As the name suggests, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is part of the Kalahari basin, the longest stretch of sand in the world. It is, in fact, the second largest game reserve in the world, covering more than 52,000 sq km and is bigger than the size of the Netherlands!
The reserve, established in 1971, covers a mosaic of ecosystems ranging from clay pans to sand dunes and woodlands to fossil valleys. This fusion of ecosystems is also the reason behind the unique collection of wildlife that thrives here.
Apart from the San bushmen and the Balgalakgadi tribes, there are no other human inhabitants in the reserve. These tribes live according to their primordial ways as nomadic hunters and gatherers. However, the government had imposed a strict ban on hunting within the premises and had relocated most of the tribes. Today, only a few hundreds of them still live here.
Wildlife
It is impossible to list out every single species that reside within this reserve, as there are simply too many. The most popular and dominant species include the black-maned Kalahari lion, white rhino, bush elephant, honey badger, meerkat, spotted hyena, brown hyena, South African giraffe, African wildcat, bat-eared foxes, jackals, springbok, wildebeest, eland and yellow mongoose. Among the bird species, ostrich, cape turtle doves, Namaqua doves, red-billed queleas, black-breasted eagles, rock kestrels, lanner falcons and black-shouldered kites, are found in plenty.
Why should you visit?
The reserve has a unique environment from other popular parks in this region given its range of ecosystems, which is why you can find certain species like the oryx, ostrich, brown hyena and aardwolf in abundance here compared to other places in Botswana.
There are camps inside the reserve itself, and they arrange for safaris and game viewing drives. The northern part of the reserve is privately owned and you can find more flexible activities here like night safaris, walking safaris, cultural trips to the native tribes and even self-drives.
Though the reserve houses a huge amount of wildlife, it can be quite tricky to spot them easily, given the size of the reserve. However, with an experienced guide, who knows where the animals congregate, you can have your money’s worth.
The intimidating vastness of the Kalahari will make you feel like you are treading through the middle of nowhere and are in a world of your own. If you are a bird lover, photographer or wish to go on a self-drive tour through the wilderness, then the reserve is perfect for you.
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