Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Less crowded than other parks, as it is not so easily accessible; so you feel more frequently in the bush than in other places. Landscapes are particular as it is a semi desertic dry savana; wildlife is abundant but road network is limited

It is the wilderness paradise, lonely, large, and far from anywhere.

Animal sightings were tremendous - Gemsbok. Not crammed with people, rolling thunderous storm that hit the plains - incredible.

The park is excellent for photographing the animals and birds, especially the big cats.

The park offers so much in terms of very often a exclusive opportunity to be with wild game, be it the many different antelope species found there or some of the big cats like, cheetah, leopard and lion. Another plus is the fact that one gets quite close to the animals since most are very tamed. Then if one is real lucky, a kill by a predator is often seen in the park by visitors, so for photography, it's excellent. There are two points in my view that needs attention, namely the bad condition of the gravel roads and lately also the pile-up of vehicles at a "cat-sighting" that seems to occur more-and-more.

Utterly fabulous, if you like that sort of thing

Kgalagadi is a superb place to visit at any time of the year, but November/December marks the transition from the end of the dry season as the rains can come at any point. It's hot, very hot, but worth is to see some incredible wildlife at close hand. The heat and lack of vegetation means a lot of action around the waterholes - great for predators but not so much fun for the prey. The landscape is, at times, breathtaking (if you like it dry and empty). Steer clear of the madding crowd around Twee Rivieren, head up to Mata Mata and/or Nossob for a wonderful and exciting experience but be prepared for basic accomodation.

I'm a pro wildlife photographer and I've been three times now (December, March and June). It's my favourite destination and I just love this park.

A great desert and wildlife experience

The KTP is full of different species and it's a great experience to see the animals in their life space. The best at the KTP is the experience of the Gharagab tented camp. We are alone on this camp and the road is a single track to the camp, a bit more difficult than the normal tracks but truly 4x4. The view is without any limit and we can have an idea of the dimensions of the Kalahari desert. Wildlife is everywhere and there is always some animals to observe.

A wonderful destination off the beaten path

We spent almost a week in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the long drive was worth it. The rugged but beautiful scenery of the Kalahari is certainly one highlight of the park, being the other the high chance of viewing one or several of Africas big cats. In total we saw several lions and three cheetahs and could observe and enjoy them without the rush as in many other parks.
Entry and exit via Mata-Mata was easy and stress-free. For exploring the park by your own, a 4WD vehicle is highly recommended, as there are many sandy passages. The campsites on the South-African side of the park were very-well maintained and while Nossob, Mata-Mata and the wilderness camps give you a great and authentic experience, Twee-Rivieren is busier but still recommended for a night stay in order to explore the surroundings. The heat during the day was bearable in July but be prepared for the cold to freezing nights during the winter months.
Overall, this park is highly recommended if you want to enjoy unspoiled nature and can live with the fact that you won't be able to see the big fives.

Cats, bucks, and dust

They say that Kalahari lions are the most beautiful in the world. They are.
They say that the Kgalagadi Park is the best park to see cats. It is.
The park is relatively small, with just two main road following the beds of the two rivers.
The landscapes are not amazing.
But the cats surely are! If you stay a few days. it is most probable that you will spot not only lions, but cheetahs and leopards.
I went in June, at the beginning of the dry season: a lot of dust and low vegetation, perfect if you are a photographer.
If you are not staying the the main camp, you need to be self-accommodated and self-catering. Be well organised for the night, since it gets really cold.
I was self-driving, and I had a 4x4. A 4x4 is not necessary (good dirt roads in the park), but for sure it makes your trip more confortable.

Escape to the beach.. without the water

Kgalagadi, pronounced by making a "k" sound followed by 2 successive throat clearings, is the real Kalahari. Real as in the small trees and bush on the nearest town on the map, a town called Hotazel, are replaced by sand. So much sand that Sand Surfing is a local sport. The temps while we were there were just over 40C during the day, a hint of sun, but luckily the nights cooled off to the low 20's- desert living at its finest.

Along with the day drives where all the animals are fast asleep by the watering holes in the rarity that is the shade, the Kgalagadi comes alive in the night time. with only 1 night in the park, to the night drive we went.

The best way to make friends when stuck in a confined space? Beer. Between a dozen people 'stuck' in the moving elevator that was the open topped Land Rover for our night drive, we were the guys dragging a cooler of beer onto the bakkie (bakkie = truck in the SA). 15 minutes in, the whole drive was friends. Sadly this was about the same time we got away from the camp and back into park. While the temperatures fell the animals rose. The bakkie was equipped with a few spotlights, so we took turns spotting the animals. Over the course of the drive, of all the animals we saw, by far the most exciting was an African Wild Cat. More rare than lions, the african wild cat was out hunting alone, had a moment in the spotlight, and was gone.

From the beachless dunes, to the black maned lion, to the beers with paap 'n vleis, the Kgalagadi was an excellent escape from anything resembling a cookie-cutter holiday package and the memories I walked away with won't be found in any other park in Africa.

Klaar

A completely unique, unrivalled experience!

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) is a long way from civilisation, but the trip is definitely worth it.

We stayed for approx. 10 days and in that time we saw a stunning selection of animals and birds, ranging from cheetahs, leopards and lions to springbok, wildebeest and tiny field mice.

The weather during our stay was just about right. Being winter in the desert, it did get cold at night (about -6 degrees Celsius), but temperatures reached 25-30 C during the day.

We stayed only in the three main camps of Twee Rivieren, Mata Mata and Nossob. The accommodation was comfortable, well equipped and clean. However, remember that the shops only have the bare essentials, so it is advised to take all supplies with you.

Of course, the highlights of the trip are always what you see not necessarily where you stay. Suffice it to say that you never know what is around the corner, but you can almost guarantee that every day will produce at least one stunning sighting - be it a cheetah kill, hyenas tending to their cubs, honey badgers foraging or bat-eared foxed frolicking in the dusk light.

The other sight that must be experienced is the African night sky. With no light pollution, the high altitude and clean air, the view of our universe is unbelievable. Look up at night and you will see satellites, falling stars and with some help from binoculars even some planets such as Saturn.

I can only recommend the KTP. I will definitely be returning in the future, hopefully many more times.