Botswana map

Set among the Mokolwane palms on the edge of the pans – close to the entrance to the Nata Sanctuary, 10 km from Nata village.

Nata Bird Sanctuary

Located 17 kms south of Nata Village, the sanctuary was established in the early 1990’s on the north eastern edge of Sowa Pan. The sanctuary is a community project and a refuge for wildlife around Sua Pan including various species of antelope such as hartebeest, kudu, reedbuck, springbok and steenbok – and springhares, jackals, foxes, monkeys and squirrels.

Eland, gemsbok and zebra are being re-introduced, and current plans include engineering a permanent water hole, which will be filled with pumped water from the Nata riverbed

Nata Sanctuary is home to more than 165 bird species including flamingoes * kingfisher* ostrich* eagles * bustards* pelicans

Nata Birding Spots & Attractions

Sowa Pan with its unique beauty and beaches of rolled quartz pebbles also offers good birding opportunities.

Sowa Spit – Botswana’s soda ash industry mines on part of the pan

Eastern Ntwetwe Pan: fascinating landscapes and beautiful sunsets is also worth visiting

Nata basketry is available for purchase at the village

Travel Note: access to the Makgadikgadi Pan is by four-wheel drive vehicles only.

When the Nata River flows, this corner of Sua Pan becomes a paradise for water-loving birds from all around Africa: teals, ducks, geese and hosts of pelicans, spoonbills and both greater and lesser flamingoes.

Nata bird sanctuary

This area is also an important breeding ground for flamingoes,  pelicans & Crowned Cranes

Dominated by a fallen baobab tree of immense age and girth – this huge tree collapsed in 1992 but, amazingly, has survived and continues to grow horizontally with new shoots sprouting along the length of its trunk

Plane lunch is served

the salt pans of Botswana

Access roads throughout the sanctuary are well maintained but access to certain areas may be restricted to 4 – wheel drive, particularly in the wet season