The Kgalagadi is a truly special place. It is home to the characteristic red African sunset, red dunes and famous for incredible wildlife sightings including the Kalahari black-maned lions. The Kgalagadi is a Transfrontier Park because it spans the border of South Africa and Botswana. You can stay on both sides of the park and because the park spans over 100 000 square kilometres you will encounter a wide variety of animals in different areas. The roads are all gravel, including many sandy dune roads making a higher clearance vehicle with good traction a necessity. The park has a variety of different accommodation options from riverfront chalets to unfenced camping. Accommodation is in high demand and bookings fill up a year in advance. If you get a booking for a Kgalagadi trip then you are not only lucky but in for a real treat. This is my ultimate guide on How to Plan a Trip to the Kgalagadi.
The Kgalagadi is 1080km from Cape Town, 920km from Johannesberg and 1450km from Durban. No matter which way you look at it, it’s far! But that also means it feels really remote. The gravel roads and solitude are a world apart from the busy tar roads of Kruger. So if you’re looking for a bush trip that feels like a real escape, then this is it.
Driving up from Cape Town, we recommend stopping for a night at Upington. This is a 9 hour drive along the N7 and then up into the Northern Cape through Calvina, Brandvlei and Kenhardt. If you go during flower season (mid August- mid September) you may be treated to gorgeous floral displays in Niewoudtville.
We stayed at Waterfront Guesthouse in Upington which is located on the banks of the Orange River. They have double, twin and family rooms, a swimming pool and breakfast options. The rooms start at R1600 per night. Book your stay through Lekkeslaap.
Another good overnight option is the Kalahari Monate Lodge which is located 13km outside of Upington. They offer chalets starting at R1000 per chalet for two people. Book your stay through Lekkeslaap.
The drive from Upington to Twee Rivieren Gate is 250km and will take around 2,5 hours. I would recommend heading out as early as possible to that you can get to the park early and still get a decent game drive in before the heat of the day.
At Twee Rivieren you will check into the park, sorting out your accommodation allocation and permits for your stay. You will pay a conservation fee for each day you will be in the park on the South Africa side. For the Botswana side your park fees are included in your reservation.
Depending on how long your stay in the Kgalagadi is, it may work out cheaper to purchase a Wild Card which would cover your park fees and be valid for other SAN Parks entrance fees throughout the year.
| 1 November 2025 – 31 October 2026 | Adults (12+ years) | Children (2 – 11 years) |
|---|---|---|
| South African Citizens and Residents | R129 | R64 |
| SADC Nationals | R263 | R132 |
| International (non-South African) Citizens | R576 | R288 |
You will receive a permit for each vehicle. You will need to hand this in to the camp office at the end of each day so that they can keep track of everyone and ensure everyone has made it back safely to camp before gate close. You will retrieve the permit from the office each morning before your first game drive and need to indicate which direction you plan to go for the day so that they can send help if you don’t return.
The Kgalagadi has 3 main rest camps within the park. These camps have campsites and chalets at various price points. These camps are most popular with budget travellers and families as they are affordable and offer options for bigger groups. Accommodation can be booked directly through SANParks.
Twee Rivieren is the southernmost rest camp in the Kgalagadi. It is the most accessible camp due to its proximity to Upington. It is a good option for families with small kids and a good entry point to the park. It is the largest rest camp in the park making it easier to get bookings here. Even though you are not very far into the park at Twee Rivieren you can still get some amazing sightings of leopards and cheetah. That being said, it is our least favourite camp in Kgalagadi.
Mata Mata is in the West of the Kgalagadi, situated on the banks of the Auob River and borders Namibia. This region is characterised by sandy red dunes, has lots of loop roads near the camp which are great for game drives and it is known for meerkat, giraffe and cheetah sightings.
Nossob is the most remote rest camp, located 170km north of Twee Rivieren. It is a good day’s drive up through the park to get here which inevitably acts as a deterrent for some people. This makes Nossob feel like a place only the truly committed make the journey for. It feels remote and you are more than rewarded for your efforts with big cat sightings. Nossob is known as lion country and does not disappoint with truly incredible predator sightings. This is our favourite rest camp.
The Kgalagadi has 6 wilderness camps. These camps are unfenced and offer tented camp setups ideal for couples. The wilderness camps available to book are Bitterpan, Gharagab, Grootkolk, Kalahari Tented Camp, Kieliekrankie and Urikaruus Wilderness Camps. We have never visited these but have heard great reports and they are definitely on our bucket list! Accommodation can be booked directly through SANParks.
The Kgalagadi also offers camps on the Botswana side of the park. Bookings for the Botswana side are done through the Botswana Parks and Reserves Reservation Office +267 3 918 0774, dwnp@gov.bw. Dealing with them directly can be challenging so we can recommend booking your Botswana camps through Ultimate Routes who charge a reservation fee but sort out all the hassles for you. You can use them for all your bookings through Botswana, not just in the Kgalagadi.
The campsites are only accessible with a 4×4 vehicle and have an A-frame and ablution facilities (a long-drop toilet and cold shower) and no power. The camps on the Botswana side are unfenced, so you need to exercise caution as wild animals, including lions, in the camp are a common occurence. You still need to adhere to gate opening and closing times for driving around the rest of the park despite there being no fences.
We stayed at Rooiputs during our recent trip to the Kgalagadi and it was incredible. We paid about R800 per night for the campsite for 6 people in 2025. Rooiputs is located a 20 minute drive north of Twee Rivieren camp so you can purchase water & ice there and dispose of your refuse there. If you are keen to experience the wilder side of the Kgalagadi then I would definitely recommend coming here.
Polentswa is located 60km north of Nossob, in the heart of lion country. The closest watering hole is Polentswa Waterhole. Because of the proximity to the camp and the fact that the watering hole is at least an hour’s drive away for those staying at Nossob Camp, campers at Polentswa have the unique opportunity to experience first light and sunset at the watering hole which is a clear advantage for game viewing.
Two Rivers is an entrance camp next to Twee Rivieren on the Botswana side with an ablution block.
The Mabuasehube section is part of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park but will probably only make an appearance on your itinerary if you are doing a bigger Botswana trip. It is located in the far northeast section of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. It is also big lion country. I have heard reports that in recent years the facilities here are not very well maintained.
The Kgalagadi has a dry winter and a wet summer. Each season brings its own unique experience. We have travelled here in June/July where we experienced freezing cold nights and warm days. At this time of year you will have many children at the campsites as this is a popular school holiday destination for South African families. We have also visited in September which brings the joy of spring time in the bush with many baba animals around and warmer temperatures. We really enjoyed our September trip as it was a quieter shoulder season in the park, the days were hot and the nights were warm. In April you can expect longer grasses after the rainy season which may make game viewing slightly trickier but you can be treated to unusual fields of greenery and flowers which are unique and stunning (just keep an eye out for grass seeds in your car radiator!)
I would say that a ten day trip is the ideal amount of time for your trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. It gives you two nights for your drive up and drive down and a week in the Park. If it is your first trip I would recommend splitting your time between Nossob and Mata Mata. If you are a returning visitor I would recommend splitting your time between Nossob and one of the Botswana camps (if you’re feeling brave) or a couple of wilderness camps.
Bookings for the Kgalagadi are highly coveted and hard to come by. Bookings open 11 months ahead and you need to be on the ball to get your desired dates. You can book online and by calling the reservations office. If you are unsuccessful, or only manage to get some of your booking dates then you can often fill the missing gaps by looking for cancellations on Kgalagadi Facebook groups. Travelling outside of school holidays may increase availability but this is not always the case.
As a transfrontier park spanning two countries you may be wondering if you need your passport to visit the Kgalagadi. If you are entering and exiting the Kgalagadi from the same country (eg. in and out of South Africa) then you will not need your passport to enter and exit the park, even if you are staying in one of the Botswana camps during your stay. You will be able to freely move between the two countries within the park as there are no border controls in the park. You will need your passport if you are planning to enter through one country border and exit out the other. For example, if you plan to enter at the Twee Rivierien Gate on the South Africa side and then exit at the Mabuasehube gate on the Botswana side, you will need your passport as you are crossing an international border. It is also important to note that if you are planning on entering on one side and exiting out the other then you are required to have a minimum 2 night stay in the park.
All the roads in the Kgalgadi are gravel roads. You may prefer to have a 4×4 in the Kgalagadi but it is not required for most of the roads in the park on the South Africa side. For travelling in the South African section of the Kgalagadi you will just require a high clearance vehicle but a 4×4 is not necessary. If you are planning on travelling in the Botswana section then a 4×4 is required.
An all-terrain tyre is perfect for travelling in the Kgalagadi. I would recommend deflating your tyres slightly when you enter the park at Twee Rivieren to help avoid contributing to corrugation on the roads. There is a petrol station with a tyre pump and pressure gauge at Twee Rivieren just as you enter the park. There are fuel stations at Twee Rivieren, Mata Mata and Nossob inside the Kgalagadi. You should not have an issue with fuel access if you are just planning on travelling on the South Africa side of the park. If you are travelling into the Botswana section you will need Jerry cans. I would recommend servicing your vehicle ahead of your trip as you will be doing a decent number of kilometers and will want to ensure the car is in good shape ahead of the trip.
The roads on the South Africa side are in good condition and they have a regular road grader that comes through to flatten out any corrugation on the roads. Ensure you travel slowly in the park. Not only is it safer on gravel roads and safer for the animals if you travel slower, but more importantly, driving slowly allows you enough time to spot hidden game and ensure you don’t miss out on any sightings.
There are shops at Twee Rivieren, Mata Mata and Nossob inside the Kgalagadi. These shops are pretty well-equipped with fire wood, briquettes, fire lighters, ice, water, braai meat, snacks, ice cream and a few basic fod items for you to supplement your stock. They also have basics like toilet paper, toiletries and mosquito repellent.
Here are my top tips for doing a self-drive game drive in the Kgalagadi, and any game drive for that matter:
It is really important to remember you are in the wild and these are wild animals. There are a few safety tips to keep in mind and a few common courtesy rules to ensure you and everyone else enjoy their animal sightings:
This will obviously depend greatly on whether you are camping or not. For camping you will require a lot more gear. But for everyone visiting including those staying in chalets these are my recommendations:
I would recommend stopping at Calvina on the way down. We stayed at Die Blou Nartjie which is a stunning guesthouse with a beautiful onsite restaurant. You can book your stay through Lekkeslaap here.
The Kgalagadi is a truly special place and will be the adventure of a lifetime. If you have wanted to do this trip but have found it too daunting then I hope you find this guide helpful!
You can check out our YouTube vlogs from our recent Kgalagadi trip:
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