Page 103 - Discover Botswana 25th Edition - 2025

DISCOVER BOTSWANA 25TH EDITION 103
KGALAGADI
Africa has profoundly inspired numerous
explorers, artists, photographers and
authors striving to capture the soul of this
majestic continent, and few places evoke
such breathtaking awe as the Kgalagadi
Transfrontier Park. This is a realm where nature’s
symphony plays out against a backdrop of shifting sands
and sparse vegetation, in a landscape dominated by
towering dunes and ancient rivers, forming a magnificent
fusion of natural wonder. Despite its savage climate of
scorching summer days and freezing winter nights, the
Kgalagadi is home to an extraordinary abundance of
wildlife: mammals, invertebrates, birds and reptiles, all
fundamental participants in the desert’s eternal dance.
As the morning sun reaches over the enchanting red
dunes of the Kgalagadi, a golden light weaves its magic
across this vast expanse, casting a spell of serene beauty
upon the land. The Kgalagadi, straddling the borders
of South Africa and Botswana is much more than just a
sanctuary for wildlife, it’s a testament to nature’s resilience
and to the ancient rhythms of the African wilderness.
Besides its striking beauty, the Kgalagadi has a rich
history that serves as an example of triumph through unity.
The Kgalagadi was established in 1999 through the formal
Previous page: Life here in the Kalahari is filled with shape
and form as an African monarch butterfly flitters around a
dozing lioness. Diversity of life intermingle and interact, in
an age old dance of life and death.
Facing page: A cunning black backed jackal launches itself
in dramatic fashion at a fleeing dove, held back only by the
lethargic gravity of its previous seven meals. Life in the harsh
desert is a constant dance of speed and cunning performed
meticulously and often theatrically by predator and prey.
Below: Predator playtime is essential in forming family
bonds while simultaneously refining certain skills that will
essentially lead to the survival of their species. These young
cheetahs were ambushing each other, mastering the art of
invisibility while a herd of springbok looked on nervously
from a distant dune.