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Tau Pan Camp

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A rare experience in a country as flat as Botswana, Tau Pan is the first semi-permanent camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. It overlooks the renowned Tau Pan, known for its stark beauty and solitude, and provides absolutely magnificent views from the raised ridge of an ancient sand dune. Game drives, day outings to the well-known Deception Valley, Sunday, Piper, and Passarge Pans, stargazing, and nature walks with Bushman trackers are all available activities at Tau Pan. Tau, which in Setswana means “lion,” got its name from the pride of famous black-maned Kalahari lions who frequent the camp (and especially like the family tent!). The Kalahari is home to oryx, the springbok, which is suited to the desert, jackals, the uncommon brown hyena, red-crested Korhaan, and herds of wildebeest.

The Tau Pan Camp

Like its sister camp, Nxai Pan, Tau Pan camp was built with consideration for the local ecologies. Both solely use solar energy to produce electricity, heat water and pump water from deep into the Kalahari sands. Modern wastewater treatment facilities treat wastewater before returning the fully purified water to the sands where it originated. The same breathtaking views of the plains are available from 9 ecologically friendly ensuite tents, including one family tent, which is situated on high decks. Each contains a writing desk, double-basin vanity, open closet, king-sized double bed, living room, and both an indoor and outdoor shower. The tau pan camp’s central gathering space is the fireplace, which is the best location for seeing wildlife all the way to the waterhole. Furthermore, visitors have access to a telescope. The eating space is surrounded by a bar, lounge, gift shop, and fireplace. On the eastern side of the camp, there is a sleep-out deck as well. Since there is little to no light pollution in the Kalahari Desert, which is a distant and secluded region, the stargazing is absolutely amazing and unmatched by most other places on Earth. A truly unforgettable sensation is falling asleep with a clear view of the night sky. The elevated sleep-out deck includes a double bed, a sink, and a toilet. Upon arrival in camp, this experience is first come, first served. However, visitors spending three nights or more in Tau Pan can reserve this experience prior to arrival with their agent.

The positive aspects of Tau Pan Camp

  • With your favorite nightcap firmly in hand, enjoy an evening of stargazing while sitting around the campfire in full view of the Milky Way.
  • Watch the sun set over a picturesque Tau Pan as the sky gradually becomes pink, illuminating the bush’s emerald tint.
  • Request one of your hosts’ delectable picnic baskets so you may go on a day trip to Piper’s Pan or Deception Valley.

Details Regarding The Tau Pan Camp

In a country as flat as Botswana, Tau Pan, the first semi-permanent camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, provides genuinely amazing views from the ridge of an old sand dune. It has a view of the well-known Tau Pan, a sizable salt flat renowned for its bleak beauty and isolation. Tau, which translates to “lion” in Setswana, refers to the pan’s pride of famous black-maned Kalahari lions, who frequently stop by the camp as well.

The open bar, lounge, and eating rooms are located in the camp’s central area, which is ideally situated for wildlife viewing all the way to the waterhole. A telescope is available for guests to use, and stargazing is another favorite activity nearby. The main camp and the rooms are attached to assist in keeping a reasonable temperature all year round. All nine of the homes have indoor and outdoor showers, a large lounge space, and a veranda with breathtaking views of the plains and the expansive Kalahari horizon. The family unit also offers an additional double bedroom.

The Reason They Selected Kwando Tau Pan Camp

  • There is a good probability of seeing something, especially a predator when there are two pairs of eyes scanning for the action and looking for traces.
  • Due to its ecological sensitivity, we are not allowed to travel there at night or off-road.
  • The desert properties are the ideal place to begin or end any vacation because they offer a stark contrast to the Okavango Delta and Northern Botswana regions.

High-end Tau Pan Camp

Safari camp with amazing views of the renowned Tau Pan set on a sand ridge overlooking a watering hole. It was the first safari camp constructed in Botswana’s Central Kalahari Wildlife Reserve, and game-watching is excellent there, particularly during the summer. It is Nxai Pan’s sister camp. The eco-friendly Tau Pan Camp has a modern, rustic-chic design that deftly integrates with its surroundings. It will appeal to those looking for a secluded and exclusive safari experience in a pristine wilderness location. It offers outstanding service, warm hospitality, and amenities, including a pool and superb viewing balcony. The camp offers eight luxurious thatched cabins with large verandas that are perfect for lounging on while observing wildlife.

In addition to exhilarating game drives, a variety of other activities are available, including informative nature walks with bushmen and bush brunches on Tau Pan. Enjoy the views while cooling off in the pool after a long day.

Information on the Tau Pan Camp

Where it is and how to get there:

The camp is situated in Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The flight time from Maun Airport in a light aircraft is 50 minutes.

Accommodation:

Up to 18 people can stay at the camp in 8 raised thatched huts, including one family room. Each chalet has a large double or twin bed, hardwood furnishings, a sitting area, an en suite bathroom, and an outdoor shower. It is simply furnished in a natural color scheme.

Activities:

While morning and afternoon game drives are the main attraction at Tau Pan, other activities include visits to the renowned Deception Valley, Sunday, and Piper Pans, stargazing, bush brunches on Tau Pan, and nature walks with Bushman trackers are also available.

Children:

For families with older kids who are interested in nature, the camp is an excellent choice. If the family rents a private vehicle for the game drives, children ages 6 to 12 are welcome. Adult supervision is necessary because the camp is not fenced in.

Facilities:

  • Dining room and living room
  • watching deck
  • pool-related Curio store

Activities:

  • Deception Valley, Sunday, and Piper Pans game drives in the morning and the afternoon
  • Bush breakfasts under the stars on Tau Pan
  • Taking bushman trackers on nature hikes

What Makes Tau Pan Camp Recommended?

Tau Pan Camp in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert

From here, you can see a variety of unusual wildlife that has adapted to the desert; in fact, Tau Pan Camp gets its name from the Setswana word tau, which means “lion” and refers to the famous black-maned Kalahari lions that live in the Kalahari Desert region of Botswana. Take a full-day excursion to Deception Valley, which was featured in the interesting book Cry of the Kalahari by Mark & Delia Owens, in addition to game drives and nature hikes.

A View from the Tau Pan Camp

In a country as flat as Botswana, Tau Pan, the first semi-permanent camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, provides genuinely amazing views from the ridge of an old sand dune.

The camp looks out over the well-known Tau Pan, a sizable salt flat renowned for its bleak beauty and isolation. Tau, which translates to “lion” in Setswana, refers to the pan’s pride of famous black-maned Kalahari lions, who frequently stop by the camp as well. The opulent, environmentally friendly suites offer magnificent, contemporary ensuite bathrooms with outdoor showers where guests may relax in the warmth of Africa. Private verandas gaze out over a broad area of jade-colored woodland lands that expertly conceal its fauna and exude mystery. The viewing platform is excellently situated to provide a birds-eye perspective of the waterhole frequented by wildlife.

The open bar, lounge, and eating rooms are located in the camp’s central area, which is ideally situated for wildlife viewing all the way to the waterhole. Due to the camp’s isolation, stargazing is particularly magnificent here, and a telescope is available for use by visitors. For visitors who want to spend a memorable night sleeping under the star-filled Kalahari night sky, a sleep-out deck is offered.

Sports at the tau pan camp

Thousands of migratory animals, including springbok, zebra, and wildebeest, can be found in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. There are several predators that live near lions, including the infamous black-maned lion of the Kalahari, cheetahs, leopards, and jackals. Wild dogs and brown hyenas can also be found nearby. Game drives, day tours to the well-known Deception Valley, Sunday, Piper, and Passarge Pans, stargazing, bush brunches on Tau Pan, and nature walks with Bushman trackers are all available activities at Tau Pan.

Highlights:

  • With your favorite nightcap in hand and a clear view of the Milky Way, spend the evening stargazing while sitting around the bonfire.
  • Observe the sun setting over a picturesque Tau Pan as the sky gradually becomes pink, illuminating the jade-colored bush.
  • Walking tours led by San Bushman trackers.
  • Predator-rich region of legend.
  • Amazing summer birding in a paradise for bird lovers.
  • A permanent waterhole allows campers to see wildlife.

Examine the spaces.

Tau Pan offers nine ecologically friendly housing options for up to eighteen guests. While seasonal temperatures range from below freezing to over 40 degrees Celsius, all are constructed with environmentally friendly materials and maintain a consistent and comfortable inside temperature year-round.

The bathrooms have both indoor and outdoor showers as well as double sinks. The rooms are roomy, have a parlor space, and one has an additional twin bedroom, making them perfect for families. Each viewing deck has absolutely unique and alluring views of the expansive pan and its vast, gorgeous sky, thanks to the fact that all the units are on high decks and their location is on the edge of the ridge.

F.A.Q.

Why is a safari in Botswana the best?

Access will be easier. In traditional mokoro boats, Meshack and I explore the marsh-like area in search of more species. Botswana not only has the iconic big five of Africa, but it also has the most elephants per square mile in the entire globe.

Is the safari safe?

While traveling on a safari and in Africa carries some inherent risk, it is no more perilous than traveling anywhere else in the globe. On a safari, you will spend most of your time in places with a variety of wildlife and will encounter exotic animals up close. However, the camps are secure, and the guides who will be with you are skilled. The campgrounds and lodges are always in good radio touch with these excellent medical air rescue services.

Malaria, what about it?

Most of Sub-Saharan Africa is plagued by malaria-carrying mosquitoes. They will primarily be seen in Southern Africa from November to March, which is the hot, rainy season. There are fewer mosquitoes during the drier months of the year (May to October). Any time of the year, you should still visit your doctor for a prophylactic before visiting Africa.

Which shots do I need to get before going on safari?

Hepatitis A and B and Typhoid vaccinations should be taken into account, and you should speak with a travel clinic for advice tailored to the destination nation. If you’re going to Zanzibar, you need a Yellow Fever shot. For a travel medical clinic in your city, we can give you their phone numbers.

Will there be electricity here?

The availability of electricity in the lodges varies depending on the location; for the most part, 12-volt batteries are used, which are charged by generators while you are away from camp during the day. While staying in a lodge, you can recharge the batteries in your camera. Only hurricane lamps and flashlights are permitted on camping and canoeing safaris, though you can use an adapter to plug into the car power outlet to charge batteries and other items.

On a safari, is the water safe to drink?

In Africa, the camps and lodges we stay at provide filtered and bottled water. For environmental concerns, we do advise against using bottled water excessively; instead, it is always a good idea to bring a personal water flask that can be filled from the camp’s clean water supply.

Exist any baggage limitations?

Because all camps are connected by small aircraft, there are tight weight restrictions on luggage for safety reasons. If you fly with Sefofane Air Charters, you are only allowed to bring 20kg (44 lbs) per person into Botswana on some flights in Namibia and in Zambia. The restriction is 15 kilogram (33 lbs) in Kenya and Tanzania and 12 kg (26 lbs) in the rest of the world. These restrictions cover camera gear. Remember that laundry can be done virtually every day, so 3 or 4 changes of clothing are typically enough.

Is travel insurance necessary?

Travel insurance for cancellation, interruption, and emergency medical care is crucial to safeguarding your investment. When you make a deposit to confirm your trip, travel insurance should be bought. They can offer you the necessary coverage through Travel Guard or RBC Insurance.

For an African safari, what kind of camera would I need?

I advise purchasing a digital SLR camera if you plan to purchase a new camera for your African trip. Both Nikon and Canon manufacture excellent, reasonably priced digital SLRs. You will require a decent telephoto zoom lens of at least 200mm and preferably 300mm in size. Both Nikon and Canon offer lenses with cutting-edge Vibration Reduction and Image Stabilization technologies. You can activate a function on these lenses to lessen the long-standing issue of camera wobble.

Are binoculars necessary?

Binoculars are essential. The animals won’t always be right in front of you! The ideal would be a decent pair of 8 x 30 or 8 x 42. Insufficiently well-made little pocket pairs may be frustrating to use.

Can they follow their own schedule?

Yes, they are experts in creating custom itineraries. They love creating unique, intriguing itineraries!

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