Tour 12: 7 Day Kgalagadi – Mabuasehube 4×4 Tour

This tour covers 01 Trans Frontier Park

DAY 01 Arrival – McCarthy’s Rest (South Africa)
Depart at 10:00 from Upington or meet at 13:00 at Kuruman. Depart to McCarthy’s Rest Border Post via the manganese mine towns Hotazel and Black Rock. Accommodation is on the South African side, 20km from the Botswana Border
Overnight: Cullinan Holiday Farm camping
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 430 km
Travel time: 06 hrs (190 km and 03 hrs from Kuruman)

DAY 02 McCarthy’s Rest – Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park / Mabuasehube Section (Botswana)
Depart to McCarthy’s Rest Border Post. Exit South Africa and enter Botswana. Proceed to Tshabong. Refuel.

Continue on a 02-hour drive on gravel and sand trail through the Kalahari to the Mabuasehube Section in the far eastern part of 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. All species except giraffe are found in Mabuasehube.

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.

Mabuasehube has higher annual rainfall and the landscape is bushier than the western side. The campsites are far apart and very private. Mabuasehube campsites are situated on the edge of big pans, some overlooking waterholes. Afternoon game drive if time allows.
Overnight: One of the camps camping (basic facilities)
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 170 km
Travel time: 05 hrs

DAY 03 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park / Mabuasehube Section
Morning and afternoon game drives in Mabuasehube.
Overnight: One of the camps camping (basic facilities)
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 60 km variable
Travel time: 06 hrs variable

DAY 04 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park / Mabuasehube – 4×4 Excess Trail
Morning game drive. Depart west on the 4×4 Excess Trail to Matopi 01 or Matopi 02 Campsite.
Overnight: Matopi 01 or Matopi 02 Camping (basic facilities)
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 100 km (excluding morning game drive)
Travel time: 05 hrs (excluding morning game drive)

DAY 05 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park / 4×4 Excess Trail – Nossob (South Africa)
Continue on the 4×4 Excess trail to Nossob Rest Camp. This section of the trail runs through a very scenic part of the Kalahari.

Afternoon game drive in the Nossob area, which is known for lion activities and good raptor sightings. Optional 3 hr sunset or 2 hr night drive and 3 hr morning guided walk with Sanparks guide at own cost
Overnight: Nossob Camping
Meals: B, L & D
Distance: 100 km (excluding afternoon game drive)
Travel time: 05 hrs (excluding afternoon game drive)

DAY 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (Botswana)
Game drive south via the Nossob River Valley to Rooiputs Camp Ground on the Botswana side of the Park.

Do an afternoon game drive. The Rooiputs area is known for lion, cheetah, spotted & brown hyena and meerkat sightings. 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: 140 km (excluding afternoon game drive)
Travel time: 06 hrs (excluding afternoon game drive)

DAY 07 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Upington
Game drive to Two Rivers/Twee Rivieren Border Post. Exit Botswana and enter South Africa.

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: 275 km
Travel time: 4 hrs

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.