Page 64 - Discover Botswana 2021

The Kalahari is so vast, and so varied that it is difficult to describe in words. A total area of 1,000,000 square kms, it not only covers most of Botswana, but also about one third of Namibia, and stretches of South Africa. The northern part holds the remarkable
Okavango Delta, the biggest inland delta in the world, with its truly unique drainage system. Stretching into the south are open grasslands, providing habitat for African wildlife. Then, in complete contrast again, the eastern side encompasses immense salt pans, spanning an area almost the size of Belgium, while beautiful sand dunes lie to the west.
An average elevation of 900m brings about wide daily and seasonal temperature variables, due to both the altitude and the clear dry air. This results in extremes of up to 46°C
Previous Pages: Tusks meet claws at Nxai Pan’s waterhole. With the waterhole being the only water source during the dry season, one can expect interesting interactions between many species here. (Image: Charl Stols)
Below Insert: A cluster of Baobab trees on Lekhubu Island on Makgadikgadi’s Sua Pan reach skyward. This view has largely stayed the same over the millennia. (Image: Janine Krayer)
Facing Page: A beautiful Kudu bull seeking out a waterhole in the Central Kalahari during Botswana’s dry season, taken from an underground hide. (Image: Janine Krayer)
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