Tour 1: 3 Day + Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Tour

DAY 01 Upington – Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park
Time of departure will depend on clients’ travel schedule to Upington. Flight schedule to be finalised. (Flight not included.)

Depart from Upington on a 03-hour drive through the Kalahari duneveld (“veld” means natural vegetation), passing various pans (dry lakes), to the Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park.

The word Kalahari derives from the word Makgadigadi, meaning salt pans (salt lakes) in the language spoken by the Kgalagadi people living in the Kgalagadi Region in south-western Botswana. The word Kgalagadi means salt pans too in their language. More than 1 000 pans are scattered throughout the park. The Kalahari is the largest area of sand in the world, covering 2.5 million square kilometres from the Orange River in South Africa in the south to slightly north of the equator. The area referred to as the arid Kalahari covers some 900 000 square kilometres in the south and covers parts of South Africa and Namibia and most of Botswana. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is situated in the southern part of the arid Kalahari in South Africa and Botswana and is jointly managed by South Africa National Parks (Sanparks) and Botswana Wildlife.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park covers 37 000 square km, which is one of the largest conservation areas in the world and one of the last truly unspoilt ecosystems.

Endemic game such as gemsbok, springbok, eland, giraffe, blue wildebeest and red hartebeest roam the sparsely vegetated red sand dunes and the dry river valleys of the Nossob and Auob where a variety of acacia species thrive.

The Park is well known for good sightings of lion, leopard and cheetah and spotted – and brown hyena are common residents. Because of an abundance of prey in the form of mice, whistling rats, birds and insects, smaller predators thrive in the park. The park is home to caracal, honey badger, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, cape fox, African wildcat, mongoose and the ever-popular suricate (meerkat).

Kgalagadi is a bird watcher’s paradise with more than 300 species recorded including at least 20 larger raptor species. The world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori bustard and the stately secretary bird patrol the riverbeds while the noisy northern black korhaan rule in the dunes.

Check in at accommodation at Twee Rivieren. Depart on an afternoon game drive. The Twee Rivieren area is known for lion, leopard, cheetah and meerkat sightings. Optional 3 hr sunset drive and 3 hr morning guided walk with Sanparks guide at own cost
Overnight: Twee Rivieren
Meals: B, L & D (Full Board on all days)

Due to distance and travel time, Mata Mata and Nossob Rest Camps can only be reached with departure in the morning from Upington.

Mata Mata Rest Camp is situated on the bank of the dry Auob River bed, on the Namibian Border, 120 km / 04 hrs game drive from Twee Rivieren. This is cheetah territory and is one the best, if not the best, places in Southern Africa to see cheetah. The Mata Mata area is also known for lion, hyena and giraffe sightings. Mata Mata has an illuminated waterhole. Predators and antelope are regular visitors.

Nossob Rest Camp is situated on the bank of the Nossob River bed 165 km / 05 hrs game drive from Twee Rivieren. The Nossob area is known for lion activities and brown hyena sightings. Good sightings of a variety of raptors are guaranteed. Nossob has an illuminated waterhole. Predators and antelope are regular visitors.

Both Nossob and Mata Mata are smaller camps and popular destinations. Reservations have to be made long in advance to secure preferred accommodation.

DAY 02 Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park
Morning and afternoon game drives. The route will be determined by reported sightings, rainfall, game migration and pre-booked overnight accommodation.
Optional 3 hr sunset drive and 3 hr morning guided walk with Sanparks guide at own cost
Overnight: One of the camps in the Park
Meals: B, L & D

DAY 03 Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park – Upington
Game drive until noon. Duration of game drive will depend on clients’ travel schedule from Upington.

Depart to Upington. En route stop at the last indigenous San tribe in South Africa, the Khomani. Today these earliest residents of the Kalahari, living here for 40 000 years, consist of only 400 people and are resident in an area between 40 and 70 km south of Twee Rivieren. Clients will have the opportunity to view and purchase their handcraft at one of the roadside stalls. The presence of the San at the roadside stalls can’t be guaranteed.

Continue to Upington to be in time for departing flight. Flight schedule to be finalised. (Flight not included.)
Meals: L

It is expected from clients on camping tours to assist with pitching and packing up camp and with general camping duties on request.
Accommodation can vary from the itinerary depending on availability.

Rates on request:
E-mail: dantes@kalahari-tours.co.za or click on CONTACT US.