In the north of the Cape, sandwiched between Namibia and Botswana, is a magical corner of wilderness for serious safaris. Here, Botswana and South Africa have joined forces to protect the wildlife on opposite sides of their border, forming the world's first Transfrontier Park: the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

This consists of about 38,000km² of the Kalahari and was previously split between South Africa's Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Botswana's Gemsbok National Park. Now they have combined into the single Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Being away from most major routes, the park gets few visitors, making it ideal for dedicated game-viewers. Springbok, blue wildebeest, gemsbok, red hartebeest and eland abound, while meerkats, leopards, and black-maned lions add to the entertainment. This is also one of Africa's best safari parks for cheetah, which thrive by hunting in its fossil river valleys and the surrounding Kalahari dunes. The Kgalagadi is also a haven for birders, especially those interested in birds of prey.

If you take your game-viewing safaris fairly seriously, then a Kgalagadi safari can be a real gem, well worth spending at least three or four nights here. However, don't try to just 'drop in' here for a few nights, as you need to spend time in the Kgalagadi on safari to get the best out of the park.

Access is easiest by flying from Cape Town or Johannesburg to Upington, where we can arrange for you to collect a hire car. Alternatively you can visit as part of a fly-drive trip between Cape Town and Windhoek.

Until fairly recently there were only three restcamps in the park, all run by the government: Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Mata Mata.

In the last few years, six small bushcamps have opened, deep in the park: the Kalahari Tented Camp, Grootkolk Camp, Bitterpan Camp, Gharagab Camp, Kielie Krankie Camp and Urikaruus Camp.

Lastly there is now the new, privately owned !Xaus Lodge within a private reserve but still part of the national park. It is run by the San/Bushmen communities – the Mier and Khomani groups.

Approximate driving times

Our trips feature the western side of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, where the roads are all gravel, yet easily accessible with a 2WD. (The Eastern side of the park has a few 4WD-only tracks which are for small expeditions only – and we don't offer trips there.)
You'll drive slowly to maximise your chances of seeing game. At such a moderate pace, with the occasional pause to observe the wildlife, your timings might be:

Twee Rivieren to Nossob - - 3 hours 30 mins
Twee Rivieren to Mata-Mata - - 3 hours
Twee Rivieren to Grootkolk - - 6 hours
Nossob to Bitterpan - - 2 hours 30 mins
Bitterpan to Mata-Mata - - 2 hours

Driving to and from Namibia

The boarder crossing between South Africa and Namibia at Mata Mata is now open!

Tourists from Namibia can use Mata Mata as a day or overnight visitor access point without having to check in with boarder officials at Twee Rivieren as long as you return to Namibia that way. If you leave the park to go into South Africa or Botswana then you have to go through passport control at Twee Rivieren. This is the only passport control on the South African side.

Likewise if you are going to exit South Africa via Mata Mata you need to get your passport stamped at Twee Rivieren.

Please ask us for the latest information.


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