Tour 59A: 8 Day Kalahari Lion & Other Predators Chalet 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 03 hr sunset drive and 02 hr night drive on open vehicle with Sanparks guide at own cost at all camps except Gharagap.
Overnight: Family Cottage at Twee Rivieren
Meals: B, L & D (Full Board on all days)

DAY 02 Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park
Game drive north along the Nossob River Valley to Nossob Camp. Afternoon game drive in the Nossob area. The Nossob area is known for lion activities.

Nossob Camp has a hide overlooking an illuminated waterhole.

Afternoon game drive
Overnight Riverfront Chalet at Nossob (Alternative: Standard Chalet at Nossob. See RATES)
Meals: B, L & D

DAY 03 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Game drive north along the Nossob River Valley and 4×4 Trail to Gharaghap Wilderness Camp. Located in the far northern region of the park, Gharagab provide guests with elevated views of Kalahari dunes and the thornveld savannah.

Antelope and predators regularly visit the waterhole in front of the cabins. This is one of the best places to see brown hyena when they come to drink at night at the illuminated waterhole.
Overnight: Log Cabin at Gharagap
Meals: B, L & D

DAY 04 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Do a circular game drive north along 4×4 Trails and the Nossob River Valley or relax at the camp overlooking the waterhole.

Afternoon at leisure
Overnight: Log Cabin at Gharagap
Meals: B, L & D

DAY 05 Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park
Do a game drive along 4×4 Trail and the Nossob River Valley to Nossob Camp.

Afternoon game drive in the Nossob area.
Overnight Riverfront Chalet at Nossob (Alternative: Standard Chalet at Nossob. See RATES)
Meals: B, L & D

DAY 06 Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park
Game drive via Nossob Camp, Upper Dune Road and the Auob River Valley to Mata Mata on the Namibian Border. Mata Mata is situated on the banks of the Auob River Valley. 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, brown and spotted hyena sightings.

Mata Mata Camp has a hide overlooking an illuminated waterhole.
Overnight Riverfront Chalet at Mata Mata (Alter: Std Chalet at Mata Mata. See RATES)
Meals: B, L & D

DAY 07 Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park
Game drive along the Auob River Valley to Twee Rivieren.

Afternoon game drive in the southern Nossob River Valley.
Overnight Family Cottage at Twee Rivieren
Meals: B, L & D

DAY 08 Kgalagadi – 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

Accommodation can vary from the itinerary depending on availability.

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