SANParks.org Forums

hi there!!!
Does anyone know what the tyre pressure must be on a land rover defender in kgalagadi?

Juanita

3 weeks till kgalagadi yay!!!!!!!

Hi JuanitaMK check this out from the index

1.5 on the gravel roads and then 1.2 on the 4x4 jeep tracks.
nice and simple.

Thank you so much!!!
regards
Juanita

Juanita,

After just returning from KTP now, I would recommend your tyre pressures on 1.2 bar for the gravel roads as well. Even with a heavy laden vehicle, you still drive at slow speeds thus tyre de-beading will not be an issue. You will have a so much more comfy drive on the roads with your tyre pressures really low down without any worries.

Dear All,

Just to inform you the 'Closed Road' will be handed over to the new contractors today, they are in a meeting actually as we speak. I will inform you with more detail as soon as they have come out of the meeting on when the contractors will start and when they should be finished.

Other than that the roads are not in a bad condition although there are parts on the Nossob road with some corrugations but that is due to speeding in the park

KG

I last visited Kgalagadi some 7 years ago, and the internal roads were - at that time - pretty lousy! I blew the back shocks of my brand new car!! We're planning a return visit in the first half of this year and a lot of so-called 'experts' have espoused gloom and doom about the roads. Badly levelled, badly corrugated, sand heaps (from grading) 'as high as your car's windows'.... all the usual stuff.
I accept that my little car isn't going to travel on 4X4 routes, and I accept that deflated tyres and careful driving are all part of visiting this magnificent place....but ARE the roads 'virtually undriveable' and 'like minefields' as these prophets of doom keep saying??

Anyone been down there recently?? I'd love your opinions

Thanks Jan - so 1 can still drive North with the short detour via Bots side, without any permit issues?

I did 2 weeks ago!

It is the only way to KijKij except for the dune road.

Yes you would be able to.

Great news!

No. Although the roads at some places may be very corrugated, they are not a ' minefield' nor 'undriveable '.Be careful with your 'little' car and you should be fine!Enjoy your trip!

No they are NOT !!!!

Yes, they do get corrugated and yes verges on the side of the road are a high in places. We were in the park from 26th Dec to 2 Jan and the roads were not too bad at all. There were a few corrugated patches but if you deflate your tyres correctly it should not be too bad. The roads are graded regularly so more than that one cannot expect. I will definitely put up with the corrugations to witness the following....

Have been 'up' there same time as Caracal and I agree with her.

The Mata Mata road could have been better, but if you deflate your tyres properly, the ride is smoother, unless you have these rubbish skinny wafer tyres.

Welcome to the forum George P M, hope you will have a great time here.

I see you have asked for guests who have visited the park lately to comment, hopefully working here would fall under the same category

Yes the roads were on the bad side quite a few months ago, but KTP is doing all they can to keep the roads in good condition. Every single road in the park is graded at least once a month and the section rangers also drag tyres once a week to smooth out the corrugations. During the busy times like school holidays the roads are dragged more than once a week. KTP has also now has a 4x4 tractor which is only used to drag the roads more often and I can honestly say that there is a huge improvement.

As you have mentioned if guests keep to the simple rules of speeding, deflating tyres etc then the roads are not a problem. Rain and wind also plays a role at the end of the day.

KG