I am now in the Kgalagadi National Park as part of my year-long journey to 31 of South Africa's most special nature reserves. This part of our country is so very different to the rest...and it feels very FAR from anywhere else. That's partly because it actually is...it's a good 1 000km from Joburg, and even farther from Cape Town.

What's special about the Kgalagadi, is that it's perhaps one of the most natural, self-sustaining ecosystems left in Africa. Although there are boreholes in the dry river beds, most of the animals here can survive without the water they provide. They've all adapted to the dry conditions...It's quite amazing to think that every single animal is able to survive here without water - except perhaps for the giraffe and the wildebeest which rely on the borehole water.

The main thing that defines the Kgalagadi is its huge size. Just a bit smaller than the entire Netherlands, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park stretches across the south-west of Botswana and the north-west of South Africa...and the distances are massive. This allows the animals to migrate to find food, and they aren't hemmed in by fences. This gives the Kgalagadi a special sense of wilderness.

Hope you enjoy the photos, and stay in touch with us at http:www.facebook.com/YearInTheWild .