Kalahari - Africa s Best Kept Secret

The Kalahari sands prolong throughout Botswana from southern Angola to the northern Cape in South Africa. This dry, arid area known as the Kalahari Desert receives less than 10 inches of rain annually. Geologically, it's an immense, flat, sand-crammed basin within the coronary heart of Africa. A lot of it is a wilderness area populated by wild animals and the San people (also referred to as Bushmen).

Nonetheless, in the course of the Kalahari is the Okavango Delta, an unlimited inland river delta. This delta exists because of the Okavango river which flows down from the highlands of Angola. Rainfall is plentiful in these highlands so there's a year round move within the Okavango river which peaks as flood a few month after the heavy rains in Angola. When the river reaches the flat Kalahari Sands it spreads out as an incredible inland delta which is blocked by a low ridge caused by the Kunyere Fault. It then disappears into the sand just north of the city of Maun. There many waterways in the delta and it is a verdant oasis in the course of the Kalahari desert. In years previous the waters have spilled over a low ridge at Maun and have reached Lake Xau and the Makarikari Salt Pans about 70 miles south-east of Maun.

The Oryx and the Springbok are each antelope that make their home is the broad flat plains of the Kalahari savannah. The Oryx (or Gemsbok as additionally it is known) has lengthy straight horns that if seen in profile may be mistaken for the legendary unicorn. The Springbok is so-called because if its distinctive leaping habits whereas running.

The tiny Meerkat (all of 12 inches lengthy) is a mammal of the mongoose household that lives in clans of about twenty in underneathground warrens all through the Kalahari. Each clan survives on this hostile surroundings by working together as a detailed-knit household group.

Some of the wildlife is exclusive to the delta, together with the Red Lechwe, the splay-toed, massive haunched antelope and the Sitatunga that are at house in the papyrus swamp.

There are also many different animals similar to Cape buffalo, hippo, crocodiles, kudu, sable antelope, impala, baboon, cheetah, water buck, elephant and ostriches.

The Kalahari teems with wildlife and Botswana has carried out a wonderful job of conservation making this space among the finest places to view wildlife in Africa. Wildlife tourism is inspired by the federal government and there are many lodges and game camps the place you can see these animals of their natural state.