An incredible exploration, this is one of the must-do activities for those seeking a little something different from the wildlife experiences of the bush. You start off with your private guide at the edge of the Makgadikgadi and head off into the enormous nothingness of the salt pans. Driving your quad bike in single file and a good distance apart, you traverse the crusty salt pans out to your chosen destination, all the while taking in the desolate, flat scenery. At your camp spot, you will be fed and taken care of by your guide, and when the time comes for bed, you can head out away from the fireplace as far as you please to lay your bedroll out under the stars, watching them all the way to the horizon between your toes. There are no animals or insects out this far and as such, no mosquito nets or tents are needed, leaving you to the most incredible starry night sky you have ever seen.

Trips by quad bike can be done for the day, the night or extended nights, and one of the very best journeys to take is from the edge of the Makgadikgadi all the way out to Kubu Island in the middle of the great salt pans, taking a night in between on the way. Kubu Island meaning Hippo Island in Setswana is a granite outcrop in the middle of the Makgadikgadi covered in enormous ancient Baobab trees. Here you can set camp for the night and enjoy the resplendent beauty of this peculiar location, whilst watching the huge sun set over the pans, and a majestical starry sky rise yet again, bisected by the Milky Way.

These trips are best done between the months of June and October when the salt pans are dry.