Our Blog
Southern Africa's Deserts
Central Kalahari Game Reserve: Gemsbok - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
Safari, or game drive as they commonly call it in Southern Africa, intended as animal sighting, is not the main reason for visiting the Central Kalahari Game Reserve; the main reason why you come here is to live the experience of being in one of the few unspoiled areas of the African continent.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
In the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, or CKGR, there are very few lodges, most of them are just outside the reserve boundary; most visitors that come here usually camp.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
We spent two days at the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and, while we ran through its sandy tracks or camped in designated pitches, we made some memorable meetings.
Most people who meet here, who do self-drive and camping, are South African, usually lovers of wild nature and endless spaces; they told us that, according to them, there are so many people in South Africa in the national parks and reserves that they prefer to come to Botswana where there are few people and the parks and reserves are uncontaminated.
Boteti River - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning after breakfast we prepared our car and left, we made a last turn in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and then we took the road leading to the Matswere Gate, the same from where we entered two days ago.
We have to get to the gate to sign the exit by 11:00 am, regardless of the time when one came on arrival.
We arrive in perfect time, sign the register and put the pin on the sighting table; yesterday at the Motopi we saw a bunch of lions: a male and a female flocking and, far beyond, there were two other females with two wonderful puppies.
Moremi Game Reserve: Elephant - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we wake up early, we are at the Maun Audi Camp and we must go to the Moremi Game Reserve; we have breakfast, then we close everything and head towards Shorobe, that is about 40 km from Maun.
Just past Shorobe the paved road leaves the place to the dirt road but the bottom is hard so we wait to deflate the tires.
Moremi Camp - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
There are two types of accommodation in the Moremi Reserve: camping or tents.
Campsites are located at the South Gate, North Gate, Third Bridge and Xakanaxa, and you can either go on a standalone or take part in an overland trip or mobile safari.
Moremi Game Reserve: Leopard - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
The Moremi Game Reserve is one of the best places in Botswana, and all over Southern Africa, to carry on safaris, as there is a high concentration of animals.
We chose to stay at the Moremi Camp, located in Xakanaxa, one of the best spots for sightseeing.
Here are elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, spotted hyenas, red hartebeests, greater kudus, impalas, red lechwes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeests, antelopes of waterbucks, bushbucks, hippos, Nile crocodiles, and many bird species, both water-borne and terrestrial, as well as birds of prey.
Moremi Game Reserve - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we woke up at 6am and at 7pm we did our last safari in the Moremi Reserve, with the guide of the Moremi Camp; wonderful game drive as usual.
We go back to the camp at 11.30 am, we have brunch with our "safari friends", with whom we have shared the off-road vehicle and the guide these days and then we leave.
We are a bit sad because we were really fine, we had fun with the people we met and we did great sightings; but we are also happy to continue our journey by our car.
Our car - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
The other day, as we crossed the road between Maun and Shorobe, to go then to the Moremi Game Reserve, we did not understand how, but we lost our magnet with the Safari ADV logo we had on the hood; it has a diameter of half a meter, it seems impossible we did not see it fly away.
We went back to look for it, but nothing, it evaporated.
Initially we said "patience, we will have to alternate it with the one we have on the door" but then, once we arrived at the Moremi Camp we thought, "Let's try to ask them if there is someone who makes magnets in Maun."
On the road - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning, as usual, we wake up early, we have breakfast and then we leave; left Maun and heading West to the A3 and then take the A35 heading North towards Shakawe and the Caprivi Strip in Namibia.
It is not at all a busy road, most likely it is out of the commercial and tourism routes, every now and then we meet a car but it's really a rarity.
We are crossing the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta, here the Okavango is still in its bed, although it is composed of several channels; its shores and sandy islets are covered with papyrus.