Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Why visit Central Kalahari Game Reserve?

Vast (52,800km2, or over five million hectares), remote, and achingly beautiful, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) casts a spell upon her visitors – the kind of magic that can only be experienced first-hand. It is partly due to a sense of space, a true wilderness stretching as far as the eye can see, both untamed and austerely beautiful, where travellers can refresh world-weary souls beneath the cool blaze of the Milky Way.

Desert-adapted wildlife

The CKGR is renowned for its abundant desert-adapted wildlife, including iconic black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetah, leopard, brown hyena, wild dogs, springbok, oryx and giraffe. Elephant move through the reserve, but are seldom seen. Brown hyenas slink through the ancient riverbeds, and smaller carnivores like jackal, caracal, and honey badger are always a highlight. The families of bat-eared foxes are a source of constant entertainment, sporting ridiculously oversized ears and somewhat sardonic expressions, while charismatic meerkats and ground squirrels forage through the undergrowth.

During the summer rains, salt pans of the north fill with water, and the herbivores gather in large numbers as the desert transforms into a green paradise. Many give birth during the height of the green season, much to the delight of tourists and predators.

In the words of our CEO

“My room overlooked a busy dry-season Central Kalahari waterhole, with swarms of restless quelea arriving in droves and scaring the nervous kudu that were wary of nearby lions that had been calling all night.“ Simon Espley - CEO of Africa Geographic

Why the Central Kalahari is a responsible safari choice

Your Africa Geographic safari to CKGR contributes directly to the conservation of the park to the benefit of local people because:

• We donate a portion of every safari sold to selected conservation efforts at ground level.

• Your safari supports our conservation publishing efforts, which educate the world about CKGR and other threatened ecosystems.

• Our chosen lodges support local community initiatives, ensuring that tourism benefits the nearby villages directly. They also adhere to strict environmental practices, such as limited vehicle numbers and sustainable camp operations, which help protect the ecosystem.