Nxai Pan and Baines’ Baobabs Desert Circuit — Gweta to Nxai Pan Camp via Baines’ Baobabs and Kudiakam Pan
Ancient baobabs on a fossil lakebed.
Thomas Baines sketched the baobab cluster at Kudiakam Pan in 1862 and the trees haven’t changed — that’s the kind of geological timescale you’re driving into when you head south off the Nata–Maun road toward Nxai Pan. The circuit takes you across the calcrete flats of the Makgadikgadi fossil lakebed, through Nxai Pan National Park where zebra and wildebeest calve in the summer rains, and out to the Baines’ Baobabs campsite on the edge of Kudiakam Pan. The surface is hardpacked salt and calcrete most of the year, shifting to soft sand on the tracks between pans. The 30km track from Nxai Pan camp gate to Baines’ Baobabs is the technical section — loose sand and no markings in places.
A stock high-clearance 4WD handles this in the dry season with sand tyres aired down to around 26 psi. The rainy season (November to March) floods the pans and turns access tracks to soup — genuinely impassable without serious kit and local knowledge. Entry fees are paid at the Nxai Pan gate; carry cash for the national park fee. Water and fuel must be carried from Gweta or Maun — there’s nothing inside the park. What makes this one: the silence, the scale of the empty white pans, and those baobabs at golden hour with no other humans in sight.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Sand |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 87 mi / 140 km |
| Duration | 2-3 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 3050 ft |
| Best season | April-October |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD |
| Nearest town | Gweta, Central District |
| Land manager | Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) |
| Permit required | Yes |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Official sources | Botswana Tourism Nxai Pan page |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Land Cruiser or Defender handle this trail, or does it need to be built out?
A stock high-clearance 4WD with low-range and good all-terrain tires will manage the route. Deep Kalahari sand sections — especially approaching Baines' Baobabs and Kudiakam Pan — will punish street tires and inexperienced sand drivers, so airing down to around 18-20 PSI is essential.
Is this trail accessible outside the April–October dry season?
The November–March wet season turns the pans into flooded clay and the sand tracks into impassable mud. The Nxai Pan National Park gate may also restrict access during heavy rains. Stick to the dry season unless you enjoy being properly stuck with no cell service and no one coming to find you.
Do you need a permit to drive through Nxai Pan National Park, and how much does it cost?
Yes, entry fees are required and collected at the park gate — fees apply per person and per vehicle per day, set by Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP). Rates change periodically, so confirm current pricing directly with DWNP or at the gate before entering. Cash in Botswana Pula is the safest payment option.
What's the hardest section of the route and what should I actually expect?
The approach tracks to Baines' Baobabs across Kudiakam Pan are the most demanding — soft, deep sand that shifts depending on recent conditions and traffic. There's no defined hard surface, the route is GPS-dependent, and if you get stuck, you're on your own. Know how to recover in sand before you go.
There's zero cell service on this trail — what's the realistic water and fuel situation for 140km?
Carry all your water from Gweta or Maun — there is no reliable water source inside the park. Fuel up completely before leaving Gweta; the 140km loop plus any detours will sit comfortably within a full tank for most expedition rigs, but running lean through deep sand burns more than expected, so err toward a full jerry can. Satellite communicator (Garmin inReach or SPOT) is not optional in this terrain.
Trail track
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