Kalahari Tented Camp, on the western border of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, is an excellent camp in a good location within the national park. Similar to both Bitterpan Wilderness Camp and Grootkolk Wilderness Camp, Kalahari Tented Camp offers a more typical safari experience.
The first of the wilderness camps within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, it was so popular that the park authorities commissioned five further camps, all in a similar mould. However, Kalahari Tented Camp remains just a little bit more luxurious than the other camps, with the rooms having ceiling fans and also with a small pool on site.
With 10 two-bed desert tents, the accommodation is basic, but comfortable. There is no restaurant but if you come well prepared, the self-catering can be a lot of fun. Communal kitchens come well stocked with standard cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery and there are barbeques available for shared use. The chalets come with bedding and towels, but bring some of your own linen too; especially if you're travelling with younger children. You also need to arrive with water and firewood, although there is a shop for essentials at Twee Rivieren, beside the park's entrance.
It is important to note that the camp is completely open to the wilderness, with the animals drawn towards the watering hole and through the camp. There is a 'tourism assistant' on duty at all times at the camp, but often no other staff.
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park have some superb wildlife and the Kalahari Tented Camp is a great base from which to explore it. The national park can offer visitors who put energy and time into their game-viewing superb opportunities for viewing cheetah and also meerkats. With an abundance of all types of flora and fauna, you're also highly likely to see numbers of gemsbok, wildebeest and springbok here. Black-maned male lions rule the prices, and there's also the occasional leopard sighted within the park.
(The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was originally two separate parks on either side of the border: the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park was one of South Africa's national parks, while the Gemsbok National Park, a somewhat larger and more isolated section of the Kalahari was in Botswana. However, combining the two has not only opened up the park to more people, but has helped in the conservation with a unified park authority, allowing the park to flourish).
Kalahari Tented Camp is located fairly centrally within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park; see our Map of the Kgalagadi.
Lodge overview
Lodge type: Safari
No. of bedrooms: 14 tents, plus 1 luxury honeymoon desert tent
Season: Open Year Round
Ideal length of stay: To be fully appreciated, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park needs at least a 4 night stay. 5-7 nights, is more sufficient, incorporating a variety of the camps, such as Kalahari Tented Camp, Bitterpan Camp and Grootkolk. Perhaps even one of the restcamps: Mata Mata, Nossob or Twee Rivieren.
Family holidays: There are 4 family desert tents at the Kalahari Tented Camp which have bunk-beds for children. The camp is a great base for an economic self-drive safaris in a great game park, and there are no age restrictions. The camp has excellent views over its own waterhole, and self-catering is fun for a family.
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for family holidays in South Africa
Honeymoons: One of the tents at the Kalahari Tented Camp is a 'luxury' honeymoon desert tent, and whilst this might not have all the opulence of many of the honeymoon suites that feature – it's a lovely spot. After all, surely a good honeymoon's more about being together in a romantic, remote spot than it is about the fluffy towels.
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for honeymoons in South Africa
Children
Attitude towards children: Children are very welcome
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Kalahari Tented Camp review
We stayed one night at the Kalahari Tented Camp, having spent 2 nights at Grootkolk - so it had a lot to live up to!
The camp is fine - and the facilities are excellent (including the separate ki...
Kalahari Tented Camp review
We arrived back here before 10am but according to the very young boy in charge, the tents were booked up and wouldn't you know we were back in the shabby tent, complete with the hole in the floor ...
We want you to understand more about Kalahari Tented Camp. We're also confident that a trip there with us cost you the same or less than booking it any other way, even directly. So follow the links below.
Kalahari Tented Camp This link will take you directly to the official South Africa National parks website, giving their perspective.
