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Dear Hippotragus and BB,
Thanks for all the information. Our plan is indeed to fill the whole fuel tank whenever we can and buy mineral water to have at least 10l every time with us in the car. The friend who will go with me basically does not drink water but onnly juices. So, also 10l of juice every time in the car.

Very useful to have the information on the tyre pressure. We will try to get a gauge as Son Godin suggested, but maybe we do not succeed. Do you have any suggestions about how to avoid decreasing the pressure too much. As far as I understand, we just open up the valve in the tyres and let some air escape. That's it? If it is, could be hard to control the thing...

About Gharagab, let me ask you. We are not experience 4 x 4 trail drivers. Did we make a mistake in reserving Gharagab (because we can simply get stuck in the way there) and would better change our reservations?

Finally, could someone tell me if I find shops nearby Upington airport, and where do I find them. It would save time not to enter too much in the city and go immediately to Kgalagadi.

I also checked in Google Maps the road from Upington to Kgalagadi. It seems simple. We get out of the airport and get 10 road and then R360 up to Twee Rivieren. I see there are some bifurcations we should not get along the road and I see that there is no town in the way. Is that true? Better not to get lost and leave Upington with a full tank. Thus, I'd like to ask: is the road well signed, so that we can easily follow our way? I guess GPS works in the road from Upington to Kgalagadi, but I'd like to confirm.

Also, does GPS work inside the park, as in Kruger?

Cheers
Charbel

to deflate, the man at the petrol station will do for you
the road Upington to Twee Rivieren is almost straight, you can't be lost... even a blond found her way

GPS works even inside the park
no, no don't cancel Gharagab, never went (alone) but it seems to be genial

Charbel as AM says..........very easy to get there and GPS works in the park.

There is huge direction signs along the way..............

Once you are on the R360, you go about 190 km and then there is a signposted turn off to the right that takes you to the gate at 2R.

Your car should be full of fuel when you get it.

Charbel - the road in and out of Gharagab is not bad at all. We did not go into low ratio 4x4 at all - just put it in high ratio 4x4 as a precaution. Don't miss out on a wonderful camp - it gives you a wonderful feeling of what the KTP is all about. We spent 2 nights there at the end of June 2012 and wished we could have stayed longer. There is a waterhole right in front of the camp and we had lions there and also a brief sighting of a brown hyena. The camp attendant was great, too. You will have the right vehicle and won't have any problems at all.

My friends,
It's incredible how helpful you are! I am glad to know that the petrol station guy can help us in deflating the tyres and, as the Gharagab road is not that bad, probably we'll not need to deflate by ourselves there.

Nice to know about the road to KTP and GPS working there.

My final worry is, then, the freezing temperature in June. Lion Queen already told me that they have not only blankets in the accommodations but also extra blankets. I hope this is also true for the wilderness camps.

My plan is to bring two very warm coats, which were enough when I lived in Copenhagen, so, probably good for KTP, and all the other stuff I can. I even had a nightmare this night after reading a trip report where the person told how freezing was in the tents in Kalahari tented camp, and this was may, not june... Have to be well prepared to avoid spoiling the trip for that....

Let me invite you to take a look at "travel tales". I am putting together a TR for our travel to Kruger there.

Cheers
Charbel


1 June 2013 - Twee Rivieren
2 June 2013 - Kieliekrankie
3-4 June 2013 - Kalahari Tented Camp
5 June 2013 - Twee Rivieren
6-8 June 2013 - Nossob
9 June 2013 - Gharagab
10 June 2013 - Grootkolk
11 June 2013 - Nossb
12 June 2013 - Twee Rivieren

put a bottle of hot water in the bed
we have much more cold in Europe, this winter minus 15° during 3 weeks, night and day...
but we have appartments with radiators and normaly not less than 17/20° inside

once in the bed... it's just difficult... well very difficult to go out of the bed, then put several pile of T-shirts and when the sun arrive, take off one by one... until

you know Copenhague... but don't compare with Brazil

will have a look at travel tale

Dear Anne-Marie,

We will have to face the coldness, thanks for the nice ideas!

Cheers
Charbel

in replay to your Q. in "Trip report - Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, June 2012"
about the Barn Owl...

will search and wait the time needed

Veertiende = 14th
Dertiende = 13th (a little bit like in German... for me )
it's the right reply to your question
sorry I speak French and sometime I mix a little bit questions

Dear Anne-Marie,
Thanks. The problem was not of maps, but of language.

Anyway, exploring google maps, I see that we can get detailed images of Kgalagadi. This will be great for planning.

I was beginning to do so by taking a look at the entrance in Twee Rivieren/Two Rivers. Here is the image:
http://www.4shared.com/office/wxWOnDl5/ ... rance.html

As far as I can get from the image in the link the chalets and cottages are to the left, while the camping is too the right. Is this correct?

By the image it also seems that we turn right coming from R360 and then find the entrance gate coming back to R360 to reach the chalets and cottages (if they are where I am guessing they are).

Am I right in guessing all that?

Cheers
Charbel


1 June 2013 - Twee Rivieren
2 June 2013 - Kieliekrankie
3-4 June 2013 - Kalahari Tented Camp
5 June 2013 - Twee Rivieren
6-8 June 2013 - Nossob
9 June 2013 - Gharagab
10 June 2013 - Grootkolk
11 June 2013 - Nossb
12 June 2013 - Twee Rivieren

on parle la même langue

the photo is too small, I can't see, and I don't want to subscrite...
quand on arrive à Twee Rivieren, il y a un grand building pour l'entrée (+ la douane pour le Botswana)
when we arrive at TR, there is big building and the custom for Botswana
ensuite le camping à gauche et tout en haut de la pente, le restaurant et le magasin sont à gauche, les bungalows à
droite then camping, then to the left side the unic restaurant of the park and the shop, then to the right side bungalows
il y a aussi quelques bungalows à gauche
the is also some bungalows to the left side
on peut demander pour voir le Guru, dans le grand bâtiment à côté de l'épicerie
we can ask for the Guru in the big building (old reception) near the shop
je ne me souviens plus des nos des routes, mais c'est vraiment très facile, c'est tout droit et on tourne une fois à droite, attention je trouve la route dangereuse, ils posent maintenant des glissières. Il y a de gros signaux.
I can't remember the nr of the roads, but very easy, straight on and one turn to the right. Very easy, big signals

Je ne sais pas si j'ai bien répondu
I don't know if I reply correctly

see you soon... in the park

PS if you have an E-mail adresse...pm me (the button is at the bottom of this message), I will send you the old map they give to us... many moons ago... this one I like

Dear Anne-Marie
So, you'll be there at the same period we will be. What is your itinerary?

Cheers
Charbel

have a look here

Dear Anne-Marie
Still not listed June 2013, when I'll be at KTP....

Cheers
Charbel

Hi Charbel

Gharagab is a so peaceful and so beautiful place. Be sure you've made a very good choice !
I have been there this July. The track to drive there is not so difficult. As Hippotragus I did not used low ratio and I am a 4x4 beginner too.
Just : drive slowly slowly (to see landscape and to drive safetly) , with deflated tyres (1,3 for me). When you don't have speed enough : reverse and try again.
Just be careful (don't speed) when you go the dunes down : some quite tight corners.
May be some more experienced driver will have some better advice for you
The landscapes .... GREAT !
I hope you'll have a great time there in red sand dunes it is a so nice place !
... and hope this helps and despite my bad english language (sorry, i am french )
yvo