Nata Lodge

The lodge is surrounded by shady trees which offer good birding opportunities

This area is renowned for its excellent bird watching. Bird species include: Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Yellow Hornbill, Pied and Arrowmarked Babblers, Glossy Starling, Meyers Parrot and Paradise Whydah

Nata is 190km from Francistown and 300km from both Kasane and Maun Map of Botswana

Accommodation

• 20 Wooden Thatched Chalets built on stilts with en-suite bathrooms, including, a bath and outdoor shower. All rooms are
air-conditioned with twin bed configuration
• 2 family rooms which will have a twin bed configuration and a bunk bed for children under 16 years of age
• 1 chalet has also been built to accommodate not just the physically challenged but also those guests who require easier access to chalets, showers and toilets
• 10 Luxury safari tents with en-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers. Beds are in a twin bed configuration

• 50 seater indoor restaurant with open air patio. Continental and English breakfast with buffets will be served over busy periods.
Lunches will consist of a patio/terrace menu with some of the old favorites and some new ones. Dinner menu's will vary between a'la carte and traditional African braais on busy occasions.
• Bar area overlooks the swimming pool and will offer a wide range of ice cold refreshments as well as cocktails.
• Curio shop will offer African crafts, jewellery, reading material, maps and clothing.
• Onward booking facility for accommodation and activities on the Chobe river as well as at Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta.
• Activities offered by the lodge will include trips to the Makgidikgadi salt pan via the Nata Bird Sanctuary which is a community development project supported by Nata Lodge. We will also offer quad bike adventures in the surrounding areas
• Back up generator for the occasional power outages

Facilities

# restaurant
# swimming pool
# gift shop
# bar/lounge area
# guided tours in open safari vehicles to the Makgadikgadi Pans
# 3 hour excursions to the Nata Bird Sanctuary
# quad biking

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

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 pans 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.
This area is also an important breeding ground for flamingoes and pelicansThere is a campsite within the sanctuary with hot showers, flush toilets and a braai area.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
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

Getting There

Johannesburg – Ellisras – Martinsdrift border into Botswana – Francistown
Enter Francistown. At the second traffic circle go left towards Maun and Nata. Nata Lodge is 180km from Francistown