Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park

One of Africa's most unique parks, the red dunes of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier and the seemingly unholy desert make it, unlike anything you'll encounter elsewhere.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park was once Botswana's Gemsbok National Park and South Africa's Kalahari Gemsbok National Park before the two countries began joint conservation efforts and formed the world's first Transfrontier Park. Located just north of Botswana, its remote location means it's one of the country's lesser-known national parks. But well worth a visit if you want to enjoy a protected enclave wild without many other tourists.

One of the most famous things in Kgalagadi is its red dunes and dry riverbed, which contain hundreds of fossils that suggest life once inhabited this vast desert and salt pan. The name of the park means 'place of great thirst,' so expect plenty of dry, sparse, and stunning landscapes where lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas all roam the ladder.

Jaguars and hyenas are also popular attractions, preying on wildebeest in abundance. Larger herbivores aren't present, but the park is one of the best places in South Africa to look for leopards. The elusive pangolin is also a popular animal to spot in the wild.

Location: South Africa-Botswana border