Deception Valley
A fossil river thousands of years old.
Benjamin Hollis from Seattle, WA, USA — CC BY 2.0 · Jorge Láscar from Australia — CC BY 2.0 · Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Benjamin Hollis from Seattle, WA, USA — CC BY 2.0 · Gerhard mauracher — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is a vast area of the Kalahari Desert in central Botswana. At 52,800 square kilometres it is larger than the Netherlands and makes up almost 10 percent of the country, one of the largest reserves in the world. It suits travellers who want open space and big skies far more than a crowded safari. It was established in 1961 and lies entirely within Ghanzi District. The San people have lived on these lands for thousands of years as hunter-gatherers. In September 2008 a huge fire burnt around 80 percent of the reserve, and its origin remains unknown. Four fossil rivers wind through it, including Deception Valley, which began to form about 16,000 years ago. The land is mostly flat, with grass and bush over sand dunes and salt pans in the old valleys. Gemsbok, giraffes, kudu, wildebeest, brown hyenas, lions, cheetahs and wild dogs live here, along with bat-eared foxes and honey badgers. Acacias are among the most common trees, and the scene changes greatly between the dry and rainy seasons. It is 268 km in a straight line from Maun, so plan several days rather than a day trip. Services are close to nil, so carry enough fuel, water and food, travel with two 4x4s if you can, and do not enter in an ordinary car. Book your campsite in advance, rather than arriving without one. Summers are very hot and winter nights cold. See your doctor about malaria.
A fossil river thousands of years old.
Desert predators.
Vast space with no crowds.
Kalahari Desert, central Botswana
No, the distances are long, so plan several days.
Enough fuel, water and food, as services are close to nil.