Central Kalahari Game Reserve

PLAN MY TRIP

Located within the Kalahari Desert in central Botswana, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second largest game reserve in the world.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve encompasses 20,400 square miles of land, about twice the size of Massachusetts, in the world-famous Kalahari Desert. Established in 1961, the land is generally flat with plenty of waist-high golden grass covering the scrubby sand dunes, wide flat clay pans, and acacia woodlands and camelthorn trees. Many of the river valleys are fossilized with salt pans. There are four fossilized rivers that wander through the reserve including Deception Valley which started forming around 16,000 years ago. The local San Bushmen have lived here for thousands of years as nomadic hunter-gatherers and have developed invaluable skills for adapting to this arid landscape. Unfortunately, many of the San have been relocated out of the park but about 250 still remain.

During and right after the rainy season, the flat grasslands of the reserve’s northern reaches teem with wildlife. This is the best time to see large herds of springbok and gemsbok, as well as wildebeest, hartebeest, eland, and giraffe. Of course, there are plenty of predators following such abundant prey including the black-maned Kalahari lion as well as one of the highest concentrations of cheetah in southern Africa and leopard. Smaller predators include black-backed jackal, Cape fox, honey badger, and many mongoose species.

There are also a variety of fascinating reptiles, scorpions, and insects living here. For bird lovers, there are around 220 bird species recorded in the park including tawny eagles, African jacana, Cape turtle dove, crowned lapwing, Cape glossy starling, lilac-breasted roller, and secretarybird. The animals living here have adapted special skills for surviving in a drier climate where temperatures range from twenty-three degrees Fahrenheit in winter to above one hundred and four in summer.

There are plenty of exciting activities to enjoy in the CKGR. The local game lodges and camps offer daily game drives in comfortable 4×4 vehicles led by expert guides and trackers. A unique and interesting experience is a guided nature walk by a member of the local San Bushmen tribe. The Bushmen share their vast knowledge of the local flora and fauna including what plants are poisonous and what are used for medicine, how to track animals, and how to find water the traditional way. Star-gazing is a popular way to end a day here. The Kalahari is famous for its expansive and clear skies with no light pollution making it perfect for discovering a who new constellations of stars. While the Central Kalahari Game Reserve lets visitors conduct their own self-guided tours, it is recommended never to travel alone in the area and to come prepared.