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Stefano
IT
Visited:
November 2014
Reviewed: Apr 16, 2015
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
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
Tomas Mazon
ES
Visited:
February 2015
Reviewed: Apr 17, 2015
Email Tomas Mazon | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
It is the wilderness paradise, lonely, large, and far from anywhere.
Elaine
Visited:
October 2014
Reviewed: Apr 17, 2015
Animal sightings were tremendous - Gemsbok. Not crammed with people, rolling thunderous storm that hit the plains - incredible.
Johan Jooste Snr
NA
Visited:
April 2015
Reviewed: Oct 4, 2015
Email Johan Jooste Snr | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
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.
thewildlifephotographer
GB
Visited:
December 2015
Reviewed: Apr 26, 2016
Email thewildlifephotographer | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
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.
jean-marc
BE
Visited:
January 2016
Reviewed: May 18, 2016
Email jean-marc | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
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.
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.
spalexan
US
Visited:
November 2010
Reviewed: Sep 7, 2011
20-35 years of age
Escape to the beach.. without the water
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
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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
matreze
Visited:
June 2011
Reviewed: Sep 18, 2011
A completely unique, unrivalled experience!
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
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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.
Wild Images
Visited:
December 2014
Reviewed: Apr 1, 2015
Best ever visit to this wonderful place of red dunes and its wonderful denizens!
The accommodation in the three main camps are great to adequate - Twee Rivieren, Nossob and MataMata. The best is Twee Rivieren. Some of the Nossob accommodation is hot and cramped but it is still better than camping. There are also the wilderness camps, quite a few and some really remote that have a bit more luxury and is normally small but well kept and maintained. Be warned, it is hot and the gas fridges cannot always cope fresh food may go off quickly.
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Summer can get >45ºC in the afternoons and winder is below zero at night. But the place makes up for this with its wonderful wildlife and photographic opportunities. There is an adequate shop at Twee Rivieren selling the basics. Be aware the park is 250 km form Uppington, the largest town in the area and one should come prepared and stocked-up with what you need. Take your own water as the water in the camp tastes funny to horrible, depending on your palate. It is clean and potable, it just does not tastes nice. Roads needs to be taken with patience as it is very corrugated. They pull a tyre grader behind a tractor on a regular basis but rather come in a 2X4 and not a normal sedan vehicle. Long stretches of the road, especially between Melkvlei and Nossob, runs in a deep rut which makes it nearly impossible to see anything adjacent to the road. We never make use of guides because we are citizens and do our own driving. Please note the following about open vehicle driving - it is charming, but it is dusty and can get quite cold. You cannot necessarily stop as long as you want at what you want to, especially if you do photography. The dust is a real problem - do not try to changes lenses!
Al this said, we always have a great time. This is the place to see the Cape Fox, the Bat-eared fox, honey badger and brown hyena. Cheetah and lion is nearly a guarantee and this is one of THE places where you may see a cheetah kill. We have seen two cheetah chases ending in a kill and numerous cheetahs at a kill. Then Kalahari lions are THE king of the lions with their black manes and large feet. There are also resident raptors and other birds that are more readily approachable if you do photography than what you will encounter elsewhere in SA. Overall. as we say : I f once the red sand of the Kalahari got into your socks, your will always want to come back. This is one of the best safari destinations in the world!