KWANDO TAU PAN – CENTRAL KALAHARI GAME RESERVE – SOUTHERN BOTSWANA

Tau Pan was the first semi-permanent camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and offers incredible views from the ridge of an ancient sand dune – an unusual experience in a land as flat as Botswana. It overlooks the famous Tau Pan, a large salt pan recognized for its stark beauty and remoteness. ‘Tau’ means lion in Setswana and the pan is so named for its pride of iconic black-maned Kalahari lions, who are frequent visitors to the camp as well.

As well as game drives activities at Tau Pan include day trips to the well-known Deception Valley, Sunday, Piper and Passarge Pans. A particular favourite is the bushman nature walk where visitors learn how the San used to gather food and water.

LOCATION

Tau Pan Camp is located in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in southern Botswana.

CAMP

Tau Pan has just nine environmentally designed units which are built with materials of minimal environmental impact and maintain a constant and comfortable in-room temperature year-round while seasonal temperatures vary from below freezing to over 40c.

The rooms include double wash basins and both indoor and outdoor showers. The rooms are spacious with lounge area and one includes an additional twin bedroom which is ideal for family use. All the units are on raised decks and their location on the edge of the ridge means that each viewing deck has truly special and captivating views of the wide open pan and its big beautiful sky.

The main area of the camp includes open bar, lounge and dining areas all set around the fireplace which is the ideal spot for game viewing down to the waterhole. Star-gazing is also especially beautiful here due to the remote location of the camp and a telescope is provided for your use.

A sleep-out deck is available if you would like to spend an amazing night sleeping under the open Kalahari night sky.

ACTIVITIES AND WILDLIFE

‘Tau’ which means lion in Setswana, is so named for the pride of iconic black-maned Kalahari lions who frequent the camp (with a particular preference for the family tent!).  Species that can be found in the Kalahari include cheetah, oryx, the desert-adapted springbok, jackals, bat eared foxes, the rare brown hyena, red-crested Korhaan and herds of wildebeest.

Game Drives – using custom designed Toyota game viewing vehicles seating no more than six guests at a time in 3 rows of 3 seats. Safaris are guided by a two person team of professional guide and tracker – a special feature of the Kwando Safaris wildlife experience. The two person team enables the guide to communicate points of interest and the complex interrelations that exist throughout the natural world, while the tracker ensures no sightings or tracks are missed.

At Tau Pan, the tracker comes from the San Bushman tribe, a tribe that has traditionally lived in the Kalahari desert for generations and is intimately acquainted with the area and wildlife that is endemic to the Kalahari.

Sleepout Deck – fall asleep while unobstructed views of shooting stars streak across the sky in a comfortable bed swathed in mosquito netting.  Located in a secluded spot at the far end of the camp the sleep-out deck is an intimate experience for those who wish to sleep under the Kalahari night sky. The raised deck comprises 2 three-quarter beds, a washbasin and a toilet and you will be walked to the deck after dinner to spend the night and can resume game activities in the morning as usual.  This experience can be pre-booked with a minimum 3 night stay – otherwise it can be booked upon your arrival in camp subject to availability and weather permitting.

TAU PAN IS OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND

THE CAMP WELCOMES CHILDREN AGED 6+ AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGED 6 – 11 WILL HAVE TO BOOK A PRIVATE VEHICLE IN ADVANCE