Sowa

Situated in Botswana’s Central District, Sowa is a small mining town located on the edge of the Sowa Salt Pan. Developed to support soda ash and salt extraction, the town is commonly used as a practical stopover for travellers moving through the northern Makgadikgadi region and en route to Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. The adjacent Sowa Pan, also known as Sua Pan, is characterised by vast, flat salt plains and forms part of the Makgadikgadi Pans — one of the largest salt pan systems on Earth. Close by, the Nata Bird Sanctuary protects an important section of the pan and supports more than 165 recorded bird species. During favourable wet seasons, large numbers of migratory flamingos gather here, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Activities in the wider area focus primarily on birdwatching, landscape exploration, and guided excursions operated by private providers, including vehicle-based trips into remote pan environments.