Nxai Pan National Park lies just north of the Maun - Nata road in central Botswana and adjoins the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan parks are fossil salt pans formed around 10 –15000 years ago –the last vestiges of a super lake that was formed by waters flowing out rivers today known as the Chobe/Kwando and Okavango, into the Zambezi and onto the Indian ocean. Seismic shifts led to drastic changes in the direction of the rivers’ flow. Across the eastern side of the modern day Kalahari quite notable fault lines i.e. ridges are evident and these prevented the rivers from following their previous course to the ocean.
Historically this area was home to a huge zebra migration, second only to that in East Africa. After vetinerary fences were put up in the 1970s to protect wildlife from cattle infections, these fences resulted in the deaths of many of the migrating herds as droughts forced them to try and move through the fences, which of course they could not do. Currently the fences do actually protect the wildlife and the movements of animals have adapted to an extent around them.
Today the Nxai Pan and Kalahari regions are still an important summer grazing area for many species and research shows that zebra are again making their way from the Pans to the edge of the Delta. Nxai Pan is a summer retreat for many animals from the northern parks of Chobe and Okavango, large herds of zebra and wildebeest join resident species such as Gemsbok, Springbok and Impala. Nxai Pan is where delta meets desert, there are plant, bird, insect and mammals that are found in both habitats so you can find elephants alongside gemsbok. The concentration of animals around water holes in the dry season and grazing during the rains means that predators are common - lion, cheetah, leopard and wild dog are found here in healthy numbers.
Nxai Pan was originally state owned land and an area of 1676sq km was declared a game reserve in 1970 which was extended in 1992 to include Baines Baobabs giving the present area 2578sq km and National Park status. The Nxai Pans were once part of the great super lake that covered central Botswana - this included Okavango Delta, Makgadikgadi and Lake Ngami, amongst others.
Livingstone passed this way during the 19th century and traders and explorers soon followed on what became an important trade route. Kgama Kgama Pan in the centre of the park used to hold water in those days and travellers came through to replenish their supplies and rest.
In 1861 a famous painter, Thomas Baines, arrived and painted an unusual group of baobag trees, one of which lies on its side and since then they have become known as 'Baines Baobabs'. Many painters have been captivated by these wonderful trees which are on the southern side of the park.
The Pan itself is another fossil lake bed which is around 40sq km in size. The landscape is largely covered by grasslands and dotted with clusters of umbrella acacia trees and mopane woodland int he north. During November to April in the rainy season the pans become grass covered in a landscape similar to the Kalahari.
The wildlife here includes a large Springbok population and once the rains come, Gemsbok, Elephant and Zebra migrate to the region. This is part of an amazing zebra migration and they arrive in their 1000s to have their young at Nxai Pan after the rains. Large herds of giraffe are also quite common in groups up to 30. These large groups of course attract predators including Lion, Cheetah, Jackal and Spotted and the rarer Brown Hyena. Endangered wild dog and hard to see leopard are also found here if you are lucky. Rhinos are also very rare visitors. Birding is excellent during the rainy season.
