Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Wildlife reserve at South Africa-Botswana border.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a wildlife reserve straddling the border between South Africa and Botswana across the Kalahari Desert. Red sand dunes alternate with dry riverbeds, while salt pans lie scattered between patches of acacia trees and low shrubs.

Two national parks merged in 2000 to create Africa's first cross-border conservation area. The collaboration between South Africa and Botswana allowed animals to move across a larger territory without fences.

In October 2002 the governments set aside 580 square kilometres for the Khomani San and Mier communities, split into San Heritage Land and Mier Heritage Land and named !Ae!Hai Heritage Park. A settlement also funded a tourism facility, !Xaus Lodge, meaning 'heart' in the local language, run commercially on the communities' behalf. A cultural village near the lodge lets local people make and sell crafts.

Visitors should use a four-wheel-drive vehicle, as the sandy tracks are often uneven and can shift after rain. When driving on remote routes, traveling with at least one other vehicle is recommended for safety.

Lions and cheetahs move freely across the open terrain, while large groups of springboks wander through the area. Visitors can often spot these animals along the dry riverbeds, where they search for water and shade.