Most people have heard of the wildebeest thundering across the Serengeti. Fewer know about Botswana’s own migration, the largest zebra migration in the world, and the longest land mammal migration in Africa.

Twice a year, up to 30,000 zebras travel more than 300 miles between the Okavango Delta, the Chobe River, and the salt pans of Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan, always moving with the rains in search of fresh grazing.

What makes this migration even more extraordinary is its timing. It takes place in the rainy season, a period most travelers assume is the worst time for safari. In most destinations, the rains mean muddy roads, thick grass, and harder wildlife viewing. In Botswana, though, the opposite is true. The rains transform the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans into fertile grazing grounds, and this is what draws the herds south in their thousands.
Watching them arrive is unforgettable:  their stripes flowing in every direction, with summer storms building on the horizon and predators never far behind. It’s a raw, fleeting spectacle, one of those rare moments in travel that feels truly unforgettable.

This is why the zebra migration is so special. While much of Africa slows down in the rains, Botswana comes alive with one of its greatest wildlife displays. For anyone visiting the country, it’s an experience not to be missed.

What Is the Zebra Migration in Botswana?

The zebra migration in Botswana is driven entirely by the seasons. When the rains arrive and the salt pans of the Kalahari transform into grazing grounds, thousands of zebras begin their journey south in search of fresh grasses and essential minerals. When the landscape dries again, they head north toward the Chobe River and the Okavango Delta, where permanent water sources sustain them through the dry months.
What makes Botswana unusual is that there are actually two distinct zebra migrations happening:

• Okavango Delta → Makgadikgadi Pans
  A round trip of about 300 miles (500 km), this was only fully understood in 2012 when GPS collars revealed the remarkable distance the herds were covering each year.
• Chobe River → Nxai Pan
  The longer route, stretching nearly 1,000 km annually, is now recognized as the longest land mammal migration in Africa. It’s an astonishing journey that allows the zebras to follow the rhythm of the rains while avoiding the floods of the Delta.

Best Time to See the Zebra Migration in Botswana

The zebra migration is all about survival. The herds move to find fresh grazing areas as the seasons change, following the rains and the growth of new grasses.

Botswana has two very distinct seasons:

• Dry season (April to October): Most of the country becomes parched, especially the Kalahari Desert in the south and center, where life is difficult to sustain without rain. During this time, zebras concentrate in the north, along the Chobe River and in the Okavango Delta, where rivers and permanent waterholes remain full.
• Wet season (November to March): Heavy rains transform the salt pans of Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan into lush grazing grounds. What looks barren and lifeless for most of the year suddenly bursts with greenery, drawing thousands of zebras south in one of Africa’s most remarkable natural movements.

If you want the most dramatic sightings, plan your safari between late December and February. This is when the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans are at their greenest after the rains, and the zebra herds are at their peak. Thousands gather on the open plains, predators follow closely behind, and the combination of stormy skies and endless stripes makes for unforgettable photography.

Where to See the Zebra Migration

Botswana's zebra migration can technically be experienced across the country. However, much of the route passes through remote, largely inhospitable land that's difficult to access. Conveniently, the migrations start and end in two of Botswana's most spectacular national parks: Chobe National Park in the north and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in the south.

Most travelers visit Botswana in the dry season (May–November), when game viewing is excellent in Chobe and the Okavango Delta. You'll see plenty of zebra during this time, but you won't see the dramatic mass movements, the migration only happens once the rains arrive.
That's what makes this spectacle so unique. The best time to witness the herds on the move is in the wet season (December–April), a time many travelers avoid. Yes, it can be muddy and stormy, but this is when the zebras gather in their thousands and move across the pans in breathtaking numbers.

Two areas stand out as the best places to experience the migration:

• Nxai Pan National Park
  Famous for the dramatic Baines' Baobabs and sweeping grasslands, Nxai Pan offers excellent predator action during the migration. Zebras arrive here in large numbers at the peak of the rains, and the vast open plains make for cinematic viewing.
• Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
  The salt flats provide surreal scenery as thousands of zebras move across the shimmering white expanse. This is the best and most reliable place to see the migration at its height. The best months are December to January when the zebras are arriving, and March to April when they begin their journey back north. With far fewer tourists than Botswana's northern parks, you'll often feel as though you have this incredible spectacle almost to yourself.

The Hidden History of Botswana’s Zebra Migration

For decades, the zebra migration in Botswana went almost unnoticed. Early explorers and hunters described enormous wildlife movements across the Kalahari, even larger than the Serengeti’s famed wildebeest migration. But by the mid-20th century, colonial farming policies and veterinary fences had cut off traditional migratory routes. Populations dwindled, and many assumed that the great herds were gone forever.

Then, in the mid-2000s, researchers began to notice something unusual. Collared zebras were making puzzling movements, appearing in one part of the country one season and hundreds of miles away the next. GPS data revealed the truth: Botswana’s zebras were still migrating, quietly covering up to 1,000 km each year across some of Africa’s most remote landscapes.

What had once been thought lost was, in fact, still alive, just hidden from human eyes. Today, that rediscovery has reshaped the way we understand Botswana’s ecosystems and cemented the zebra migration as one of the continent’s most remarkable natural events.

Where to Stay During the Zebra Migration

The Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans are some of Botswana’s most striking landscapes, wide open salt flats, endless horizons, and skies that seem to stretch forever. This is where the zebra migration unfolds, and it’s also where you can enjoy experiences that make this part of Botswana so memorable: walking with meerkats, exploring the pans by quad bike, or lying back under one of the clearest night skies in Africa.
Some of the best places to stay during the migration include:

• Jack’s Camp – A safari institution, known for its 1940s style, fascinating natural history collections, and panoramic views over the Makgadikgadi.
• San Camp – Minimalist white tents on the edge of the pans, perfect for those looking for peace and romance.
• Nxai Pan Camp – A front-row seat to the migration, with excellent predator sightings on the surrounding grasslands.
• Leroo La Tau – Elevated above the Boteti River, where zebra herds gather in the dry season and sunsets turn the water gold.

Further Reading

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