Camp Kalahari
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
Accommodation
Camp Kalahari comprises ten large tents plus two double tent for families. Each tent comes with a four-poster bed and a private bathroom (flushing WC and warm water). Although this simple camp has no electricity supply (battery devices can be recharged), its décor and attention to detail surpasses many a five-star hotel.
The camp is family friendly and ideal for those in search of fun and adventure without having to forfeit those necessary creature comforts. The pool pavilion entices guests to relax while the dinner table, located in the thatched main building, is where guests gather to enjoy superb cuisine and exciting repartee.
Location
Camp Kalahari is located on the edge of the vast and strikingly beautiful Makgadikgadi Pans. The salt pans are the relics of a prehistoric mega-lake that once covered half of Botswana. There is nothing but horizon as far as can be seen, providing an unaccustomed rest for the eyes.
Camp Kalahari is situated in a private concession bordering the Makgadikgadi National Park. You may also like neighbouring sister camps Jack's Camp and San Camp.
Wildlife
From December to March, the pans fill with water, attracting large numbers of birds (cranes, pelicans, flamingos etc.) and other migratory birds. Large number of zebra and wildebeest are attracted by the fresh green grass. The herds can be seen around camp and on their way from or to the Nxai Pans, where they give birth to their young in February.
At the end of the rainy season, many migrate back to the water-rich areas of the Okavango Delta or through the Makgadikgadi National Park down to the Boteti River. It is during this time of the year that the desert is teeming with game and predators.
The owners of the camp carry out long-term research on brown hyena and a visit here offers every chance of encountering these rare and elusive creatures.
Activities
Day and night game drives, walks (some with Zu/'hoasi Bushmen), visits to sites of archaeological or historical interest, a visit to the famous Chapman's Baobab that has unfortunately collapsed in 2016.
Quad biking on the salt pans only takes place during the dry season. A visit to Kubu Island, a mysterious granite island in the middle of the vast emptiness of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, is a multi-day excursion on quad bikes and includes some camping under the stars. A great adventure.
Good to know
The founders of the camp have socialised some meerkat families and if you sit still you may find yourself used as a viewing platform by these frolicsome fellows.
