.jpg "Central Kalahari lion in Botswana")
It covers about 52,800km² (20,387mi²) of uninhabited desert terrain in Botswana, making it the country's largest game reserve. Remote and completely wild, this Kalahari Desert reserve is an adventure seeker’s dream. Its harsh terrain offers a unique safari experience that includes excellent bird watching and unusual wildlife sightings including the black-maned lion and the desert-adapted elephant.
In this unique and desolate-looking game reserve, you will see vast open plains, salt pans, and ancient riverbeds. Most of this vast desert area consists of flat and undulating plains covered with low bushes. The northern part of this Botswana game reserve incorporates sand dunes covered with grasses and a variety of trees and shrubs.
The central region consists of flat bushveld dotted with thorn trees and low shrubs. In the more wooded southern part of the game reserve, you will see mopane forests. The flat plains are interrupted by four fossil valleys, formed by meandering rivers that ran dry many thousands of years ago. Today these wide valleys contain salt pans that stretch out stark and white under the big blue skies. One of these is Deception Valley, formed about 16,000 years ago. Deception Valley is named after the Deception Pan, which is so-named because a mirage sometimes makes it appear to contain water from a distance, when in fact it is a dry salt pan.
- Black-maned Kalahari lions that are often heard roaring on otherwise quiet nights.
- Deception Valley, made famous in the book Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owen.
- Herds of plains game, diverse wildlife, and predators after the rains.
- Wide-open, barren landscapes that offer exceptional photographic opportunities.
- Incredible stargazing and remote camping adventures.
Take a guided tour through the bush and learn about the San people. With the Bushmen guiding you, you will explore the desert, watch as the locals show their hunting skills, and receive insight into the culture of the San (or Khoisan people), as well as the plants and animals of the Kalahari. Cultural encounters often include hearing the San's tales of bravery and adventure, as well as listening to their clicking language and watching them dance.
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is part of the Kalahari Desert that extends for 900,000km² (350,000mi²). The Kalahari Desert, which doesn’t fall under the strict definition of a desert due to the amount of rainfall it receives, is a semi-arid savanna that extends through most of Botswana, the Northern Cape province of South Africa, and eastern Namibia. The sandy savannah offers its visitors an unforgettable safari experience.
Challenging to access, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the largest in the region with vast waterholes and wildlife that provide the perfect setting for classic game viewing. The region also features the grass-covered sand dunes and ancient riverbeds of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park.
The smallest park in the region is the Nxai Pan National Park which is home to the Baines’ Baobabs, which is a stand of Baobab trees in the middle of a salt pan. Some of the trees are thought to be 4,000 years old. South of the Nxai Pan is the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, one of the largest salt pans in the world. Visitors can take in the great sightings of birdlife at its prehistoric “super lake”.
This remote game reserve is located in the middle of Botswana, an inland country in Southern Africa.
This gigantic game reserve is set in the heart of the Kalahari Desert, some 200 km south of Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. The Central Kalahari Reserve lies southwest of the Nxai Pans and Makgadigadi Pans national parks, both of which are also located in the Kalahari Desert region of Botswana.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is home to a surprising number of wild animals and has a reputation as an excellent bird-watching destination, with over 200 species of birds.
Predators include the famous black-maned lion, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, black-backed jackal, and brown and spotted hyena. Herbivores include giraffe, blue wildebeest, duiker, eland, gemsbok, kudu, springbok and red hartebeest.
Other wild animals found in the reserve include aardwolf, African wild cat, caracal, honey badger, and warthog, as well as polecat, genet, and meerkat. The bat-eared and the Cape fox can also be spotted, along with meerkats, springhare, Brants' whistling rats, and porcupines.
For bird-watching, Deception Valley in particular is a birder's paradise and the best time for spotting birds is during and after the summer rains.
The large and outlandish ostrich is among the birds that can be seen in the reserve, as well as migratory species and birds of prey, such as eagles and falcons. Birds found here include the black korhaan, egrets, sandgrouse, warbler, lark, starling, stork, heron and the Kalahari scrub-robin.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
The best time for game viewing in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is during and just after the summer rains (December to April). During these less dry months, the wildlife gathers in the valleys and pans transforming the reserve into one of Botswana's top game viewing destinations.
The best time to visit is generally considered to be early December and in April when summer temperatures are not at their peak.
During the rains the open grasslands are covered in wildflowers and grasses, attracting large herds of grazers, such as gemsbok, springbok, hartebeest, eland, giraffe, and wildebeest. The presence of numerous herbivores in turn attracts the predators that prey on them. The wildlife concentrations are highest in the northern part of Deception Valley, in the northern reaches of the reserve, where the best grazing is to be found.
The game viewing outside of the rainy season is also good, even though the wildlife is more dispersed during spring, autumn and winter.
Late November to April is the rainy summer season, but even then rainfall in this semi-arid region is erratic and unpredictable. During the summer, impressive cloud formations gather over the savannahs, bringing short rainstorms.
From May to October, it's the dry winter season, where nighttime temperatures plummet and little rain falls. Following the heart of the cold dry winter is a short dry season, arriving in about September and lasting until just before the rains arrive.
The dry and rainy seasons vary from year to year, depending on the rainfall patterns. This variation in the weather gives rise to different vegetation growth, which in turn affects which wildlife is abundant and where the animals will be found. Visiting the reserve is therefore a different game viewing experience not only from season to season but from year to year.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
The cost of a tour will depend on the duration of your visit, the starting point, the number of people in your group and your travel style. These costs usually include your transport, meals, and accommodation.
Entrance fees for Central Kalahari Game Reserve range from US $14 for adults to $7 for children between the ages of 8 and 17. Children under the age of 8 don’t pay an entry fee. You can expect to pay about US $6 for vehicle entry.
African Budget Safaris has tour options that include Central Kalahari Game Reserve. These tour packages cost between US $2891 per person for a 5-day tour to $5331 per person for a 28-day tour.
Contact African Budget Safaris to speak to an experienced travel consultant and receive recommendations based on your specific needs.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
Flying into one of the major cities in Botswana, such as Gaborone or Maun, is the best way to get to the reserve. When you land, you will then have a choice between a self-drive safari or a guided tour to the reserve.
The journey will take about 6-8 hours, depending on the route and road conditions.
Alternatively, you can book a guided tour with African Budget Safaris and they can arrange a package that includes a chartered flight from Maun to the reserve.
Transport within the reserve can be challenging but there are some options. You can choose to drive yourself around in the reserve in a 4x4. When choosing this option, it is recommended to travel in a convoy with another vehicle for safety reasons.
You could also choose to have a guided tour, which will also offer a chance to learn more about the desert. Licensed guides also offer walking safaris for those who would like to get up close to the wildlife.
The reserve and surrounds are scattered with some 36 campsites and a handful of game lodges with plenty of empty space in between. The campsites generally offer basic facilities, such as a pit latrine, bucket showers, and a braai (barbecue) area. The luxury safari lodges, on the other hand, offer a host of facilities and are often reached by small private aeroplanes.
Sunscreen is non-negotiable. Pack sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your skin and eyes from the scorching summer sun.
Choose casual, comfortable clothes made from lightweight, breathable materials like cotton. Long pants and long-sleeved tops will also help to protect your skin from the sun. It is beneficial to bring a jacket for when it gets chilly at night.
Colorwise, you want to keep your palette neutral for purely pragmatic reasons. Avoid black, white, and anything loud. White gets grubby very quickly, black gets very hot and attracts mosquitoes at night, and loud colours like bright yellow, neon pink, or red frighten animals and attract bees. Natural hues like beige, greens, browns, and khakis are best. They are cool, and comfortable, and will allow you to blend in while on safari game drives, without attracting any unwanted attention.
Closed sensible shoes are best and a good pair of sneakers or trainers are perfect.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
Due to its remote location, it is advised that self-drive visitors have some 4x4 bush experience. You’ll have to be completely self-sufficient if you plan to do a self-drive, meaning that you should have food, water and fuel.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
Temperatures in the Kalahari Desert rise to excruciating levels in summer and drop to below zero on winter nights. To help you figure out what to pack for these weather extremes and everything in between, we have put together a rough month-by-month forecast. We’ve tried to be as accurate as possible, but there’s no telling what Mother Nature will decide.
This period is the peak of the rainy season. January is the month with the most rainfall while February is hot and humid even with the long showers. Heavy storms are common and the lush green sets the scene for sightings of animals such as wildebeest and springbok.
Temperatures start to cool down in the desert with mornings reaching 17°C. The rainy season brings out the desert’s flora and fauna. The acacia trees offer a beautiful backdrop, wildflowers bloom and meerkats pop out of their burrows.
This is the beginning of autumn. Temperatures in the middle of the day reach a high of 29°C and the evenings cool down for some relief. This is also the greenest time of the year in the desert because it follows the rainy summer season.
Winter is the dry season. Temperatures go from mild during the day to below-freezing at night. July is the coldest month but also the time that the desert receives the most guests. It is the best time for game viewing as animals gather around waterholes to keep themselves hydrated in the dry season.
Temperatures soar to scorching highs as days become hotter and hotter. October is the hottest month. The nights no longer drop to below-freezing temperatures as the rainy season approaches. Being in the sun for long periods can cause exhaustion or cramps. Make sure you take precautions against overexposure.
Daytime temperatures are still high but occasional afternoon showers cool things down. Wildlife congregates at waterholes and riverbeds, making them easier to spot while on a game drive.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
The game reserve was established in 1961, to preserve this ancient land and its traditional tribes. The Central Kalahari region of Botswana has been inhabited by San people for thousands of years.
The San, commonly called Bushmen, once lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers surviving off the land in this harsh desert environment.
In the mid-1990s the Botswana government attempted to relocate the San and by 1997 only about a quarter of the San population remained in the reserve. In 2005 the government started forcibly removing the San again until only 250 of the original San inhabited the reserve. In 2006 the San were allowed to return to the reserve after a court ruling in their favor. Today San communities live inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, sharing their traditional lifestyle and culture with visitors.
From 1974 to 1981 Mark and Delia Owens lived in Deception Valley, researching brown hyenas and lions. Their camp was located in a pocket of trees in the northern part of Deception Valley. The Owens wrote a now-famous book about the Central Kalahari of Botswana and their experiences here, called The Cry of the Kalahari.
The Kalahari San, (previously called bushmen), now live more modern lives in settlements where various tribes are found. Some of their ancient traditional knowledge still survives, being passed down from generation to generation.
These local San take visitors into the desert bush on guided walks to show them how their ancestors survived and share intriguing tales with them. The modern-day San guides still know how to find water by unearthing tubers and snare animals in the bush.
The Kalahari San people don animal skins, carrying bows and arrows as they journey into the wilds, sharing their collective past. Encountering the San is a fascinating cultural experience, even involving lively dance performances and adventure-filled tales.
Back to the Top: Kalahari Quick Links
Contact African Budget Safaris to plan your time away from modern life. We have helpful and friendly travel experts that are ready to answer all your questions and design a custom safari trip tailored to your unique needs and budget. Get in touch with us today and prepare for an escape into the remote Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa.
Use the Google map to explore Central Kalahari Game Reserve.