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Botswana🇧🇼 | villagesGwetaNtwetwe Pan sunsets, habituated meerkats, baobab camp, A3 roadside stop | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Gweta
🏆 Top pickvillage ranked #1
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Gweta is not on the salt pans, though plenty of travelers expect to step out of the bus onto a white crust. It is a roadside village in the north of Botswana, on the A3 between Nata and Francistown, and the pans begin a drive south. That is why the real attraction here is a tour, not the village itself. Expect a single main road, donkey carts, a few shops and a handful of lodges and camps that organize everything. The lodges run pan, baobab and meerkat trips because the sand tracks are deep and unmarked, so a guide with a 4x4 saves you a stuck vehicle. Evenings are quiet and early, usually centered on a lodge bar or campfire, and meeting other travelers is easy because so few places exist. Gweta works as a pause on the Maun to Kasane corridor. Pay in pula and carry cash, since lodges and shops in small villages do not always have working card machines. Book pan trips a day ahead.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #1 village in BotswanaWhat makes it a must-see village

Gweta earns its stop as the practical gateway to the Makgadikgadi Pans, which is the main reason anyone leaves the highway here. The flat white expanse of Ntwetwe Pan is close enough for a half-day outing, and the lodges here are among the cheaper bases for reaching it compared with the luxury tented camps deeper in. The second draw is the baobab country around the village, where huge old trees stand alone in the scrub and make better campsites than most hotel lawns. Most people stay one or two nights, long enough for a sunrise or sunset trip, one meal at the lodge bar and a sleep under a very wide sky. It suits overlanders, self-drivers breaking up a long road day and solo travelers who like talking to strangers around a fire. Lingering beyond two nights rarely makes sense, because the village … read more 👉
Gweta earns its stop as the practical gateway to the Makgadikgadi Pans, which is the main reason anyone leaves the highway here. The flat white expanse of Ntwetwe Pan is close enough for a half-day outing, and the lodges here are among the cheaper bases for reaching it compared with the luxury tented camps deeper in. The second draw is the baobab country around the village, where huge old trees stand alone in the scrub and make better campsites than most hotel lawns. Most people stay one or two nights, long enough for a sunrise or sunset trip, one meal at the lodge bar and a sleep under a very wide sky. It suits overlanders, self-drivers breaking up a long road day and solo travelers who like talking to strangers around a fire. Lingering beyond two nights rarely makes sense, because the village has little else to do. If you want shops, nightlife or a market, push on to Maun or Francistown instead. Nights are cold in winter, so bring a warm layer.

💡 HighlightsDon't-miss highlights and experiences

  1. Ntwetwe Pan sunset trip: The sunset outing onto the edge of Ntwetwe Pan is what Gweta is known for. Guides drive you across the cracked white clay to a spot where the horizon disappears and the shadows stretch for hundreds of meters. Quad bike options exist at some lodges for those who want to cross the surface faster. Go in the dry months, roughly May to October, when the pan is firm. Expect to pay US$40 to 120 depending on whether you choose a standard vehicle or quad bikes, and plan on 3 to 4 hours.
  2. Makgadikgadi meerkat sunrise: Guided visits take you to meet a group of habituated meerkats in the early morning, as they emerge from their burrows and climb onto your shoulders or the guide’s hat to scan for predators. It is hard to feel jaded when a small animal uses you as a lookout post.
… read more 👉
  1. Ntwetwe Pan sunset trip: The sunset outing onto the edge of Ntwetwe Pan is what Gweta is known for. Guides drive you across the cracked white clay to a spot where the horizon disappears and the shadows stretch for hundreds of meters. Quad bike options exist at some lodges for those who want to cross the surface faster. Go in the dry months, roughly May to October, when the pan is firm. Expect to pay US$40 to 120 depending on whether you choose a standard vehicle or quad bikes, and plan on 3 to 4 hours.
  2. Makgadikgadi meerkat sunrise: Guided visits take you to meet a group of habituated meerkats in the early morning, as they emerge from their burrows and climb onto your shoulders or the guide’s hat to scan for predators. It is hard to feel jaded when a small animal uses you as a lookout post. Tours leave before dawn and run 3 to 4 hours, costing roughly US$45 to 90 per person. Winter mornings are cold, so wear layers, and book through your lodge the day before.
  3. Planet Baobab: Just outside the village on the A3, this camp is recognizable by its giant baobab-shaped entrance and the round thatched huts set among real baobabs. You can stop for a cold drink and a look around in about an hour even if you are not staying; a drink costs roughly US$2 to 4. Late afternoon is best, when the light is gentler and the bar fills with overlanders trading road reports. It is also a reasonable place to camp, which many travelers do.
Gweta is a good base for day trips to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Kubu Island, Green’s Baobab and the Nata Bird Sanctuary. Start with the sunset trip onto Ntwetwe Pan, since the light is the reason to come and it sets the scale for everything else you will see here.
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Things to do near Gweta

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🌤️ When to go?Seasonal considerations and timing

  • Dry winter (May to August): Days run 24 to 28°C (75 to 82°F) under hard blue sky, but nights at Gweta drop to 3 to 8°C (37 to 46°F), so a real sleeping bag matters. Daylight lasts roughly 11 hours. Roads and pans are firm, and this is the busiest, priciest stretch for camps.
  • Hot dry months (September to October): Afternoons climb to 35 to 40°C (95 to 104°F). Dust blows and shade becomes precious, but prices ease and crowds thin.
  • Green season (November to March): Highs of 32 to 37°C (90 to 99°F), with thunderstorms that fill Makgadikgadi Pan and bring zebra herds and flamingos. Dirt tracks turn to sticky mud, some trips cancel, and camps often discount beds by 20 to 30 percent. Daylight stretches to about 13.5 hours.
  • Shoulder (April): Rain fades, temperatures sit around 28 to 32°C (82 to 90°F),
… read more 👉
  • Dry winter (May to August): Days run 24 to 28°C (75 to 82°F) under hard blue sky, but nights at Gweta drop to 3 to 8°C (37 to 46°F), so a real sleeping bag matters. Daylight lasts roughly 11 hours. Roads and pans are firm, and this is the busiest, priciest stretch for camps.
  • Hot dry months (September to October): Afternoons climb to 35 to 40°C (95 to 104°F). Dust blows and shade becomes precious, but prices ease and crowds thin.
  • Green season (November to March): Highs of 32 to 37°C (90 to 99°F), with thunderstorms that fill Makgadikgadi Pan and bring zebra herds and flamingos. Dirt tracks turn to sticky mud, some trips cancel, and camps often discount beds by 20 to 30 percent. Daylight stretches to about 13.5 hours.
  • Shoulder (April): Rain fades, temperatures sit around 28 to 32°C (82 to 90°F), and the pans start drying out with few other visitors.
Book pan excursions a day ahead in winter, and check recent rain before heading onto the salt.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: good for travelingMAYMay: highly recommended for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: excellent for travelingAUGAugust: excellent for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas and accommodation options

Gweta has a handful of places along the main A3 road, and the backpacker pick is Planet Baobab, a camp with a lodge-style bar, shaded camping and thatched huts. Camping runs about US$10 to 14 per person, and basic huts or rooms start around US$45 to 80 for two, so solo travelers pay a premium. The big draw is the setting: ancient baobabs, hammocks, a pool for the 35°C afternoons, and a restaurant serving hearty plates for about US$10 to 18.

Gweta Lodge is the other long-running option, set right in the village. It has a similar mix of campsites and simple chalets, a lively bar, and a meerkat … read more 👉
Gweta has a handful of places along the main A3 road, and the backpacker pick is Planet Baobab, a camp with a lodge-style bar, shaded camping and thatched huts. Camping runs about US$10 to 14 per person, and basic huts or rooms start around US$45 to 80 for two, so solo travelers pay a premium. The big draw is the setting: ancient baobabs, hammocks, a pool for the 35°C afternoons, and a restaurant serving hearty plates for about US$10 to 18.

Gweta Lodge is the other long-running option, set right in the village. It has a similar mix of campsites and simple chalets, a lively bar, and a meerkat and pan excursion operation on site. Campsites cost roughly US$10 to 15 per person, and rooms run higher, around US$60 to 120 for two. Both places can organize Makgadikgadi Pan trips, so you can book where you sleep.

Bed options are limited, and dorm beds are rare. Arrive with your own tent if you want the cheapest night, and bring a good sleeping bag for winter. Groups of three or four can split a chalet and bring costs down. Water and cash are worth stocking up on, since Gweta has a small shop, a fuel station and an ATM, but queues and outages happen.
Best hostels in Botswana


Best quality hotels in Botswana

🚌 Day tripsWhere to go beyond the main area

Gweta works well as a base for day trips, because the lodges here sell and run most excursions, and the pans start only minutes away by vehicle.

Makgadikgadi Pan Sunset and Sunrise Trip:
This is the main reason to stay. You drive about 30 to 45 minutes out to the salt flats, then walk or sit on the white crust as the horizon flattens to nothing. Expect silence that rings in your ears. Half-day trips cost around US$60 to 100 per person with a lodge, usually in groups of two or more. Dry months are best, and first-timers often forget a scarf and warm layer for the cold wind after dark.


Habituated Meerkat Encounter:
A colony used to people lets you sit among them at dawn while they warm up. The site is roughly 30 minutes from Gweta, and the outing takes about three hours. Budget US$55 to 90 … read more 👉
Gweta works well as a base for day trips, because the lodges here sell and run most excursions, and the pans start only minutes away by vehicle.

Makgadikgadi Pan Sunset and Sunrise Trip:
This is the main reason to stay. You drive about 30 to 45 minutes out to the salt flats, then walk or sit on the white crust as the horizon flattens to nothing. Expect silence that rings in your ears. Half-day trips cost around US$60 to 100 per person with a lodge, usually in groups of two or more. Dry months are best, and first-timers often forget a scarf and warm layer for the cold wind after dark.


Habituated Meerkat Encounter:
A colony used to people lets you sit among them at dawn while they warm up. The site is roughly 30 minutes from Gweta, and the outing takes about three hours. Budget US$55 to 90 including transport. Go in the cool months, when meerkats emerge slowly and stay out longer. Arrive before sunrise, as late starters miss the best behavior.


Nata Bird Sanctuary:
The sanctuary sits on the edge of Sua Pan, about 100 kilometers northeast of Gweta. Hitching or catching a minibus to Nata takes roughly 1 to 1.5 hours and costs about US$4 to 8 each way, then you need a ride to the sanctuary itself. Entry is about US$10 to 15. It is best after good rains from January to March, when flamingos gather. Many visit in dry months and find only cracked mud.


Green’s Baobab:
A short drive from Gweta, the giant baobabs known as Green’s Baobab and nearby Chapman’s Baobab are ancient trees, with carved names from early explorers. Tours of the area start around US$50 to 90 per person. Dry season is best for access, and the tracks are usually too soft in heavy rain.

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Gweta lies on the A3 highway between Nata and Maun, so the easiest way is a minibus or coach along that route. From Maun the ride takes roughly 3 to 3.5 hours and costs about US$8 to 14. From Nata it takes around 1 to 1.5 hours for US$4 to 8, and you can ask the driver to drop you in the village.
Gweta is worth it if you want Makgadikgadi Pan sunsets, meerkats and baobab camps without paying luxury-lodge prices. One night is enough for a quick visit, though two nights lets you do both a pan trip and the meerkat outing, which together cost around US$115 to 190. It is a poor stop if you only want a town with sights, since the village itself is small and dusty.
Gweta can be visited as a day trip from Maun, but the travel eats up most of the day, as the drive is 3 to 3.5 hours each way. Overnighting makes more sense, because pan trips happen at sunrise or sunset and the lodges sit close to the best spots. If you stay a single night, plan a late arrival, a sunset outing and a dawn meerkat visit before leaving the next morning.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Where to go next

Gweta isn’t the only highlight in Botswana. Explore all what Botswana has to offer.
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We 💚 feedbackFinal thoughts on visiting Gweta

Gweta is at its best in the cool dry months, roughly May to August, when mornings on the pan are crisp and the night sky above the camps is thick with stars. I would book the meerkat sunrise and the sunset trip together, and bring a fleece because the cold at dawn surprises people who expect the tropics.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in Botswana. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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