Kubu Island, Granite rock hill and archaeological site in Makgadikgadi Pan, Botswana.

Kubu Island is a low granite rise about one kilometre long that stands roughly 20 m above the flat Sowa Pan, in the Makgadikgadi salt pans of northeastern Botswana. Its pale grey and white rock is cracked and hollowed, with dry grass and shrubs in the crevices, and its surface is coated with guano. Up to 1.25 m high dry stone walls and 344 circular stone cairns stand on the rock.

The site shows evidence of human presence during prehistoric times, with stone tools and structures pointing to early settlement. These findings help researchers understand how people lived and survived in this extreme environment.

The name Kubu comes from the Kalanga word meaning large rock or the Tswana word for hippopotamus, reflecting the language diversity of the region. Visitors can see how this naming connects to the landscape, with the massive granite outcrop rising visibly above the surrounding salt pans.

Access is by four-wheel drive only, via Mmatshumo in the Boteti district; the route crosses the pan and is not passable for ordinary cars. Basic camping facilities are available, run for the benefit of the local population. The rock surface is uneven, with cracks and loose stones underfoot.

The dry stone walls, up to 1.25 m high, and 344 circular stone cairns were probably built in the 17th or 18th century; who raised them and why is still unknown. The island's rock is coated with guano, and the site was chosen to end the 2024 final episode of The Grand Tour.