Tau Pan Camp

And we had spectacular sightings — a female leopard twice during drives and once drinking from the pool during our lunch break; a pair of lions, a pride of eight, and then a pair of lionesses with several cubs; a cheetah; regularly on the morning and evening drives we saw bat-eared foxes, jackals, springbok, steenbok, wildebeest, kudu, oryx, and many birds including the large bustards. We were surprised to see four large bull elephants who were migrating through and spending time near the waterhole. Also, I was thrilled to see a honey badger, which has been on my wish list for a long time, and we sighted African Wild Cat 3x.

Game a little sparse but reflects the season and the nature of Kalahari. Bat-eared foxes and honey badgers are the best!

Our guide Vasco and San tracker DRC were experts in this vast area. To our amazement, we crossed paths with a lonely and agitated bull elephant. We also spent time with three cheetahs that were working out a hunting plan in the Passarge Valley. At Tau Pan, we had numerous lion encounters. Some failed hunts but lots of action. We were also able to see a massive black-maned lion and an outstanding leopard sighting. Two hysterical jackals gave away a leopard that just wanted to hide under a tree. The landscapes are endless. This is a real remote experience. Another not-to-be-missed experience is the San walk with Scupa. This was a legit cultural experience with a true San Man. Scupa is a legendary storyteller.

We did the day trip to Deception Valley and did not regret it. It gives you a true sense of just how big the park is, we drove most of the day and only saw two other cars. I am hesitant to mention any names of staff only because I know I will be leaving people out, but massive shoutout to our guide and tracker, Vasco and PK, as well as Molemi the camp manager. Over and above that a massive thank you to all the other staff who made our stay as good as it was.

The food was perfect and drink options extensive. My only big recommendation is to pack warmly if going in the middle of the year. The temperature dropped to 0 Celsius on our last morning, but it does heat up during the day. The staff helped us combat the cold by giving out hot water bottles every night and on game drives, a great touch.