Stressed out and tired of all the bad news on TV? Hop into your car and take the 10-hour drive to Upington, then go a few kilometres further and you’ll enter the lost world of the Kalahari.
Take your children too, because the way man is killing off animals, be it on land or in the sea, means they might not have the same opportunities to view these magnificent creatures in the wild in future.
The red desert dunes, diverse wildlife, thorn tree-dotted savannahs and wide open spaces are all part of one of Africa’s largest untouched wildlife sanctuaries, the Kgalagadi (Kalahari) Transfrontier Park.
With no border between Botswana and South Africa, an area of more than 3.6 million hectares (twice the size of the Kruger Park) allows large game to roam in unspoilt freedom. The two dry, ancient river beds of the Auob and Nossob also host a wealth of plants, animals and birds which have adapted remarkably to this unique semi-desert environment.
Compared to the Kruger, the Kalahari has little infrastructure and fewer visitors, offering the perfect environment to make a true soul connection with nature as it was.
It’s not about seeing the Big Five and as many other animals as possible.
It’s about the silence, the beauty, the space… and the chance to discover it all at your own pace. - Weekend Argus