Despite what is said, the Kalahari isn't a desert at all. In fact it's a vast sand sheet, a fossil mine, now largely covered in bushes, trees and grasses. Fortunately all this sand has always seemed of little use, so most of the Kalahari remains arid and untouched, as it has been for about 65 million years. Here, perhaps more than anywhere, you'll be struck by the feeling that you're light years away from modern life. In the middle of the northern Kalahari, lies a complex of huge, flat salt pans. It's a harsh, sparse landscape, not to everyone's taste, but it offers an isolation as complete as anywhere in Southern Africa, and a wealth of hidden treasures for those prepared to make the effort. Their geology and history are fascinating, they play a vital role in the area's ecosystems… and they're very photogenic.
