Kalahari Migration

Dumela – welcome to Botswana. Upon your arrival at the Maun Airport, you will be met by a representative of your charter flight company and directed to your connecting flight to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. During the flight to Tau Pan Camp, your accommodation for the night, you can get a first impression of the Kalahari’s size and beauty. Upon arrival at the airstrip, your guide will greet you and take you to the camp. You have some time to settle into your rooms and freshen up, before you start your first game drive in the afternoon. Dinner will be served in camp, and afterwards, you can relax around the campfire and reflect on your first day on safari.

After breakfast, you’ll set off on a nature walk, taking in the final moments before saying goodbye to Tau Pan Camp. From there, your journey continues as you head towards the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). Along the way, the scenery shifts from cattle country and dry savannah bush to something far more intriguing. After about two hours, the vegetation changes, with small dry pans (open, flat areas) appearing as the land gradually dips into Deception Valley.

These valleys, now covered in short, dry grass, were once ancient riverbeds formed millions of years ago. After even a light rainfall, the grass turns green, offering much-needed sustenance to the wildlife. Over the next three nights, you’ll have the chance to explore remarkable areas like Deception Valley, Passarge Valley, Sundays Pans, and Letiahau — each revealing a different facet of this rugged yet beautiful ecosystem.

To gain a deeper understanding of the CKGR, consider reading Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens. Their words capture the raw, untamed essence of this striking landscape. But be prepared — once you’ve experienced the fierce beauty of the CKGR, it has a way of creeping into your soul. Months after your visit, you may find yourself longing to return, unable to shake its pull.

Today, your journey off the beaten track continues as you travel to the mercurial Makgadikgadi National Park. The next three days are dedicated to finding the roaming zebra migration. Every year, tens of thousands of zebras journey south to the Makgadikgadi and Nxai plains in search of fresh and juicy grasses. Their arrival also coincides with their calving season. Accompanying these herds is usually a host of predators, such as lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, and brown hyena can all be encountered. The herds are always on the move and, despite their incredible numbers, can sometimes be challenging to find. Hence, the location of your camp will depend on where the likelihood of encountering this “secret” migration is at its highest. This is one of the reasons why a mobile camping safari is so special. You can overnight in far-off and remote areas, and yet you can still travel comfortably.

The safari includes a one-hour scenic helicopter flight to increase your chances of finding the zebra migration.

After enjoying your usual early morning breakfast and game drive, it’s time for you to bid farewell to the amazing backup team and camp staff. You’ll then begin your journey back to Maun, aiming to arrive around noon — just in time for your outbound flight or next adventure.