Tsabong

Tsabong sits in the far southwest of Botswana in red dune and thornveld country, and it is the administrative centre for an enormous and almost empty district. Camels were introduced here for police patrol work in the Kalahari and the herd survived; a community camel park now runs rides and short expeditions into the dunes, which is the town's one visitor attraction and an unlikely one. It is the last supply point before Kgalagadi's eastern sections.

Background

The name is also spelled Tshabong, and the town lies at 962 m in the Kalahari Desert as the administrative centre of the Kgalagadi District. The 2011 census counted 8939 people. Botswana's coldest recorded temperature, -15.0 °C, was measured here, and the town's record high stands at 42.6 °C. Close by is the Tshabong kimberlite field, among the largest diamond-bearing kimberlite fields in the world, where a 2019 study counted 86 kimberlites. The MK1 pipe alone covers approximately 140-180 hectares. Tshabong Airport serves the town. Botswana's first carbon credit program began in and around the town in September 2023, and the solar eclipse due on November 25, 2030 can be seen from here.

Source: Wikipedia, "Tsabong"

Highlights

• The camel park - a community operation running rides into the dunes.
• The red dunes - Kalahari dune country running west from the town.
• The dry riverbed - the Molopo course south of town on the border.
• The supply role - the last fuel and stocking point before Mabuasehube.

When to go

April to September is the most comfortable; summer temperatures exceed forty degrees. Winter nights drop below freezing. Camel rides run year round but are best in the cooler months.

Things to know

Tsabong is genuinely remote, with long drives in every direction and limited accommodation. The camel park's hours and availability are unreliable and calling ahead is worthwhile. There is very little else in town.

Nearby

Mabuasehube is northwest, and Bokspits is west along the border.

Key facts