The above should summarize some surprising Kalahari Desert Facts, though the area is very abundant with facts which might be quite surprising to me. cursor: pointer; margin-right: 1rem; However, for the reason that the Kalahari’s sand retains water greater than some other deserts, there’s a variety of plant life in this desert. The Kalahari Desert is where the British television series ‘. The name “ Kalahari” is derived from the Tswana word Kgala, meaning "the great thirst", or Kgalagadi, meaning "a waterless place". font-size: 14px; Christopher is a British travel writer and has contributed to various Fodor's guidebooks and a range of travel magazines. SafariBookings is the largest online marketplace for African safari tours. By browsing through this site you agree to our use of cookies. The outer fringes even extend to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola. This fact file about the Kalahari Desert includes facts about the area, including location, wildlife and people. The San Bushmen have lived in the Kalahari for approximately twenty thousand years and are considered to be the oldest culture in the world. This is because rain drains instantly through the deep sands here, leaving the substrate completely devoid of moisture. It is not to be confused with the Angolan, Namibian, and South African Namib coastal desert, whose name is of Khoekhoegowab origin and means "vast place". These include: The temperatures in the Kalahari Desert are extreme, with summers being very hot while winter temperatures can go below zero degrees Celsius at night. Botswana Easily compare offers from 3,468 specialized tour operators. Wikipedia | Google | Google Images | Flickr. Named for the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa, the resorts are heavily decorated with African animals, plants, and other African motifs.. Facts | Africa | 32 Dynamic Facts about the Kalahari Desert Here are some facts about the Kalahari Desert. AU ... You Visit: Windhoek (Start), Kalahari Region, Sossusvlei (Sand Dunes), Swakopmund (City), Damaraland, Etosha NP, Erongo (Mountain Range), Windhoek (End) Wayfairer Travel 5.0/5 – 73 Reviews. Share This Post: Anthony Ham. Arid-adapted game includes springbok, gemsbok (oryx), wildebeest, kudu, steenbok and duiker. The Kalahari desert also features in various films including 1965 film Sands of the Kalahari, where several plane crash survivors attempt to survive in the harsh desert. The Central Kalahari Game reserve which is Adjacent to Khutse reserve in the country of Botswana is one of the Kalahari places that are extremely, The Kalahari gets very hot. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is the sixth biggest desert by area on Earth and the second biggest in Africa after the Sahara. Despite the name given to the Kalahari Desert, it is does not have desert conditions due to the fact that it receives heavy rainfall that is between 5 to 10 inches per year. Cookie settings. Planning a visit? to $4,333 pp (USD), Botswana: Stretching around 360,000 square miles across Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, the Kalahari Desert is not a desert in the strictest sense of the word. The Kalahari is the southernmost desert in Africa. The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa. } The Kalahari Desert covers about 350,000 square miles in the southern part of Africa. Interesting Kalahari Desert Facts Here are some fun facts about the Kalahari Desert: Given how everybody calls it a desert, you might be shocked to find out that Kalahari is not a real desert. Elephants - Kalahari Desert. Use our interactive map to navigate our fascinating planet and discover many interesting and fun facts for every country…, © 2020 Planet Numbers Ltd.   .fb-like { A small group of these people still follow the traditional lifestyle as hunter-gatherers, as their tribe has done for thousands of years. It was formed approximately sixty million years ago along with the rest of the African continent. The Taa language, spoken by less than 5,000 people in the Kalahari desert … The Kalahari Desert is a featureless, gently undulating, sand-covered plain, which everywhere is 3,000 feet (900 metres) or more above sea level. The Kalahari Desert has huge areas that are good for grazing and support more. Europeans first entered the Kalahari early in the 19. Sie erstreckt sich beidseitig des südlichen Wendekreises von der südafrikanischen Provinz Nordkap durch Namibia und Botswana über eine Fläche von über einer Million Quadratkilometern. Some random interesting facts about the Kalahari Desert are provided below: The Kalahari desert is the place where the British television series “Meerkat Manor” was produced.. The Kalahari Desert that covers much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa is a large semi-arid sandy savannah extending 900,000 square kilometres. In summer, temperatures can reach 45 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit); on winter nights, lows can drop to minus 15 degrees Celsius (seven degrees Fahrenheit). 26. Here are some interesting facts about the Kalahari Desert. 10 Interesting Namib Desert Facts; Blog. Photo by Linda Alexandersson Although labelled a desert, the Kalahari is an enormous basin of red sand and savannah, stretching across much of Botswana and extending into Namibia (including the capital city of Windhoek) and South Africa. Kalahari desert is located in Africa according to the Kalahari desert facts in geography. Safaris, Rwanda Kalahari Desert - Kalahari Desert - Study and exploration: The Kalahari Desert’s lack of surface water and deep sands constituted a major obstacle to early travelers. Make decisions like a pro by using our 58,646 reviews and 200 destination guides.More About Us, $2,600 The Kalahari Desert is located in Southern Africa, covering much of Botswana, the eastern third of Namibia and the northernmost part of South Africa’s Northern Cape Province. The semi-arid sandy savanna of the Kalahari Desert occupies over 70% of Botswana's total area. vertical-align: middle; 10 Kalahari Desert Facts. It has only one permanent river, the Okavango, but in the rainy season other temporary watercourses appear along with temporary lakes. The Kalahari is not really a desert it’s a large semi-arid sandy savannah. By continuing you agree to our use of cookies. Der Ursprung des Namens der Kalahari ist bis heute nicht geklärt. With their depth of knowledge of the local area and their hunter-gatherer lifestyle, to learn about their cultures and traditions is a must. to $4,333 pp (USD), $1,725 background-position: 0 50%; The Kalahari supports some animals and plants because most of it is not a true desert. Many reptiles also live in the Kalahari, including Cape cobras, puff adders, and numerous lizard species. Easily compare offers from 3,468 specialized tour operators. Rainfall is rare, and it varies from place to place and from year to year. The Kalahari Desert is a large arid to semi-arid sandy area in southern Kgalagadi Africa extending 900,000 km² (362,500 sq. Kalahari Desert region in s Africa, covering parts of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, between the Orange and Zambezi rivers. 10 Interesting Namib Desert Facts. This desert that covers much of Botswana, parts of Namibia and South Africa is not actually a desert if you go with the definition of a desert. The northeastern part of the Kalahari is technically not a desert since it receives double the amount of rain a typical desert should receive. The desert has an area of around 360,000 square miles. It is also estimated that Lake Makgadikgadi spanned over an area of 46,000 square miles or 120,000 square kilometers. It includes some of South Africa, Namibia and most of Botswana. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. Kalahari Desert Facts: 36-40. The first one is the Hoodia Gordonii, this plant is sometimes referred to as the Hoodia cactus but its actual name is of course the Hoodia Gordonii. Follow us on Twitter The Kalahari Desert is the southern part of Africa, and the geography is a portion of desert and a plateau. Reconstruction of the past 250,000 years of the history of Kalahari Desert has revealed that the place went through cycles of extensive lakes followed by extremely drier periods (even drier to what it is now). 10 Best Kalahari desert facts-The Kalahari Desert is one of the large semi-arid regions that are dominated by sand savannah landscape in South Africa. One of the more unexpected Kalahari Desert facts is that all three African big cats can be found here –cheetah, leopard and the famous black-maned Kalahari lions. Private tourLuxuryTented Camp, You Visit: Maun (Start), Okavango Delta, Maun (End), $1,725 Kalahari Anib Lodge is situated amongst the red Kalahari dunes about 30 km northeast of Mariental. Safaris, Zimbabwe The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah. color: #888; But its appearance is not the only thing that makes this creature special. The desert has very little surface water except for the Boteti River. Other edible plants found here include tsamma melons and gemsbok cucumbers – used by both animals and humans. They live a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and the … Tours, Kenya The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid basinlike sandy savannah plain covering about 360,0000 square kilometers in the southern part of Africa. The Gemsbok (also known as an Oryx) boasts a suite of impressive adaptations that allow it to live in some of the driest places on earth, specifically the Kalahari and Namib Deserts of Southern Africa. Some regions of Kalahari Desert experience temperature more than 45 degrees Celsius. However, because the sand retains water better than some other deserts, there is a variety of plant life. Site Map. The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa extending for 900,000 square kilometres (350,000 sq mi), covering much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa.. pp (USD), $3,140 The wetter north has a richer and greater variety of wildlife than the dryer south. background-image: url('/wp-content/themes/cassiopeia/assets/icons/twitter-icon.svg'); 28. Safaris, Swaziland It is incredible to hear the frog chorus commence as soon as the rains arrive. Endemic to the Kalahari, the camelthorn is a crucial part of the desert ecosystem, producing nutrients that encourage other plants to grow around its base and providing shade for animals. mi. What does Kalahari mean. The Kalahari is home to a number of game reserves. The Kalahari Desert covers about 350, 000 square miles from the southern part of the African continent. The Kalahari is not really a desert it’s a large semi-arid sandy savannah. Harriet is a zoologist with more than 20 years’ experience. It includes some parts of South Africa, Namibia and big part of Botswana. Die Kalahari ist aber auch die heutige Heimat der San. Despite the name given to the Kalahari Desert, it is does not have desert conditions due to the fact that it receives heavy rainfall that is between 5 to 10 inches per year. One of the better known facts about the Kalahari desert is that the San Bushmen is one of the oldest small settlements in the world and these people know the landscapes and the surrounding wildlife better than anyone else in Africa. The Kalahari Desert’s lack of surface water and deep sands constituted a major obstacle to early travelers. The desert gets its name from the Tswana word Kgala (“the great thirst”), or Kgalagadi, Khalagari, or Kalagare, meaning “a waterless place”. It can reach temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the, The Okavango River is the only permanent river that flows through the desert. The landscape is dotted with huge nests of sociable weavers, built precariously on trees and telegraph poles. background-size: 26px 26px; Kalahari is derived from the Tswana word Kgala, meaning “the great thirst”, or Kgalagadi, meaning “a waterless place”; the Kalahari has vast areas covered by red sand without any permanent surface water. 25. The Kalahari Desert covers approx 900,000 square kilometres (350,000 sq mi). Formed by the Okavango River in a tectonic trough of the desert, the delta is an endorheic basin that loses its water through evaporation … These include the bushveldt rain, Hoodia is a plant that is used all around the world in, The Kalahari’s sand is better than most deserts at retaining. How does this resource engage children? Heather is a British travel / conservation journalist, and has written for publications and broadcasters such as the BBC, Departures, the Telegraph and the Sunday Times. The Kalahari Desert described … 8. The Kalahari Desert came into existence approximately sixty million years ago along with the formation of the African continent. The Kalahari Resort and Convention Center is a water park resort chain with locations in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin; Sandusky, Ohio; Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania; and in Round Rock, Texas. Kalahari desert facts. The desert comprises a series of diverse landscapes that are not confined to one country but stretch across South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.. One of the unique facts about the Kalahari is that most of the desert is not considered a real desert, due to the … a.facebook-find { Remarkably some amphibians are also able to survive here, including the bushveld rain frog and the tremolo sand frog. Being one of the most interesting landforms in the entire African continent, Kalahari desert stretches over around 900,000 square kilometers of area, which is huge. Birdlife includes the secretary bird , Kori bustard, ostrich and a variety of birds of prey, including the martial eagle, giant eagle owl, falcons, goshawks, kestrels and kites. The area of Kalahari desert is 930,000 km 2. The Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone, with assistance from local peoples, traversed the Kalahari in 1849 with great effort by utilizing local waterholes. 27. Safaris. It has only one permanent river, the Okavango, but in the rainy season other temporary watercourses appear along with temporary lakes. vertical-align: middle; The Kalahari’s desert name comes from the local word ‘waterless place’. The Kalahari supports some animals and plants because most of it is not a true desert. Safaris, Tanzania Private tourLuxuryLodge, You Visit: Kasane (Start), Chobe NP, Okavango Delta, Maun Airport (End). Thorn scrub and forest grow in some parts of the desert, and it is possible to graze animals during the rainy season. The wildlife found in the Kalahari Desert has to be able to survive the arid conditions. Kalahari desert facts 10 Best Kalahari desert facts -The Kalahari Desert is one of the large semi-arid regions that are dominated by sand savannah landscape in South Africa. } background-image: url('/wp-content/themes/cassiopeia/assets/icons/facebook-icon.svg'); to $5,070 pp (USD), $2,600 } One of the more unexpected Kalahari Desert facts is that all three African big cats can be found here –cheetah, leopard and the famous black-maned Kalahari lions. 32 Dynamic Facts about the Kalahari Desert Kalahari Desert Facts: 26-30. The San people live in tribes and form one of the oldest cultures known to man; with tradition being at the core of their society. Zusammen mit den Damarawaren sie die ersten, die sich in dieser Region ansiedelten. Read on to learn four fascinating facts about the Gemsbok. Tours, Namibia Make decisions like a pro by using our 58,646 reviews and 200 destination guides. The Kalahari sand dunes compose the largest continuous expanse of sand on earth. The Lion King is also set in the Kalahari. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Your email address will not be published. $721 to $829 pp (USD) Scheduled Start Dates. Okavango river is the only river which flows permanently. Write for us | line-height: 28px; A more accurate definition of a desert is a region in which “the evaporation rate is twice as great as the precipitation”. There are several rivers which also flow along the year, but they are all formed. The Kalahari is home to desert specialties such as meerkat, bat-eared foxes, cape fox and brown hyena. The word Kalahari is derived from the Tswana word Kgala, which means “the great thirst”, or Kgalagadi, meaning “a waterless place”. Unlike other deserts, the dunes in the Kalahari are not wandering. This fact file about the Kalahari Desert includes easy to understand facts, maps and pictures to engage children in learning about geography. The Kalahari Desert covers much of Botswana, the eastern third of Namibia and the northernmost part of the Northern Cape Province in South Africa. By continuing to browse through this website you agree to our use of cookies. a.twitter-follow { The wet season lasts for around 1 to 4 months depending on the location. It is different from other rivers Okavango flows along the … The Kalahari is the second largest desert on the continent of Africa—only trailing behind the Sahara—and sixth largest in the entire world. Copyright © 2020 SafariBookings. 38. Bedrock is exposed only in the low but vertical-walled hills, called kopjes, that rarely but conspicuously rise above the general surface. She has the privilege of working with the world’s top wildlife photographers and photo-guides. Required fields are marked *. The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa extending for 900,000 square kilometres (350,000 sq mi), covering much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa. Hoodia cactus grow here, used for thousands of years by the San people to ease hunger and thirst. Kalahari Desert. The northeastern portion, however, receives much more rainfall and, climatically, cannot qualify as a desert; and yet, it is totally lacking in surface water. Traditionally, an area is classified a desert if it receives less than 10 inches (250 millimetres) of rain annually. The Kalahari Desert is a large basin-like plain located in the southern part of Africa. The name Kalahari comes from a local word meaning ‘waterless place’. Even though survival in the Kalahari Desert can be challenging several tribes make it their home. Despite the dry climate, the Kalahari has grasses, shrubs, and even … There are small amounts of rainfall and the summer temperature is very high. Facts About Kalahari Desert 4: There Is Only One Permanent River in Kalahari. The Kalahari Desert features as a racecourse in Mario Kart 64, a classic Nintendo video game. Winter frost is also usually seen during the months of June to August. Private tourBudgetCamping, You Visit: Maun (Start), Okavango Delta, Moremi GR (Okavango Delta), Maun (End), $3,140 Despite the arid environment, the desert exhibits a great range of geographic and seasonal variations across its vast area. Tours, Ethiopia More About Us. Die Kalahari (auch Kgalagadi) ist eine Dornstrauchsavanne, teilweise auch Trockensavanne, wird aber gelegentlich wegen des vorherrschenden Sandes als Wüste bezeichnet. Where is the Kalahari Desert? It is a gently undulating, sand-covered plain, and all of it is 900 metres or more above sea level. The Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone, with assistance from local peoples, traversed the Kalahari in 1849 with great effort by utilizing local waterholes. Privacy Policy | In the southwest it merges with the Namib, the coastal desert of Namibia. Many parts of the Kalahari receive significant rainfall (over 9.8 inches / 250 mm annually) and have quite a bit of vegetation. Tours, Malawi Kalahari Desert Facts. It receives too much rainfall - between 5 and 10 inches annually.