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Hi we will be travelling to KTP in April from Joburg. I'm looking at either travelling through SA to Upington and up to KTP or looking at travelling via Botswana. I have never been into Botswana and have no idea of what to expect in terms of road conditions,speed limit, scenery, requirements and if there is any benefit in terms of travel distance/time. Are there any funnies at the border posts like Zim with carbon tax and other costs.

I'd really appreciate if someone who's done both routs could offer some advice and info which may not be obvious.

Hi Ingala!
We have travelled both routes. Botswana roads in relatively good condition. The time you save on the road, you spend on filling out a form at the border posts, so timewise both routes are about the same. Going to TR, the borderpost Bokspitz is near Molopo lodge. You will first have to go thru the SA side, then travel about a km to the Bots post. We have had no problems going thru, just forms to fill in. (NB PASSPORT) When you get to Two Rivers(Bots side of Twee Rivieren), you go thru the same process with the forms. Also, when you get to Twee Rivieren, the Sa police will check your vehicle details. Now the SA road - if you are very lucky, the gravel bit would have just been graded Just remember this road is under construction, lots of detours which are heavily used by the construction vehicles and can be in a bad condition. Hope this helps!

I assumed you were travelling to Askam thru Sa, then considering the Bots road. This is what we have done, have not travelled all thru Botswana to KTP.

Please help. Is it possible, or rather allowed, to travel through Kgalagadi direction Nossob, and then travel to Botswana from say Lijersdraai or Grootkolk into Botswana, with a view NOT to return to RSA via Kgalagadi? The plan would be to travel through Botswana and then into Namibia and back to South Africa.

Yes.

Go through border control at Twee Rivieren and at Two Rivers on the Bots side - just make sure you pay your border entry fees for Bots. You then "leave" RSA at the Kaa access road which is near Kannaguas waterhole north of Nossob, and exit the park at the Kaa gate. From there either north to Ncojane or NE to Hukuntsi and Kang.

You haven't mentioned in your post what vehicle you'll be driving, or if you'll be travelling with another vehicle / convoy. The route is definitely 4x4 only (low-range may be needed) and it would be wiser to have backup in the form of another vehicle/s

Hope this helps.

Hi Discobob,
I am not going, sadly! Friends are but as I am the one who loves reading the different forums I said I will try to find out. They will be using a Kia Sportage. From what I have heard they are very capable and reliable.Also light on fuel.
I may also use the information for myself as well in due course. I want to do a Bots trip ASAP, but may only be able to in 2010! I am fully prebooked until then.

Doedsie,

I would advise them against doing this road in a Kia Sportage. It has no low range gearbox AFAIK, and more importantly its ground clearance is too low, so they will end up beaching themselves.

It also sounds as though they will be travelling alone. This road is not busy, if they get stuck they may wait days for another vehicle to come past.

Old shape Sportage before 2007. It does have low range and already good road clearance can be improved by means of a suspension lifter kit. No problem to take in anywhere. I had one and did take it to the extreme.

After that I got the new shape (first the 2007 V6 automatic) - did not even miss the 'missing' low range, although the low ground clearance is a nuisance and may create damage to the drive train (idler bearing housing on the drive shaft). I know because I did that too. I must say that the road up to the Kaa gate and the Swartpan loop was no challenge to this car, but some of the roads on the Bots side may be more challenging.

I swopped that for the Sportage diesel now. Same issues, but enough torque to carry you through. Just completed a trip through Moremi and Chobe over the Savuti sandridge road (even towing an off-road trailer). Some places water over the bonnet, other areas very deep sand. The 'middelmannetjie' becomes an obstacle because of the low road clearance of this vehicle. Did not get stuck once, but the undercarriage took a few knocks and I had to do emergency repairs as a result.

In short, if you know the vehicle you can do it, but take extreme care, otherwise my advice will also be to look at other roads. This car was not designed for that sort of 'abuse' and although reliable I will not do this trip with only one vehicle.

Hi guys,
You are right, Discobob, it is indeed the old shape, and the other vehicle chickened out at the last minute. You know how it goes - very keen until the chips are down. In any event, the guy is a mechanic and knows his way around and there is no way he will put the trip off. Car is also in extremely good nick. I sent him a copy of your and Afri-Exlore's comments. Thanks guys. I must say I have only heard good reports about the old shape Sportage, so I hope they will be OK on their own. If they don't make it, I will be looking for a new secretary.........

We are travelling to the Kgalagadi in August. We are entering from Botswana, staying at Kaa Gate then Nossob and Mata Mata and exiting through the Mata Mata Border Post.

We know that we have to get our exit stamp for South Africa at Twee Rivieren. Do we get our Botswana exit stamp there as well?

Angela

Yep, you can get the Botswana exit stamp at Two Rivers, the Boatswain side of Twee Rivieren.

Hi there,

I'm about to plan my next visit in KTP for March 2010.
By now I was never to the Botswana part.

This time I'd like to take the 2-ways access route to Kaa and stay there before taking the same route back.

Has someone information to share on the general condition of the access route and the Kaa camp?
Any comments wellcome.

Thanks.
Santje

Hi Santje,

welcome to the forums. AFAIK there's no camp at Kaa. There's only the exit gate and the facilities for the guards. The nearest camp ist Thupapedi ehich is 30 km away.

I'm in the happy position to check in out in three weeks.

Leaving Germany Saturday

That is also my information, but we met people on the Kaa to Swartpan road who claimed that they did camp at Kaa?

If you plan to only drive from the SA side to Kaa and back, then I think you can do much better than this trip. There are no waterholes or pans on this 90km section of road and thus less animals - saw only three ostriches on this stretch of road going there and back. The Gemsbok Wilderness trail, or the Swartpan areas have waterholes and therefore game.

Dear afri-explore,
thanks for the advice.
The KTP map states that there is a camp in Kaa. But that's the only source I have for that imformation.

Where exactly is the Gemsbok Wilderness trail? I can not find it marked in the KTP map.

Thanks
santje