Makgadikgadi Pans day trip from Maun: Game drive with wildlife

Spot hidden wildlife across the salt pan, guided by a driver trained to track animals in open desert

A full-day game drive from Maun to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, a vast salt flat in northeastern Botswana surrounded by the Kalahari Desert, where you travel 192 km in a safari vehicle with a professional English-speaking guide. The tour includes breakfast, a picnic lunch, and drinks. The guide stays in radio contact with other safari drivers to locate lions, elephants, zebras, jackals, antelopes, meerkats and bird species. Several observation towers let you scan the pan from above.

Step-by-step itinerary

Game drive and transfer to Maun

• Drive 192 km to Makgadikgadi Pans
• Enjoy game drive with picnic lunch
• Observe wildlife and use observation towers
• Overnight at Makgadikgadi Pans
• Early morning game drive at Makgadikgadi
• Return to Maun
• Transfer to Maun airport

The experience

Makgadikgadi Pans is one of the world's largest salt flats, and the drive there takes you across a tarred road through open savanna. Few animals migrate in and out of the pan itself, which means the wildlife you encounter (lions, elephants, zebras, jackals, antelopes, meerkats and numerous bird species) tends to stay put, making them easier to spot once your guide learns where they are. The pan's only plant life is a thin layer of blue-green algae across the salt, so the landscape is stark and unbroken in every direction.

Your guide works the radio throughout the day, staying in touch with other safari drivers to share sightings and narrow down where animals are hiding. The vehicle stops at several observation towers that rise above the pan, giving you a vantage point to scan the entire park at once. Breakfast and coffee are served before you leave Maun. Lunch is a picnic you eat during the drive, with bottled water and soft drinks available all day.

The full day runs about 12 hours from pickup to return. Children from age 3 are welcome, though the long drive and heat mean the tour works best for families prepared for a full day in an open vehicle. If you have specific dietary needs (vegetarian meals, allergies, or other requirements), let the operator know when you book.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup from Maun.
• breakfast and coffee before departure.
• picnic lunch during the game drive.
• bottled water and soft drinks throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00 and 18:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (21 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 80 years) · Youth (16 to 20 years) · Child (10 to 15 years) · Infant (3 to 9 years): free · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Marvelous Mobile Safari

Is this one for you?Small groups and families work well here. The long drive and open vehicle mean this suits travelers ready for a full day in the heat rather than a quick morning outing.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (16 to 20 years); Child (10 to 15 years); Infant (3 to 9 years): free. Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What animals am I likely to see at Makgadikgadi Pans?

Lions, elephants, zebras, jackals, antelopes, meerkats and many bird species live in and around the pan. Because few animals migrate in and out, the ones present tend to stay in the area, and your guide uses radio contact with other drivers to locate them.

How far is Makgadikgadi Pans from Maun, and what is the drive like?

The park lies 192 km southeast of Maun, and you travel on a tarred road in a safari game viewer vehicle. The drive is one-way. The full day including the game drive and return to Maun takes about 12 hours.

What observation towers are there, and what do they show?

Several observation towers are positioned throughout the park to let you look out over the entire pan at once. From the towers you can scan the salt flat and the surrounding savanna without leaving the vehicle.

What is included in the tour, and when do I eat?

Breakfast and coffee are served before departure from Maun. Lunch is a picnic eaten during the game drive. Bottled water and soft drinks are available throughout the day. Vegetarian meals can be arranged if you request them at booking.