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Venture To Botswana

Kalahari and surrounds

Kalahari Desert and surrounds - introduction

The Kalahari Desert is surprisingly large, as it occupies central and south-western Botswana, parts of South Africa (north west) and eastern Namibia, and covers an area of some 260 000 square kilometres.

It is also part of a large sand basin stretching into Angola and Zambia in the north, through Botswana into Zimbabwe in the east; south to the Orange River in South Africa, and west to the highlands of Namibia. The basin encompasses an extraordinary 930 000 square kilometres, and is estimated to have been formed some 60 million years ago, at the time when Africa became a continent.

In the millions of years that followed, the area of the Kalahari basin became a super lake, which gradually dried out and filled up with wind blown sand, debris and fossils. Today the Kalahari is perhaps not the classic image of sand dunes, particularly in Botswana – where there is grass, trees and scrub.

The Kalahari itself is surprisingly diverse, as is not only includes the massive Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pans National Park, but also the salt pans of the Makgadikgadi. These pans are extensive (some 10 000 square kilometres), and are the very real reminder of the extent of the ancient super lake, with clear evidence of a shoreline.

During the summer (November - March) when the seasonal rainfall arrives, the grass bordering the pans turns green and herds of zebra, wildebeest, and other antelope species migrate in large numbers to this food source. The area is also alive with nesting flamingo, pelican, and duck, which also thrive on the algae and minute crustaceans.

Traces of man's occupation of the Kalahari go back at least 25 000 years. Stone Age tools have been revealed by erosion. The Khoi and the San were the first modern inhabitants of southern Africa, and their numerous rock paintings, tools and pottery can be found in the Tsodilo hills and the Lepokole hills in the east and in other rocky parts of the Kalahari. Today, the population has dwindled, but some San still live and follow their traditional life-style as hunter-gatherers in the Central Kalahari Reserve – where they have only recently regained their right to stay in the Reserve.

The name Kalahari is derived from the Tswana word Kgalagadi, meaning “the great thirst.”

Lion cubs (Panthera leo) at play, Kalahari, Botswana
Springbok (Antidorcus marsupialis), Kalahari, Botswana
African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), Kalahari area Botswana
Oryx bull, Central Kalahari Game Reserve
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Website for Venture To Botswana by Campbell's African Safari Ventures (Pty) Ltd, T/A Venture To Africa
  • Home
  • About Botswana
    • Why choose Botswana
    • Best time to visit
    • Types of Botswana Safaris
    • Top 10 things to do
    • Climate
    • Geography
  • Safari Planning
    • Safari ideas >
      • Luxury Safaris >
        • 12 Night Classic Botswana Safari
        • 13 Night Romantic Botswana Safari
        • 10 Night Ultimate Botswana
        • 10 Night Platinum Botswana
        • 8 Night Magical Botswana
        • 6 Night Luxury Delta and Victoria Falls
      • Highlight Safaris >
        • 13 Night Botswanas Best
        • 11 Night Authentic Botswana
        • 11 Night Botswana Adventure
        • 11 Night Explore Botswana
        • 11 Night Across Botswana
        • 10 Night Botswana Wildlife
      • Budget Safaris >
        • 12 Night Bountiful Botswana
        • 11 Night Splendid Vic Falls and Botswana
        • 10 Night Vic Falls and Botswana Contrasts
        • 10 Night Beautiful Botswana
        • 9 Night Remote Botswana
      • Short Safaris >
        • 5 Night Okavango and Vic Falls Sojourn
        • 5 Night Delta and Chobe River
        • 4 Night Okavango Escape
        • 4 Night Vic Falls and Chobe
        • 4 Night Delta and Moremi Break
        • 3 Night Just the Okavango
      • Overland Safaris >
        • Miracle Rivers
        • Northern Highlights
        • Lion Safari
        • Kalahari Safari
        • Fish Eagle Safari
        • Elephant Safari
        • Buffalo Safari
        • Leopard Safari
        • Botswana Explorer
    • SADC Itineraries >
      • 5 Nights Moremi and Okavango
  • Activities
    • Botswana Riding Safaris >
      • African Horseback Safaris
      • Limpopo Horse Safaris
      • David Foot Safaris
      • Okavango Horse Safaris
    • Botswana Birding
    • Chobe Houseboats >
      • Chobe Princess Houseboats
      • Pangolin Voyager
      • Zambezi Queen
  • Accommodation options
    • Okavango Lodges >
      • Moremi Game Reserve Lodges >
        • Camp Moremi
        • Camp Xakanaxa
        • Okuti Camp
        • Chief's Camp
        • Mombo Camp
        • Xigera Camp
      • Khwai Private Reserve Lodges >
        • Sable Alley Lodge
        • Elephant Pan Camp
        • Skybeds
        • Little Sable
        • Tuludi Camp
      • North West Okavango Lodges >
        • Kadizora Camp
        • North Island Okavango
        • Mapula Lodge
        • Jumbo Junction
        • Kwetsani Camp
        • Duba Plains Camp
        • Duba Explorers Camp
        • Jao Camp
        • Tubu Tree Camp
        • Bushman Plains Camp
        • Duke's Camp
        • Vumbura Plains Camp
        • Little Vumbura
        • Mopiri Camp
        • Nxamaseri Island Lodge
      • North East Okavango Lodges >
        • Camp Okavango
        • Xugana Island Lodge
        • Shinde Camp
        • Splash Camp
        • Kwara Camp
        • 4 Rivers Camp
        • Sango Safari Camp
        • Machaba Camp
        • Khwai River Lodge
        • Khwai Bush Camp
        • Nokanyana Camp
        • Mboma Island Camp
      • South West Okavango Lodges >
        • Abu Camp
        • Macatoo Camp
        • Pom Pom Camp
        • Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
        • Kanana Camp
        • Oddballs Camp
        • Oddballs Enclave
        • Delta Camp
      • South East Okavango Lodges >
        • Eagle Island Lodge
        • Gunns Camp
        • Moremi Crossing Camp
        • Sandibe Safari Lodge
        • Chitabe Camp
        • Chitabe Lediba
        • Khwai Leadwood
        • Saguni Safari Lodge
        • Khwai Guest House
        • Stanleys Camp
        • Baines Camp
        • Gomoti Plains Camp
        • Rra Dinare Camp
        • Mma Dinare Camp
        • Mankwe Tented Retreat
    • Chobe Lodges >
      • Northern Chobe Lodges >
        • Ngoma Safari Lodge
        • Muchenje Safari Lodge
        • Chobe Elephant Camp
        • Chobe Bakwena Lodge
        • Elephant Valley Lodge
        • Chobe Game Lodge
        • Kubu Lodge
        • Garden Lodge
        • Chobe Chilwero Lodge
        • Chobe Safari Lodge
        • Chobe Bush Lodge
        • Mowana Safari Lodge
        • Chobe Savanna Lodge
        • Wildtrack Safaris Lodge
        • Nogatsaa Pans Lodge
      • Savute Lodges >
        • Savute Elephant Lodge
        • Savute Safari Lodge
        • Camp Savuti
        • Ghoha Hills Savuti Lodge
        • Savuti Camp
      • Linyanti Lodges >
        • Lagoon Lodge
        • Lebala Camp
        • Linyanti Bush Camp
        • Linyanti Ebony Camp
        • Linyanti Expeditions
        • Camp Linyanti
        • Selinda Camp
        • Kings Pool Camp
        • Zarafa Camp
    • Kalahari Lodges >
      • Central Kalahari Game Reserve Lodges >
        • Tau Pan Camp
        • Kalahari Plains Camp
        • Deception Valley Lodge
        • Dinaka Safari Lodge
        • Gham Dhao Lodge
        • Grassland Bushman Lodge
        • Edo's Camp
      • Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan Lodges >
        • Meno a Kwena
        • Leroo la Tau Lodge
        • Boteti River Camp
        • Jacks Camp
        • San Camp
        • Camp Kalahari
        • Planet Baobab
        • Nxai Pan Lodge
    • Booking Campsites
  • Blog
  • Free Quotes
  • Safari Testimonials
  • About Us