The Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana is the second-largest wildlife reserve in the world. But it comes with a clear warning: ‘This is Africa at its most remote, distances are huge, roads terrible, facilities extremely limited and without a fully equipped 4X4 vehicle and lots of bush experience, this is not the place for you,’ said my printed guidebook. ‘Conversely,’ it added, ‘this reserve is completely magical, the ultimate wilderness destination.’
The so-called rainy season of November to April is traditionally the best time to visit this semi-desert area, and towards the end of this season, I set out with my friend Elliot, a paediatric surgeon from South Africa, in his Land Rover Defender to explore the CKGR with eight of his friends, most of them doctors, all travelling in 4X4s since normal cars cannot go there. For four days, there would be no phone signal, no internet, no amenities and no means to call for help if things went wrong. Everything we needed for our survival — including jerrycans of extra diesel, water, food — we carried ourselves.
