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I know, I know... This may seem like a stupid question. But let me elaborate...

The Bushbuddies usually only get 1 week off in December, during which we usually holiday with family in Stilbaai. This year we were lucky. We will take leave 14 Dec to 1 Jan! We will still spend most of the time in Stilbaai with the family, but we wanted to add a bit of bush to our holiday. We already booked for Karoo National Park on our way down to Stilbaai for the 14-15 Dec. It will be our first time there and looking forward. Then we'll be in Stilbaai till at least the 26th of December (Christmas with the family). Now we have one of two scenarios after that:

A) Leave Stilbaai on 26 December and drive up to Upington to sleep over there. Enter KTP on 27 Dec with the itinerary as follows: 27 Dec - TR, 28,29 and 30 Dec - Kalahari Tented Camp, 31 Dec - TR (Doing the midnight drive there as well). Out early on 1 Jan, and all the way back to Pretoria from TR on 1 day.

B) Relax a bit longer in Stilbaai, and leave there on 30 Dec. Spend 30 and 31 Dec in Mokala (which will be on our way back) and do the last stretch from Mokala to Pretoria on 1 Jan.

We do want the holiday to be relaxed and not feel rushed. This leans towards option B - as driving 1100km on 1 Jan doesn't sound like a lot of fun... But we haven't been to KTP since June 2010, and really LOVE the place. We would love to see it again.

What would you do? Is 5 nights in KTP enough for the long drive up from Stilbaai and then another long drive back to Pretoria? Should we rather take it easy and see Mokala for the first time - or will we regret not going to KTP?

SO and I are both sitting at 50/50 currently...

Ja/Nee.

Do you want rare antelopes - Mokala, Look here

Do you want cats and raptors - KTP

Three days in KTP, two in Mokala, then you not doing 1100km in one stretch

Lions, leopards, cheetahs - Kgalagadi YES

Kudu.s ens. - Mokala

Easy. I love both but we will be at Nossob from 28 - 31 Desember then to Mabuasehube.

Exactly my point!



Look guys - it is easy to choose the park. KTP for sure! BUT it will be a bit of a sacrifice in time spent on the road. And my question is just - if I spend 5 nights there - will all the rest not be ruined by one 1100km drive back to start working the very next day??? So do I choose the best park, and the bad drive, or the best drive with the second choice park...

Ja-nee....

Go for it!

Rest at work!

Visiting the parks is not restful, I get back knackered and go to work the next day to recover.

Heck when I visit my children in the UK, the plane gets in early and I have a quick shower before going to work.

Leave is too precious to waste.

If the road from KTP to Johannesburg was in a good condition without road works and hold-ups, and keeping in mind that the whole of SA will be travelling home at the same time, I'd say go to KTP, but because of the extensive roadworks around Kuruman, it becomes a very long and very tiring journey. If you go to Mokala, you have less distance to travel on better roads. Take into consideration your family members, and see how they feel about travelling under such conditions. I'd go for Mokala (my head tells me so), and maybe save KTP for another time when there's less pressure. We stayed at Lilydale rest camp, and loved every minute of it. (having said that, we've just managed to get a 7 night booking at KTP over Easter next year )

Thanks for your opinion, Lonehill_Birders! Oh my - I was not aware of the road... do you think there may be a chance of the roadworks being completed by Dec 2013? Who knows... It's SA! For now, we actually have the booking for KTP. SO is fine with the idea of driving far on the last day. Will have to keep an eye on that road situation...