 Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park : Travel Information
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South Africa Part
Travel Time
Best time to travel the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park are the winter months from May to September. Chances to see a lot of game are the highest then. From December to March it is very hot in the Kalahari and it might even rain although the annual rainfalls hardly ever exceeds 50 mm. Precipitation uusually comes about as heavy rainshowers or thunderstorms. Then the otherwise dry rivers can suddenly become torrents and render the roads inviable.
Access from South Africa
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park lies some 270 kilometres north of Upington. Approaching via Upington, the road is tarred all the way. First one gets to the camp Twee Rivieren in the south where the park entrance lies. For the drive to the other two camps in the north of the park - Mata Mata and Nossob - one must calculate 3 resp. 4 hours, because one has to stick to the park's speed limit of 30 km/h. Those coming from Johannesburg, can take the route via Kuruman, Hotazel and Vanzylsrus.
Access from Namibia
From Namibia one gets to Twee Rivieren via Keetmanshoop and the border post Aroab/Rietfontein. The gravel road is usually in good condition. One can also approach from the north via Mata Mata. There is no border post with immigration and customs office here. So, don't forget to do the border formalities for entering South Africa later at the office in Twee Rivieren (otherwise big trouble, when leaving South Africa!). And one has to produce proof of accommodation booking for at least 2 nights in the park.
Vehicle
One may travel the park in a normal car. But some wilderness camps (e.g. Bitterpan) and the entire Botswana part are only negotiable with a 4x4 vehicle.
Restcamps
 Twee Rivieren: Main camp with campground, grocery store, restaurant, petrol station. Air-conditioned, thatched self-catering cottages with 1 or 2 bedrooms (2 to 4 persons), kitchen with nook, bath/toilet. Base rate for 2 persons about 700 Rand. Camping about 150 Rand for 2 persons.
Nossob: Camp mit Campground, small store, petrol station. Self-catering chalets with 1 bedroom (2 to 4 persons), kitchenette with nook, shower/toilet. Base rate for 2 persons about 550 Rand Camping about 150 Rand for 2 persons.
Mata Mata: Camp with shady campground, small store, petrol station. Self-catering chalets with 1 bedroom (2 to 4 persons), kitchenette with nook, shower/toilet. Base rate for 2 persons about 550 Rand. Camping about 150 Rand for 2 persons.
There are also some wilderness camps. Please enquire here:
South African National Parks
PO Box 787, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)12 4289111; Fax: +27 (0)12 3430905
eMail: reservations@sanparks.org |
Botswana Part
Access to the Park
Enter the Botswana part of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Parks at the Gemsbok/Bokspits border post, 60 km south of Twee Rivieren. The park entrance lies in Two Rivers. More entrances are in Kaa and Mabuasehube. The Botswana side is hardly developed. All tracks are rough, sandy and require a four-wheel drive.
Vehicle
For the Botswana part a four-wheel drive is an absolute necessity. Permits are normally only issued if at least two vehicles travel together.
Camps
Basic camping sites are available – Two Rivers, Rooiputs, Matopi, Polentswa, Lang Rambuka, Sesatswe, Kaa and various places in the Mabuasehube area. Most camps are not fenced. Pre-booking far in advance highly advisable, especially during holiday times.
4x4 Trails
There are some attractive 4x4 routes through the wilderness. The Polentswa Wilderness Trail starts in Camp Polentswa and is about 250 km long. It leads along an enormous saltpan, where one can often observe large herds of game. The Mubuasehube Wilderness Trail is about 150 km long and also leads through areas with plenty of game.
Costs
Botswana is not interested in mass tourism and wants to keep the numbers of visitors low. Entrance fees and accommodation rates are here considerably higher than on the South African side. At the same time the services are relatively poor.
Permit
A separate permit is required for the Botswana side of the park. All reservations:
Department of Wildlife & National Parks
Parks and Reserves Reservation Office
PO Box 131, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: (0926) 758-0774, Fax: (0926) 758-0775
Email: dwnp@gov.bw
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