Kgalagadi...
 

Found this trip report.

http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18496

Some stunning as well as gruesome pictures as well.

Wow! Thanks for this link!

I'm going to Kgalagadi next April. Can't wait!!

I'm booked for 10 nights in September...

Amol,

That sounds like awesome gameviewing there!!!

Hari

Dennis - I have already asked this question on SAN parks forum, but whats your own opinion on the best time to visit KTP between September and November?

I am planning a trip to the Delta for about a week followed by a week at KTP. Its a nightmare getting there.

Dennis - I have already asked this question on SAN parks forum, but whats your own opinion on the best time to visit KTP between September and November? I noticed that you have also posted there. What camps are your staying at and when?

I am planning a trip to the Delta for about a week followed by a week at KTP. Its early days yet and getting to and from the park is very time consuming.

Hari - I spent some time looking at reports on KTP yesterday. KTP is probably the most undervisited park in southern Africa. Predator sightings seem abundant as do rarer mammals (brown Hyena, Honey Badgers, Bat eared Foxes, Eland etc). Availability isalso very good.

Amol,

Add to your list ..... fewer visitors, less expensive and new set of landscapes and sounds like a great trip. Possibility for all the desert animals.......

Hari

I am tempted to try out !Xaus lodge. Its a community lodge co-owned by the bushmen tribes from the region, but I havent found a single report on it. Anyone have thoughts on this?

Amol,
I don't know the best time to visit KTP, everyone on sanparks forum has a different opinion. I chose mid September to hopefully avoid the rains and school holiday. After reading the trip reports it seemed like a nice time to go- the weather is cold in the a.m. but not stifling hot in the afternoons. Staying at Twee Rivieren(1), Nossob (2), Grootkolk(2), Urikaruus(2), Kalahari Tent Camp(2), Kieliekrankie(1). I know, a lot of packing up and moving but wanted to see all of the park and other than TR and Nossob, the rest are wilderness camps which should be interesting. I also was considering !Xaus but there are no trip reports of this camp and it's quite pricey so decided to see Capetown instead. Haven't decided how we'll get there...drive from Capetown or fly into Upington. Some days in Sept/October are already sold out in the wilderness camps, November availability isn't up yet.

Hi Dennis

I ended up with the same thoughts after reading SAN parks forum. There is a slight lack of objectivity on the forum with the die-hard fans making blanket statements like its great all year round. Reading between lines, it appears that march/april and september-november isnt bad. i might have a week to spend there and need to finalise some camps to stay at. Unfortunately the first and last night at or near TR isnt an option which is a real waste of time.

Amol~agree TR is probably a waste of time but if I drive up from Capetown, overnight somewhere and head in to KTP most of the day is shot. If I decide to fly into Upington on an early flight I'll probably bypass TR and stay at a wilderness camp. Not as easy as Kruger, that's for sure. After 2 nights in Grootkolk, I wanted 1 night in Nossob but it's booked so have to drive all day to get to TR.

Dennis, you need to factor in the conditions of the road within the park, and sometimes its easier to spend the night at TR.

After landing in Upington, you will probably want to drive into the city to visit a supermarket to stock up on provisions (much better selection in Upington than within the park). The park has basics, including a great fire-starting wax that I found crucial to lighting the braai, and you can pick up beer, water and some staples in the park, but it may be worthwhile getting some stuff in Upington, and storing it in a cooler (there are fridges in the rooms/tents).

And its about three hours from Upington to TR, most of which is on a very straight, excellent road, and the final third (at least when I visited) was on a dirt road, but they've been working on improving that road. After arriving, you'll need to check in at TR, which takes some time. You can probably make it to the nearest wilderness camp -- its around an hour or so from TR -- but by that time, you may just want to stop driving and spend the night at TR. TR, unlike the wilderness camps, also offers night drives, and I saw some great stuff (lots of owls, cape foxes, bat eared foxes).

Michael

thanks Michael. that makes sense as we will have to stop and shop and get settled.

It is possible to fly into Twee Rivieren, thereby avoiding the long drive to and from Upington. Since the lodging is so cheap compared to other parts of Africa, my group decided to splurge on a charter flight. I am going to Kgalagadi for 5 days in April. I will be sure to report back.

Safaridude, if you fly in, how do you make arrangements for a vehicle? Will some of the rental agencies leave a car for you at the airstrip. I wouldn't characterize it as a "long drive" to and from Upington -- it was a very easy three hours.

yes, interested to know about flying in and renting a car. The 4X4 rentals in Upington are almost 50% more than renting in Capetown.
It's looking like about an $800 savings by driving from Capetown and overnighting along the way compared to flying to Upington and renting there.

I am not doing a self-drive. I am using an Upington-based safari operator named Kalahari Safaris. A guide with a vehicle from Upington will pick us up at Twee Rivieren.

thanks for the info safaridude! didn't know that was an option.

Dennis, for $800, I would drive from Cape Town. I hadn't factored in the differential in price between the two rental locations. $800 can fund most of a week in Kgalagadi! You will certainly see a great part of the country, and I'm sure the drive is very beautiful and interesting. In either event, its probably worth stopping in Upington for supplies -- there's also a very nice B&B (Le River something or other) if you choose to overnight (they also run an excellent restaurant in Upington).

Safaridude, I also was not aware of that option -- for a group, that sounds like a nice option.

Michael

Dennis - I have briefly spent some time looking for rentals and I remember reading somewhere that a Nissan X-trail is around £80 per night. This I remember was about the same as the price I saw quoted at Joburg airport.

Looks like the cheaper accommodation at KTP is kind of offset by flight costs and 4*4 rental premiums at Upington. I have seen return flights from JoBorg quoted at around £250 for Sep 08.

Michael - what time of the year did you visit? Any thoughts/opinions on visiting between September and November?