Khamab Kalahari Reserve: A New Chapter in the Kalahari, Experienced First-Hand

Some safari destinations whisper their potential.
Others announce it boldly.

Khamab Kalahari Reserve falls firmly into the second category.

I recently spent three days at Kanako Expeditions Camp, deep within the newly established Khamab Kalahari Reserve, to do exactly what we believe in doing before recommending any destination to our guests: go, experience it properly, understand it, and assess it honestly.

We knew Khamab was going to be special.
What we didn’t fully anticipate was just how much of an impact it would have.

First Impressions: Warm Welcome, Subtle Sophistication

Arriving at Kanako Expeditions Camp in the height of summer, the Kalahari heat makes its presence felt immediately. I was greeted by an incredibly warm and friendly team Dean our Guide and Rudi and Michelle the camp managers, a refreshing welcome drink, and a cool towel, a small but thoughtful touch that instantly sets the tone.

After a brief orientation at reception, we moved into the main camp area. Being described as an expedition camp, one might expect comfort over luxury, but Kanako redefines that assumption entirely.

This is subtle elegance done exceptionally well.

The design blends seamlessly with the Kalahari landscape: refined, understated, and purposeful. The camp is divided into two main areas, a comfortable lounge and deck to the left, and the main dining area to the right, supported by a fully equipped on-site kitchen delivering excellent meals throughout our stay.

But my favourite space?
Without question the boma.

The Boma: Where the Kalahari Comes Alive

Set open to the vast calcrete pan in front of camp, the boma quickly became my go-to spot. And for good reason.

From morning to night, the pan is alive with movement:
Elephants, rhino, lion, wildebeest, zebra, springbok, it’s constant, unfiltered wildlife activity.

Sitting here during the day is mesmerising. Sitting here at night, fire crackling, stars blazing overhead, listening to the sounds of the Kalahari, that’s something else entirely.

This is one of those places where you genuinely feel the wilderness pressing in around you.

Kanako Expeditions Camp also offers beautifully designed family tents, ideal for families or small groups travelling together. These consist of two separate tented bedrooms, with one able to be configured as twin single beds, creating flexibility for different group dynamics.

Between the two tents is a shared central living area, a comfortable space for relaxing, dining, and spending time together, all while overlooking the calcrete pan in front of camp. It’s a thoughtful layout that offers both privacy and connection, allowing families to experience the Kalahari together without compromising on comfort or space.

Waking up, sharing stories of the previous day’s sightings, and watching wildlife move across the pan from your private deck is what makes this setup so special.

The Reserve: Vast, Wild, and Utterly Untouched

Khamab Kalahari Reserve is young and that’s part of its magic.

Spanning an extraordinary 90,000 hectares (over 200,000 acres), this is true, open wilderness. What has been achieved here restoring this section of the Kalahari to something close to its original state is genuinely remarkable. The sheer scale of the reserve creates an overwhelming sense of remoteness. You feel removed from the modern world, immersed in a place where time slows down and nature dictates the rhythm.

Game drives here can be longer sometimes covering vast distances but for me, that’s exactly what makes Khamab so special. This is not about ticking boxes; it’s about journey, space, and immersion. With limited vehicles in the reserve, sightings are unhurried. One afternoon, we spent over an hour and a half with a pride of lions not another vehicle in sight.

This is how safari should feel.

Wildlife Encounters: The Kalahari at Its Best

In just three days, the wildlife delivered in a big way:

• Lion prides every single day
• Three iconic Kalahari male lions a photographer’s dream
• One of those males walked directly in front of Kanako Expeditions Camp completely unreal and ended up roaring the whole night
• Kalahari elephants, massive and magnificent in this arid landscape
• Desert-adapted black rhino a true standout and an incredibly rare sighting, seen twice

While we personally didn’t encounter them, wild dogs and three leopards were also seen during our stay we simply weren’t in the right area at the right time.

That’s the beauty of a place like this: every visit will be different.

A Photographer’s Playground

From a photographic perspective, Khamab is exceptional and I don’t say that lightly.

It offers everything a photographer wants:

• Space and scale
• Incredible light
• Time with animals
• Private vehicles and flexibility
• A dedicated photo hide
• Dramatic skies, dust, contrast, and colour

The photo hide, located about an hour from camp, proved highly productive even in summer. In just 90 minutes we photographed birds, baboons, jackal, and watched buffalo approaching as we departed. In winter, when water becomes a magnet for wildlife, this hide will be phenomenal but even in summer, it delivered.

This is a destination you can return to multiple times and be surprised every single visit.

Year-Round Appeal

Khamab works beautifully throughout the year:

• Winter brings dry conditions, open landscapes, wildlife concentrated around pans, and dramatic red, dust-filled skies
• Summer transforms the Kalahari into a lush green landscape, with towering storm clouds, vivid contrasts, and striking photographic opportunities

Each season offers a completely different visual and emotional experience.

Final Thoughts

Kanako Expeditions Camp at Khamab Kalahari Reserve is one of those rare diamonds in the rough, a destination on the brink of becoming something truly iconic.

It is wild, refined, remote, and deeply moving.

I loved it. Truly.

And I’ll be back sooner rather than later.