Welcome to Nxai Pan Camp

Nxai Pan Camp is the only permanent camp situated within the Nxai Pan National Park. The camp was opened in 2009 and is proving a popular desert destination along with Tau Pan Camp.

There are nine rooms which are linked to the main area by means of a slightly raised walkway, at night these are lit with lanterns to show you the way.

The rooms are built from a light, specially selected material which keeps them warm in winter and cool in summer, a fan also helps circulate the breeze in those hotter months. The rooms are light and spacious. The main area of each room features double or twin beds, a seating area, and a small writing desk. The bathroom area has shelving and hanging space, a double sink and inside and outside showers, there is a separate flush toilet.

Décor is simple but homely. Each room has a low wooden veranda offering perfect views of the permanent waterhole where elephants are often a feature, along with the jackals and guinea fowl who always come to drink – the perfect spot to relax during the day.

One of the rooms, close to the main area, is a family room. This is laid out exactly the same as the other units but with an extra separate bedroom containing twin beds.

The camp’s nine tents face the waterhole, with the main area being the central best place for game viewing from the water hole. Frequent visitors to the water hole include elephants, cheetah, as well as the migratory herds of zebra (usually) from late December to early April, however this is entirely dependent on the summer rainfall in Botswana which affects the migratory cycle.

The minimalistic white-washed design of the camp is in keeping with the surrounding white salt pans. Nxai Pan accommodates a maximum of eighteen guests in thatched units specially designed to provide a constant and comfortable temperature throughout the year, when seasonal temperatures can fluctuate from below freezing to well over 45 degrees Celsius.

The main areas of the camp include an expansive open-air lounge and dining area, with a bar, pool and curio shop.

Location

Nxai Pan is located on the western edge of the fossil pan from which the camp takes its name. The camp faces east over the open grasslands of the pans. The biggest draw to Nxai Pan National Park are the zebras that migrate by the thousands to the area – the second largest land animal migration in Southern Africa.

Accommodation

There are nine rooms which are linked to the main area by means of a slightly raised walkway, at night these are lit with lanterns to show you the way. The rooms are built from a light, specially selected material which keeps them warm in winter and cool in summer, a fan also helps circulate the breeze in those hotter months.

The rooms are light and spacious. The main area of each room features double or twin beds, a seating area, and a small writing desk. The bathroom area has shelving and hanging space, a double sink and inside and outside showers, there is a separate flush toilet.

Décor is simple but homely. Each room has a low wooden veranda offering perfect views of the permanent waterhole where elephants are often a feature, along with the jackals and guinea fowl who always come to drink – the perfect spot to relax during the day.

One of the rooms, close to the main area, is a family room. This is laid out exactly the same as the other units but with an extra separate bedroom containing twin beds.

Facilities

Activities

Game drives (day), day trips to Baines' Baobabs, and bushmen nature walk experience. All activities are with a guide and tracker

Vehicles used

Land Cruisers 3 x rows of 3 seats with canopy, max 6 pax/vehicle

We operate our game drives using a guide and tracker, this adds to the experience on two levels. You have two sets of eyes searching out the action, looking for tracks – this ensures a good chance of sightings, especially predators. In addition, having the tracker concentrating on tracking means that the guide is more able to talk to clients, keep them informed and answer all their questions, it leads to a more relaxed, convivial game drive atmosphere.

As well as game drives, we offer a day trip to see the famous Baines' Baobabs – they are truly majestic, sentinels standing tall on the edge of the salt pan.

As Nxai Pan is within a national park we have to follow their regulations. The area is ecologically sensitive and as such we are not permitted to drive at night nor offroad.

We do offer nature walks and star gazing here, in addition to the game drives. T he nature walks are led by one of the Bushmen trackers. It is a fascinating exper ience where we take a step towards learning and understanding how it is possibl e to survive in such a hostile environment – we get a glimpse into the way of life and beliefs of the original inhabitants of t he Kalahari desert.

Getting there

Nxai Pan Airstrip is approximately 15 minutes drive to the camp Nxai Pan Airstrip is approximately 1 hour's flight on light-aircraft from Kasane, and approximately 40 minute's flight from Maun provided there are no other stops along the way

 Nxai Pan National Park

Nxai Pan was originally state land and an area of 1676 sq. km was declared a game reserve in 1970. In 1992 the boundaries were extended to include Baines’ Baobabs, and National Park status was granted.

The pans were once part of the super lake that covered much of central Botswana, including Lake Ngami and the Okavango Delta.

The landscape is largely covered by grassland and dotted with clusters of umbrella acacia trees and mopane woodland to the north. During the rains, from November to late March, the landscape changes to lush green, the pans become covered in succulent grasses which attract large herds of antelope. Bird life during this period is prolific, many species being different to what one would see in the Delta – it is definitely a birders paradise.

The area is well known for large numbers of springbok and elephant and during rainy season zebra migrate to the region. Giraffe and oryx are also often seen in the area in large herds with up to 30 in a group. These large herds attract many predators – lion, cheetah, jackal, spotted and brown hyena and sometimes the endangered wild dog and the secretive leopard

The desert camps make a perfect contrast to the Okavango Delta and Northern Botswana regions, a great way to start or round off any trip.