari - Nxai Pan Safari
ENJOY YOUR SAFARI WITH LATHITA TAILOR MADE TRAVEL
Rates include:
• Meet and Greet at Maun Airport
• Accommodation for 3 nights in ensuite meru tents in the the Nxai Pan Game Reserve
• Activities in Nxai Pan consisting of Game Drives
• All National Park Fees and Camping Fees in Botswana
• All meals and beverages including mineral water, soft drinks, beer, and local wines ( cash bar for Spirits is available on request)
• Daily Laundry Service while camping when there are no water restrictions
Rates exclude:
• International flights to Maun
• Alcoholic Spirits, these can be provided via cash bar on request
• Any extra activities not mentioned on original itinerary and quote
• Rates quoted for guests are from midday on date of arrival to after breakfast (leaving camp latest 8.30am). This is to avoid additional Park fees due to strict Park regulations. Guests wishing to arrive/depart before or after these stated times will be liable for additional Government Park and Guides fees.
• Tips and gratuities for guides and staff
ENJOY YOUR SAFARI WITH LATHITA TAILOR MADE TRAVEL
Situated west of Maun on the main road to Nata, these two Parks are littered with fossil pans that are covered by short grasses that attract hundreds of zebra and wildebeest every year to graze, this migration is an essential part to the survival of these herds, as the water dries up in the Savuti and Chobe areas they make their way south, for here there are fewer predators, lush grazing and water! The Parks of the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan are also host to Steenbok, Oryx (Gemsbok) and Springbok. The big cats are represented with the cheetah flourishing in the vast open expanses of Nxai Pan, and most recently the Lions of Nxai pan featured in the IMAX movie “Roar”, the hugely popular giant screen format film from National Geographic and Tim Liversedge Productions.
When Nxai Pan was first declared a game reserve in 1971 it was small at only 1 676 km², but in 1992 it was enlarged to its current size of 2578 km² and was changed to its National Park status. Baines Baobabs were named after the famous painter and explorer of the last century Thomas Baines, who painted this unusual group of baobabs in 1862 during his journeys through Southern Africa. This remarkable cluster of trees, also known as Seven Sisters, has been immortalized by other painters as well, including Prince Charles. Today, the scene that captivated Baines, inspiring him to record the formation on canvas, is little changed and still attracts the attention of visitors, although now the baobabs are recorded on film. The seven giant trees dominate a small island on the edge of the open grassless Kudiakam Pan. They used to be an ideal picnic spot for visitors, but now that this area has been incorporated in the national park this is no longer permitted, and it will be years before the area recovers from the damage of uncontrolled camping.
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park lies to the south of Nxai Pan National Park and covers a vast area of 7 800 km² it was established in 1971. In June the herds of zebra and wildebeest start their west ward migration to the Boteti region of the pans, this once great migration darkened the savannah for days but sadly due to the encroachment of humans, the destruction of habitat and the construction of the controversial “Buffalo Fence” in the 1970’s the annual migration is but a shade of what it used to be.
A visit to Botswana is not complete without a trip to the pans, the sense of vulnerability, witnessing the vast nothingness gives a new perspective.
