The Kalahari Desert is actually a misnomer because the Kalahari isn't a true desert. Rainfall is seasonal, although fairly erratic, and there is plenty of vegetation to support the rich and varied wildlife that calls the region home. Nevertheless, the climate is more arid than not, with staggering heat even in winter and there is only one permanent source of surface water - the Okavango River. These are the features that led to its apt, if not precisely accurate name, which means "the great thirst".
"The great thirst" refers not only to the parched conditions, but also to the area covered. The Kalahari stretches from the northern reaches of South Africa through Namibia and Botswana and up to Angola and the DRC; it even manages to encompass a small piece of Zimbabwe.
The Kalahari hosts many game reserves and wildlife parks, including the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which is bigger than Switzerland. Towards the north of the park the landscape is dotted with trees and shrubs; bushveld dominates the central region, while the south consists of dense thickets of mopane trees.
While it seems unlikely, the Kalahari is more than capable of sustaining human life. The San people, who are the second largest group of indigenous hunter-gatherers in Africa (after the pygmies in equatorial Africa), have lived in the region for the last 20,000 years. The San, who are also famed for their rock paintings, are not alone in the vast landscape, but are joined by the Khoikhoi, who are hunters and farmers, as well as groups of Tswana and Herero herders.
The Kalahari also teems with wildlife. In addition to the ubiquitous buck that can be found virtually all over the African continent, there are also lions, giraffes, warthogs and hyenas. On a good day, and with a bit of luck, safari guests can even see leopards, buffalo, cheetahs, wild dogs and elephants. Visitors are urged to look for weaver birds, who are rather unremarkable in appearance, but who build magnificent communal nests that can be up to 2 metres in diameter. Mosquitoes are also in abundant supply, but guests are advised to keep contact to a minimum as the Kalahari is a malaria area.
One thing that the Kalahari doesn't lack is sand. It is renowned for its interesting sand configurations that originate from eroded soft stone formations. The configurations were shaped by the strong winds that whip through the desert. Another interesting feature of the Kalahari Desert sands is that, unlike the wandering dunes of the Namib and Sahara deserts, the Kalahari dunes have been stabilised by the growth of rough vegetation.
As temperatures in the sweltering summer months (October - March) can peak well in the 40s (Celsius), visitors are advised to go during the relatively cooler period from March to October, although it should be noted that winter day-time temperatures can top 30 °C and the nights dip well below freezing.
The Kalahari is touted as a place to rediscover your soul. Most of the desert is still unmarred by human hands, although there are some large diamond mines, as well as an extensive sand mining operation. For now, however, the harsh, raw beauty of the Kalahari Desert is still the perfect place for those seeking solace, serenity and an enlightened sense of self.
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