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Detailed Itinerary
1 Night Tau PanCamp- a great first night in Botswana.
Upon arriving in Maun – guests will be met by a Moremi Air representative who will check you in for your light aircraft transfer into Tau Pan Camp. On arrival at Tau Pan our guide will welcome you at the airstrip. After settling into your rooms, the afternoon will be spent on game drive discovering what makes the Kalahari so special. Dinner will be serviced in camp and then you can relax around the campfire and reflect on the day gone by.
3 Nights serviced camping in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve
After breakfast we depart on a nature walk before saying goodbye to Tau Pan Camp where we depart for the CKGR. Most of the scenery en-route to CKGR is cattle country and dry savannah bush. We will spend the next three nights in the CKGR. After approx. 2 hours driving from Tau Pan, the vegetation changes and small dry pans (open areas) appear and at then the land falls gradually away to Deception Valley. The valleys in the Kalahari are extinct river valleys that occurred millions of years ago and are now covered in short dry grass. After a little rainfall the grass turns green offering the wildlife much needed nutrition. We explore areas like Deception Valley, Passarge Valley, Sundays Pans and Letiahau. To get a better idea of this unique ecosystem we recommend you read “Cry of the Kalahari” by Mark and Delia Owens. A fiercely beautiful but hostile environment – the CKGR will creep into your soul and for many months after your visit you will yearn to return.
3 Nights serviced camping in the Makgadikgadi National Park in search of the Makgadikgadi Pans zebra migration
We pack and move camp east to the huge expansive grasslands of the Makgadikgadi Pans in search of the huge numbers of zebra (up to 25000 animals) that leave the Boteti river system and concentrate on the open grasslands in search of nutritious grasses to give birth to their young. Despite their numbers they can be elusive and we spend the next three nights in search of the herds and exploring this vast open landscape. A scenic flight by helicopter is included in the safari in search of the Zebra Migration.
Safari ends in Maun
Following our customary early morning breakfast and early game drive we say goodbye to our back up team and camp staff and drive back to Maun. You will arrive in Maun around noon in time for outbound flights or for your onward arrangements.
NOTE: Although we make every effort to adhere to schedules, itineraries and activities, these are subject to change in light of changing local conditions (weather and roads) as well as availability. You will be notified accordingly. Rates are subject to National Park increase by Botswana Government without prior notice.
Highlights
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Most of the scenery en-route to CKGR is cattle country and dry savannah bush. After approx 5 hours the vegetation changes and small dry pans (open areas) appear and at one stage the land falls gradually away to Deception Valley. The valleys in the Kalahari are extinct river valleys that occurred millions of years ago and are now covered in short dry grass. After a little rainfall the grass turns green offering the wildlife much needed nutrition after a harsh dry winter. Most of the antelope species converge in the river valleys in search of this nutrition and also to give birth to their young. This is a purely natural wilderness with little human affect and has stayed in this condition for hundreds of years. The CKGR is known as a desert as 99% of the year there is a lack of surface water. The animals survive by getting moisture from early morning dew and from the plants they eat. The reserve is also the ancient home of the “San” or Kalahari Bushmen.
The CKGR has enormous horizons and many kilometres of seemingly endless grass plains. As the antelope converge in the valleys so the predators follow. CKGR has good populations of the famous “Kalahari lions“ and is a very good place to see Cheetah and Brown Hyena if you are very lucky. To get the best experience in the Kalahari it is advisable to leave the camp as early as 5.30 am as most of the fauna is active early and then retire to the shade in the midday heat to avoid excessive water loss. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best time to photograph this amazing landscape.
To get a better idea of this unique ecosystem we recommend you read “Cry of the Kalahari” by Mark and Delia Owens.
