Tau Pan is the first semi-permanent camp inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and offers truly incredible views from the elevated ridge of an ancient sand dune, an unusual experience in a land as flat as Botswana, and overlooks the famous Tau Pan - recognised for its stark beauty and remoteness.
Activities offered at Tau Pan are game drives, day trips to the well-known Deception Valley, Sunday, Piper and Passarge Pans, star gazing, and nature walks with Bushman trackers.
‘Tau’ which means lion in Setswana, is so named for the pride of iconic black-maned Kalahari lions who frequent the camp (with a particular preference for the family tent!).
Species that can be found in the Kalahari include oryx, the desert-adapted springbok, jackals, the rare brown hyena, red-crested Korhaan and herds of wildebeest.

The Camp
As with its sister camp, Nxai Pan, Tau Pan has been constructed with the area's ecologies in mind. Both utilise only solar power for the generation of electricity, heating of water and pumping of water from deep under the Kalahari sands. Waste water is treated in a state-of-the-art sewerage treatment plant and the fully treated water is returned to the sands from whence it came.
9 environmentally adapted en-suite tents including 1 family tent are set on raised decks, affording the same spectacular views over the plains. Each has an indoor and outdoor shower, double-basin vanity, open wardrobe, King-sized double bed, living area and writing desk.
The main area of the camp is set around the fireplace, which is the ideal spot for game viewing down to the waterhole. A telescope is also provided for guests’ use. The bar, lounge, curio shop and dining area all encircle the fire place.
The camp also has a sleep-out deck, which is on the eastern side of the camp. In an area as remote and isolated in the Kalahari desert, the light pollution is minimal to none, and consequently the star-gazing is simply magnificent and unrivalled by most other locations on earth. Having an unobstructed view of the night sky to fall asleep under is a truly memorable experience. The elevated sleep-out deck consists of a double bed, and a basin and WC. This experience is available on a ‘first come first serve’ basis upon arrival in camp, however guests staying 3 nights or more in Tau Pan can reserve this pre-arrival with their agent.