Nxai Pan National Park
Nxai Pan National Park lies adjacent to the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and is approximately 2,578 km² in size. Originally state land, an area of 1676 square kilometres was declared a game reserve in 1970 and then in 1992 the boundaries were extended to include Baines Baobabs to give the present total area of 2,578 km² and National Park status was granted.
History of Nxai Pan 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.
Nxai Pan is a fossil lake-bed about 40 square kilometres in size. The landscape is dotted with clusters of umbrella acacia trees and mopane woodland in the north. During the rains from November to April, the pans become covered in grass - a landscape typical of the Kalahari.
Thomas Baines, a famous artist came to the area in 1861 and painted a group of Baobab trees, which is now known as Baines Baobabs. It is unusual to see a group of seven Baobab trees so close to each other and because one of the trees was growing on its side, Thomas Baines named his painting ‘The Sleeping Sisters’. Other explorers such as the Green brothers also passed through this area and today their inscription in the bark ‘Green’s Expedition 1858-1859’ can be seen.
Nxai Pan National Park lies on the old Pandamatenga Trail, which once connected a series of bore holes and was used until the 1960s for overland cattle drives. A number of boreholes, used to provide water for the cattle and men on their long trek, were capped when this trail had to be abandoned, but are said to be still capable of supplying copious water supplies if re-equipped.
Travel Access
Nxai Pan National Park is open to visitors throughout the year, however, road conditions may become difficult during a heavy rainy season. Whilst many other parks and reserves are not considered to be at their best during the rains, Nxai Pan becomes a veritable Garden of Eden.
Seasons and Best times to Travel
Rainy season: Summer is from November to April and is classified as the rainy season. The days are hot and wet and the Nxai Pan is considered at its best this time of year. The game viewing is spectacular from December to April and the zebra migration of the Magkadigkadi often spills over into the Nxai Pan area. If the rainfall has been heavy, however, the area will become inaccessible for self-drive vehicles. Midday summer temperatures average around 35°C and reach a maximum of 44°C.
Dry season: The dry winter months are from May to September when the days are cooler. It is also a time when the area and roads become more accessible. Winter is a long, dry period of sunshine and cloudless days with midday temperatures reaching up to 17°C and dropping to a low of - 8°C at night
Wildlife
The focal point of Nxai Pan is the water hole, situated close to the entrance gate, in the midst of a large grassy plain which is dotted with umbrella thorn trees. Nxai Pan consists mainly of rich, clayey soils and very thick sand dunes on the periphery of the pan. This makes for beautiful scenery and is unique to Nxai Pan. The short, sweet grasses on the pans provide excellent grazing, particularly for the springbok, which are abundant in this area. Both impala and springbok can be seen in Nxai Pan National Park. Although the habitat is more suitable for springbok, the impala survive because of the mopane veld and the availability of permanent water.
Approximately 20km south-east of Nxai Pan, is the beautiful Kudiakam Pan complex. Apart from the abundance of wildlife, Kudiakam Pan is also significant as the site of 'Baines' Baobabs'.
Nxai Pan National Park is renowned for its beautiful scenery that is unique to this area as well as spectacular game viewing. Once the rains start, wildebeest, gemsbok, elephant and zebra migrate to the region. At the same time zebra come in their thousands to give birth to their young. Massive herds of giraffe can be seen with up to 30 in a group. The large herds of zebras, springbok, and wildebeest attract many predators like lion, cheetah, jackal, both spotted and the elusive brown hyena, as well as the endangered wild dog and the secretive leopard which in return offers incredible game viewing. There are large numbers of bat-eared fox and raptors that prey on the rodents and reptiles. Rhinos are occasionally sighted. Eland, greater kudu and red hartebeest are seen in Nxai Pan. The birdlife is incredible, with black Korhaan, kestrel and goshawks to name a few.
