Bleak, shimmering semi desert contrast dramatically with lush vineyards filling the Orange River’s fertile valleys. The large body of water meanders through a valley of its making, between the massive islands defying is erosive powers. Once the border of he Cape Colony, the Green Kalahari was South Africa’s Wild West and many rogue, including the notorious Scotty Smith, sought refuge from the law in its far spaces.

The legendary Koranna leader, Klaas Lukas, occupied the second-biggest island on the river. From his impregnable base, he gave the Cape government and Reverend Christian Schröder the permission needed to establish missionary settlements on the north bank of the river. His edict let to the establishment of Keimoes, and Abraham September, a freed slave, initiated irrigation along the Orange River. Klaas Island is now part of the Augrabies Falls National Park, where the fury of a huge torrent of angry water plummeting 90m down a series of granite cataracts speaks volumes for the river’s awesome power. By 1884, the river had been claimed by colonialists, and irrigation and development followed.

Today, you can travel peacefully from a raisin processing plant to a catfish farm; from wine cellars o tearooms in the desert; from a luxurious lodge to the desolation of Verneukpan. Yet, not all is tamed. The mighty Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Africa’s first transfrontier park, comprises almost four million hectares of sparsely vegetated, red sand dunes and dry riverbeds.

The reserve provides sanctuary for antelope, gemsbok, springbok, blue wildebeest, red hartebeest, eland, lion, leopard, cheetah and smaller game. One of Africa’s last pristine game reserves, the size of the park allows for the mass migration of different species.