Xade Campsite

About

Xade is the camping spot beside the ranger post at the Central Kalahari's remote south-western gate, and most people use it as a first or last night when crossing the reserve from Ghanzi. It is plain bush camping rather than a destination in itself: the attraction is the sense of arriving somewhere truly empty, and the gate's waterhole drawing elephants when its pump is working, though it is often found empty. Unusually for the reserve there is borehole water at the gate, though elephants sometimes break the pump and the showers then run dry. The approach is the hard part: after New Xade, around 70 km of thick sand, corrugation and potholes, so allow four to six hours from Ghanzi.

• Gateway camp for crossing the Central Kalahari from Ghanzi
• Gate waterhole visited by elephants when pumping
• Ranger post and borehole on the doorstep
• Base for the long track north to Piper Pan

Facilities

● Confirmed● Reported, not fully confirmedNot available

If you are at this campsite, please ask the host to claim this page so they can update this information directly.

Getting there

Deep, thick sand with corrugations and potholes for about 70 km from New Xade to the gate. North from Xade the track to Piper Pan is poor (3-6 hours). Speed limit 40 km/h in the reserve, no night driving. Gate hours 06:30-18:30 (April-September), 05:30-19:00 (October-March).

From Ghanzi, take the road south-east to New Xade (gravel), then about 70 km of thick sand to Xade Gate on the reserve's south-western boundary; 4-6 hours in all. The camping sites are at and just east of the gate.