Kalahari and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans Ride

Arrive by air or road into the Kalahari, where you will be welcomed by your guide, and settled into your base Camp Kalahari. Camp is situated among the acacias and Mokolwane palms of Brown Hyaena Island, on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, adjacent to the Makgadikgadi-Nxai Pans National Park, Botswana.

After a steaming cup of tea – or refreshing G&T, the chance for a cool off in the swimming pool or a relaxing siesta; head out for your first ride across the vast landscape in the beautiful light of African dusk. Get to know what will soon be your faithful four-legged companion and take in the peaceful essence of the Kalahari. Ride over the jigsaw of savanna islands and salt pans, keeping a keen eye out for any game. Pull up to a beautiful sundowner spot, dismount and enjoy an iconic African sunset wash the sky with red, and listen to the rare purity of absolute silence.

Return to camp for a delicious dinner and to kraal the horses close by, before the lions of the Kalahari commence their nightly prowling.

After rising to a glorious African morning, head out at sunrise and explore this magical area once more. Bathed in the light of dawn, the yellow grasses look even more beautiful. Seek out the desert adapted wildlife such as elephant, zebra and wildebeest as you traverse the ‘land of a thousand islands’. At the height of the migration season, the islands and adjoining grasslands are awash with zebra, wildebeest, hartebeest and ostrich – and of course the attendant predators!  The white salt pans separating the islands makes great going for the horses and provides ample opportunity to pick up the pace.

Return for a well-deserved lunch and to shelter from the heat of the day by relaxing in the pool, keeping an eye out for any elephant that might be looking for a drink!

In the afternoon, swap horse for vehicle and take a game drive in search of some of the areas treasures such as; springbok, gemsbok, red hartebeest, bachelor herds of bull elephant and the elusive brown hyena.

After sunset, enjoy a night game drive back to camp, and with the aid of a spot light, look for nocturnal desert inhabitants such as aardvark, bat eared foxes, aardwolves, porcupine, honey badgers and perhaps even a black maned Kalahari lion.

Arrive at Camp Kalahari in time for dinner.

Today is a long ride eastwards to Xau Xai Fly Camp, so an early start is imperative. Be sure to pack a few essentials for the next two days of adventure.

The journey takes you away from the edge of the pans and through the mopane and acacia woodlands, interspersed with short grasslands allowing for lovely long canters. Whilst the area is rich in birds of prey, bustards, korhaans and numerous other unusual dry woodland bird species; there is also a chance that we will sight kudu and the odd elephant bull.

Pass by the famous Green’s Baobab, proudly positioned alongside the well- travelled Missionary Road, traversed by David Livingstone on his journeys northwards. The magnificent trunk of this ancient tree is scarred with the initials of early travellers dating back some 150 years thus providing a living testimony to the rich history of this area.

Break for lunch at the adjacent Gutsa Pan under a stand of palm trees where you may find Stone Age artefacts and the hunting blinds used over millennium by the Bushmen. Not only is a beautiful lunch spread laid out, but camp beds are also set up in the shade for a blissful afternoon siesta.

Later that afternoon, continue the journey through the beautiful evening light and on to Xau Xai Fly Camp. The camp is made up of comfortable dome tents, a central mess tent, loos and bucket showers.

Ride into camp and be welcomed by a cool drink as you watch the sunset. Enjoy alfresco dining out under the magnificent Kalahari sky.

Wake up to a steaming hot cup of tea or coffee and a light breakfast, before heading off in search of some of the Kalahari’s most fascinating inhabitants, the meerkats.

With your horses tethered, you can proceed on foot into the midst of the group. Due to an ongoing habituation programme by Uncharted Africa Safari co. it’s possible to get up close and personal with these captivating creatures. They are not tame – just used to the non-threatening presence of humans. On chilly mornings, you might well find a meerkat snuggling up to you for warmth. Or, in the absence of a termite mound or tree, using your head as a sentry lookout post! Visiting these interesting animals is definitely one of the most special and memorable game experiences you will encounter in Botswana.

As the day warms up, remount and head out onto the pans for some fun! Step out onto the largest stretch of naturally made race surface in the world. Looking out across the vast nothingness and open space of white, it would be difficult not to take advantage and experience the ultimate sense of freedom as you fly across it!

Return to Xau Xai for lunch and a refreshing shower, before you set out on one of the best adventures imaginable. As dusk starts to hit, ride straight out into the middle of the ancient lake-bed, eventually reaching a point where all that can be seen is the vast flatness stretching in every direction. Watch the sun set, turning the salt beautiful shades of red and orange and the darkness start to reveal the stars – the perfect setting for an unbelievable photo shoot!

Trust the white reflective surface, lit up by the spectacular stars and moon, as you canter through the darkness with only the light of the distant camp fire to guide you. Riding in the dark under the vast sky of stars, with pan in every direction, you feel like you could be the only people in the world.

This is one of the only places in the world where the silence is so complete you can hear the blood circulating through your ears.

Reach camp, far out in the middle of the pan and enjoy a delicious dinner. Then spend the evening sitting out around the fire and staring upwards at the unbelievable sky. Tuck into cosy bed rolls and sleep under the bright African stars – a night you will never forget.

Wake on the moon! Rise to yet another beautiful sunrise and surreal breakfast out on the pan. Head homewards, directly across the pans to Camp Kalahari.

Arrive at Camp Kalahari in time for a refreshing shower and lunch.

As the sun dips below the horizon and the last light fades, you will be sure to dwell on the amazing past few days. Incredible scenery, memorable wildlife encounters and above all superb riding!

Visit the Kalahari Bushmen. Uncharted Africa has pioneered and passionately supported cultural tourism in Botswana since the company’s inception in 1993. It has long been their belief that it is a vitally important tool in terms of preserving this unique, but sadly fast-vanishing, culture.

Offering a window into the past, an experience with the Bushmen offers an insight into how they have survived in these harsh environments. Using their vast and ancient knowledge of plants, animal behaviour and survival skills.

Through the initiative, a community is able to work together and share their knowledge with each other and our guests, allowing the older generation to pass the knowledge on to the next generation.

After breakfast, drive through the bush to the traditionally built Bushmen village; where the community gathers during the day. The huts provide shelter from the harsh Kalahari environment, but are not the community’s permanent accommodation.

On arrival, the elders of the community will meet you in a traditional manner after which you will walk out into the bush with the men, women and children.

The focus of the walk will be to provide a gentle introduction to the Kalahari and Bushmen way of life. The group will point out the distinct ecological characteristics of this area and its animal and bird species. Spontaneous gathering and discussions about the uses of plants and wildlife by your Bushmen guides provide the link between culture and wild environment that we seek to offer our guests.

Time for one more lunch; before you bid farewell to Camp Kalahari in preparation for your onward journey.