Nxai Pan National Park

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Botswana.

Thanks to its arid environment, Nxai Pan National Park is not a conventional safari destination, but it’s a rewarding one. Watching an elephant walk across the plains beneath a vast sunset sky is reason enough to come. The park’s resident lion and black-backed jackal are frequently sighted, and cheetah is a possibility. Nxai Pan is also the only park in Botswana where you can see both springbok and impala. After the rains, large herds of herbivores migrate into the park.

ElephantOccasional

GiraffeCommon

HippoNone

BuffaloNone

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionOccasional

LeopardVery Rare

CheetahOccasional

HyenaOccasional

Wild DogVery Rare

Wildlife Highlights

Cheetah and lion sometimes follow the herds of herbivores giving birth at the pan. Spotted hyena are often heard at night, and the rarely seen brown hyena can sometimes be found close to the campsites after dark. Other small predators include honey badger and bat-eared fox, while tree squirrels are common. After the rains, watch for Burchell’s zebra and wildebeest, and possibly eland, red hartebeest and gemsbok.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Nxai Pan has seasonal wildlife viewing. Unlike many southern African parks, the best time for watching wildlife here is in the wetter months, from December to March, when animals are attracted to green grasses around the pans. Many new animals are also born at this time. After the rains, however, the roads can be more difficult to navigate. During the Dry season, from April to October, things are quieter, but a visit is definitely still worth it.