Nxai Pan National Park

We went in November and the wildlife was mostly gone from the park. The scenic beauty and solitude of the park are unmatched though.

it was very dry and the water hole was nearly dry, the guide explained that the period was not good,

Not a popular venue but does boast the famous "Baines' Baobabs, a must see if you visit here.

It offers everything that the Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers and some very interesting salt pans and baobab trees, too. Kwando Safaris gave us an experience very similar to that of Central Kalahari Game Reserve and I fulfilled a lifelong dream of meeting my first San Bushman who was our tracker. Our guide was Lucky Garenamotse who owns Lucky Tours and Safaris and who was on loan to Kwando for 3 months. I would recommend Lucky to anyone! He knows everything about the birds and plants in Botswana and a whole lot more, too. Sweet guy, great driver, lots of fun.

An excellent introduction to Botswana.

My partner and I went to the Nxai Pans in September 2011 arranged by Far and Away, before heading off into the Delta with Letaka (through Naturetrek).

We stayed in Nxai Pans National Park at one of the government run camps, sleeping in tents and using the excellent solar showers at the camp. Our guide drove us on almost all of the tracks within the park, especially to the water holes which were teaming with birds and mammals. Although there were no big predators it was great to see so much wildlife on my first trip to Africa. On the last full day we went to the pans on route to Baines Boababs. The Pans were amazing; flat, hot and as far strecthing as you could see. The Boababs were an amazing place to stop for lunch! On the way back to camp on the very sandy road we had to rescue a couple who had stuck thier 4WD. I would recomend being driven!

An unhindered drive into old school bush alive with vibrant tranquility and long sunset horizons.

I drove in unguided with a 4x4 with the complete feeling of discovery and calmness as a privileged part of nature in Nxai Pan. Once inside, there is really nothing beyond the ablution block in the camp to signify man's comforts and trespass upon the wild. Respect for the environment means a novel observational experience like you might have seen 50 years ago, in that there are no tarred roads or fences around hutted camps.
As a photographer, you have unique accessibility to clear fields of view, especially by the water holes, where a sensible proximity to elephants is possible. This increases the feeling of being part of nature and builds a great sense of regard. The open areas allowed me to track a Lion walking for more than a mile and get an awesome sequence of shots.
The camp ground is literally a space for tents and vehicles, with the provision of a water supply and toilet/shower facilities. Walking amongst the trees there reveals many other often overlooked species, particularly birds and insects, heightened with the exciting reality that you are in wild country without a perimeter to keep animals out.
This part of Botswana really does offer some fantastic sunset scenes with long shadows and deep colours as the dust dances in the air.
A thoroughly recommendable trip with a difference, impossible to match in South Africa.

Completely alone

The Nxai Pan National Park was definitely one of the highlights on our three week trip through Botswana.
We stayed at Baines camp site 2, which gave us some much needed shade against the hot afternoon sun. There were some campers at site 3 at night but the distance between the sites is so great that you could only make out thier campfire in the pitch black dark.
Complete silence. I have never felt so far away from Civilization in my life as I did n this National Park. We did not see a single human soul or human presence (other than the mentioned fire) the entire time in the park.

When the sun goes down you really feel like part of the milky way as there is a billion stars all around.

I can strongly recommend this place. Book your campsites early as there are only three of them.

In winter the elephants leave for the Makgadigadi Pans. Slightly dissapointed, but the Bain's Baobabs are beautiful

I don't remember Nxai Pan as well as the other locations we camped in, but I recall thinking this was the place most decimated by elephants, so it had a bit of a blasted feel. But the wildlife and wilderness feel were still off the charts.

I like the Pan landscape. It is open and dry, so wildlife congregates around the water. Cheetah are frequently sighted here, which is always a treat.