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Camp Kalahari, Makgadikgadi Pans, Kalahari

Camp Kalahari

Makgadikgadi Pans, Kalahari, Botswana

Refreshingly simple with a traditional style, Camp Kalahari allows you to enjoy an authentic safari camp experience in the wide expanse of the Makgadikgadi Pan. Ideal for those who favour adventure of luxury, the camp offers comfortable tented accommodation, with the lack of electricity adding to the rustic atmosphere.

The thatched, open-plan communal area features a cosy library, living and dining area adorned with African furniture and textiles as well as colonial antiques. There’s also a separate lounge strewn with cushions, providing a relaxing space to return to after an activity-filled day. Alternatively, cool off in the swimming pool or unwind in the shade of the thatched poolside pavilion.

OUR OPINION:

Offering similar activities to its sister camps, Camp Kalahari is a fairly simple option, but its location is excellent and we think the activities offered here are great fun.

OUR RATING: Medium

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Rooms

The spacious guest tents each have an en suite bathroom with hot and cold water and flush toilets. They offer four-poster double beds or twin beds, colourful Moroccan kilim rugs, dressing tables, wooden trunks for storage and hot water bottles for cooler nights. The family unit includes two adjacent tents and a connecting bathroom. Large windows along each of the walls allows for plenty of natural light.

Location

Situated just outside Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, the camp is set among acacias and Mokolwane palm trees and offers easy access to the vast salt pan — the remnant of a huge ancient lake. Along with dramatic scenery, the area is home to a variety of wildlife, including rare brown hyena. Those visiting during the wet season can also see large numbers of migrating zebra and wildebeest.

Food and drink

The chef at the camp serves fresh and tasty home-cooked meals, which are enjoyed in the main dining area and served on plates rather than in a buffet style. Most dietary requirements and special requests can be catered for if the camp is informed in advance.

Families

All children are welcome to stay at the camp. A rollaway bed can be added to tents to accommodate one child under the age of 12. There’s also a family tent comprising two adjacent tents connected by a bathroom for up to two adults and three children. A children’s menu is available, and children can take part in the camp activities, but must be 12 or over to have their own quad bike.

Facilities and activities

There’s a library and a pool on site, as well as comfortable loungers. The camp’s guides work with local bushmen to provide morning guided walks, where you can learn about survival in the harsh salt pan environment, as well as the local flora and fauna. During the dry season you can go quad biking across the pan (helmets not provided). Meanwhile, safaris allow you to encounter wildlife such as meerkat, aardvark, springbuck and brown hyena.

Local excursions

You may wish to visit the nearby Chapman’s Baobab, a widely-known tree that was once used as a campsite for early explorers and is believed to be the third largest tree in Africa.

Tour ideas in Makgadikgadi Pans, Kalahari

Our itineraries are there to spark ideas for how you could include a stay at Camp Kalahari as part of your trip. Treat them simply as suggestions, because every aspect of the trip we create for you will be yours to define.

Location & places nearby

Places & hotels on the map

    Alternative places to stay nearby

    Where possible, we like to offer a range of accommodation for each stop of your trip, chosen by our specialists as some of their favourite places to stay. To help you make the right choice, we give each property a rating based on its facilities and service, but we also look for hotels with distinct character or a location that can't be bettered.

    Makgadikgadi Pans, Kalahari and nearby places