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Afternoon Lusitano, Is it possible that we could have a translation here please?

Dear Carlos,
Without any problem, roads in Namibia are great. I use those roads in jan/fev this year to my first trip KTP.
I hope your trip be nice like my was.
I'm here for what you need best regards.

NOW EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND AND NOT ONLY THAT ONES WHO SPEEK PORTUGUESE

Thanks Lusitano

Rapidly reading through four pages of postings I haven't found anything on the fees payable when crossing to Namibia at Mata Mata. I understand there is some fee payable at the point of crossing if driving a South Africa-registered vehicle, even if other paperwork has already been procured.

Can anyone say how much this fee is and in what currency it needs to be paid? Cash only or credit card?

Also any comment on required paperwork to make the crossing would be welcome.

With thanks.

Peter N-H

Hello Portuguese speaking travellers,

I posted a question long ago and went on a photographic expedition I just returned to see a couple of replies written in the Portuguese language. I thought Portuguese speakers don't travel further down than Angola - I am wrong.

Thank you for your info about the C15, I am leaving on the 20th May for two weeks entering the park through Mata Mata gate, I'm breaking the journey from Windhoek in two - I believe in arriving ready for action. An 8 hour non-stop drive was OK when I was 20 y.o., now than I'm wiser - Nao senhor.

Thank you my Portuguese friends for the advice. I'll report back on my return provided the lions leave my rented 4x4 alone.

CARLOS

The normal fee is a road tax - R150-00, payable in ZAR or N$ and another R100 if you tow a trailer. I have used credit cards at Noordoewer, but you should rather plan for cash at Mata Mata - technology may play up at smaller border posts.

They may ask for vehicle (temporary import) documents. If it is a hired vehicle talk to the hire company. If it is registered in your name, but under a hire purchase agreement from a bank, you will need permission from the 'legal' owner (the bank) to take the vehicle out of SA. This can be obtained form your bank. Make sure that the insurance do cover the vehicle in other countries that you may visit.

Hello, I will drive next august from Sesriem to Mata Mata. I think that it should be around 600 km. Does anybody know if it is possible to do in a day or how many ours does it take? Which could be a good place to sleep in the way from Sesriem to Mata Mata? Hardap close to Mariental?

Thanks

Hardap is around 350 kilometers so a bit over 4 hours. The C19 is a good road.
But if you want to split the drive in two anyways, why not do a more scenic one?

The C27 to Helmeringhausen, C14 to Goageb and B4 to Keetmanshoop?
Sleep at the Kokerboomforest (quivertree forest, google it) and then a straight and easy C16 to Rietfontein and up to Twee Rivieren?
Depends of course on where your first night in KTP is going to be..

Hi;

Quite unexpectedly the opportunity to visit the Kgalagadi has presented itself and I'd like to know if the route I'd like to do is possible (traveling in the end of July).

We'll be making our way south through Namibia on a 4wd with a roof top tent (coming from northern Botswana) and would like to enter the Kgalagadi from the road to Aranos and exit from Mata Mata.

Ideally we'd like to spend 4 nights in the park in late July in the following camps:
- 1st and 2nd nights: Camping at Nossob
A few questions on this first stop:
1) Is it realistic to drive to Nossob from Mariental in one day?
2) Is camping an option at either Grootkolk or Gharagab?

- 3rd and 4th night: Mata Mata
3) If camping is available at Bitterpan we could spend our 3rd night there.

Other than the any advise you can provide on the route itself, driving distances, etc... is it possible to do this route with the described border crossings?

Thanks in advance for your help and advise!

Warm welcome to the forum, Agrinyo

I can help you with #2 and 3.

No camping options at Grootkolk, Gharagab and Bitterpan.

Do hope that you will be able to visit the Kgaladadi though !

Thanks DuQues for your quick response.

I liked to stay at Nossob campsite but there is no availability on the whole month of august, so I will depart from Sesriem and I will try to arrive as close to Mata-Mata as possible in 1 day to drive next day to Potenswa because I have got 1 night at the following campsites:

Potenswa (Botswana side)
Garaghab
Mata Mata
Hobab (Fish river canyon)

Do you think that we have time enough to enjoy the park and to avoid very long drives through Namibia? Do you suggest a different route? I think that the border post of Union´s End is not open. Isn´t it?

Thank you and regards

You wil be spending quite some time on the road - but in my view it is still worth it.

Entering through Mata Mata you will have to be early. The drive to Tweerivieren and then to Nossob and Polentswa (as far as I know you will have to go to Two Rivers first in order to get your Botswana immigration stamp) will take a whole day!

From there to Kharagab is also quite a distance, especially the last day back to Mata Mata. Remember: the roads in the park are quite bad - slow driving is the only way to cope!

Despite the driving: you'll enjoy the visit!

Thank you Vlakvark5,

I think that if you enter and exit the park through the same gate you do not need to stamp the passport. However, I will cross to the Botswana side to sleep in Potenswa. I assume that the Botswana border post will be at the entrance of the park but not on the other side of the Nossob river to cross to Potenswa. Is it right?

Thanks for all the help of the forum, because to visit this park is not very easy.

tomascevsky.. just wishing you a warm welcome to the forums ..so glad you got some answers to your questions.

Tomascevsky if you don't want to leave the park into Botswana you don't have to do any border formalities for the nights in Polentswa.

For example we went from Upington into Botswana and had to exit SA at Twee Rivieren, then enter Botswana at Two Rivers before we left into Botswana at Kaa gate after some days in the park.

If we hadn't left into Botswana there was no need to do any border formalities.