The remote and mysterious beauty of the Kalahari Desert will enchant you long after you have left. Covering much of Botswana, it’s roamed by the hardiest of wildlife that have adapted to survive in this seemingly barren wilderness.

Strictly speaking, the Kalahari Desert is not a desert at all. A sweeping blanket of red sandy savannah interspersed with bushes, fossils and ancient salt pans, this semi-desert supports more animals and plants than a true desert would. Free of light pollution, its crystal-clear skies are superb for stargazing.

At the heart of it all is the enormous Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Although dry for much of the year, it bursts into life during the rainy season, when huge migratory herds of springbok, gemsbok and wildebeest return to the water-filled pans and valleys. In turn, these draw packs of hyenas, hundreds of cheetahs and other predators. It’s also the hunting ground of the famous black-maned Kalahari lion, while more than 200 species of bird fill the skies.