Retracing David Livingstone’s Kalahari Desert Expedition – Makgadikgadi Salt Pan Documentary
Surviving the Kalahari Death Zone
In the heart of Botswana lies one of Earth’s most unforgiving landscapes: the vast, blinding Makgadikgadi Salt Plains of the Kalahari Desert. Here, the horizon shimmers with mirages, water is a distant myth and every step tests the limits of human endurance.
This is the Death Zone that brothers Paul Backholer and Mathew Backholer ventured into to retrace the footsteps of legendary explorer and missionary David Livingstone. Their documentary, Surviving the Kalahari Death Zone, captures the raw isolation, searing heat and profound historical significance of this journey.
Watch Now: Surviving the Kalahari Death Zone
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Retracing History’s Perilous Path
In 1849, David Livingstone became the first European to cross the entire Kalahari Desert. Guided by local Bushmen, the San people, he endured five days with little or no water across the immense Makgadikgadi Pans. The pans—stretching roughly the size of Portugal—transform from cracked, crunchy salt crusts under the relentless sun to treacherous mud in the rains. Lions prowled at night, mirages deceived the eye and the heat burned like fire.
Livingstone famously wrote of the desert’s brutality and declared, ‘To stop is to perish’
The Backholer brothers, traveling with a professional team in a 4×4 vehicle, set out to experience a fraction of what Livingstone faced on foot. Even with modern support, the desert delivered its punishing reality: disorienting brightness from the salt reflecting the sun, extreme thirst, sunburn and a profound sense of isolation. As Paul notes in the film, “It’s incredibly hot and disorienting,” while Mathew reflects on the difficulty of distinguishing sky from land on the shimmering horizon.
He found him in a desert land, in the empty waste of a desert. He came around him and cared for him. He kept him as He would His own eye
– Deuteronomy 32:10
Key Highlights from the Documentary
The film is divided into compelling chapters that blend breathtaking visuals, historical narration and on-the-ground reflections:
- Viewers are immersed in the Makgadikgadi Pans’ otherworldly environment — smooth, rough and pancake-like salt formations under a scorching sky
- Driven by the “Three Cs” — Christianity, commerce, and civilisation — David Livingstone sought to open routes for legitimate trade to combat the slave trade and share his faith in Christ. The documentary explores his deep Christian convictions and unyielding purpose
- Livingstone relied on the knowledge of the Bushmen, who could find hidden water in roots and melons when all else failed
- The brothers discuss the physical toll even in winter conditions, the disorientation caused by mirages, and a sobering story of a French traveler who ignored advice and perished attempting a crossing
- From salt flats to surprising grasslands where cattle graze, the film contrasts the deadly pans with pockets of life and underscores Livingstone’s broader achievements, including mapping routes to Lake Ngami and eventually Victoria Falls
I am prepared to go anywhere, provided it be forward
– David Livingstone
Paul and Mathew’s honest commentary brings the history to life, expressing deep respect for Livingstone’s courage while acknowledging the support of local knowledge that made his expeditions possible.
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Surviving the Kalahari Death Zone
This is more than an adventure film. It’s a journey through history, faith and human resilience. It highlights the immense physical and mental challenges of 19th-century exploration while celebrating the partnership between David Livingstone and the African peoples he encountered. The Makgadikgadi remains a place where even brief exposure demands respect — modern travelers are warned of its deadly potential, as the film starkly illustrates.
Whether you’re fascinated by African exploration, survival stories, missionary history or simply the raw beauty of one of the world’s last great wildernesses, this documentary delivers. It leaves viewers with greater appreciation for Livingstone’s legacy and the enduring spirit of those who push into the unknown.
Where to Watch?
Watch the full documentary online now and step into the Death Zone alongside Paul and Mathew Backholer. Experience the salt plains, the mirages, the reflections and the unbreakable determination that defined one of Africa’s greatest explorers. Prepare to be challenged, inspired and humbled by a landscape that has tested humanity for centuries — and the man, David Livingstone, who refused to turn back.
By Paul Backholer. Find out about Paul’s books here.
Don’t forget to Subscribe to ByFaith Media on YouTube & follow us on social media @byfaithmedia to keep up-to-date with the latest episodes from ByFaith TV.
