South Africa/NC: Khalagadi NP – Game Drives at Xaus Lodge

Game drives in the heart of Kalahari red sands may not yield a lot of wildlife sighting – it’s an endless inhospitable expanse of red dunes. But the landscape and vistas are simply stunning! The red color comes from iron oxide coating the sand grains. Over time, exposure to oxygen in the air has oxidized the iron, giving the sand its deep red hue. Older dunes appear redder due to prolonged oxidation, while younger dunes may look lighter orange or yellow where sand movement is more recent. We visited several large salt pans that are found in this part of the park – Grootschrei Pan, Loretta Pan – both very close to Namibian border. And we still managed to see quite a few animals – oryx, steinbok, desert hare, jackals, and more!