(18 huts and camping) Contact Uncharted Africa
This is Uncharted Africa's venture, offering a Makgadikgadi Pans experience to a clientele who can't afford the prices of Jack's Camp, combined with somewhere interesting to stop for people driving past. Set amongst baobabs (GPS: PBAOBA) about 4km east of Gweta, Planet Baobab is just south of the main Nata–Maun road. If you stay here, there are three choices of accommodation:

The eight traditional mud huts are actually brick clad in mud, with a thatched roof on top. Everything inside is rounded as if it's made of mud. There are two beds, one built into each side of the room, each with a mosquito net, and a stylish en-suite washbasin, toilet and shower. These have been very well designed, with glass in the windows and trendy mirrors on the walls.

The ten Bushman huts are very basic, rounded shelters built using a frame of thin mopane saplings, and a covering of grasses. There's a door made of sticks and inside are two rustic beds with a cowhide rug on a dung floor, a bedside table and a paraffin lantern. Residents share the same ablutions as the campers. Whilst similar to camping in the dry season, I'd be a little apprehensive sleeping in one during the rains – although I am assured that they're waterproof.

The campsite has four showers and toilets built into a large and stylish thatched rondavel – complete with lights set into the walls and clothes-hooks made from branches.

The camp's focus is a funky dining and bar area, dominated by a large, curved bar and lit by two chandeliers made from local beer bottles. This has tables and alcoves and a fine collection of images and interesting things on its walls. A full breakfast here is US$15, lunch is US$10 and a 3-course dinner US$20.

Fly-camping trips to the pans are covered separately, see below. However, there are a variety of optional activities that can be organised out of a base at Planet Baobab, including the following. Village Tour which lasts about two hours and includes a visit to the local primary school, Gweta's kgotla (traditional court), and a stop at the traditional healer. A local guide from the area will lead you, and there's always a chance to stop and sample some of the local sorghum beer. (It's an acquired taste!). Bushwalk and fireside chat which is a short guided walk for about two hours through the surrounding bush, concentrating on the environment, the traditional uses of plants and animals, the history of the area and perhaps some local stories. Traditional meal at the cattlepost can be arranged in the evening with a local family: typically sorghum, mealie meal, seswaa (beef stew), wild spinach, mopane worms in season, wild beans and perhaps creamy baobab fruit milkshake.