Every year for the last 6 years a group of friends, Carol and I have gone camping in Central Kalahari Game Reserve just after Xmas.

This is an incredible time of year to be in the Kalahari, the rains of November and December have thrown a cloak of green over the land and you can literally feel the frenzy of activity as everything tries to take advantage of this season of plenty.

From birds in their finest breeding plumage, mating bullfrogs, millions of butterflies, youngsters of all description this has to be the most exciting time to be in the Kalahari. Added to that the spectacular site of orange sunsets bouncing off rumbling thunderstorms a visit to the Kalahari makes for an incredible experience and one of my favourite things to do.

Every time I look at these photos I can picture the grasslands dotted with springbok and oryx, hear the lion roaring in the early morning and taste the cold beer as we chat around the campfire…. I can’t wait for January 2013.

Mark Swaffield