The Kalahari

One of the most unusual sacred sights of the world is the desolate and beautiful Kalahari desert in Africa. The almost extinct ancient tribe, the bushman of the Kalahari have a saying that goes: ‘This place will reveal itself only to those who seek with a true heart’……..

kalahari, sacred, south africa

It’s Friday morning ………. And we are off to the 'sacred desert,' my favourite travel destination in South Africa. From Cape Town, we drive on through the town of Malmesbury, and into the wide open spaces of the Swartland. With the beautiful Cedar Mountains on both sides of the road, we are travelling on and on, through the Swartland into the Hantam ………. And into the quietness of the Groot Karoo.

I’m sitting here in the Hantamhuis, Calvinia with a steaming cup of coffee, a big piece of ‘melktert’ with an old, old clock on the wall opposite, ticking away the seconds. How beautiful Life is !!! I can feel myself relaxing ………..

Later on while travelling with our 4 x 4 below the magnificent blue sky, I feel the Hantam mountains are hugging us from both sides of the valley.

Now we are in Kenhardt, a small dusty town with only one tarred road, the main road, and signs that read ... Putsonderwater, Kolke, Wegdraai, Brakbos, Boegoeberg...

Then Upington... and thereafter the red sand of the 'sacred desert.'

It has rained recently because I see the green ‘Duinriet’ everywhere. The blue sky, green grass and red sand dunes form a magnificent contrast. As the sun sets we stop at the Molopo Lodge, a beautiful resort 200 km from Upington. We overnight here and after a delicious, relaxed breakfast on the big front veranda, we are on our way to the desert.

Barely a kilometre from the Lodge we meet with some of the last bushman, an ancient tribe of Africa. The Bushman now face extinction after roaming the open plains of Southern Africa for many centuries. Here we have a friendly chat with Patat and Mieta, and take a few pictures, which I promise to send to them.

Then onwards, after another hour on the newly finished tar road between the Molopo Lodge and Twee Rivieren, we will explore the magic of some of the resorts here.

This piece used to be called the Gemsbok National Park, but has recently been renamed the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park as a result of the historic 1999 unification of South Africa’s Gemsbok National Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park.

I love the camp life here because few places have the quietness, wide open spaces and climate that the Kalahari desert offers. For me, there is a magic around the Kalahari, with names like devils claw (duiwelsklou), thunderbolt flower, driedoring, bitter apple, silky Bushman grass - just some names of an incredible plantlife.

Also the wild life holds a fascinating choice of game, like the blister beetle, barking gecko, giant millipede, yellow mongoose, porcupine, tawny eagle, pygmy falcon, whistling rat, leopard tortoise …….. and many many more …..

Enough to make you truly appreciate the beautiful splendour of Mother Earth..

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