The Central Kalahari Gamed Reserve is the largest contiguous nature reserve in Africa. It's about the size of Denmark. It offers an impressive savannah landscape, which has very different characteristics in the different sections of the park. Large flat salt lakes ("pans") alternate with hilly grass and bushland. The fauna and flora of the Central Kalahari is very diverse: In addition to giraffes, gnus ("Wildebeest"), and antelope species such as oryx, impala and kudu, you can meet almost all predators (lion, leopard, cheetah and caracal). Elephants are less common than in Chobe, as the semi-arid vegetation only provides them with a modest nutritional basis.
| location | ||
| ||
The size and solitude of the Central Kalahari is breathtaking.
getting there
In the street
The park can be entered via four official gates (e.g. Matswere-Gate), for which you need a permit, which is subject to a fee, Gaborone or Maun can be purchased. Warning: You cannot pay at the gates and if the parking attendant has a bad day you have to turn back. However, there are also smaller slopes next to the official entrances through which the park can be accessed “unofficially”. The paths in the park are sandy slopes that require a four-wheel drive vehicle with sufficient ground clearance even outside of the rainy season. The condition of the slopes is mostly good. Really deep sand is rather rare. Driving early in the morning is easier as the sand is firmer. In the rainy season you should definitely inquire about the condition of the slopes at the gates. Here and there, deep and uncomfortable mud holes greet you, which you cannot always avoid. Some of the slopes also cross salt lakes, which after prolonged rain can become almost impassable due to the muddy subsoil.
The paths are economical, but clearly signposted. However, as a precaution, you should have a GPS and a compass with you, especially if you plan to drive on the pans. It is easy to get lost there. Due to the long distances and the increased consumption in 4x4 mode, 40-60 liters of petrol or diesel in reserve canisters or a “Long Range Fuel Tank” are advisable. There are no refueling facilities inside the park or at the entrances. For reasons of consumption, you should switch to normal two-wheel drive on lighter sections of the route.
A shovel, a decent jack, 2 spare tires and an air pump are recommended as the minimum equipment (anecdote: A guide told me that he once had 4 flat tires on a 40 km drive in the Kalahari). A few logs in the trunk are also helpful if you get stuck. In difficult deep sandy passages you can let some air out of the tires, this improves the grip of the tire in the sand.
There are some stretches of road within the park that are rarely used. Outside the season it can happen that you don't see another car for several days. When you drive alone, a satellite phone is therefore important for a relaxed driving experience. The telephone numbers of all gates and the lodges in or at the park can be noted at the gates. It's easier in a convoy with 2-3 vehicles. If you break down, it's better to stay with your car. Due to the heat (sometimes more than 40 ° C in the shade in the dry season) and the many lions in the park, it is not a good idea to get help on foot.
By plane
The 1 Tau Pan Lodge can be reached from Maun by plane (e.g. Air Moremi) can be achieved. The flight in the propeller plane takes about 1½ hours.
accommodation
There are numerous official campsites within the Central Kalahari. Currently (2013) the only lodge within the park is the Tau Pan Lodge, built in 2009 and owned by Kwando safaris is operated. It is located on a raised sand ridge approx. 70 km west of the Matswere gate. It offers a luxury that is almost unreal for the secluded surroundings (small swimming pool and showers), as well as an excellent view over the Tau Pan. The prices start from 160 euros per person per night (full board).
Problems
The Central Kalahari was originally a settlement area of the Bushmen (San). Some of them were resettled outside of the national park with coercive measures. The San's use of the Kalahari is still the subject of political controversy in Botswana.
The future of the Kalahari is uncertain. Gem Diamonds was granted prospecting rights to mine diamonds in some areas of the Central Kalahari in 2011. Since diamond mining is associated with considerable land and water consumption, it must unfortunately be expected that parts of this unique landscape will be destroyed in the near future.[1]
- ↑See. Bushmen aren't forever - the diamonds of the Kalahari (2015-02-14)