Visit Central Kalahari Game Reserve In Botswana — Kubwa Five Safaris
Overview of Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve is unique in that it was originally established (in 1961) with the intention of serving as a place of sanctuary for the San, in the heart of the Kalahari (and Botswana), where they could live their traditional hunter/ gatherer way of life, without intrusion, or influence, from the outside world.
The reserve was closed for about 30 years until, in the 1980s and 1990s, both self-drive and organized tours were allowed in, albeit in small, tightly controlled numbers.
The name Kalahari is ingrained in many peoples’ minds from an early age, holding revered status and indicating a vast desert land. What you may not know is that the Kalahari is not a true desert for it gets a higher rainfall than the average classification for a desert. It is only in the southern reaches where the sand dunes show any sign of barrenness but for the rest, the Kalahari is a vegetated area of rolling dunes and grass.
Attractions:
After the wet season, the reserve becomes a hive of activity for large herds of plains game such as springbok and gemsbok. Visitors will also be treated to wonderful sightings of wildebeest, hartebeest, eland, giraffe, cheetah, and the legendary black-maned lion.
During the dryer months, the Central Kalahari reveals wide, desolate pans, which offer exceptional photographic opportunities. The reserve is well-known for providing awe-inspiring star gazing experiences as well as for its most notable attractions such as Deception Valley, the Sunday and Leopard Pans, Passage Valley, and Piper’s Pan.
At other times of the year, when the animals are more sparsely distributed, the experience of traveling through truly untouched wilderness, of seemingly unending dimensions, is the draw.
The landscape is dominated by silver Terminalia sand veldt, Kalahari sand acacias, and Kalahari apple leaf, interspersed with grasslands and dotted with occasional sand dunes, pans, and shallow fossil river valleys.
Wildlife:
Big herds of desert-adapted antelope, such as springbok and oryx, can be seen walking along the dunes. Predators are easy to spot on the plains. The Kalahari black-maned lions are particularly stunning, and cheetah thrives in this open country. Lucky visitors might even come across a pack of wild dogs or a solitary honey badger.
In the harsh desert environment large concentrations of herbivores, such as blue wildebeest, oryx, and springbok, can be seen at the water-filled pans in Deception Valley after the rains. Eland, the greater kudu, and red hartebeest can be found in smaller numbers, and following this migration is the black-maned Kalahari lion and cheetah.
Birding;
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers good bird watching. Over 250 species have been recorded, and the park is particularly good for raptors due to the high volume of small animals for them to feed on. Some of the big ground dwelling birds to look out for are the ostrich, secretary bird, and kori bustard.
Best Time to Visit Central Kalahari Game Reserve
For prime wildlife viewing and fewer crowds, you should avoid the driest times of the year and visit in the Wet season (November to March). Besides the low-season prices, this is also when animals make the most of the returning rain by gathering around the pans in Deception Valley. The trade-off is that some roads can turn into muddy bogs.
The best time to visit the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is during the wet months, from December to March. Wildlife migrates through the park with the seasons and during these months animals congregate around the pans in the Deception Valley area. However, at this time, roads can get very muddy. In April and May, there are still a lot of animals around, but the roads tend to be in better condition.
Consider the Central Kalahari Game Reserve for an exhilarating Botswana safari that’s something a little different from the norm.
Where To Stay:
We can recommend Deception Valley Lodge, the family-friendly Tau Pan Camp, and Kalahari Plains Camp. Staying at these lodges will make wildlife sightings much easier with the experience of the highly-trained field guides and trackers. Walking safaris and cultural excursions to visit the local San inhabitants are also available, proving a robust safari experience.
Popular Camps And Pans;
Lodges;
- Kalahari Tented Camp
- Deception Valley Lodge
- Leroo La Tau
- Kalahari Plains Camp
- Dinaka Safari Lodge
- Haina Kalahari Lodge
- Kalahari arms hotel — Ghanzi
- Thakadu Camp — Ghanzi
- Kalahari Trail Blazers
Originally published at https://kubwafive-safaris.com.
