The Kalahari Desert is one of the most enchanting places on the planet.  This large land feature covers much of western Botswana, portions of eastern Namibia, and a small part of north-central South Africa.  Contrary to popular belief, the Kalahari is not a desert, rather because it receives 10 inches of rain in some areas it is classify as a semi-arid sandy grassland.  True desert receives less than 10 inches of ran per year.  Due to this rainfall, much of the Kalahari is well vegetated with a wide variety of habitats including acacia trees and areas of flat grasslands that seem to stretch forever.  To be sure, large portions of the Kalahari are waterless, receiving only between 3 and 7.5 inches of rain per year, and are covered in the most magnificently colored red sand, making for a visual feast.

Within the Kalahari lie a number of reserves and protected areas including the World's second largest game reserve, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.  This reserve is characterized by open plains and salt pan that during the November to March raining season are filled with wildlife that graze upon the nutrient-rich sweet grasses.  During this great migration, one of the largest in Africa, the Reserve is full of thousands of gemsbok, springbok and wildebeest, with plentiful lion, cheetah and jackal in attendance making the Reserve one of the prime wildlife-viewing areas in Botswana.  Wildlife viewing is best between December and April, when the animals congregate in the pans and valleys.

We offer a selection of Botswana Safaris that visit the Kalahari Desert.  For adventurous travelers, take a look at our Leopard Safari, a 17 day camping safari.  For a more luxurious safari, see our Botswana Odyssey.