Plan the perfect trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park | TOP 10 TIPS!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 เม.ย. 2024
- Plan the perfect trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park | TOP 10 TIPS!
Order the Kgalagadi Self-Drive book online: bit.ly/KgalagadiSelfDrive
And use these links and contact details if you want to make a booking at:
1) One of the Main Rest Camps or Wilderness Camps on the South African side of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: www.sanparks.org/parks/kgalag...
2) Rooiputs or Polentswa campsites:
Contact Botswana's DWNP central reservations: Tel +267 318 0774 / dwnp@gov.bw.
3) Ta Shebube Rooiputs Lodge or Polentswa Lodge: tashebube.co.bw/
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park stretches across South Africa and Botswana and is one of the most popular National Parks in Southern Africa! But be warned: if you don't plan your trip to the Kgalagadi carefully, you might be very disappointed, not only because the Kalahari Desert is a place of extreme temperatures, but also because the roads are bad, animals numbers are relatively low and the accommodation options vary greatly.
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You probably dont give a damn but does anybody know of a tool to get back into an instagram account..?
I was dumb forgot the account password. I would love any tips you can give me!
Thank Villiers, l find it very useful. You need to make more of these videos for all the other 18 Parks in SA and those in neighboring countries. People crave this type of information I think!
Wow!!!thanks for the great help ,the kgalagadi has been on my bucket list for a loong time.
Planning on going this October
Thank you 🙏
Thanks Villiers! Definitely on the to do list. Just need to spend another five years learning how to pronounce those place names first : )
Thank you so much for the tips, going December and these really helped
Amazing... I LOVE african animals! My fav of all!
Now I want to go to the Kgalagadi! Thanks Villie 🤣😁
Thank you,for this video, we definitely using it to plan our visit. We ordered the book mentioned, all I can say is WOW, fantastic... can’t wait to go....
Fantastic, Johann! I’m so glad 👏🏻
Great I love your videos Thanks .I am a nurse working throughout Covid you have kept me going thanks fiona
Thanks, Fiona, not only for the kind words, but for everything you (and all the other nurses) have done for us throughout this pandemic 🙏🏻❤️
Thank you for this great video, which you share with us so sympathetically and professionally. My english is not very good, but you spoke so clearly that I understood everything immediately, even completely without translation. Many Thanks! 👍🏾
It’s my pleasure! ☺️
@@TheSafariExpert Hey Villiers, because of your videos, we are now very excited about the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park! A question that you can probably easily answer: if I enter Twee Rivieren via Upington and spend 3 nights there, can I leave via Mata Mata and continue my journey in Namibia? Or do I have to leave the country via Twee Rivieren and then cross the border to Namibia via Rietfontein / Aroab? Thank you in advance for your answer!
You’d have to phone Twee Rivieren to find out what the current situation is due to Covid, but normally you’d be able to enter Namibia via MataMata.
I'll do so, thank you very much!
Thanks for the great tips! Very helpful
Great video, thank you.. informative with some lovely photos
Thank you very much, Helen. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
..such a wealth of information, grateful thanks x
Renee, it's my pleasure! I'm glad you're enjoying my channel so much 😀
Yup.. checking top of the dunes along the auob is key. Kgalagadi and the aoub still holds the Safari record for me for lions... 7 different groups of lions in one drive from twee rivieren to mata mata!
Wow! 😳 Amazing!
Awesome video Villiers! Very informative!
Mark, thanks man 🙏🏻😎
Nice to see we already take care of a few tips from you! We go for 21 days!! Spend in 3 🏕️. We already booked in 2020 and then there was Covid 🙈. So we are very happy that we arrive very soon at the end of november 🐆🐆🐆. Thanks for sharing. Greetz from Belgium 🇧🇪 (oneworld2travel)
Informative video. Worth a mention that if you go to mabua not to tow trailers of caravans for no other reason than if you get stuck it becomes someone else's problem to assist. Traveled every year since 2013 and each year I find someone way out of their depth and usually towing.
TREV, I have seen that as well - good tip!
Well done Villiers
Thank you, Piet!
Thanks for all your videos on Kgalagadi and other parks, Villiers! We used many of your tips on Kruger last year, and are now headed for Kgalagadi in June 24. We know it can be cold then but we live in Sweden so we are used to it. We bought the self drive book, we are using your satellite phone tip, and we were on the booking right at the moment it opened. We travel with 2 kids aged 12 and 14, managed to get bungalows for 10 nights. First 4 nights at TR, then 1 at Nossob, then 3 at Mata Mata and finally another 2 at TR. We really hope we can swop 1 or 2 nights of the 4 at TR for extra nights at Nossob, otherwise we would arrive there and have to leave the next morning. So, as you suggested, I'm refreshing that Sanparks booking page several times per day for the past months... We considered other accommodation but that wouldn't make our route more logical and most smaller camps only offer 2 person accommodation. Plus, some family members appreciate a fence... anything I am overlooking in the preparations? Tips?
Wow! That sounds like an amazing trip 🙌🏻😃 I’m so glad that my videos helped with the planning. It’s for people like you that I make them. I agree - keep checking in on the Sanparks site to see whether you can get a few extra nights at Nossob. A lot can happen from no until June 😉
I’m actually heading to the Kgalagadi on Friday for 15 days 🥳 Keep an eye out for more awesome videos about the park soon 😎
@@TheSafariExpert Thank you so much, will definitely keep my eyes open for more videos. Could it be that there isn't one specifically on Mata Mata in your channel yet?
Awesome video, thanks!
Thanks Tony!
I gave you a dislike because I thought you where a obnoxious millennium.... then realized you are actually experience. This is my highest form of stating you are awesome.... gave you a likes sir
Thank you, appreciate the tips. Any tips on utilities ( power and drinking water )
Herman - that’s where the book, Kgalagadi Self-Drive is so useful, because it contains all that info. It varies too much for camp to camp to list it all here, but there is power outlets in some camps, only solar for lights and fans in others. Bringing your own drinking water is crucial for the wilderness camps.
Fantastic 👍🦁🐆🦒🌻🦜🦉
Fantastic video , loaded with wealth of information! Thank you. I have a query. If I don’t want do self drive and stay in the camps and go guided safaris. What the options available in Kgalagadi South African side. Please advice . Thanks in advance.
Hello Villiers, great video as always thank you.. Never been to this park, just downloaded the Self Drive PDF, you got me very interested now! Given the time elapsed from when you did this video what would you now say is the best time to visit the park over the next 12 months? I will be travelling from Aus so would take some planning for accomodation at that end with flights to Jo'burg. Also what should I bring as my main lens, only hand held. I usually use the 500PF at Kruger. Thank you.
Pics 7, before I give you my thoughts about timing, please bear in mind that most of the camps fill up almost a year in advance! Booking for a specific month open 11 months in advance and on those days you’ve got to be VERY quick if you want specific camps.
My tips haven’t changed much from that in the video. The park is great year-round, but I’d stay away from May-August if you don’t like cold and October-March if you don’t like heat. Personally I love April and September because they are the mildest.
If you want a chance of greenery and don’t mind natural pools of water and the odd shower, go January to March. And if you want to see lots of action around the waterholes, go July to October.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Go for long enough and don’t move around too much! Stay in less places for longer.
Lens-wise a 500PF will work great, but take something wider for those beautiful Kalahari scenes. If you need more advice, whatsapp me on 0027 82 7988817
@@TheSafariExpert Thank you very much for the quick reply. Appreciate your advice. I will WhatsApp in a few days. Thanks.
Tops ‼️🦁🦒🐆👍
Thank you for the tips. Very valuable in our current planning as a group of friends hoping to get a booking for 2023. Any tips for group bookings that we must be aware of?
My pleasure, Anywhere. The biggest challenge with group bookings is getting space for eveyone in your preferred camps, especially if you are going to the wilderness camps. I suggest that you plan your ideal itinerary and then get multiple members of your group to phone Sanparks when they open at 7am on the day that bookings open for that month (that you which to travel), and all try to book the same itinerary for the whole group. That way, if one doesn’t get through, there are others that might. Does that make sense?
On our bucket list. Thanks for this informative and awesome video. Just a little bit on the roads please, can you do this mostly with a an SUV only?
You can do 90% of the roads with a sedan, Ulrich, but The further up north you go, the sandier it gets... An SUV or 4X4 is definitely recommended, not only for a better drive, but also for the added height.
@@TheSafariExpert Awesome, now I'm even more keen on going. Keep up the awesome informative vids. Really enjoyed it.
Ja baie opgewonde besreek 18/8tot 27/8 inKhalahari 3 hoof kampe dan uit na Augrabies 27/8 tot 29/8
Counting . . . October 2022 👍🐦🐆🦉🦁
Great videoes BTW. Have you ever stayed at Kieliekrankie? We are planning Jan 2025. Have booked one night in Urikaruus, then I have two nights to fill and then we have two nights booked in Kieliekrankie. I am not sure whether to head down to Twee Rivieran and then spend those two nights there, or head up to Mata Mata. Availablility does indeed drive the planning which is a shame. I know I am lucky though to get the three nights I have booked. We will not have a tent. We then plan to spend more nights in the park after Kieliekrankie. Maybe Nossob could then be visited.
I have indeed stayed at Kieliekrankie and it’s fantastic!
Great video. One question. Do the book ship to Europe? Thanks looking forward to your reply. I am planning to visit the park in next July 2021.
Felix Floresrodriquez , yes - HPH Publishing does ship internationally. It’s an excellent book and will really help you, not only when you plan your trip, but also when you are in the park.
Thats fantastic. For meerkats where should I spend more time.
Subrat, you could see them anywhere in the park. The best is to ask the rangers at the camps where they have seen them most recently and then go check there.
Any possibilities of video and tips on Okavango delta?
That would be amazing... Fingers crossed!
Excellent details of the park with some fantastic tips. Very crisp and clear. Enjoyed throughly. Just one query: Once you book accommodation/camp sites, is there any safari charges or safari entry fee for any part of the park?
Thanks Subrat. Yes, there are daily conservation fees which you can find on the SANParks website
@@TheSafariExpert Thank you so much. I registered And while booking one can add. Surprisingly, except Twee Rivieren it’s almost full upto March- April …..anyone can help
With the bookings?
Can I buy a Wild card and don't need to pay daily conservation fee because I am planning atleast 15-20 days trip to Kgalagadi. The wild card seems to be cheaper than paying daily conservation fee for 2 adults. Or I am missing anything. Thanks.
Subrat, yes - you can buy a Wild Card to save money on daily conservation fees.
Can you give me a plan of doing the hole park , I will be doing it in a overlander 4x4 Hino and I have the month off June. Your input will be appreciated
Riaan, I assume that’s June 2023, right? I doubt that you will get space for this year. Make sure you book the second bookings open for June 2023, otherwise you may be disappointed.
It’s tough to give you an exact plan, but keep this in mind:
1) If you like wild camping, the wilderness campsites on the Botswana side are wonderful and worth spending 4 or 5 nights at a time at. Rooiputs & Polentswa along the Nossob Riverbed are both magical, and if you head across to Mabuasehube deeper into Botswana, stay at Mpayathutlwa or Lesoloago Pans.
2) The Main Camps and Wilderness Camps on the SA side are also great. Don’t try and stay at them all. Rather choose one in each area (south, northwest and northeast) and stay there for 4 or 5 nights. My favourites are Twee Rivieren (south), Kalahari Tented Camp (northwest) and Grootkolk or Nossob (northeast).
3) Order the Kgalagadi-Selfdrive book! The link is in the video description. I hope this helps a bit.
Tx
My pleasure!
Is a 4 wheel drive necessary?
Elsbeth, no - you don’t need a 4x4 on the main roads, but if you plan to visit Bitterpan or Gharagab wilderness camps, you will need one.
You forgot to mention that booking for the Wilderness camps is almost impossible online, as most is sold 'under the hand' before official booking opens. I have not figured out how, but I know this is a fact.
so how do we book them....any suggestions.
TrappingAlong, Karin, I try as soon as booking open and if I don't get the wilderness camps of my choice, I book camping at Twee Rivieren over the dates that I want and then I check every single day for cancellations at the camps that I actually want to stay at. I know, this seems crazy and a lot of effort, but it works...
Not all of us can afford to go for 10 days to 2 weeks... Any camping suggestions for shorter periods?
Naturegirl51, if you decide to camp in the Kgalagadi for short periods (5-7 days), choose one camp only, or maximum two. Personally, Nossob is my favourite campsite and, if you don't mind the lack of facilities, Rooiputs on the Botswana side is also a great option!
@@TheSafariExpert We use to do 2 days at a camp but your reasoning makes perfect sense - thank you :) ... I love Nossob but has always been unlucky to get a booking at Rooiputs
@@naturegirl51, staying longer at one camp most certainly increases your chances of good game viewing. Good luck with getting a spot at Rooiputs (or Polentswa) when you next go - they are fantastic!
We want to take our grandchildren of primary school age, for 3 weeks. How does one deal with sudden calls of nature when there's predators about? I saw lions in loo's on some videos ..... I don't want lions to gnaw at my princesses.
You will have to plan your drives around the picnic sites, which all have loos. Your chances of findinf lions there are very small, but if it happens, you’ll either have to drive back to camp (or the next picnic spot), or go behind the car (which is not allowed). Just make sure there’s nothing around to chomp you.
@@TheSafariExpert That's where the lions were....inside the loos 😱😁😁
@@noyota, it happens 🤪 but luckily VERY seldom. In fact, you can count yourself lucky to see it.
First