Once the heart of an ancient superlake, the vast network of the Makgadikgadi salt pans is now a mesmerising void expanse the size of Switzerland. It is best experienced in the dry season when you can ride quad bikes across the crusty surface or dig for ancient stone tools left behind by some of Africa’s earliest settlers.

To the west of the salt pans, the neighbouring Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is home to thousands of zebra which migrate from the Boteti River in the west of the park to the grasslands in the east after the first rains. Lion and cheetah follow the herds, while meerkats, aardvark and brown hyena are resident on the eastern side all year round.

There are no water activities here (unless the Boteti River is unusually high) but several camps have resident bushmen who will fascinate you with their unique culture and way of life.