Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Tau Pan Camp
Tau Pan is the first permanent camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), famous for its breathtaking night skies and amazing scenery and cloud formations. Tau Pan Camp is situated on the edge of the beautiful Tau Pan and commands stunning views of the permanent Tau Pan water hole and the endless Kalahari horizon.
Situated on an established sand ridge overlooking Tau Pan, the camp has only eight custom-built desert rooms under thatch (including 1 family room). All rooms are en-suite and adapted to the surrounding environment. The main area consists of dining room, lounge area and a viewing deck. The camp also offers a swimming pool, interpretation centre/library and curio shop. Tau Pan Camp is adapted to the surrounding environment and runs on solar power.
After the summer rains, CKGR completely transforms as the blue sky fills with huge clouds, and the plains and pans burst into life with sweet grasses. This is one of the best game viewing areas in Botswana at that time of year, but not many people seem to be aware of it so visitors are few. CKGR is home to animals such as springbok, gemsbok and wildebeest in their thousands and is quite a sight to behold. Predators abound with plentiful lions – especially the famous Kalahari black-maned lion – cheetah, leopard and jackals
Activities include game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, stargazing and guided walks with a San bushman who will answer your questions regarding San culture, from birth to marriage to bush survival. Tau Pan is a national park, a very ecologically sensitive area, and for this reason no night drives or off-road driving is permitted.
Please note that the camps in the Kalahari offer true exposure to the bushmen, or San people, and not a “staged experience”. Today’s San people have integrated into western culture and are employed in many of the lodges in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and surrounding areas. Although they keep their traditions alive and provide a fascinating cultural perspective, they do not walk around in traditional clothing.
Where specific activities with San people are offered, these are sensitively presented in a non-patronising manner so as to avoid exploitation of these fascinating people.
Facilities
Thatched en-suite guest rooms. Dining room, lounge area, viewing deck, swimming pool, interpretation centre/library and curio shop.
Local Wildlife
Classic desert species such as oryx, springbok, bat-eared fox and tortoise. The desert comes alive in the rainy season bringing many zebra, wildebeest, antelopes and carnivores including black maned lion and cheetah. Honey badgers and brown hyena are also often seen here and around 220 bird species have been recorded.
Optional Activities
Game drives (daytime only) and San bushmen walks.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
Make sure you sleep at least one night outside your room. The stars here are simply stunning.
If you have any questions regarding our Botswana tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
It is long overdue, but we want to thank you for meticulously organising exceptional wildlife adventures for us for the last 26 years.
That right, 26 years! Our first trip was to Madagascar for our honeymoon in 1999. I fondly recall Alan saying, “ it isn’t a typical honeymoon destination”. You have come to know us well over the years and you know we don’t want “typical”, we want exceptional wildlife adventures.
Thank you, Reef & Rainforest, for being our agent of choice for over 26 years and for consistently recommending and organising incredible tailor-made wildlife experiences which exceed expectations.
We are passionate about wildlife and photography, whether that is on land or snorkelling happily in pristine reefs. We have been fortunate to visit some wonderful places organised by you, including Madagascar, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, India, Africa, and Indonesia, often returning to discover new and exciting places. Each trip has exceeded expectations. This is attributable to your deep local knowledge, meticulous planning, relentless attentiveness to our wishes and generous time spent discussing the trips. You have often delighted and surprised us with personal touches such as organising a surprise birthday cake.
We just returned from Botswana having thoroughly enjoyed the wildlife adventure by tented camp. It was exceptional in all respects, and we are delighted to see that you have quoted us on your website. Apologies that we have failed dismally to acknowledge your efforts to date. We will share some pictures when we have edited them !!!
We are looking forward to Belize at Christmas and Misool in February next year.
Thank you, Reef and Rainforest.
