Page 107 - Discover Botswana 25th Edition - 2025

DISCOVER BOTSWANA 25TH EDITION 107
KGALAGADI
unification of South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok National
Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park, to preserve
the desert’s fragile ecosystem. Prior to this, the Kalahari
Gemsbok National Park was proclaimed in 1931 in
order to protect the migratory game species (particularly
Gemsbok) from illegal poaching and overhunting which
was leading to their demise. In world war I (1914), the
Union of South Africa had drilled several boreholes
along the Auob River, giving troops access to water in
case of an invasion into South West Africa (Namibia).
Guards were recruited from the local communities and
allowed to settle with their families and livestock next to
the waterholes. Today, these waterholes are magnets for
wildlife and a haven for photographers, with exceptional
sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah among many other
iconic species.
The Kgalagadi is also a setting where enchantment
meets exploration, bringing much mystery and excitement.
In the vast, enigmatic expanse of the Kalahari Desert,
where the everchanging sands and shimmering mirages
play tricks on the eyes, lies the tantalizing legend of the