From our first visit, over thirty years ago, we remembered the Kalahari—at least the part we saw then—as a dry, brown semi-desert. Nature appeared as weak then as the animals fighting for their survival!

What a difference to this visit. The heavy rain had transformed the semi-desert into a green park. The grass was almost half a meter high, and we could only see the heads of the Kori bustards sticking out. It was fascinating to see how the rain had transformed this park.

On the sand tracks, the water was still ten centimeters high after the heavy thunderstorms of the previous days. Birds bathed in the large pools, and the ostriches scooped water with their long necks. Their feathers, saturated with water the day before, looked dry again. And the springboks, who had stood in the rain the day before with their backs rounded and looked as if they were taking a shower, had also recovered from the deluge.

Within a few days, the Kalahari had donned a coat of green, much to the delight of both animals and humans. But by the time the long dry season and winter (June to August) begin, the grass will have withered. And the animals will once again have to search for the meagre forage and water sources.

PS: If you want to know more about the Kalahari, read here.