Makgadikgadi Pans

Sunset over what remains of an ancient 6500km² lake.

The Makgadikgadi Pan is a large salt pan in northern Botswana, the largest salt flat complex in the world. I don't even know what a salt complex is but it sounds impressive. I have been told that I don't want to miss this. Of course, I've been told that I don't want to miss any of it.

In the words of the Safari Lodges in Makgadikgadi, Botswana (where we're not staying because, once again, we will be camping):

The large pans of Makgadikgadi are the most visible remnants of a lake that has been formed more than five million years ago. Makgadikgadi was once a superlake some 30 metres (100 feet) deep, covering a massive area of 80,000² km (30,888² miles). But as recent as 10,000 years ago, climatic shifts had already started to dry up Lake Makgadikgadi. Further evaporation turned the lake into large pans with a surface glistening with salt.

Written on December 15 and autoposted to correlate with the trip.

Tag: Botswana Vacation Travel