Magical environment. Vast open plains. Plentiful game with a local lion pride. Great variety of habitats and experience. The lodge sits on a bluff overlooking one of the few sources of water in the Kalahari. We had a cold but most memorable night sleeping under the stars. Guides were most informative. Food was delicious. Wonderful way to expand one’s Botswana experience beyond the Delta.
We stayed in March 2022 and had the BEST time. Totally loved Tau Pan and Central Kalahari - it is stunning with vast landscapes, endless skies and wonderful wildlife. We did really well with mammals and birds. We had an outstanding guide & tracker team - KLB & Scouper. The lodge was perfectly run, staff were very friendly & helpful. Food excellent - lots of special dishes made for the vegan in our group. I would go back in a heartbeat!
I recently visited Tau Pan as part of a 2-week trip to Botswana, my third trip to this beautiful and hospitable country. I had visited the Delta and the Tuli Block area of Botswana on prior trips and was eager to see some other areas of the country. I was traveling solo but never felt awkward or lonely since all the guests and the staff were very friendly. March is part of the "green" or rainy season, and we did indeed experience some rain, but I did not feel it at any time interfered with game drive activities. I had an excellent guide-tracker team with Tips and PK. PK is a member of the local San people and was able to explain many traditions and customs, including showing us many of the plants that allowed the San and animals in the Kalahari to survive in times of drought. The Kalahari was alive with lots of birds, particularly birds of prey, and we saw many of my favorite bird, the lilac breasted roller. The huge Tau pan is impossible to capture in photos and difficult to even describe, but it is awe-inspiring to see an enormous bowl shaped natural clearing full of game, including large herds of springbok and oryx, hundreds strong. We were incredibly lucky on our first game drive to encounter a caracal, one of the rarest cats to see in Africa, since it is very shy and camouflages into the high grass. Excellent spotting by the guides! We also had a wonderful lion sighting with the huge male, lots of cubs, and a number of females. I was there for 3 nights and we were able to do the long trip to Deception Valley, which gives you a good feel for the enormous size of this reserve. Although it is a national park and open to anyone, we saw very few other visitors beyond a few self-camping vehicles. I would highly recommend Tau Pan to Africa visitors who want to experience a different landscape and a different set of animals than you might see in the Delta, Chobe, or other areas in Botswana. Food and rooms were also excellent, by the way, although to me that is secondary to the game drives!…
My first time to Africa, my first time travelling solo too - nerves? Nope, as soon as I arrived I was clearly part of the Tau Pan family! The welcome I received was just the beginning, the entire time I was there I had a ball, the accommodation is fantastic, food amazing, views beautiful, the game drives were unreal and the guides were so knowledgeable and passionate about everything, I was amazed at the enthusiasm and organisation involved, these guys and girls made my trip memorable, enjoyable and something I really hope to repeat...special thanks to Vasco (my guide throughout) it really was the holiday of a lifetie!
Flying over the desert into Tau Pan Camp from Kwara all we could see was scorched earth and desert and I must say my thought was why are we ending our stay in Botswana here ! Took about a quarter of an hour to answer that "Because the range of game here is still exceptional and the predators are more visible due to the terrain. Hilda and her team,Bonnie,OP(teenage carrots) plus many more run a wonderful camp and nothing is too much trouble. Our guide and tracker Vasco and the legendary Scoupa were amongst the best in Botswana. The camp has it's own man made watering hole about 150metres away, and is easily viewed from the main camp area deck. All sorts can be viewed here ! You can hear lions roar on a regular basis .The sunsets and sundowners are also very special. We spent two nights here and enjoyed every minute. Scoupa is a member of the San people, his bush walk is not to be missed! He explained how he collected and stored water in the desert scrub. He fashioned drinking vessels from leaves and how to make soap etc. He also told us not to be afraid of lions ! A truly great experience. Vasco and Scoupa your bird knowledge was second to none ,thank you all again.Fantastic memories.…
The rooms are superb and not so cold because not in canvas, food is very good, service too. A very presumptuous American (ofcourse...) client made a drama for nothing and they stayed calm and polite. We saw lion and leopard, although CKGR is not a very rich place in animal sightings.
We had a great time, very pleased with the cleanliness of rooms, excellent chef, excellent staff. Would've been nicer if the vegetarians were given a bit more consideration. Hats off to our bookings manager (Manager Communications) who handled our reservation excellently. She was a pleasure to deal with and kept to her word in terms of our food requirements. It would be nicer though if the front end staff starting from the very top is educated on how to give directions to reach the camp by road. Some of us prefer to go by road covering other places of interest as well. It was not very convincing when we when our telephone inquiry met with an "I only travel by air hence no idea"
We loved Tau Pan. We (my mom and I)traveled to Botswana just before Covid 19 exploded. It began to greatly unfold during our trip, which was very surreal and unsettling. The staff were wonderful and made all feel safe and pampered. The lodge is beautiful and the view is astounding. Food was fantastic. We were welcomed to our meals with songs from the sweetest of voices... Staff sang and danced often and I think it greatly lightened the mood of pandemic concerned visitors. Central Kalahari is magical. Guiding was not bad but not on par with other Kwando camps. Will definitely return happily:)
Since it was Aug, we were the only ones there. Our room was very comfortable with a great view of the watering hole. Hot water takes a bit longer to heat up though as compared to Camp Moremi. Also, the bathroom is a bit darker than I'd like, esp at 6am. The bed was comfy & I liked the idea of the outdoor shower. Didn't try it as it was too cold in the evenings to shower outside. The food (esp at tea) was excellent especially the chili jam. We have been to UnderCanvas and Camp Moremi & we felt Tau Pan had the best food. Too bad we missed local food night though. Vasco (our guide) & PK (our tracker) were friendly and informative, & we learnt a lot from them. Once they knew what we wanted/hoped to see, they especially kept an eye for those animals. Although it was dry season, we still saw several foxes, jackals, ostriches, oryx, lots of impalas, quite a few wildebeest, honey badger, & thanks to PK, we final got a photo of a steenbok! We also saw mating lions & the rest of his pride. Oh! If it's offered, do the Bushman walk. PK made it interesting & so informative. We had enjoyable conversations with Pro & Florence at meal times. I esp liked the fire pit pre-dinner drinks. They made us feel like we were visiting friends & we were sad to leave. …
We were here as part of a group of friends and loved this camp. Very different from the other Kwando camps as you are in a desert environment rather than within the delta but it is such a good place to visit. We had great game viewings, including coming face to face with two lionesses walking through the camp in the late afternoon, and we learnt so much from the knowledgable guides and trackers. The morning spent with Scouper learning more about the Bushmen was fascinating and a must do. Quality of food was excellent, they managed our dietary needs well (dairy free) and the staff team has such pride in their camp and their work. The rooms are spacious, have to remember you are in the African bush so there are some bugs which the guides will sort for you, but everything about this camp was just so special…
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