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Hi. Could someone please advise me on the best route from Cape Town to KTP. Travelling with children so I'm looking for the shortest, yet safest route.

Many people go to Springbok on the N7, then on the N14 via Pofadder to Upington. From there it's 260km along the R360. This is probably the quickest way because you're on N roads. I personally love to turn off at Vanrhynsdorp and go via Calvinia, Brandvlei, Kenhardt and Keimoes. It's a lonelier road, which is why I like it, but for your purposes you might prefer the route via Springbok. Your kids might even get a kick out of being able to say they've been to Pofadder, which has become almost a symbol of "the back of beyond"! I'd be interested to see what others think.

We are visiting in Sept and after 2 nights in WCNP we have booked accommodation in Clanwilliam then Calvinia then Upington enroute to KTP.
Hoping to travel N7, R27, N14 and R360.

The road via Van Rhynsdorp, Calvinia, Brandvlei, Kenhardt to Upington is 100 km shorter than via Springbok. This is tar all the way and in a good condition, agreed, you do not see much along this road but the same count for the Springbok, Pofadder, Kakamas, Upington road. Unless you intend visiting Augrabies, I will not travel via Springbok.

thanks

There's also a well maintained gravel road that cuts out about an hour. Just after Bitterfontein on the N7 turn right onto the R358 and follow it for about 260kms to Pofadder. You can easily do 80-90km/h on this road.. it's straight and you'll be lucky if you pass another car.

Google Maps link

Our first trip from CT to KTP, went via Springbok......tust me, Poffadder was hot as hell........bakkie overheated......just maybe hubby drove the poor vehicle too hard....... but anyhoo, next trip we went via the Van Rhynsdorp, Calvinia route etc.........much better option in our opinion.........stayed over in Keimoes......one of the best stop-over's ever!

The route via Vanrhynsdorp, Calvinia, Brandvlei etc is pretty good - no roadworks except for the blessed Piekenierskloof Pass between Picketberg and Citrusdal. The road between Citrusdal and VanRhynsdorp is a bit tedious with the trucks but once you turn off the road is fantastic - in good condition and straight as a die most of the time and very little traffic and hardly ANY trucks at all.

We came home in January through Pofadder and Springbok and the road from Springbok to VanRhynsdorp is not straight at all - winds all over the place and is incredibly hilly and not nice at all - plus you get all the trucks to-ing and fro-ing from Namibia on that route so I'd definately say go via Calvinia etc.
I also have an amazing place to stop over in Keimoes - breaks the journey nicely from Cape Town into a good 8ish hour and then a 3 hour journey the next day so you can still get into the park nice and early..

Hi there

well i hope you don't mind a late reply

icurrie and I drove from Cape town to KTP just a couple of months ago, we set ourselves a limit not to drive more than 6 hours aday. well it was our holiday and i don't want to be stuck in a car for all day unless its while i'm in KTP.

1st night we stayed at Paternoster - after spending the day in WCNP
2nd night we stayed in Springbok - next time we will stay in NNP (our B&B in Springbok was a 'comic horror story')
3rd night we stayed at AFNP
4th day drove through Upington - picked up fresh supplies, changed over hire cars (SUV for 4x4) drove onto KTP

i must say i enjoyed the N14 (even better with cruise control) there are lots of animals and birds to spot - mongoose, ground squirrles, bat eared foxes, etc, etc and lots of birds of pray. if we stopped at every sighting we would never have got anywhere.

i hope my imput helps in someway? enjoy your visit

Russ

Askham is about 10-12km before you get to the Molopo/KTP turnoff. Just turn right at the sign (it's well-signposted) and then right again up a short incline to get to the tiny dorp. A left turn at the T-junction will take you to the Shell garage and shop (great for a cold drink, and they used to have really nice pies there, but it's recently under new management so I couldn't vouch for them now).

Always a good tip to fill up - rationing and running out has not been unheard of at KRP, especially at Mata Mata and Nossob...

You have to actually turn right from the R360 into Ashkam, it is about 800M down the gravel road. GPS co-ords: S26.98182 E20.78010

Sorry, I only noticed now that Annie had already replied.

Thanks Annie and Blackie for the info.

Yay - two and a half weeks and we are off to our favorite park again.
As we have always gone up via Calvinia, this time we want to go via Springbok. ANy thoughts on what is quicker? - Given that my SO drives at 90kms an hour as "we are not in any rush". Drives me mad

Bentony, the Calvinia, Brandvlei, Kenhardt road is the quickest (and shortest) route to Kgalagadi.

However, if you do go via Springbok, I would at least stay over at Augrabies for a day as well. There is also a gravel road from just past Bitterfontein (R358) to Pofadder, which cuts out 70km if not going all the way via N7 to Springbok. Be aware however, that this gravel road is about 270 km long and all you see is nature.

The tar road via Springbok is not much change from 100 km longer than the tar road via Calvinia.
Also it is the main route to Nam, so you get trucks & buses.