Deception Valley

Consisting of well vegetated sand dunes, Deception Valley is an ancient riverbed
meandering through the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. Although long
since dry, it is quite evident that the valley supported a vast supply of water, a relic of the vast super-lake system that once compromised the sub-region. The Central Kalahari generally, and Deception Valley specifically, is a mysterious place with a unique African aura.

The 50 000 square km reserve, the largest and most remote in Botswana is not a
true desert and supports a large number of herbivores and predators . In the wet
season, herds of 300 springbok and oryx congregate in the valley, with the likes of giraffe, eland, ostrich, lion and cheetah are often encountered. A special mammal highlight would be a rare sighting of the most elusive predator in Southern Africa … the brown hyena.

Survival in Deception is a raw art, with animals at times dramatically enduring extreme conditions in the dry months. The wet season provides spectacular contrasts when the valley floor and surrounding dunes are energised with lush vegetation abounding with prey and predator. For the past 30 000 years the Central Kalahari region has been the spiritual heartland of the oldest recognised population of modern man, the San or Bushmen.

A visit to an authentic village, or enjoying the company of a Bushman guide on safari is assured to be a memorable encounter as their ancient knowledge of the desert borders on the unreal. Due to the extreme remote location and lack of permanent camps within the reserve, free spirits are the most frequent visitors. If its endless horizons you’re after, with a touch of old Africa, Deception Valley is for you.

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