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Kalahari Plains Camp

Kalahari Plains Camp


21°22’4.8"S 23°49’59.5"E

About Kalahari Plains Camp

Kalahari Plains Camp sits on the edge of an enormous pan, south-east of Deception Valley in the Central Kalahari ...

... Game Reserve (also known as the CKGR), which offers some of Botswana's best summer game viewing. It is one of just two camps in a reserve approximately the size of Switzerland, and the views from across the pan are immense. The camp was moved here from its original location in 2009, taking it away from the more accessible public roads in the reserve.

Kalahari Plains Camp is well situated close to the CKGR's most famous area, Deception Valley. We loved the big gauze windows in the tented chalets and the sleep-out decks on the roofs. The guiding was good and we felt that the camp offers a relatively unexplored wilderness with the potential for great game sightings between about December and March. However, we'd be less enthusiastic when the park is drier, and the game less visible, between about June and November. On one visit we had great sightings of 2 individual groups of bat eared fox which can be found regularly int his area. We saw plenty of plains game such as springbok and Oryx with the odd black-backed jackal.

STOP PRESS: Sadly Kalahari Plains Camp is now closed and, as yet, there is no date for its re-opening. Please call us for the latest details and alternative options.

Accommodation
10 chalets; 1 family
Children
Best for aged 12+
Open
All year

Activities

4WD Safari

4WD Safari

Birdwatching

Birdwatching

Cultural excursion

Cultural excursion

Private activities

Private activities

Sleeping under the stars

Sleeping under the stars

Kalahari Plains Camp: Full Report

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Traveller reviews of Kalahari Plains Camp

16 real, un-edited reviews from Expert Africa's travellers.


91%
16 reviews since August 2007
Excellent
10
Good
5
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Ms VfromUSA

Arrived 19 Mar 2018, 2 nights

"Kalahari Plains Camp review"

"Lovely camp, friendly staff, good food, relaxing and pleasing atmosphere. …" Read Ms V’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Good

Mr & Mrs TfromOxon

Arrived 29 Oct 2017, 3 nights

"Sleeping Out Under Stars"

"we visited end of October, the Kalahari was green with new growth - wow! …" Read Mr & Mrs T’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

Ms LfromMinneapolis

Arrived 24 Oct 2016, 2 nights

"Kalahari Plains Camp review"

"one of our two favorites. We really enjoyed the interaction with the San people …" Read Ms L’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

See all Kalahari Plains Camp reviews

Kalahari Plains Camp's location

Look closer at the environment and surroundings of Kalahari Plains Camp.


When to go to Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Kalahari Plains Camp in Central Kalahari Game Reserve


Jan

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May

Jun

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Oct

Nov

Dec

Central Kalahari Game Reserve in January

January marks the peak of the rainy season, transforming the arid terrain into a lush paradise with green grasslands and seasonal waterholes. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, bringing dramatic cloud formations and brief but intense downpours. Game viewing is spectacular, particularly in Deception Valley, where large herds of springbok, gemsbok, and wildebeest congregate, drawn by the nutrient-rich grasses.

Predators, including the famous black-maned Kalahari lions, thrive during this time, taking advantage of the abundance of newborn prey. Birdlife flourishes, with migratory species in full breeding plumage, filling the skies with vibrant colours and melodious calls. The combination of dramatic weather, abundant wildlife, and verdant landscapes makes this one of the most photogenic months in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

  • Warm temperatures with frequent afternoon thunderstorms
  • Large congregations of herbivores in the valleys
  • High predator activity, particularly among lions and cheetahs
  • Abundant migratory birds, including flamingos and raptors
  • Lush, photogenic landscapes with dramatic cloudscapes

Our view

A very good time to visit

Weather in January

Botswana fact file

Useful information and advice to help you prepare for a trip including Kalahari Plains Camp


Excursions from Kalahari Plains Camp

Optional extra day-trips and excursions possible whilst you're staying at Kalahari Plains Camp. Talk to us: these are usually best arranged before you go.


Helicopter Flight - Botswana

Helicopter Flight - Botswana

Various: from 30 minutes to half a day.

Low-flying, agile and offering superb views, helicopters are an ideal way to move around the Okavango Delta.You can use them instead of fixed-wing inter-lodge transfers or as an addition to other wildlife watching activities, and of course, helicopters can hover to allow that perfect pic, whereas fixed-wings can’t.

More about Helicopter Flight
100% (2 reviews)

Other lodges in Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Tau Pan Camp

Tau Pan Camp

The comfortable Tau Pan camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers some of Botswana's best summer game viewing and birdwatching.


96% (95 reviews)
Kalahari Arms Hotel

Kalahari Arms Hotel

Kalahari Arms Hotel, in the town of Ghanzi, is a practical overnight stop for travellers crossing the Kalahari to or from Namibia.


75% (23 reviews)
Edo's Camp

Edo's Camp

Edo's Camp is a small camp with only four spacious tents overlooking a permanent waterhole. Surrounded by 20,000 hectares of private game conservancy you can expect to see white rhino, springbok, oryx and eland here.


93% (8 reviews)
Deception Valley Lodge

Deception Valley Lodge

A private reserve on the border of the CKGR, Deception Valley Lodge offers more flexible activities than within the reserve and a particularly good Bushman experience.


96% (5 reviews)

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