The Kgalagadi is a park for wildlife connoisseurs – would our kids enjoy it? During the winter holidays, we set out to answer the question. By Maderi Fourie
Last year, our family of four embarked on a road trip to Namibia to visit Etosha National Park and Sossusvlei. The experience was such a hit with our kids, then aged two and five, that we decided to repeat it in 2024. This time, we set our sights on the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a favourite of ours.
Also read: Etosha road trip with kids
Located within the southern Kalahari Desert, the Kgalagadi is Africa’s first transfrontier park. Three-quarters of it lie in Botswana, the rest in South Africa. At 38,000km2, the park is larger than either Etosha or Kruger national parks, but much of it is inaccessible to tourists.
On the South African side, two main roads lead towards the Mata Mata and Nossob rest camps. Although these are accessible by sedan, you will need a 4×4 for several of the smaller wilderness camps. Even if not a 4×4, a high-clearance vehicle is useful for the main roads. While the bulk of the park is situated in Botswana, the Botswana section has even fewer roads and a 4×4 is a must. It is recommended that at least two vehicles drive these roads together.
The adventure begins
Our family (with our kids now six and three years old) joined my parents and a pair of retired friends for our Kgalagadi adventure. While our friends opted to camp, the rest of us booked self-catering units for our trip.
Making our way up from Worcester, our first stop was in Calvinia. Donkieshoek is a smallholding outside town with donkeys and ostriches – a hit with the kids. In the evening we enjoyed a great supper at Ciela’s, famous for their pizzas and hospitality. From there we headed to Upington to stock up on groceries before travelling to the Kgalagadi.
On the Kgalagadi’s doorstep
The first two nights, and what was supposed to be the last three, we stayed at Kgalagadi Lifestyle Lodge. Situated only 5km from the Twee Rivieren Gate, the lodge has a restaurant and a shop that sells essentials like milk, bread, meat and cooldrinks. Accommodation includes self-catering chalets sleeping two or four as well as camping stands, each with its own ablution/kitchen unit.
Wandering between the chalets, you will find the legendary Frikkie, a tame emu and our kids’ absolute favourite. There are also five tame eland that roam around, but always be cautious and treat them as wild animals. The kids loved playing in the Kalahari sand and meeting new friends to play with. We witnessed the most amazing sunsets and sunrises.
When staying outside the Kgalagadi, you need to book your day visitor entry well in advance. The park allows only 20 vehicles per day as day visitors. The speed limit is 50km/h and the sandy road can be quite corrugated. For the most comfortable ride, deflate your vehicle’s tyres to 1.5 bar.
Inside the park
Then it was time to decamp to the Kgalagadi proper: we had booked two nights at Mata Mata and three nights at Nossob. We had great sightings of leopard, hyena, cheetah, giraffe, springbok, kudu, gemsbok, blue wildebeest and red hartebeest. Bird enthusiasts will also be in their element.
Right in front of the Nossob Shop, a scops owl has made its home in a tree. We also saw barn owls flying between the chalets. At the Nossob Hide, we watched a falcon trying to catch a Namaqua dove. The number of attempts and his tenacity until he finally caught one were amazing.
One thing we missed during this visit was the roar of lions in the evening. According to Thys Burger, a well-known SANParks guide based at Nossob, most of the game had migrated to the Botswana side due to rains there. This was the first time we visited the Kgalagadi without seeing lions. We really tried our best by travelling early mornings, late afternoons and also during the day. But no matter, we still had a great experience. I have to emphasise the pleasure of being the only vehicle around sightings. It is a treat to enjoy game viewing in peace without having to jostle for space. This is one of the things I like most about the Kgalagadi.
Good to know
- The park shops are well stocked with essentials, but signal can be bad and therefore card machines don’t always operate. Take enough cash for essentials at the shop and for fuel.
- Get freshly baked bread and roosterkoek from the shops in Mata Mata and Nossob. Place your order before 14:30 for collection the following day.
- There is no cellphone reception at either Mata Mata or Nossob – use the time to make memories with family and friends. If it is important to stay in touch, you can buy vouchers for wifi at these camps. Bear in mind that connectivity can be slow: sufficient for WhatsApp messages, but not necessarily calls.
- At these remote rest camps, electricity comes from generators. These are switched off at 22:00 and on again at 06:00 – times may vary according to the season.
- Make sure of gate times – both for camps and entry points – as these also adjust through the year.
- There were lots of mosquitoes; apparently they love hiding in thatched roofs. Stock up on Peaceful Sleep and when you hear a bat flying while trying to sleep, remember that they eat up to 200 mosquitoes per night.
- Bookings for the South African side open a year in advance and often fill up as quickly.
New developments in the Kgalagadi
SANParks is currently upgrading chalets at Nossob, with completion projected for the end of September 2024. Picnic sites are also being upgraded – those already completed feature an extra bathroom. The new Dawid Kruiper Camp, which will encompass 10 chalets, is still under construction. First announced in 2017, the camp is expected to be complete by March 2025. The delay is attributed to its remote location: between the Auob River and the !Ae !Hai Kalahari Heritage Park belonging to the Khomani San and Mier communities. You can already find the location on the Tracks4Africa maps, though it is not yet a searchable POI.
Hard to say goodbye
Our initial plan had been to return home after 10 days enjoying the Kgalagadi. But the great weather – 28 degrees most days and only one morning at 0 degrees – prompted us to extend our stay. About 60km from the park lies Molopo Kalahari Lodge and we managed to secure one night there. What’s more, we found they offer 30% discount on a stay the night before or after visiting the park. The rate includes breakfast and the lodge has a great restaurant.
Then we went back for a last night in the park. Thanks to a last-minute booking, we could stay at Twee Rivieren. The name stems from the fact that it lies at the junction of the Kgalagadi’s two dry rivers, the Auob and the Nossob. On average these rivers flow once every 50 years, most recently in 1989. Twee Riveren is the rest camp closest to the park entrance gate in the south, and boasts a restaurant and a swimming pool. (Not that we intended to use either!) After a golden sunset, followed by a full moon hanging over the red Kalahari dunes, we concluded our Kgalagadi holiday with amazing memories.
As we drove towards Upington, I was glad we had chosen the Kgalagadi instead of the other big game parks in South Africa. You may get more sightings in Kruger, but you will not get the solitude of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. You also won’t have the experience of being alone with wildlife anywhere else. Our kids had enjoyed the sightings, seeing the animals around camp and meeting new playmates. What a privilege to see game in the wild, make memories with loved ones and make new friends!
The Tracks4Africa Botswana Self-Drive Guide contains detailed information on the Kgalagadi – both the South African and Botswana sections of the park. In addition to roads and places to stay, the guide covers trip planning, vehicle preparation, navigation and more. Use it to plan your trip to the Kgalagadi and onwards into Botswana’s wild places.
