The Backpacker’s Travel Guide to Nata, Botswana

Nata is a tiny town at the crossroads of some grand destinations. Despite its small size, Nata is an essential stop for many over-landing trips through Botswana and Southern Africa. I spent a few tranquil days in Nata as I was leap-frogging my way through Africa, using it as a home base to meet fellow travelers and explore the nearby attractions, like the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and the Nata Bird Sanctuary. Although many people view it as a stopover between Botswana’s grand destinations like the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park, Nata itself is worth spending a couple of days in. Whether you’re looking to stock up on supplies or cruise through the endless salt pans, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Nata.

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Table of Contents

How To Get To Nata

Nata is located conveniently in the center of Botswana’s major destinations. I ended up in Nata en route to the Okavango Delta from Chobe National Park. Since I was traveling without a car, I was at the mercy of infrequent buses and the rare car or truck that may pass by and might offer me a ride. Not willing to push my luck and try to make it all the way to Maun in a single day, I decided to spend at least one night in Nata.

Getting to Nata from Kasane or Kazungula

There are bus stops in both Kasane and Kazungula, with the bus departing from Kasane and making a stop at Kazungula. I waited at the Kazungula bus stop for the 11 AM bus. It was about an hour late, but fortunately, it did indeed show up. Catch the bus heading towards Francistown or Gaborone and it will arrive in Nata in about 3 to 4 hours. I paid about $7 USD for the ride. It will drop you off at the Shell station close to where the highway splits off to the west and to the south. If you plan on continuing to Maun, this is where you’ll wait for the shuttle bus.

From the Shell station, you can either walk to your accommodation or hop in one of the taxis. I paid 20 pula to get to Eselbe Backpackers and 50 pula to get to Nata Lodge. 

Getting to Nata From Gaborone or Francistown

There’s really just one circular highway that wraps around Botswana. Francistown is about three hours from Nata, and you’ll want to catch one of the northbound buses headed either to Maun or to Kasane. There are actual bus stations in Francistown and Gaborone, so find out the departure times and head to the bus station around an hour early to secure your spot on the bus. The same details above apply to doing the journey in reverse. You’ll be dropped off at the Shell station and need to walk or take a taxi to your accommodation.

Getting to Nata From Maun

Maun also has a bus station and you can catch a bus to Kasane, Francistown, or Gaborone that will pass through Nata. Make sure the Gaborone bus is headed in the correct direction, though, as sometimes, it will take the counterclockwise route to Gaborone rather than the clockwise route that passes through Nata. 

Oh, and before you go, it’s always a good idea to have travel insurance while you’re off adventuring across the world. While Botswana is generally safe, you will be dealing with poorly-maintained roads and drivers with an insatiable need for speed. I use SafetyWing to keep me covered throughout my travels for as low as $45 a month, and their coverage includes Botswana among the 190+ countries that they cover.

Where To Stay in Nata

The town of Nata itself doesn’t have too many places to stay. A few basic guesthouses pop up close to the town’s main strip, which is mostly just the gas stations and a few shops. The best places to stay in Nata are a bit further out of town, and typically cater to people self-driving themselves throughout the country. However, taxis weren’t too expensive and hitchhiking is a fairly reliable option.

Eselbe Camp Backpackers

Eselbe Camp Backpackers is where I stayed during my time in Nata. I initially planned on staying for a night, but this hostel had an amazing vibe and it was very easy to get sucked in. Without a car or really any idea what I was doing, I hung around for a few days until I met some travelers driving to Maun and hopped in the car with them. It’s a great place to meet travelers, with some laid-back communal spaces and family dinners every night.

Eselbe Camp has a really interesting aesthetic, giving off Burning Man vibes with its eclectic design and homey atmosphere. Rupert, the owner, is an incredible host who is very friendly and happy to help with anything you might need. Eselbe Camp offers private rooms, shared dorm tents, private tents, and camping spots for you to set up your own tent, as well as car camping. It’s a great budget option in a serene location, although it is a few kilometers out of town, so keep that in mind if you don’t have your own transportation.

Nata Lodge

Nata Lodge is located about 10 kilometers outside of Nata, so it’s only ideal if you have your own car or don’t mind paying for the taxi to get there. The rooms are a bit pricy for a solo backpacker, but they also have camping spots that accommodate to a lower budget. I didn’t have a tent, though, so I didn’t stay here. I did come to hang out for a few hours as they operate the safaris to the Nata Bird Sanctuary. It is an incredible property, and if it’s within your budget, I’d highly recommend staying here.

Before heading off on epic safaris through the salt flats, make sure you have a plan for staying connected. I use Saily eSIM to keep me online during my travels, ensuring that I have internet from the moment I land to the moment I leave. Navigating directions, coordinating travel plans with new hostel friends, booking a ride, and so on – having an eSIM makes life that much easier when you’re on the road. Data packages for Botswana start at just $6, and you can use my code “eli5” for an additional 5% off of your first Saily eSIM.

Getting Around in Nata

Without a car, you’ll have to resort to either taxis or hitchhiking. There are taxis that run up and down the main highway. They’re pretty cheap if you stick to their main route, but you’ll have to pay a little more for a private taxi outside of town. You’ll either have to wait along the main road for a taxi to pass by or head to the taxi stand outside of the Checker’s Supermarket. There’ll be a few taxis stationed in its parking lot during the day.

Hitchhiking in Botswana is very common, and I met many travelers, including solo female travelers, who exclusively hitchhiked to travel around the country. You know how it goes, just hang around the highway and try to wave down any passing cars. They don’t use the thumbs-up to wave down cars, by the way. One of the local guys I hitched a ride with corrected me on this when I did my usual thumbs up. Just hold your hand out about waist high and move it like you’re petting a dog. The more tired you look, the better.

The Best Things To Do in Nata

It doesn’t take too long to see the highlights of Nata. I’d recommend spending a full day here to catch the main sites and stock up on supplies. Here’s what to do in Nata.

Nata Bird Sanctuary

The easiest way to see the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans without a car is to hop on a sunset drive with Nata Lodge. It costs about $30 for the two-hour adventure to the Sua Pan, departing from Nata Lodge and driving over to the nearby Nata Bird Sanctuary. You’ll drive around looking for animals. We mostly saw birds, wildebeest, zebras, and a few large hyenas. The landscapes are incredible, though, which was the main reason I tagged along on this adventure. The drive was capped off with sunset drinks overlooking the endless salt flats that extended to the horizon, and was one of the most surreal sunsets I’ve seen in my life.

Kayak Down the Nata River

There’s a river that runs through Nata and a popular activity is to hop on a canoe and paddle down the river. Eselbe Camp had canoes that were free to use for their guests. Hopping on one of these and gently floating down the river was a great way to spend a few hours. It’s very peaceful, and you never know what wildlife you might see along the way. 

Cruise through the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

Further down the highway towards Maun, you’ll find the vast Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan salt pans. These are fairly inaccessible without your own vehicle, and I didn’t find anywhere that offered tours, either from Maun or from Nata. If you can make it to Gweta, there is a lodge and campsite called Planet Baobab that does offer excursions into the pans, including one to spot some meerkats. As far as I know, this would be the only way to see Botswana’s main salt pans without having to self-drive. If you have your own car, you can simply drive towards Maun and veer off to explore the salt pans on either side of the highway.

Final Thoughts on Nata

While the town of Nata itself is nothing more than a few gas stations and a big supermarket, its location at the crossroads of many of Botswana’s most popular travel destinations has put it on the map. It’s a stopover town for most travelers, with the majority of over-landers using it primarily to break up a longer journey, refuel, and resupply at Checker’s. However, there is enough to do to warrant staying a couple of days. I did love how laid-back the vibe throughout Nata was, and the few days I spent here really helped me settle into the mindset that I needed to travel Botswana. Nothing was going to work particularly efficiently or in a timely manner, but the people of Botswana are incredibly helpful, and things would work themselves out eventually.

Stop by, check out the nearby salt pans, float down the river, and take life slow. It may be a stop-over town, but it’s definitely one of the best middle-of-nowhere towns in the region.

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