AFRICA EXPLORED

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BOTSWANA

KALAHARI DESERT

The Kalahari Desert covers 70% of Botswana, and extends to parts of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. Within Botswana there is no permanent surface water on the Kalahari, the little rainwater there is tends to drain through the large salt pans of the Makgadikgadi Pan as well as other smaller pans throughout the region. The Kalahari is not a true desert, parts of the Kalahari receive over 250 mm of erratic rainfall annually and are quite well vegetated; it is only truly arid in the south-west (under 175mm of rain annually) making the Kalahari a fossil desert. Animals that live in the region include brown hyenas, lions, meerkats, several species of antelope, and many species of bird and reptile. Vegetation in the Kalahari consists mainly of grasses and acacias but there are over 400 identified plant species present.

This area is the ancestral land of the Bushmen peoples. There are many distinct tribes, and they have no collective name for themselves. The names San and Basarwa are sometimes used, but the people themselves dislike these names (San is a Khoi word meaning outsider, and Basarwa a Herero word meaning person who has nothing) and prefer the name "Bushman". They are thought to have been the first human inhabitants of Southern Africa; there is evidence that they have been living there continuously as nomadic hunter-gatherers for at least twenty thousand years.

Kalahari is derived from the Tswana word "Kgalagadi", meaning "the great thirst".

Jack’s Camp

Jack's Camp is located deep in the Kalahari Desert on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans, the largest saltpans in the world. Jack's Camp is a classic desert safari camp accommodating 16 guests in 8 large walk-in tents, each with en suite bathroom with flush toilet and shower.

Accommodation is comfortable and in keeping with the character of the Makgadikgadi. Facilities include a mess tent for dining, a tea tent with Persian carpet cushions for socialising and a shop tent. After the rains (December to April), there can be enormous herds of Wildebeest, Zebra and Springbok (with the accompanying predators) on the open grasslands.

The summer rains also leave a warm shallow layer of water that entices waterfowl and flamingos. Activities are conducted in open 4x4 vehicles custom designed for this terrain and accompanied by knowledgeable guides. Only in the dry winter months are all-purpose ATV vehicles (a four wheeler motorcycle/Quad bikes) available, allowing guests to travel across the saltpans. Walks with a Bushman tracker and visits to historical baobab trees used by Livingstone and Selous are alternate options.
Link to camp web site

San Camp

San Camp is also located on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans. A maximum of 12 guests are accommodated in 6 large walk-in white canvas tents on slightly elevated wooden platforms with private facilities (short drop toilets). These facilities are private but are approximately 3-4 metres from the tent. Camp amenities include a mess tent for dining, a tea tent with Persian carpet cushions for socialising and a shop tent. After the rains (December to April), there can be enormous herds of Wildebeest, Zebra and Springbok (with the accompanying predators) on the open grasslands. The summer rains also leave a warm shallow layer of water that entices waterfowl and flamingos.

Activities are conducted in open 4x4 vehicles, custom designed for this terrain and accompanied by knowledgeable guides. In the winter months only, all-purpose ATV vehicles (four wheeler motorcycles/Quad bikes) are available, allowing guests to travel across the saltpans. Walks with a Bushman tracker and visits to historical baobab trees used by Livingstone and Selous are alternative options. Link to camp web site

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