Nata Sanctuary makes a very easy place to visit for a day or two, either based at Nata Lodge or camping in the sanctuary itself. Aside from this, the pan is a remarkable area to explore, with the occasional spot like Kubu Island that has a magic all of its own. That said, there's a lot more than just Nata Sanctuary and Kubu here – but it does need time to explore it.

There's not much traffic around, and the pans are huge and desolate – so it's best to travel in a two-vehicle party and tell someone reliable where you plan to go, and when you'll be back. This is especially important during the first part of the year when the pan is wet, and there's a significant risk of getting a vehicle badly stuck in the mud.

Nata Sanctuary

A conservation area was originally established in the northeast corner of Sua Pan with the help of the Kalahari Conservation Society in the 1980s, to protect the important seasonal wetland areas around the Nata Delta. However, although the villagers at Nata were consulted about the plans, the wider community in the area didn't benefit from it.

This area encompassed cattle-grazing land owned by four communities: Nata, Sepako, Maposa and Mmaxotae. However, in the early 1990s it was realised that without the support of these local communities, conservation in the area couldn't be effective. Eventually, as part of the ground-breaking community project, the communities moved about 3,000 head of cattle out of the area, and fencing began. In 1993 Nata Sanctuary was opened to the public, and in the same year it won the prestigious 'Tourism for Tomorrow' award for the southern hemisphere.

Now Nata Sanctuary conserves an ecologically sensitive and important natural environment, and also effectively returns money to the communities for doing so.

Getting there
The entrance to Nata Sanctuary is about 17km south of Nata next to the main road to Francistown. There's a small reception here where you must pay entry fees to the sanctuary of P20 per person per day, plus P10 per vehicle.
Open: daily 07.00–19.00, all year.

Where to stay
If you're not staying at the nearby Nata Lodge then there are some simple bush campsites in the sanctuary, complete with basic long-drop toilets and cold showers. Camping here costs P25 per person per night, payable at reception.