SANParks.org Forums

Dear Roberte,

Thanks for the information. We do plan to rent a 4x4's for our trip to Kgalagadi. Very useful what you said about fauna, it seems that to go into Botswana and probably the 4 x 4 trails is more for the excitement of driving in difficult conditions. This can be fun, but our focus are the animals....

Cheers
Charbel

Hi Charbel,

Some of the Botswana roads you may only drive when you are staying over at the camps on that route.

Some of them you may drive if you have bought a day visitors permit at Twee Rivieren.

Please ask at the Botswana front desk at Twee Rivieren where you may drive and where not.

Enjoy your stay

Thanks Lion Queen for the useful information,
It seems increasingly complicated to go into the Botswana side for someone who likes to plan in advance like me....

Cheers
Charbel

Hi friends,
Sorry to bother you, but for planning our trip to Kgalagadi, your help is being essential. I'd like to bring two more doubts.

1. We will be in Kgalagadi next june, and I read that the temperature varies on average from 0.5 to 23. Living in a tropical country, I got worried about how much cold we will experience in the chalets in the main camps and, most of all, in the desert tents in the wilderness camps. Is it too freezing? I see no heating is available, but what about blankets. are they in extra number for those chilling tropical guys?

2. I read that we need to ask permission to game drive every day, so that the park team can know where we are. In the case of the main camps, it is clear that we simply go to the reception and ask for the permission every day. But what about the wilderness camps? It is like that? When we are in Kalahari Tented Camp, we ask permission in Mata Mata. As we will stay two days there, can we get permission for two days when we check in in Mata Mata? We would also need to ask permission for Kieliekrankie the day before in Twee Rivieren, and for Grootkolk and Gharagab one and two days in advance in Nossob. That's how we do?


Cheers
Charbel

Hi Charbel,

1. There are extra blankets in all the units........just take a long some beanies and nice warm socks. If possible buy some hot water bottles in Upington before you go to the park.

2. All the wilderness camps have their own attendants who live at these wilderness camps.......so in the evenings you hand in your permit with them and in the mornings before you go out for the drive you go and collect your permit from them. So no need to get "permission" from TR or any of the other main camps.

Dear Lion Queen,
Thanks for more useful information!

All the best
Charbel

Hi friends,
I'd like to ask you how could I confirm if these activities will happen in Nossob in the following days:

Sunset drive - June 7th 2013

Morning walk - June 8th 2013

Could someone also tell me at what time sunset drives and morning walks begin and end?

Cheers
Charbel

Hi there charbel.

Kindly send me an email with the requested dates for the activities to jan.kriel@sanparks.org and I will make the bookings for you.

The sunset drives in June starts at 17h00 (S.A.Time- since people forget to set their time)
The morning walks start at 07h00.

Hope it helps

Dear Kgalagadi Guru,
Thanks for the information. As soon as we set the final dates I'll write you to make the reservations.

Could I ask you also for how long the sunset drive and the morning walk lasts?

Also, is there still a meerkat colony inside Twee Rivieren?

Cheers
Charbel

charbel,

The activities as requested lasts about 3 hours.
Regarding the meerkat colony inside the camp, they haven’t been seen lately but meerkats do change their den sites often and will move around. They might still come and visit their site within the camp again.

Regards

Dear Kgalagadi Guru,
Thanks!
Planning almost done...

Cheers
Charbel

I'd like to thank you! My planning is done for Kgalagadi June 2013:


June 1 – Twee Rivieren
June 2 - Kieliekrankie
June 3-4 – Kalahari Tented Camp
June 5 – Twee Rivieren
June 6-8 – Nossob
June 9 - Gharagab
June 10 – Grootkolk
June 11 – Nossob
June 12 – Twee Rivieren

Any ideas or suggestions, please tell me.


Cheers
Charbel

I am reading trip reports to Kgalagadi and was prompted to ask:

How corrugated are currently the roads in Kgalagadi? Am I expecting too much if I plan to drive at 40Km/h in the roads?

I also read in one trip report that someone forgot to "deflate our tyres and proudly apply our yellow ribbon". I guess this means to take some air out of the tyres. Is this very important? About the yellow ribbon, have not idea about what does it mean.

And what about sightings? Are they too rare in Kgalagadi?

Cheers
Charbel

Hi Charbel,
As for the yellow ribbon. All forumites attach a yellow ribbon on the driver side mirror. This is for other forumites to recognise you and have a quick chat. It is a great chance to meet other forumites

Hi,
Great to know about the yellow ribbon. I'll attach one when I'm there.

Any information about the tyres, my planned driving velocity, and the sigthings?

Cheers
Charbel