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Hello Mites

In July/ August of 2014 we are planning to visit South Africa again. As the title says it is going to be our first visit to the Kgalagadi. We are planning to stay 6 nights in the park and definately want to stay 2 nights (starting) at Mata Mata and also 2 nights at Nossob.

We have browsed true the forum a lot and have decided that we would like to experience a wilderness camp because of the remote bush feeling and often spectacular views from the veranda.

We were wondering is there a certain camp which you can’t miss during your stay in the Kgalagadi? (great view or good sightings) Also is it worth driving around if you are staying in a wilderness camp or should you just put your feet up and see what comes by? We are planning to stay 1 or 2 nights in a wilderness camp, depending on the location.

One other question is the car hire choice. On the forum we have read mixed reviews about which car to hire. Is it really necessary to hire a 4x4 in the park considering all the roads will be bone dry in July/August or is a 2x4 just fine?

Please share your personal experiences as we are struggling to make a choice.

Regards.

Hi t-bal,

My choice would be either Grootkolk or Urikaruus.

As for driving vs staying put, wait until you are there and get the latest info.

4x4 is not necessary. The roads are not challenging, just corrugated sometimes, so let your tyres down. You might want a car with a decent spare wheel, not just an aerosol can.

With only 6 nights in the park, I definitely would not recommend including Grootkolk, especially for a first time visitor to KTP. The park is vast and the distances between camps is considerable -- this is not at all like Kruger. I would recommend that you either stick to the three main camps, which will allow you to see most of the park except for the far north. If you want to include a wilderness camp, then choose, for example, to stay at either Twee Rivieren OR KielieKrankie, which are in approximately the same area, or similarly, either at Mata Mata OR Kalahari Tented Camp. And for only 6 nights, I would suggest that you spend 2 nights at each camp that you choose, as travel times between camps are considerable, plus you don't want to waste valuable time with too much packing and unpacking.

HTH and have a great trip!

Hi Bush Baptist and arks

Thank you for your response

May I ask why you would choose one of these 2 camps BB? Because of the view, great game nearby or good accommodation. Further we have had some bad experiences with our wheels in Kruger where 1 spare wasn’t enough, we better bring a couple of spares with us to the Kgalagadi .

Arks thank you for your advice. If we stay 6 days we were planning to stay at 3 camps each for 2 nights. How ether we are flexible considering we are going to the Kruger straight after our visit to the Kgalagadi. We could stay 1 or 2 nights longer so that we could fit in a camp. It all depends on which wilderness camp we are going to stay. We were wondering what you fellow mites believe to be your favorite camp and why?, considering we were struggling to make a choice.

Thanks again for your advise

Regards

Urik has had a lot of drama, like hyenas cornering and killing a gnu under one of the units. The waterhole is very productive for predators. I have never stayed there, but would love to.

GK is near Union's End which is a lovely part of the park and one gets the feeling of remoteness and the park to oneself. Lions often walk between your car and unit to get to the waterhole, and used to enjoy licking the braais before a moderate wall was build on the 'veranda'. When we stayed there it did not happen but there was a huge lion under a tree just outside camp.

If you love a bit of adrenalin, these are for you, but if you like to be 'safe' t-bal, stay in the 3 main camps.

I might have made it sound worse than it is - I have never had a puncture in KTP - but it is always best to be prepared.

Just a warning, this won't be your only Kgalagadi trip.

Hi Bush Baptist

I don’t like to play it safe so Wilderness Camps are defiantly my cup of tea.

I had a look at the topic Predators at picnic sites, waterholes and toilets in KTP and saw plenty of pics that were taken in Urikaruus, it does look amazing.

We were thinking of spending more time in the park which means we do have time to go up north and enjoy the remoteness.

We will be well prepared for tire problems and I will keep your warning in mind.

Thanks again.

Playing it safe has nothing to do with staying in a wilderness camp or not. My first nights ever in KTP were in Nossob and two nights of roaring lions making the chalet and us inside tremble did give me a real bush feeling Once we had Urikaruus and nothing happened al all, the doves flying from the trees to the waterhole was the highlight of this wilderness experience
So do what you would like to do and what is in your opinion worth a visit. Some people always see lions at Marie se draai (and so do we) but I do know people who have never ever seen a lion there!
If you are looking to stay at MM you can stay at KTC instead, it is 4 km from MM but it is a wilderness camp. Nossob is a must, go on a drive or walk, remember it will be cold but hey you coming from the Netherlands will survive this. If you are looking for incredible endless views stay in KK instead of 2R, but it is all up to you. Go and see what KTP has in store for you, don't go to a camp because others told you so. You might raise expectations too high. Go with an open mind and be patient. If Columbus had listened to all the advisors he would have never sailed.......

As Jonkers says, there are no guarantees and your experience will be different.

But I also like to get info beforehand that might be able to assist me in decision making.

My personal favorite was Gharagab,for which you need a real 4WD followed by Grootkolk
But for only 6 days in the park not sure I would recommend Grootkolk
I would certainly pick KTC over Mata Mata.

The thing about the car is that you don't need a true 4x4 for the main roads
That being said, the roads are sandy and rutted and being in a sedan would make for some uncomfortable driving

Hello Mites

Jonkers thank you for your words of wisdom. We are trying to get a general impression of people who have had firsthand experiences of the does and don’ts of the KTP. We always enter the parks open minded and consider every sighting as a bonus. You also mentioned that Nossob is worth doing a bush walk which is an interesting thought as we wanted to do a few walks in Kruger, might be worth spreading them out over the 2 parks? Agree 100% with you on the Columbus theory .

Hi Judik, thank you for your reply. Reading the general replies we have decided to spend 10 nights in the KTP and hire a 4x4 so that we can roam through the entire park without hitting any obstacles. Would give us a better impression of the vastness of the park. Thanks for sharing your personal favorites.

t-bal.... Lucky you but the winter in Europe too

Jully/August will be very, very cold at night

like already said... my prefered are Grootkolk and Urikaruus
we never can't know in advance what will happen or not... but so much atmosphere

try to spend alternatively once in a big camp with electricity, and once in a small without electricity
and definitively 6 days is not enough, try a little bit more, like you said 10 days... is a minimum

Hello Anne-Marie and thank you for your reply.

Grootkolk and Urikaruus seem to be in favor . I know it is not a zoo but the thought of something happening on your doorstep I think is rather exciting.

The electricity tip is a good one, thanks for that . Do none of the wilderness camps have electricity or is there an exception? We thought as an alternative to charge the camera batteries in the car, or is this inadvisable in the cold nights and the hot days of the Kgalagadi?

Thanks again for the reply

2R only electricity 24 hour, MM and Nossob early morning - 21h30? for charging your batteries
wilderness camps, solar power lights and gas for cooking and cooling, so no charging
batteries charger in car works fine, even a solar one, just make sure your recharge batteries are new and not like me and took the old used ones last trip. There I was in the middle of KTP surrounded by 4 young male cheetas and the wrong batteries

I think I never met someone who could not appreciate the wilderness, desolation of Grootkolk and being in that camp a trip to Unions End is 'a do ' Being in Grootkolk and if you do hire a 4x4 you could go to Gharagab and back to Nossob (electricity!!!!!! )

I always carry (and often use) a car charger when in KTP, the kind that works on the cigarette lighter, so you're charging your (extra) batteries whilst driving. And while many prefer a higher vehicle, a true 4WD is only needed if you are going to Bitterpan or Gharagab. I have always visited in a sedan, firstly because IMO a 4x4 is prohibitively expensive for a solo traveller (I'd rather spend those funds on extra nights in the park), and second, I prefer to be more on eye level with the animals rather than looking down on them. Yes, some of the verges are a bit high, but I've never felt that I've been missing anything by being in a sedan.

Have a great trip!

Hello mites

Jonkers thanks for the info about the electricity. We will defiantly make sure we bring the right batteries. I could never forgive myself if that had happened to me.

Hi arks, thanks for your reply. I was wondering if you are allowed to drive the roads of Gharagab and Bitterpan if you don’t spend the night there or is it like Biyamiti , Shimuwini or Sirheni in Kruger where you can only take these roads if you are overnighting there? If that’s the case a 4x4 is not a must and could defiantly save us some money by hiring a 2x4.