Tau Pan Camp

Tau Pan Camp is set on the edge of Tau (lion) Pan in the vast and unique Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The Kalahari Desert is the largest sand basin in the world, and stretches some 2 500 kilometres from the northern regions of South Africa through to Namibia, Angola, and into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The landscape of the Park is a largely flat landscape, interspersed with gentle valleys, sand dunes, and pans.

Accommodation at this Botswana Safari Camp is in 8 custom designed en suite tents, set under thatch. One unit has been set-aside for use by families. Tau Pan Camp offers truly incredible views from the ridge of an ancient sand dune, an unusual experience in a land as flat as Botswana.

The central camp area houses the dining room, lounge and viewing deck. In addition there is a library, interpretative centre, and swimming pool.

Activities offered at Tau Pan are game drives, day trips to the well-known Deception Valley, Sunday, Piper and Passarge Pans, star gazing, bush brunches on Tau Pan, and nature walks with Bushman trackers.

The daily safari routine at this Botswana Safari Camp usually involves an early morning wake up call, and a gathering around the fireside for piping hot tea and coffee, a bowl of delicious porridge and freshly baked muffins. An early departure greatly increases the chances of unusual sightings, as the majority of mammals are active in the early morning and late afternoon, when temperatures are lower.

Game drives are undertaken in custom designed Toyota game viewing vehicles seating no more than six guests at a time in two rows of three. Guests are guided by a two person team of professional guide and tracker. As Tau Pan is situated inside a Game Reserve, in a highly sensitive area, no off-road driving or night drives are permitted.

The Kalahari transforms after the summer rains (usually November to March). The sky fills with clouds, and plains burst with sweet grasses, making this one of the best game viewing areas for the time of year, as migrants appear, such as springbok, plains zebra, and wildebeest in huge numbers. This also attracts the attendant predators, such as lion, cheetah leopard, hyena and jackal.

Birding is also excellent at Tau Pan Camp and species include the kori bustard, black korhaan, ostrich, many species of sandgrouse, in addition there is a good variety of raptors, from the pale-chanting goshawk, the rock kestrel, along with bateleur, brown and tawny eagles.

The dry season (May-September) is also a wonderful time to visit the CKGR as the animals congregate close to any surface water and pans.