PLANET BOABAB Very unique and affordable luxury on Makgadigadi Pans

GWETA LODGE For families, star gazers and those who need space.

JACK'S CAMP Extreme luxury lodge on Makagadigadi Pans

Gweta is a tiny settlement in Botswana, 2 km from the road between Nata (100 km to go) and Maun (205 kilometres to go). Gweta means “Place of the bullfrogs”, and while the village is not exactly a bustling metropolis, you will find some foodstores for basics, a vehicle workshop able to do minor repairs and fuel (somewhat erratic supply).   

Gweta is near to the Makgadigadi Pans, one of the world’s largest salt pans and one of the places in Botswana you shouldn’t miss. The Pans are actually a series of pans (the largest being Nxai, Sua and Nwetwe Pans), which are separated by desert, and is the remains of an enormous inland water mass, Lake Makgadigadi, which dried up approximately 10 000 years ago.

The landscape is eerie and dramatic, and is a photographer’s dream. The Sua Pan contains two “islands”. One of them, Kubu Island, is a national monument and contains a number of baobab trees. The Makgadigadi Pans is not only a nature lover’s paradise, but also contains sites with fossils and stone tools dating to before the era of Homo Sapiens.

When the annual rains come, the Makgadigadi Pans in Botswana turn into a refuge for migrating birds and animals. Large herds of wildebeest and zebra are then followed by their predators, while flocks of white pelicans, Greater Flamingos, ducks and geese cover the pans. Enough to make nature lovers euphoric.

The Makgadigadi Pans and the surrounding area offers a range of accommodation options, from supreme luxury and comfort to funky and fun. Gweta Lodge is a stargazer’s dream, while Jack’s Camp turns back the clock to the days of explorers and safaris. Both these establishments offer supreme luxury and exquisite surroundings. Planet Baobab is for those who appreciate funky and quirky decor. Indeed something for everybody!