Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Pros & Cons

• Adventurous wilderness destination
• Off-the-beaten-track and little visited
• Stunning desert scenery
• Chance to see striking Kalahari black-maned lions
• Very little accommodation in and outside the park
• Self-drive visitors exploring the interior of the park need to be totally self-sufficient
• Limited animal species
• It is very hot and dry
• Limited tracks inside the park

Wildlife

Big herds of desert-adapted antelope, such as springbok and oryx, can be seen walking along the dunes. Predators are easy to spot on the plains. The Kalahari black-maned lions are particularly stunning, and cheetah thrive in this open country. Lucky visitors might even come across a pack of wild dogs or a solitary honey badger.

• More about Central Kalahari's wildlife

Scenery

The scenery can be monotonous but the endless horizons – as the sun gets low in the sky and afternoon colors soften – are mesmerizing. The landscape is a mix of straggly bushes, including the desert-adapted silver terminalia, patches of acacias, pans and fossil riverways interspersed with dunes. In the Wet season, the inter-dune valleys transform to green.

Weather & Climate

The desert climate of the Central Kalahari is at its most testing in the Dry season (April to October), with average daytime temperatures peaking at 33°C/91°F. The only exception is early in the morning, when you’ll need to rug up against the chill if you’re doing a game drive. The Wet season (November to March) cools things down with its intermittent showers.

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time to Visit

For prime wildlife viewing and fewer crowds, you should avoid the driest times of year and visit in the Wet season (November to March). Besides the low-season prices, this is also when animals make the most of the returning rain by gathering around the pans in Deception Valley. The trade-off is that some roads can turn into muddy bogs.

• More about the best time to visit

Want to Visit Central Kalahari GR?

• Central Kalahari safaris and tours
• Tour operators for Central Kalahari