Best hotels in Central Kalahari

Tau Pan is a simple but comfortable camp perched on the ridge of an ancient sand dune, giving it wonderful views over the limitless plains of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The Kalahari is known as a thirstland because for much of the year there is very little standing water – Tau Pan, however, is built beside a permanent waterhole. The camp has been constructed with the environment in mind, utilising only solar power to generate electricity, pumping water from deep beneath the desert and treating waste water before returning it to the ground.

The Kalahari boasts stark beauty and an abundance of diverse wildlife, from the elegant oryx and ostrich to the majestic cheetah and black-maned Kalahari lion. Perhaps most notably, this region is the home to the heritage of San Bushmen, one of Africa's ancient people known for their rich cultural heritage and expert survival skills. There are very few lodges in this under-explored region, making Deception Valley Lodge just one of a handful of luxury all-inclusive options. While this family-owned lodge is actually technically located outside of the Deception Valley region, it immerses you in all the landscapes that are quintessential of the Kalahari.The waterhole within view of the main area is an absolute highlight, frequented by a variety of local wildlife.

Perfectly positioned in its own 200-square-kilometre game reserve on the northern border of Botswana's Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Dinaka is where you want to be during the dry season, when the wildlife is easy to see and the permanent waterhole entices all species to drink. This popular camp has acquired new owners, and extensive refurbishments have made, making this an ideal destination for a wild Kalahari experience. Dinaka hosts one of the most unique biodiversities in southern Africa, with its ever-changing desert landscape and varied wildlife. There's so much to love about the Kalahari... It's a place for the soul.

Experience the dramatic beauty of the desert with none of its harsh realities. Located on a private concession in the northern reaches of Botswana's Central Kalahari, Feline Fields is a veritable desert paradise. Besides experiencing the vast panoramas, the desert-adapted wildlife and the expert knowledge of local guides and the Kalahari Bushmen, you have a menu of unusual safari lodge activities to keep you busy or help you (actively) unwind. This is a camp built by safari veterans who have been there, done that, and have integrated their seasoned experience with a few novel innovations. Drive a golf ball into an ocean of sand; cruise the winding paths of camp and its surrounds with ease on a fat-tire bicycle; get competitive on the clay tennis court (during the milder hours)... You'll find no stone unturned here - from your room to the lodge to your experience in the bush, it's all designed to help you maximize your time - whether that's keeping busy or maxing out on relaxing out.

The Dune Camp is situated on a vegetated dune overlooking spectacular views of the Kalahari valleys. The camp is on the north-eastern boundary of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in one of the largest private game reserves in Botswana. Deception Valley Private Reserve spans more than 43 000Ha of pristine Kalahari wilderness. Designated waterholes, hidden viewing hides, vegetated dunes, natural pans and an amazing valley, offering incredible game viewing opportunities. At The Dune Camp guests have the opportunity to embrace the San bushman culture, enjoy views of the Kalahari oasis from their private verandah, and watch as various wildlife come to drink by a nearby waterhole which is a major attraction at the camp.

The second largest reserve in Africa, comprising of 52, 800 sq. km mostly dedicated to the conservation of wildlife, may lack the wildlife diversity of Moremi and Chobe, but its large open plains and never ending skies are like a scene from Out of Africa. This expansive landscape has always held an attraction for man, with its magic lying in the solitude, silence and vast open spaces. The vast heartland of the Kalahari is waterless and featureless, yet fascinating in its immensity.