Encompassing the vast majority of Botswana territory, the sprawling wilderness of the semi-arid Kalahari Desert is characterised by endless open plains, shimmering salt pans, picturesque orange sands and relics of ancient riverbeds. In the heart of the country lies the world's second-largest game reserve, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, its magnificent expanse surpassing the size of the entire country of Belgium. The region offers some of the best wildlife viewings in Africa and is home to abundant roaming wildlife, including rhinos, black-maned lions, and desert-adapted elephants. Keen birdwatchers can spot the secretary bird, pale chanting goshawk, ostrich, black-breasted snake eagle and other species. For the culturally curious, an encounter with the San, the indigenous people who have resided in and around the area for thousands of years, is not to be missed.
Bordering both the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park in northern Botswana, Khwai Private Reserve spans approximately 180,000 hectares along the north-eastern edge of the Okavango Delta. Established through a community-based partnership between local villages and the tourism sector, the reserve supports conservation alongside sustainable economic opportunities for nearby communities. Riverine forests, seasonal floodplains, open grasslands, mopane woodland, winding channels and lagoons create a varied landscape that supports an exceptional diversity of wildlife. Elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog and sable antelope are among the species found here, together with abundant birdlife. Visitors explore the reserve on guided game drives, walking safaris and mokoro excursions through the Delta's waterways, with night drives on private concession land adding opportunities to encounter nocturnal animals.
