The Kalahari Skies: An Everchanging Canvas of Colour

Published on: 19/11/2024

Photo title: Kalahari Sunset

|

Photo Credits: Daniel Crous

The Central Kalahari is a wilderness of sun-bleached grasses which sparsely cover an endless blanket of sand stretching for hundreds of miles. For months of the year this region is parched and barren with sporadic and unpredictable rainfall.

The last remnants of an evening storm clings to the horizon as the night sky gives way to a ribbon of orange chiselling its way into the scene. Slowly an orange orb enters the fray casting beams of light through the thorny terrain and bringing with it a cacophony of sound. Helmeted guinea fowl alarm call. Hinting at the presence of unseen predators, black backed jackal, brown hyaena or yellow mongoose.

An astounding array of birds stretch their wings and take to the sky for the first time that day. Southern masked weavers diligently constructing elaborate hanging nests whilst their relentless activity is punctuated by the call of the crimson breasted shrike.

As we enjoyed the dramatic and ever-changing painting in front of us, the red-crested khorann performs a spectacular flying display. After calling it runs a few metres and flies ten to twenty metres straight up, tumbling over with its plumage fluffed. Then drops from the sky before opening its wings and arresting its decent.

Photo title: Kalahari Sky

|

Photo Credits: Daniel Crous

A blanket of brandy bush and Kalahari apple leaf wilt as the sun begins to dominate the day. The sky turns a metallic blue and lavender fever berry leaves turn away from the sun to preserve the precious moisture held within. Brown veined whites move from trumpet thorn flower to purple pod terminalia whilst migrating on their journey north. The cloud formations from earlier in the day disappear as the horizon trembles in the torrid heat and the sky drowns along a blurred line.

The suffocating heat traps the larger wildlife of the Kalahari, immobile, under the sparse available cover. Nothing stirs in the grasses, which slowly turn yellow in the burning sun.

Slowly the weather patterns from the day before begin to repeat and when the rains do come to the Kalahari, the storms are often sudden and violent. Clouds suddenly appear over an empty horizon, and within minutes the sky has darkened. The ensuing thunderstorm reaches such massive proportions that we are forced to attach the side hoardings on the safari vehicle.

Just as quickly as the storm arrives, it has passed and the false dawn is brought to an abrupt end as the sun dips below the dark cloud into the vacant space between the horizon and the aftermath of the storm. Intense shafts of light illuminate the browns and oranges of the the Kalahari scrub.

The sun may have set but the light show is far from over. The sky is cloudy enough for the creation of an intense palette of orange and red that slowly darkens as the first stars become visible.

Over the next hour the sky turns from inky blue to jet black and the Milky Way arcs across the Kalahari plains. A gauzy veil of light slowly spanning the night sky. One can only gaze in awe.

Daniel Crous

Daniel Crous has been lucky enough to call Botswana home for his entire life. His folks ran safari camps in the 80's and his early childhood was spent in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Life outdoors has always been his calling, safaris in Botswana are one of the purest forms of such a life. His Dad handed him his old film camera when he was about 12, documenting the wilderness around him has grown from passion to profession. He is equally passionate about the conservation of the land we live in and all of its creatures, including its people. He now takes extreme pleasure in leading others to some of the incredible experiences available here.

Coorg

Hampi

Kabini

Kalahari

The Kalahari Skies: An Everchanging Canvas of Colour

Daniel Crous