Why Go
Visit the Botswana’s Kalahari reserves
The Kalahari can take the first-time visitor by surprise. The landscape is dominated not by sand but oceans of rippling grassland punctuated by wooded valleys and lunar-like saltpans. And they will be dazzled by its beauty too. The Kalahari’s wildlife is both prolific and fascinating, and its night sky blazes with starlight.
Yet the Kalahari remains largely visited by travellers, making it a place to explore with barely another vehicle in sight – and it’s as easy to experience as Botswana’s other safari destinations. Some specialist mobile camping operators include the Kalahari on their itineraries but if you want bedrooms and bathrooms, then each of Botswana’s Kalahari destinations – the Makgadikgadi Pans and Nxai Pan National Parks and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve – has a handful of camps and lodges. You’ll enjoy luxury en suite accommodation, game drives with expert guides and walking safaris with San Bushman trackers.
Timing your safari is important. From May to October the Kalahari generally sits under clear blue skies. Game viewing is easy, especially around the few remaining waterholes, and from May to August the climate is at its coolest and driest. The arrival of the summer rains transforms the landscape and its wildlife. The November to April ‘Green Kalahari’ is a time of breathtaking scenery and herds of baby antelope. The abundant food and water attracts migrating zebra herds while the bird watching, good all year round, is now exceptional.
