Big Five safari game drives
Sabi Sand · Kruger · Addo · Durban & KZN
7 tours
Kgalagadi & the Kalahari
Red dunes, black-maned lions and vast skies.
Remote, raw and spectacular: Kalahari predators, gemsbok on red dunes and some of the clearest night skies on Earth.
Explore the tours
Kalahari
Ways to build a Kalahari trip
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park straddles South Africa and Botswana, a vast wilderness of red dunes and dry riverbeds. It is famous for black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetah, raptors and the photogenic gemsbok.
This is a destination for travellers who have done a classic safari and want something wilder. Reach it by long self-drive or light-aircraft charter, and pair it with the green Kalahari around Augrabies Falls.
Riverbed drives
Follow the dry riverbeds where predators hunt.
Wilderness camps
Unfenced camps that put you in the heart of the desert.
Stargazing
Some of the darkest skies in Africa.
When to go
Best time to visit Kalahari.
Autumn (Mar–May) is the sweet spot: green after the rains, with active predators. Winter nights fall below freezing; summer days can exceed 40°C.
- JanMixed
- FebMixed
- MarBest
- AprBest
- MayBest
- JunGood
- JulGood
- AugGood
- SepGood
- OctMixed
- NovMixed
- DecMixed
Seasons are reversed from the northern hemisphere.
- Cape Town’s winter rains fall June to August
- Kruger’s dry season (May to September) is peak game viewing
- Summer rains fall November to March in the north and east
- Whale season on the Cape coast runs June to November
Highlights
- Black-maned Kalahari lions
- Cheetah and raptors along the Auob and Nossob riverbeds
- Gemsbok and springbok on red dunes
- Dark-sky stargazing
Practical tips
- Best for experienced safari-goers or as a second trip.
- Distances are huge. Consider a fly-in charter.
- The Kgalagadi is malaria-free.
Experiences
Things to do in Kalahari.
How do I get to the Kgalagadi?
It's a long drive (around 10 hours from Cape Town), so most guests fly to Upington and drive from there, or take a light-aircraft charter.
Tailor-made trips
Tours including Kalahari.
We build Kalahari into tailor-made itineraries rather than fixed packages. Tell us your dates and we’ll design one around it.
Speak to a South Africa specialist
Ready for Kalahari ?.
Tell us when, who's coming and what you're hoping for. One named specialist designs the rest.