Central Kalahari Game Reserve: Introduction
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve was founded in 1961 and is the largest conservation area in the country; at 5 million hectares, it is one of the largest in the world. The reserve was founded to protect the San Bushmen, with an aim to provide a home for these historical people in their natural environment and to ensure their survival and preservation of their way of life.
Located in the centre of Botswana, this reserve is characterised by extensive open plains, saltpans and ancient riverbeds. Four fossil rivers wind through the arid reserve, some of them 16000 years old.
Today this area is a fantastic game-rich reserve home to fascinating species that have adapted to the harsh desert environment. Among the shallow valleys, tsamma melons and gemsbok cucumbers historically offer the main source of water for animals and Bushmen during the dry season.
Locate the Central Kalahari Game Reserve
How to get there & Best time to visit
How to get there
Central Kalahari Game Reserve is 250km/155mi south of Maun, which is the gateway town to the Okavango Delta. The drive takes about 5 hours*. The reserve has five entrances, including Kang Gate, which opened in 2024 in the far southwest. This gate allows direct access to the reserve from the south, from the town of Kang, without the need to pass through Khutse Game Reserve.
Most visitors rent a 4x4 vehicle to drive to the reserve. Alternatively, you can book a 4WD safari and be picked up by your driver-guide at the start of your safari. Most self-drive visitors use the Matswere Gate, which is about 40km/25mi northeast of popular Deception Valley (and 45km/28mi west of Rakops). After rain, some access roads can be in poor condition and driving times will be longer.
It is much easier to fly to one of the camps inside or outside the reserve by chartered plane. Most visitors fly into Maun International Airport (MUB) or Kasane International Airport (BBK), with charter flights available from either airport, or from smaller airstrips across northern Botswana.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Central Kalahari Game Reserve is during the wet months, from December to March, when animals gather in the Deception Valley area. However, roads can get very muddy at this time. In the drier months, from April to October, the roads tend to be in better condition. This is especially true later in the season when animals gather close to water sources, such as the waterholes at Letiahau, Passarge Valley, Sunday Pan and Xaxa.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve has a hot desert climate with a distinct Dry season (April to October) and Wet season (November to March). It is recommended to bring warm clothing for early morning game drives in the Dry season, especially from May or June to August.