Botswana · Safari destination
Kalahari Desert
Safaris built around Kalahari Desert .
Southern Africa's vast desert wilderness, home to the Kalahari black-maned lion and the last great zebra and wildebeest migration.
Kalahari Desert
Why
Explore the mysterious and compelling Kalahari Desert and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. The desert area is home to the greatest species diversity in the world and host to Southern Africa's last great zebra & wildebeest migration.
Below are a few tour options and suggestions for a safari to the Kalahari. Need some advice? Our friendly safari experts are on standby to tailor a tour that suits your every need and will assist you with each step of your journey.
Traveller tip: During the rainy season, the two largest pans – Sowa to the east and Ntwetwe to the west – flood, during this time flamingo numbers can run into the tens – and sometimes – hundreds of thousands, and the spectacle can be completely overwhelming.
Tailor-made safaris
Safaris in Kalahari Desert .
Most requested · 11 days · South Africa
11 Day Cape Town, Tswalu and Kruger
Most meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 4 nights at Ellerman House in Cape Town with time to explore the city
- 3 nights at Tswalu Kalahari Lodge in South Africa's largest private reserve
- Track desert black rhino and habituated meerkats in the Kalahari
- Game drives on horseback and walking safaris across semi-arid grasslands
From
R 347 880
per person, complete package
≈ R 695 770 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 10 days · Namibia
10 day Namibia South (Desert, Canyon and Ocean)
All meals · All transfers
- 2 nights each at Bagatelle Kalahari Ranch and Fish River Lodge
- Hike the rim of Fish River Canyon, Africa's largest canyon
- Track the Namib feral horses from Klein Aus Vista
- 2 nights at Wolwedans Dune Camp in the NamibRand Nature Reserve
From
R 96 720
per person, complete package
≈ R 193 440 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 10 days · Namibia
10-Day Namibian Highlights Tour
Most meals · All activities · All transfers
- Overnights at Kalahari Anib, Namib Desert Lodge, The Delight, Damara Mopane and Etosha Safari Camp
- Climb Big Daddy and walk the camelthorns of Dead Vlei at Sossusvlei
- Free day in Swakopmund for kayaking, sandboarding or Walvis Bay excursions
- Twyfelfontein rock engravings, Organ Pipes and a Himba village visit
From
R 63 720
per person, complete package
≈ R 127 440 for two · international flights excluded
10 days
10-Day Romantic Safari Across Southern Africa: Victoria Falls, Delta & Kalahari
Most meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Mbano Manor with a guided tour of Victoria Falls
- 4 nights at Feline Fields Vintage Camp in the Khwai region
- Game drives, mokoro rides and walking safaris in the Okavango Delta
- One-hour private helicopter flight over the Delta to the Kalahari
From
$12,500
per person, complete package
≈ $25,000 for two · international flights excluded
3 days
3-Day Tswalu The Motse Fly-In Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Tswalu The Motse in the Kalahari
- Private game-viewing vehicle with dedicated guide and tracker
- Habituated meerkat encounter, nature walks, horse riding and birding
- Dinner at Klein JAN with Michelin-starred chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen
From
R 141 800
per person, complete package
≈ R 283 600 for two · international flights excluded
8 days · South Africa
8-Day Ultra-lux Tengile and Tswalu Fly-In Safari
Most meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at andBeyond Tengile River Lodge in the Sabi Sand
- Overnight at The Saxon Hotel & Spa in Johannesburg
- 3 nights at Tswalu The Motse in the Kalahari Reserve
- Habituated meerkat encounter and horse riding across the Kalahari
From
R 356 560
per person, complete package
≈ R 713 120 for two · international flights excluded
9 days · Namibia
9 Day Diverse Namibia
Most meals · Most activities
- 2 nights at Kulala Adventurer Camp on the red dunes of Sossusvlei
- 2 nights at Hansa Hotel in Swakopmund with optional Walvis Bay catamaran cruise
- 2 nights at Damaraland Camp tracking desert-adapted wildlife near Brandberg Mountain
- 2 nights at Ongava Tented Camp with game drives in Etosha National Park
From
R 113 430
per person, complete package
≈ R 226 870 for two · international flights excluded
No safaris matching these criteria.
Try adjusting the filters above to see more safaris.
Brochure
Botswana Guide
Botswana's signature regions and what to expect in each: the Okavango Delta, Chobe, the Makgadikgadi salt pans and the Central Kalahari.
Where to stay
Lodges in Kalahari Desert .
9 lodges
-
AffordableBagatelle Kalahari Ranch
Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch is a peaceful oasis set on the edge of the southern Kalahari. With a blend of luxury and nature, the ranch offers guests a unique desert experience.
From R 3 840 per person · night
-
Affordable Live availabilityTau Pan Camp
Tau Pan is the first safari camp to be built in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and is completely solar-powered. The camp sits on an established sand ridge overlooking the Tau Pan waterhole and the endless Kalahari horizon.
From $900 per person · night
-
!Xaus Lodge
Named 'kaus', this lodge offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to immerse yourself in this distinctive desert landscape. It serves as the perfect accommodation for visitors exploring the wilderness of the Kalahari. Perched atop the 91st dune along the Auob River Road, the lodge boasts individual accommodation units connected by an elevated walkway leading to shared facilities.
-
Premium Live availabilityCamp Kalahari
Camp Kalahari is a return to the traditional safari style of the old explorers and is the best way to experience the Makgadikgadi National Park in Botswana. Camp Kalahari is positioned amongst the trees of Brown Hyena island and is one of three camps to occupy this one million acre private wildlife sanctuary. It is the ideal camp for travelers seeking an affordable adventure getaway.
From $1,325 per person · night
-
Premium Live availabilityDinaka Private Game Reserve
Dinaka is a 100,000-acre private reserve on the northern edge of the Central Kalahari, home to black-maned lions, cheetah, brown hyena and oryx. Eight thatched tents linked by raised boardwalks overlook a busy waterhole, with underground photographic hides, a sleep-out deck and walks with the San Bushmen setting it apart from delta camps.
From $1,465 per person · night
-
PremiumFeline Fields Lodge
Feline Fields Lodge sits in a remote corner of Botswana's Kalahari, a private desert retreat where guests divide their days between game drives, horseback rides through the dunes, bushman walks with the San and long afternoons by a saltwater pool. The villas are spacious and family-friendly, the activities flexible and the setting genuinely unlike anywhere else in the country.
From $1,320 per person · night
-
Ultra Live availabilityJack's Camp
Jack’s Camp is located in the heart of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. The Makgadikgadi Pans are unlike anywhere else on this earth with their spectacular vistas, specialized guiding, interactions with habituated meerkats, unique desert wildlife, and authentic safari accommodation.
From $3,895 per person · night
-
AffordableKalahari Anib Lodge
Experience the picturesque Kalahari Desert at Kalahari Anib Lodge. Surrounding a tranquil courtyard, 32 standard rooms offer comfort and shade, while an additional 19 comfort rooms provide sweeping views of the Kalahari savannah.
From R 2 570 per person · night
Rates per person sharing, per night.
Kalahari Desert
Your guide to Kalahari Desert .
When
May - August
The best time to view game is during the drier winter months, during which, a high concentration of game gather around diminishing water holes. Winter is characterized by dry weather, endless blue skies, warm days and freezing nights.
September - October
The days begin to heat up from September to October, while the weather remains dry and the nights cold. These conditions are great for game-viewing.
December - January
Landscapes are transformed during the rainy season of December to early January. The Kalahari Awakens with new life (many antelope give birth during this time) and the emergence of greenery from the mid-summer rains, making this a truly astonishing time to visit (if you can stand a little rainfall).
Where
Nxai Pan National Park: Salt Pans and Grasslands
An accessible park, that unlike the vast salt pans of the South, is a smaller area made up of a mixture of both salt pans and grasslands. In spite of being the smallest of all three parks in the Kalahari, it is home to a high concentration of diverse wildlife. Sightings of elephant, giraffe and jackals are pretty much guaranteed.
Must see: Baine’s Baobabs; a bundle of ancient baobabs jutting out of a salt pan island.
The Colossal Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Being the giant of all three conservation areas; The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is a predator’s paradise owing to the abundance of wildlife that congregate around various waterholes.
Must see: Deception Valley where the luscious grasses attract a bounty of herbivores and their accompanying mammalian predators.
Makgadikgadi Pans National Park
Where the heavens meet Salted Earth
The largest salt pans on earth situated in North-East Botswana; the Makgadikgadi Pans are a rare and beautiful sight for any adventurer. Infinite horizons of blue sky and bare earth make for an other-worldly experience. The Park itself also contains grasslands that offer ample grazing to an abundance of wildlife.
Must see: Kubu Island - an island of granite - considered a sacred site by the indigenous people in the area, arguably one of the most incredible places on earth.
Imagery
Kalahari Desert , in pictures.
Recent travellers
Word from people who have just been to Kalahari Desert .
Quotes pulled directly from Trustpilot. Where we have specific reviews mentioning Kalahari Desert , those come up first. Otherwise these are recent five-star notes from across the trips we have planned.
"We had a wonderful experience booking with Safari.com. The whole team (advisor, insurance, concierge, payment) is so professional and the process so smooth. We had the best travel advisor Sara Van Coillie. She was extremely knowledgeable and patient getting to know our needs and preferences and make the best booking uniquely suited for us. She even called lo…"
"Very quick responses with complete and transparent information. I highly recommend."
"The booking with Leigh-Ann went smoothly and she always responded to my questions promptly , although there was a time difference. Looking forward to our safari holiday !"
"Fantastic proactive communication, honest and transparent throughout entire planning process. Loved working with our travel planner."
Speak to a safari specialist
Plan your trip to Kalahari Desert .
Tell us when, who's coming, and what you're hoping for. One specialist looks after the rest.
Planning something beyond the ordinary?
Private & bespoke travel