Did you know that the Kalahari Desert is the largest sand mass on earth, covering almost all of Botswana, a third of Namibia and into the northern cap of South Africa?
The Bushmen of South Africa call this area the ‘Soul of the World”, out of respect for its mysterious and majestic formations that are sculpted by Mother Earth’s winds.
We stayed in the Kalahari Anib Lodge which is a luxurious private reserve. The lodge has rustic chelates with a refreshing pool and long communal tables for outdoor dining in groups and a wonderful place to meet travelers from all over the world. The bedrooms all have air conditioning and mosquito nets over the beds. It’s a quaint setting and excellent location to experience the Kalahari dunes.
Beyond our charming accommodations, the early morning and evening safari rides through the bright red dunes into the Kalahari were the highlight of this part of our journey. A walking safari route is offered as an option, which is a nice change of pace, although you will see more wildlife in a jeep.
On our first outing we saw plenty of springboks, kudu, oryx, giant eland and water buffalo. Off in the distance, our guide pointed out a few giraffe with their heads poking just above the trees. As a city dweller, it takes a bit of effort to spot them in the distance, as they like to travel incognito, and their markings make for such good camouflage.
We also found nests of Ostrich eggs as we made our way to see more of the remarkable and enchanting giraffes. Evidently all the female Ostriches (i.e. hens) in the group lay eggs around the most mature female’s egg. Only this mature female and male will sit over the eggs and only the mature hen’s egg will hatch. All of the other eggs are ‘sacrificial’ – there to protect the mature hen’s eggs. If a predator comes to snatch an egg, it will be from the outside and not the more protected ones in the center. In the Kalahari, that which constitutes ‘survival of the fittest’ is not always quite so obvious.
Don’t miss an early morning Safari, but make sure to wear lots of layers, as the desert mornings are much colder than those in the evening. Travel with Sense of Africa to ensure that your travel to the Kalahari Desert, Fish River Canyon, Luderitz Sossusvlei and Swakopmund are the most rewarding. You will have an amazing opportunity to learn about the land, the indigenous people and the rich cultural traditions of the desert in this most amazing part of the world.
By Julie Biniasz
Acknowledgements: we would like to thank Sense of Africa (www.senseofafrica-namibia.com) and Kalahari Anib Lodge for hosting us during our visit to the Kalahari. Some photos are provided by these sites.
All opinions and recommendations are our own.
If you are interested in reading more about Namibia, click on these other articles:
- Namibia Breathes Beauty
- 6 Insights: Conservation Breakthrough in Namibia
- Namibia’s Lion Hero
- Children in the Wilderness
- Hiking Paradise at Fish River Canyon
- Namibia’s Erindi Private Game Reserve
- A Photographer’s Dream: Sossusvlei
- Namibia’s Olive Exclusive
- This is Africa. This is Namibia. Welcome Home!
If you want to be entertained by some videos during our travels in Namibia, click on YouTube Global Adventuress to watch baby elephants in the Huab or the staff at Kulala Desert Lodge welcome guests.
