The road to Kgalagadi

Bordered by Namibia, South Africa and Botswana, the 37 256 km² Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park provides a haven in the arid environment for a plethora of wildlife.Water from boreholes in the dry Auob and Nossob riverbeds attracts antelopes, big cats and everything in between. The area is characterised by vegetated red dunes and camelthorn trees adorned with sociable weaver nests. It’s a medley of dramatic desert colours presenting an unexpected soft desert beauty in the dry Kalahari.GETTING THEREKgalagadi provides an alternative route when travelling between South Africa and Namibia, with an opportunity for an exciting Kalahari experience in between.From Windhoek, take the C20 towards Stampriet before Mariental. From here, follow the gravel C15 via Gochas for 250 km until the Mata Mata entrance. There is plenty to see and various accommodation establishments to overnight at if you are not in a hurry at the towns along the route.For instance, just a few kilometres from Mariental, you can visit the Hardap Dam and enjoy the views of Namibia’s second-largest dam. You can also stop at the Lapa Lange Game Lodge and enjoy a wide range of activities that include walks in the game camp, game drives, cheetah feedings or just relaxing next to the waterhole and watching a variety of game (30 species) come to drink. Lapa Lange is situated about 35 km from Mariental. At the River Chalets in Mariental, while mom and dad enjoy some refreshments, the kids can play in the mini zoo and for a small fee, get a bucket full of goodies to feed the animals. A jumping castle is set up for special occasions and over weekends, and there are also swings, a jungle gym, a slide, trampolines, a see-saw, and a tyre tunnel.The town boasts a Spur and a Wimpy for those who want a quick bite to eat while refuelling their vehicles. Stampriet is located 64 km northeast of Mariental. The town is known for its beauty and its rich cultural heritage. Amongst others, it offers the Stampriet Historical Guesthouse and Indigo Self Catering as some accommodation options. Gochas is 110 km southeast of Mariental and 64 km southwest of Stampriet en route to the Mata Mata border post towards the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The town lies on the banks of the Auob River, 1 150 metres above sea level.Gochas has a few small shops, a fuel station and an airstrip, but the beauty of the surrounding red Kalahari dunes with their feathery golden tufts of grass, make it a popular stop for travellers heading towards the Mata Mata border post. Make sure to pop in at Stoney’s Hotel where you will be welcomed with open arms and an ice-cold beer. Several German Schutztruppe graves can be seen at the cemetery in town, and a few monuments along the C15 commemorate battles which took place along the Aoab River.Mata Mata border post is open from 08:00 to 16:30. Twee Rivieren in the south is the border post to South Africa and is open from 07:30 to 16:00. From here, it’s a 265 km drive on the tarred R360 to Upington. EXPLORING KGALAGADI Where the red dunes and scrub fade into infinity and herds of gemsbok, springbok, eland and blue wildebeest follow the seasons, where imposing camelthorn trees provide shade for huge black-maned lions and vantage points for leopard and many raptors... This is the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.Twee Rivieren is the park’s largest rest camp and administrative headquarters. It is situated on the banks of the dry Nossob River. Activities and facilities are diverse, as are the animals and plants found both within the camp and in the surrounding areas. Twee Rivieren has a reception, shop, fuel, restaurant, information centre and swimming pool. This is the only camp with 24-hour electricity and cell phone reception.Kgalagadi offers premium mammal viewing destinations anywhere thanks to the sparse vegetation and concentration of animals in the dry riverbeds of the Auob and Nossob rivers.It is especially renowned for predator watching and for the seasonal movement of large herbivores such as blue wildebeest, springbok, eland and red hartebeest. Ground squirrels and suricates (meerkats) are two more of the park’s more prominent species.Both these ground-dwelling species live in large family groups for added protection and can easily be seen throughout the park. Keep an eye out for the honey badger (ratel), pangolin (scaly anteater) and bat-eared fox. However, it is the predators that are the park’s biggest attraction and there are excellent chances of seeing cheetahs, leopards, brown and spotted hyenas and the black-maned lion.The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park has a list of approximately 280 species of which only about 92 are resident. The remainder comprises mainly nomadic, migratory and vagrant species, which number about 17, 50 and 121 respectively.A variety of raptors may be seen, the most common being the tawny and black-breasted (chested) snake eagle, bateleur, white-backed and lappet-faced vulture, as well as smaller species such as pale chanting goshawk, goshawk, pygmy falcon and greater kestrel.Less common are the martial eagle and red-necked falcon. Barn, spotted and Verreaux’s (giant) eagle owls are common, while pearl-spotted owlets, white-faced and African Scops owls may also be seen.Larks and sparrow larks (finch larks) are abundant, particularly after good rains which is also a good time to see seed-eaters such as violet-eared waxbill, black-throated canary, shaft-tailed whydah and lark-like bunting. Kori bustard is common along both the Auob and Nossob riverbeds with Ludwig’s bustard being relatively common during summer.USEFUL INFORMATIONDAY VISITSThere are communal ablution facilities at Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Mata Mata rest camps and picnic sites at Melkvlei (50 km north of Twee Rivieren), Dikbaardskolk (56 km south of Nossob) and at Kamqua (between Twee Rivieren and Mata Mata).SPEED LIMITSAdhere to the speed limits of 50 km/h in the park and 20 km/h in the rest camps.Speeding on dirt roads is detrimental to the environment. Animals often stand motionless next to the road and are not easily seen when driving at high speed. Numerous animals are run over by fast-moving vehicles. By travelling slowly, you also produce less dust. Furthermore, the roads are narrow with sharp turns and are dangerous when travelling at high speed.Access to the Park can be gained through five gates in three different countries.From South Africa access is through the Twee Rivieren gate; from Namibia through the Mata-Mata gate; and from Botswana through the Two Rivers, Mabuasehube and Kaa gates.Passports are not required for entry unless departure is planned through a different gate into another country. However, passports must be shown by day visitors to Namibian immigration officials.NAMIBIA: The border post at Mata Mata for both countries has now opened. The following applies:&bull; Guests have to spend a minimum of two nights in the park.&bull; Clearing customs and immigration for South Africa at Twee Rivieren&bull; Day visitors from Namibia must show their passports to the Namibian customs and immigration even if they are returning to Namibia the same day.

The road to Kgalagadi

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-29

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The road to Kgalagadi

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-29

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