Arnoud Quanjer Wildlife Photography

Car rental

In the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park some stretches of roads have turned 'U' shaped by the grading of the roads. If you rent a normal sedan car then your vantage point in some parts of the park will be too low to see anything. You'll need to get a car that gives you a high vantage point to make sure that you can see over the grass that grows next to the road. The Aoab riverbed road is fine but the road leading through the Nossob riverbed is deeply 'U' shaped in some long stretches. If you're driving a normal sedan car you won't be able to see over the grass next to the road in these stretches of road. 

When you rent a car make sure that it has a spare wheel. The VW Touran is at the moment the cheapest option for a high vantage point car but some models of this car don't come with a spare wheel. Make sure that you get the 5-seater model and not the 7-seater model as unlike the 5-seater model the VW Touran 7-seater model doesn't come with a spare wheel. I advise against renting a 7-seater model VW Touran in the strongest possible way.

If the roads are very corrugated and you're driving a 2x4 then remove your hub caps and license plates as a precaution. These are the first items of your car that you will lose due to the vibrations (been there, done that).

Tyre pressure 

The roads in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier park are all gravel roads. Through various factors these roads can become corrugated. The most important factors contributing to the corrugation are speeding, back wheels of 2x4 cars spinning and too high tyre pressure. When you enter the park blow down your tyres to 1.6 bar to prevent corrugation. On roads that are already corrugated blowing down your tyres makes for a more comfortable ride. When you drive a 4x4 then have 4x4 mode engaged while driving in the park. This will prevent the back wheels from spinning, and that will prevent corrugation.

Petrol and diesel

You can get petrol and diesel in all the restcamps, but not in the wilderness camps. Please be advised that in South Africa you have to pay for your fuel in cash, credit cards are not excepted as payment. There is an ATM in Twee Rivieren but I'd recommend bringing money to the park just to be sure.

Food

All the restcamps offer a shop where you can buy souvenirs, soft drinks, beer, wine, canned food, some frozen meat and bread (if you're lucky) but prices are relatively high and the choice you have is limited. You won't find any fresh vegetables in the shops so take those with you when you go to the park. I'd recommend to bring all the food for your trip with you to the park. You can do your shopping at the Pick 'n Pay supermarket in Upington before driving the last 260km to the park. The quality of food in the Pick 'n Pay in Upington is not the best I've ever seen, so if you get the chance do your shopping before you get to Upington. I do my shopping either in Johannesburg or Kuruman. As the shops in the park have either no meat, or only a limited selection I always bring my meat with me. I buy my meat at a butcher in Johannesburg and let him vacuum pack all the meat in daily portions. I then freeze the meat for a minimum of 24 hours. I pack the meat in a coolerbox on the morning that I leave for the park. On the bottom of the coolerbox I put a carton from a 24-pack Castle beer as extra insulation and put all the meat on that carton. I wrap all the meat in old newspapers for additional insulation. After stacking all the meat I cover it with another carton from a 24-pack Castle beer, and I then put my veggies, fetah cheese, butter etc on top of that. If you pack like this and use a decent cooler box (e.g. Coleman) then your meat will stay frozen for over 24 hours, no problem at all. I always stay in chalets or wilderness camps and they all have freezers so I can keep my meat frozen during my stay.

After a few days you will run out of fresh vegatables so make plans for that. Potatoes and onions will last a pretty long time so bring lots of those. During dinnertime you can always easilly spot the people that have been in the park for a while as they are the ones eating canned food :) This is a general rule in the Kgalagadi, if you stay in the park for a relatively long time (>8 days) then you will run out out fresh food! Bring pasta and canned food for the last days in the park.

Restaurants

The only restcamp that offers a restaurant is Twee Rivieren, in the other restcamps you'll have to prepare (and bring) your own food. 

Paying for food, drinks and petrol

In Twee Rivieren credit cards are accepted in the shop and for payment of accomodation. A sign is displayed in Twee Rivieren that states that the other camps in the park don't accept credit cards. This means that you'll have to pay in cash in all the other camps. I would like to advise to bring your cash with you to the park. There is an ATM in Twee Rivieren, but I wouldn't take the risk of it either being empty or out of order. Although it is stated that the other camps don't accept credit cards I know that they sometimes do accept them. It's a lot of work for them to process the card though as they have to radio Twee Rivieren for the actual processing of the payment. I think the extra amount of work is the reason for them to discourage the use of credit cards.

Petrol is something that you always have to pay for in cash, credit cards are not accepted anywehere in South Africa for paying for fuel.

Drinking water

The tap water in the camps in the Kgalagadi is safe to drink but it is unbelievably vile. I would recommend bringing all your drinking water and cooking water with you. I always bring 2,5 liters of water per day per person with me for drinking and cooking. I buy the plastic 5 liter containers which are sold in all the supermarkets, but you can also of course also use jerrycans.

Climate

The Kalahari is a semi-arid region with an average rainfall of 150mm in the southwest to 350mm in the northeast. The unreliable and irregular rains fall mostly during dramatic thunderstorms, often accompanied by strong winds and dust-storms, between November and April. The first rains transform the red dunes, covering them with the fresh yellow flowers of the dubbeltjie, Tribulus terrestris. Within two weeks fresh green grass begins to grow, but if the rains do not return, the vegetation will soon wither and the thirstland once again becomes apparent. Temperatures vary greatly from -11°C on cold winter nights to 42°C in the shade on summer days when the ground surface temperature reaches a sizzling 70°C. During the winter months, when frost is common, the ground surface temperature can be 25°C lower that the temperature of the air. Winter in the Kalahari is a cool, dry season from September to October and then a hot, wet season from November to April.

If you're camping in KTP in winter then be prepared for the cold. The temperature can drop well below zero so remember to bring lots of warm clothes for the nights, and put a layer of newspaper under your matress as insulation.

Cell reception

Twee Rivieren has good cell reception which carries up to 10km outside of the camp. When I stayed at Kieliekrankie wilderness camp in December 2007 I had cell reception there. I must have been picking up the Twee Rivieren signal, although I think that's a bit far away (30km). I'm not sure if having cell reception at Kieliekrankie is normal.

Electricity

The newer tented camps don't have electricity, it is all solar battery powered, so you cannot charge camera or video batteries. At Mata Mata you can have this done at the office, but as it takes a while to charge, sitting there can become quite tiring. There is no charging facility at Bitterpan.

Driving speed

The maximum speed in the Kgalagadi is 50km/h for tourists and 70km/h for staff. Please, for your own safety and that of the animals, don't exceed the maximum speed limit. It is very easy to lose control of the car on dirt roads when you speed and losing control on a dirt road usually ends in rolling your car. In my five visists to the park I've seen three cars that had rolled on dirt roads, one was a SANP vehicle and the other two were tourists.

Accommodation (traditional rest camps)

Kgalagadi has six different camps of varying size, facilities and cost. Three traditional rest camps have a basic shopping facility and fuel. The traditional rest camps are Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Mata Mata.

The rest camps all offer a swimming pool, shop and a petrol station. The shop at Twee Rivieren is by far the best one, the shops at Nossob and Mata Mata sell only basic food and drink items. Only Twee Rivieren has a restaurant. Unlike the wilderness camps all rest camps are fenced so you are free to walk around in camp after sunset. Mata Mata and Nossob have hides with a flood lit waterhole where you can sit at night. I like the hide at Nossob best.

Accommodation (wilderness camps)

Wilderness camps are not fenced, a tourism assistant is on duty at all times though.

Kalahari Tented Camp 

Situated high up on a red sand dune, overlooking a waterhole in the dry bed of the ancient Auob River, the Kalahari Tent Camp welcomes you to capture the spirit of the land of thirst. This exclusive getaway for the discerning visitor, boasts 15 desert tents each elegantly decorated with rustic finishes using wood, sand and canvas exteriors al in the resonate colours of the park. The tent camp is 3 km from the Mata-Mata Rest Camp where Kalahari Tent Camp residents can refuel and get basic supplies at the shop. The camp is designed in such a way that residents feel they have only themselves and the desert for company.

Bitterpan

Elevated above the red sand dunes of the Kalahari and suspended in time is Bitterpan – an exclusive, stilted camp overlooking a waterhole. Bitterpan is situated in the center of the wilderness opening up a new 4x4 route through the Kalahari dunes from Nossob to Mata-Mata and the Kalahari Tent Camp. It is on a ONE-WAY route starting from Nossob. It is approximately a 2,5 hr drive from Nossob to Bitterpan, while from Bitterpan to Craig Lockhart on the Auob tourist road takes another 2.5 hrs, and thereafter 15 minutes to Mata-Mata, or a two hour drive to Twee Rivieren. It is strictly a 4x4 route, but BIG 4x4’s such as Unimogs (heavy vehicle 4x4) are not allowed.

Guests should consider staying at Nossob before their departure for Bitterpan, as it is an approximately 3 hours drive from Nossob along a one-way 4x4 route. Guests much check in to Bitterpan at Nossob. They cannot do so at Twee Rivieren or Mata-Mata. Nossob itself is at least a three-and-a-half hour drive from Twee Rivieren.

Grootkolk

The perfect retreat for special occasions, or simply just to get away from it all. The camp is tucked away in the dunes, overlooking a waterhole, 20 km from Union’s End where the three countries South Africa, Botswana and Namibia meet. It is a wilderness camp nestled amidst red sand dunes with only the stars and silence for company. Grootkolk is 6 hours drive from Twee Rivieren and 2,5 hours from Nossob. The camp is ususally accessible by 2x4s and 4x4s, not normal sedan vehicles   

Kieliekrankie wilderness camp

Situated 50 km (one-and-a-half hours) drive away from Twee Rivieren on the Southern Dune Road. The closest shop and fuel supply is at Twee Rivieren, where guests who have booked Kieliekrankie also checks in. The camp is unfenced, and there is a tourism assistant on duty. Sunk into a dune, with endless views of the red Kalahari sands. This unique self-catering wilderness camp will be accessible by passenger vehicles.

Urikaruus wilderness camp

Situated 72 km (two hours) drive away from Twee Rivieren on the road to Mata Mata between the veil of old camelthorn trees, overlooks the Auob River. The closest shop and fuel supply is at Twee Rivieren, where guests who have booked Urikaruus also checks in. The camp is unfenced, and there is a tourism assistant on duty. The camp has 4 x Riverside Cabins built on stilts and connected by a plank way. Urikaruus is accessible by passenger vehicles.

Gharagab wilderness camp 

Located in the far northern region of the park, will provide guests with elevated views of Kalahari dunes and the thornveld savannah. Situated 164 km (four hours) drive north of Nossob on the road to Unions End. The closest shop and fuel supply is at Nossob, where guests who have booked Gharagab also checks in. The camp is unfenced, and there is a tourism assistant on duty. Gharagab is ususally accessible by 2x4 and 4x4 vehicles on a one way road. It is not suitable for normal sedan vehicles, and it's advisable to contact the park before your trip to acertain the prevailing conditions