Main centres: Upington, Askham, Reinfontein

Region: Colloquially known as the Kalahari

This area of the Northern Cape province is truly the heart of the Kalahari. Here you will experience red sand dunes and dry riverbeds, wide open skies and flat-topped acacia trees that symbolise the Kalahari Red Dune Route.

The mighty Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Africa’s first transfrontier park, comprises almost 3.7-million hectares of sparsely vegetated red sand dunes and dry riverbeds. It remains one of the world’s last truly unspoilt ecosystems. The park is the result of the unification of South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park. The reserve provides a sanctuary for herds of gemsbok, springbok, blue wildebeest, red hartebeest, eland, lion, leopard, cheetah and smaller game.

There are also six upmarket unfenced wilderness camps that allow visitors to feel at one with the Kalahari. The Kalahari Tented Camp has 15 fully equipped self-catering units, sleeping two to four people, and a swimming pool. The camp overlooks a waterhole on the ancient Auob River. The Grootkolk Wilderness Camp is small and exclusive, only 20km from Union’s End (this is the area where the Nossob River crosses from Namibia into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park).