Botswana by car. Route from Maun to Kasane, via Nata.

We travelled in October 2014.

The route from Maun to Kasane, via Nata is around 610 km.

We did this route in 3 days.

Interesting camps to stop on the way.

Good tarred roads. Be careful with cattle. Empty road (Maun to Nata) and few trucks from Nata to Kasane (mostly going to Zambia).

Gweta and Nata are just a few houses with gas station and small shops. Keep it in mind! No supermarkets!

Note:

It´s posible to drive between Maun and Kasane vía Moremi and Chobe NP, shorter but only for 4x4 crossing the game parks.

  ROUTE FROM MAUN TO NATA  

From Maun to Nata (300 km).

 WHERE TO SLEEP ON THE ROUTE.  

The best place (for us) to sleep on the route between Maun and Nata is PLANET BAOBAB (5 km east of Gweta, 200 km east of Maun). It´s an exclusive place, beautiful decoration, private expensive huts (double room more than 100 €), a place with big baobabs (lights at night) and a designed pool. But there´s also a campsite and the prices are "cheap".

Good stop between Maun and Kasane. Except the NP camps, it´s the only option between Maun and Nata.

The campsite and swimming pool in Planet Baobab

The camping in Planet Baobab costs 75P/pp (6.5 €). Only 6 campsites and the overlanders zone (maybe they allow independent travelers in that area... ask), so you have to book in advance in high season (holidays). No problems in low season. 

Bookings: pb@unchartedafrica.com or +26.72338344.

Note: even if you don´t stay there, you can stop and have a look. Also a few baobabs between Gweta and Nata. Also ostriches.

WHAT TO DO ON THE MAUN-NATA ROAD

There are national parks between Maun and Nata, but access is only by 4x4 to the Nxai Kgama, Sua Ntwetwe and Makgadikgadi National Parks. Big pans and salty landscape. 
Organised tours from Maun, Nata or Planet Baobab. More animals in the rainy season.
We didn´t go.

  NATA  

Crossroad, with gas stations, coffee shops, small shops and stalls (no supermarket). There´s a bank (ATM).

Some accommodation in the surrounds, mainly heading south (Francistown Road).

Nata Lodge (10 km south of Nata). Camping 80 P/pp (rooms are expensive). Sand and palms. Big pool. Free wifi.

We just had a look to the place, nice.Different landscape with the palms, kind of oasis.

Nata Santuary (20 km south of Nata): we didn´t go. 
Safari drives (3 hours, evening is better), with many birds and a pan, for 190 P/pp (16 €), entrance fee included. If your have your own 4x4, self-drive is allowed (entrance fee is 55P/pp + 15P/car, open from 7:00 til 19:00).

  ROUTE FROM NATA TO KASANE    

The route is around 310 km of good roads, tarred.

 WHERE TO SLEEP ON THE ROUTE.  From Nata to Kasane (300 km):

If possible, spend one night at ELEPHANT SANDS (55 km north of Nata, 2 km away from the main Nata- Kasane road). It´s an fantastic place if you want to see elephants closer than ever, this is the place in Bostwana. There´s a waterhole (a water channel, at least in october) and always many elephants around.

 You can feel the elephants so close during the day and at night

The price for camping is 85P/pp (7€). Also expensive rooms (tented rooms or cottages).

Many tour groups stop here. 

In the dry season, there´s a lack of water, so sometimes you have to take the shower with a few drops ... if you are lucky.

The wifi internet conection is expensive.

Not too much maintenance, but the elephants also do dammage looking for water.

The water is not safe to drink, so carry drinks or you can buy them in the bar, but expensive.

Note: If you have a sedan car, be carefull: the last access meters are very sandy so it´s better to stop than getting stuck (this happened to us) and enquire about the other access route.

Elephant Sands is the only camp on that section of road. The next one, Panda Restcamp, is 115 km south of Kasane (crops around).

Note:

Maun - Kasane Road is called “Game Drive Route”. No villages, no people (only Nata). Just wild animals around. We saw elephants on the road, ostriches, kudus, small antílopes, monkeys…Enjoy!