Wildlife Reserve & Sanctuary in Botswana
The great empty valleys of the Kalahari
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is the second-largest game reserve in the world, a vast, silent expanse of grassland, fossil riverbeds and ancient pans. It is the ancestral home of the San, or Bushmen, who have lived here for thousands of years, and the reserve is a place of space and quiet unlike any other in Africa.
In the green season, between December and April, the grasslands fill with springbok, gemsbok and wildebeest, and predators follow, including black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetah, brown hyena and leopard. Deception Valley, a long fossil river, is the best-known area, and meerkat colonies and tiny desert creatures delight early risers. In the dry season, the reserve is hot, still and austere.
The Central Kalahari suits adventurous travellers who want solitude, big skies and a sense of the desert.
The reserve has gemsbok, springbok, eland, wildebeest, hartebeest and giraffe, with black-maned lion, cheetah, brown hyena, leopard, caracal and jackals following them. Meerkats, ground squirrels and bat-eared foxes are common, and aardwolf and Cape fox live here too.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
Wide, pale fossil valleys of grass and scrub, with black acacia and dark skies.
Activities here
The Kalahari is hot in summer, with daytime temperatures of 32°C to 35°C and rain between December and April. In winter, days are warm and nights are freezing, sometimes dropping below 0°C.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 19 | 90 |
| Feb | 32 | 19 | 80 |
| Mar | 32 | 17 | 70 |
| Apr | 29 | 13 | 30 |
| May | 26 | 7 | 5 |
| Jun | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| Jul | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| Aug | 26 | 5 | 0 |
| Sep | 30 | 11 | 5 |
| Oct | 33 | 16 | 20 |
| Nov | 33 | 18 | 50 |
| Dec | 33 | 19 | 80 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
May to October is dry and clear, with very cold nights from June to August and very hot days in September and October. Game is sparse but the quiet is exceptional.
December to April brings thunderstorms, green grass and the wildlife. The pans may fill, and some tracks are impassable after heavy rain.
January to April is the best time, with green grass, large herds and predators. June to August is cold but clear, and September and October are very hot.
Best time to visit Jan to Mar
The reserve lies in the heart of Botswana. Most guests fly from Maun or Gaborone to the airstrips near Deception Valley, or take a four-wheel-drive journey of about six to eight hours from Maun.
Reserve and concession fees are included in our safaris. Citizens of many countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can enter Botswana without a visa for up to 90 days, but please check the rules for your passport.
The Kalahari is remote, hot by day and very cold at night in winter. Bring warm layers, sun protection and plenty of water. Malaria risk is low.
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Wildlife Reserve & SanctuaryMoremi Game ReserveBig cats on the edge of the DeltaOur take
“Our take”
Come in the green season, and give the Kalahari at least two nights for the silence and the sky.
Safaris from
US$7,708 per person
Plan your time in Central Kalahari
Every safari we run is private and built around you. Tell us your dates and what you hope to see, and we will shape the route, the lodges and the permits.
Made to measure
Tell us how you like to travel and we will build a private journey around it: the right lodges, the right pace and the permits already in hand.
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