Budget Central Kalahari Game Reserve Tours

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve, spanning the vast, ancient lands of central Botswana, is the second-largest wildlife reserve in the world. It offers an unparalleled safari experience characterized by immense solitude, breathtaking scale, and the thrill of encountering uniquely adapted desert wildlife. It is here that travelers witness one of Africa’s most compelling wildlife spectacles: enormous herds of gemsbok (oryx), springbok, and blue wildebeest following the fresh grazing. These concentrations, in turn, attract the predators, making it the ultimate place to seek out the magnificent black-maned Kalahari lion and the lightning-fast cheetah. African Overland Tours invites you to immerse yourself in the profound magic of the Kalahari Desert. Whether you’re tracking a pride of lions in Deception Valley, capturing the perfect photograph of a magnificent gemsbok silhouette against the sunset, or simply soaking in the immense solitude and the natural grandeur of the landscape, the Central Kalahari promises an unforgettable and deeply reflective adventure.

Two travellers in a traditional mokoro (dugout canoe) being poled through tall reeds and lush vegetation in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

What travellers most enjoyed about Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Wildlife

Stargazing

Cultural Encounters

when to visit Central Kalahari Game Reserve

The Green Season – December to March – is when the summer rains transform Deception Valley into lush grazing land, drawing in huge herds of migratory antelope, which in turn attracts predators like the famous black-maned lion and cheetah. Expect dramatic skies and higher temperatures, and be prepared for potential muddy roads. Between the Winter/Dry Season – May to August – the cooler, drier weather is ideal for comfortable game drives and camping. Roads are firmer, and the concentrated game near the few remaining waterholes makes for reliable, though often dustier, sightings.