Tour 11: 6 Day Kgalagadi – Polentswa Wilderness 4×4 Trail

This tour covers 1 Trans Frontier Park

DAY 01 Upington – Kgalagadi Transfrontier 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 Two Rivers on the Botswana side of Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. No passports or visas needed for this tour, due to the fact that entrance and exit is at Two Rivers Gate, without leaving the Park at any other gate.

Game drive to Rooiputs Camp Ground on the Botswana side. Pitch camp. Depart on an afternoon game drive. The Rooiputs area is known for lion, cheetah, spotted & brown hyena and meerkat sightings.

Experience the park, camping in the wild with no protective fencing. Enjoy dinner around the fire, while listening to the sounds of the night. Don’t be surprised if you hear lion, hyena, leopard and black backed jackal during the night. Lions are regular visitors to Rooiputs at night.
Overnight: Rooiputs camping (Basic Facilities; A-frame, pit toilet & open air shower)
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 275 km
Travel time: 5 hrs

DAY 02 Rooiputs – Polentswa
Game drive along the Nossob River Valley to Polentswa Camp Ground on the Botswana side of the Park, north of Nossob Camp.

Afternoon game drive in the area. Visit Polentswa Waterhole, known for regular visits by predators and raptors.

As with Rooiputs, Polentswa has no protective fencing too. This remote campsite overlooks the vegetated Polentswa Pan and is known for beautiful sunsets. Lions, hyenas and brown hyenas are regular visitors to Polentswa at night.
Overnight Polentswa camping (Basic Facilities; A-frame, pit toilet & open air shower)
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 200 km
Travel time: 6 hrs

DAY 03 Polentswa Wilderness 4×4 Trail
Depart on the Polentswa Wilderness 4×4 Trail to Sesatswe Pan.
Overnight: Sesatswe camping (no facilities at all)
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 101 km
Travel time: 5 hrs

DAY 04 Polentswa Wilderness 4×4 Trail
Continue on the Polentswa Wilderness 4×4 Trail to Lang Rambuka Pan.
Overnight: Lang Rambuka camping (no facilities at all)
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 107 km
Travel time: 5 hrs

DAY 05 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
4×4 Trail to Lijersdraai in the Nossob River Valley. Game drive to Nossob Rest Camp.
Optional 03 hr sunset or 02 hr night drive on open vehicle with Sanparks guide at own cost
Overnight: Nossob camping
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 125 km
Travel time: 5 hrs

DAY 06 Kgalagadi – Upington
Game drive to Twee Rivieren. 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
Distance: 415 km
Travel time: 8 hrs

It is expected from clients on camping tours to assist with pitching and packing up camp and with general camping duties on request.

CLIENTS HAVE THE FOLLOWING 02 OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM WHEN BOOKING A TOUR

A) Guided 4×4 Tour: Clients travel with a driver/guide in a 4×4 vehicle.
The guide vehicle has space for 02-04 persons, depending on type of vehicle used. If more clients need a driver/guide, the following rates will apply on top of the quoted rates above and the additional rented vehicle costs (if applicable).
DRIVER/GUIDE: R 1 600 per day
INCLUDED: Guide fees, guide accommodation, entrance fees & meals
ADDITIONAL TRAIL FEES: None
FUEL: R 600/day if applicable

B) Guided Self-Drive 4×4 Tour: Clients drive their own/rented 4×4 in a convoy lead by a guide vehicle.

Rented Vehicles: Kalahari Tours and Travel is a rental agent for Europcar. Double Cab 4×4 vehicles for Guided Self-drive Tours can be rented at very competitive rates. Contact us for Rates, Terms & Conditions and Ancillary Charges.

Fully equipped 4×4 campers have to be rented directly by clients from rental companies at point of departure. Contact Kalahari Tours and Travel for contact details.

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