Scott Dunn: ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST A HOLIDAY

Early morning, and after a hearty breakfast you will be taken by game drive vehicle to a sunny spot, dotted with holes. As the sun's warmth increases, little heads begin to pop out of the holes, and the meerkats, adults first, venture out. Keep completely still, and they will come out and stand on the raised little mounds over their burrows, turning to face the sun so it can warm them.

After the adults, come the babies, gathered into a creche and watched over by their guardians. The babies, squeaking, romp and play with each other, sometimes copying the adults by trying to stand on their hind legs.

As the meerkats become more habituated to your presence, they will approach closely, perhaps giving a quick sniff or, for the very bold in their troupe, using you as a climbing frame, in order to get a better view of their surroundings! The researchers will be close by, observing, and they and your guides are more than happy to answer questions about the meerkat clan. It's a fascinating experience to be able to observe the meerkats unafraid and up close - well worth visiting!

Walks on the pans are an option, but by far the best way to explore these vast expanses of salt-crusted whiteness is on a quad bike. Your guide will take you to the quads, teach you how to tie your kikoy (length of African brightly coloured cotton) a la Jack Bousfield and then off you go. The quads can take a path right to the centre of the pans, and it's fascinating to just stop, get off the quad and walk around. As the pans are so flat you can walk for a long way in any direction, without losing sight of your companions.

The pans originally formed part of a superlake, which dried up many thousands of years ago - a walk will reveal many treasures including stone age tools, fossils and beautifully coloured rocks. It's interesting to go on a "treasure hunt" and then bring back what you find to the group so your guide can tell you all about it. A fascinating and inspiring day out!

Join the bushmen on a fascinating walk through their ancestral country, learning how they forage and find water even in the dryest of times. Using techniques passed from father to son through the centuries, they will invite you into their world and show you their gentle ways.

At the end of the walk, the San gather for their mystical Spirit Dance, an incredible fusion of rhythm and chanting, all members of the tribe from the elders to the toddlers joining in. As the sun sets over the Makgadikgadi, the bushmen will dance around the fire, invoking the spirits of their ancestors. It's a profoundly moving experience and one which is an absolute must when visiting this remote corner of Botswana.