Landscape-led exploration
Give the scale and stillness of the country time to register. A safari here is about the setting as well as particular sightings.
Explore Botswana · Beyond the waterways
Kalahari Safaris in Botswana
Desert landscapes · Stillness · Discovery
Plan your Kalahari safari ↗Space, stillness and desert perspectives.
The Kalahari is a different expression of Botswana’s wilderness: open landscapes, wide skies and a sense of distance. It adds a quieter, land-focused counterpoint to a journey through the Okavango Delta.
The Kalahari is a vast region, not a single safari location. A camp in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and a lodge on a private reserve outside it have different settings and access. Make that distinction part of your planning.
What to do in the Kalahari.
Choose the right reserve
Compare where camps actually sit and what their guiding programmes cover. The wider Kalahari label can hide considerable differences.
Desert & Delta together
A Kalahari stay can create a clear contrast with the Delta’s water and islands. Choose enough nights at each to make the transitions worthwhile.
When to visit the Kalahari.
Consider both season and comfort. Winter mornings and nights can be cold, while warmer months bring a different landscape and travel conditions. Your chosen reserve and camp are more useful planning references than a single rule for the entire Kalahari.
Explore Botswana’s seasons ↗Getting to the Kalahari.
Access varies significantly with the reserve and camp. Arrange road or air connections as part of the full Botswana route, and confirm any practical requirements before travelling.
How long to stay.
Three nights is a useful starting point for a dedicated stay. Add more time if the landscape is a main interest, especially when travel connections make short visits feel rushed.
Where to stay in the Kalahari.
Explore these stays as a starting point. We’ll help you compare locations, guiding and camp style for your journey.
Kalahari
Tau Pan Camp
Tau Pan Camp overlooks a waterhole in the Central Kalahari, offering a desert-safari base whose wildlife experience changes with the seasons.
Kalahari
Dinaka Camp
Dinaka’s private reserve borders the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, providing a desert-safari contrast to the waterways further north.
Kalahari
Feline Fields
Feline Fields brings a boutique-lodge approach to remote Kalahari landscapes, providing a marked change of setting from a Delta camp.
Ideas for your Botswana journey.
Start with a suggested route, then adapt it to include the places and experiences that interest you.
Botswana in Depth
Kalahari · Kwando-Linyanti · Okavango
A source-matched route through desert, northern river country and the Delta.
Published fromUS$8,762 per personJan–Mar 2027Explore itinerary ↗
Classic Okavango
Pom Pom · Splash
A first Botswana safari with two contrasting Delta stays.
Published fromUS$7,714 per personJan–Mar & Dec 2027Explore itinerary ↗
Botswana Honeymoon
Chobe · Moremi & Delta · Boteti
A honeymoon journey combining Chobe, the Delta and the Boteti River.
Published fromUS$8,873 per personJan–Mar 2027Explore itinerary ↗
The Kalahari safari FAQs.
Are all Kalahari camps in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve?
No. Some camps are in the reserve and others are on different private or regional land. We’ll make the location and access clear in your proposal.
Should I combine the Kalahari with the Delta?
If you value contrasting landscapes, it is a combination worth considering. We’ll balance time, travel connections and seasonal priorities.
How long should I stay in The Kalahari?
Three nights is a useful starting point for a dedicated stay. Add more time if the landscape is a main interest, especially when travel connections make short visits feel rushed.
Can this be part of a tailor-made Botswana safari?
Yes. We can shape the route around your interests, preferred camp style and travel dates, then confirm connections and availability. Explore our suggested itineraries as a starting point.
Further reading: Botswana Tourism’s destination guide ↗
More of Botswana.
Beyond Botswana
Extend your safari.
Your safari can be just the beginning. Add a city stay, a natural wonder or time by the ocean.
01 / A city, coast & culture finaleCape Town
Follow days in the bush with time in Cape Town. Explore the city, enjoy the food scene and leave room for the Cape Peninsula or Winelands.
Add Cape Town to my safari ↗
02 / A natural wonder on your routeVictoria Falls
Add time around Victoria Falls for a different kind of spectacle. Balance a visit to the falls with a relaxed stay beside the Zambezi.
Add Victoria Falls to my safari ↗
03 / Safari, then the Indian OceanMozambique
Swap early game drives for unhurried beach days. Finish your Botswana safari with time on Mozambique’s coast or islands.
Add Mozambique to my safari ↗Combine destinations as part of a tailored route. Flight schedules, transfer connections, entry requirements and seasonal conditions need to be checked for your dates.
Your Kalahari safari
starts here.
Start planning your safari ↗← Explore all Botswana destinations