Central Kalahari Game Reserve

Unique eco-system in Botswana

We stayed at Kwando's Tau Pan lodge in the CKGR for three nights in January, 2011. The CKGR was quite different than the lush concessions up north and the differences were really interesting. The wide expanses of the pans were beautiful. It was very peaceful and quiet. We saw very few people.

We found the accommodation at Tau Pan excellent. The lodge is very new with spacious rooms. We had a large indoor and outdoor shower and an indoor and outdoor sitting room. The food was always excellent and fresh. The lodge uses new Range Rovers with roofs for transportation. Unlike the other Kwando concessions that we visited (Kwara and Lebala) there was less 'off roading' per the CKGR rules. We enjoyed seeing lots of wildlife although not in such abundance as in other parts of Botswana. The steenbocks pronking at dusk was a highlight as was hearing a lion roaring though the night. We are not 'birders' but we found the bird life in the CKGR diverse and interesting.

Our guides we excellent and we particularly enjoyed the guided walk by the bushman, Scupa. He showed us how to find tubers for water, set snares, make soap out of a plant etc.

We met another couple on the bush plan on the way out who had stayed at Kwando's other lodge, Nxai Pan and loved it.