Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

A red-dune Kalahari park straddling South Africa and Botswana, famed for black-maned lions, cheetahs and raptors, and ideal for self-drive safaris.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park spans the far northwest corner of South Africa's Northern Cape and southwestern Botswana. It was formed in 2000 by formally merging South Africa's Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (established 1931) with Botswana's Gemsbok National Park, making it Africa's first transfrontier peace park, covering about 38,000 km². Part of the southern Kalahari Desert, it features red sand dunes and the dry riverbeds of the Auob and Nossob, and its signature animals are the black-maned Kalahari lion, cheetah, leopard, brown hyena and gemsbok.

Most visitors self-drive on the South African side, following two main riverbed roads: from Twee Rivieren rest camp at the southern gate, about 120 km northwest up the Auob valley to Mata-Mata, or about 160 km north up the Nossob valley to Nossob camp, with dune roads linking the two valleys. Roads are mostly gravel; ordinary cars can manage the main routes, but some northern routes and the Botswana side require 4x4. The speed limit is 50 km/h, you may only get out of your vehicle at picnic sites and camps, and gates open and close with sunrise and sunset, so you must be back in camp before closing.

The nearest town is Upington, about 250 km to the south and roughly 3 hours' drive on tarred road. Accommodation consists of three main rest camps — Twee Rivieren, Mata-Mata and Nossob (with shops and fuel) — plus several unfenced wilderness camps, all of which must be booked in advance on the SANParks website; March–May and school holidays often sell out a year ahead.

The best seasons are March–May and June–August (dry, with animals concentrated at waterholes, though nights can drop below 0°C); from November to February, daytime temperatures often exceed 40°C. Allow at least 3–4 nights, moving between camps. If you enter from South Africa and exit into Namibia or Botswana, you must stay at least two nights in the park.

Top sights

• Auob River Valley – A roughly 120 km dry riverbed road from Twee Rivieren to Mata-Mata, lined with red dunes; the best route in the park for spotting lions and…
• Nossob River Valley – A dry riverbed running along the South Africa–Botswana border, about 160 km north from Twee Rivieren to Nossob Camp; known for its lion pri…
• Twee Rivieren Rest Camp – The park's main southern gateway and largest camp, with a joint South Africa–Botswana border post, and the starting point for self-drive ga…
• Mata-Mata Rest Camp – A camp at the western end of the Auob Valley, right on the Namibian border, with a floodlit waterhole and a border post into Namibia.
• Nossob Rest Camp – A remote camp in the middle of the Nossob Valley, with a predator information center and waterhole hides, where lions often come to drink a…
• Kij Kij Waterhole – A man-made waterhole in the southern section of the Nossob Valley, close to Twee Rivieren, where lions and wildebeest herds often appear on…
• Kamqua Waterhole & Picnic Site – A famous waterhole in the middle of the Auob Valley, where leopards often rest in camel-thorn trees and lions and cheetahs frequently appea…
• Craig Lockhart Waterhole – A waterhole on the Auob Valley near Mata-Mata, often cited by visitors as a prime spot for seeing cheetahs and lions.
• !Xaus Lodge – A dune lodge co-owned by the ‡Khomani San and the Mier community, overlooking a salt pan, offering San hunting-skills talks and guided game…
• Kalahari Tented Camp – A luxury tented camp on a high dune in the Auob Valley, facing a riverbed waterhole with no fence, where lions can be heard roaring at nigh…
• Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp – Four wilderness cabins perched on top of a tall red dune, offering 360-degree views of the Kalahari dunes, sunsets and starry skies.
• Urikaruus Wilderness Camp – A stilted wooden-cabin camp among camel-thorn trees on the Auob riverbank, with a waterhole right in front, ideal for quiet wildlife watchi…
• Auchterlonie Museum – A small museum in an old farmhouse in the southern Auob valley, telling the story of the herding families who lived there before the park w…
• Grootkolk Wilderness Camp – The most remote wilderness camp at the park's northern end, near Union's End, where lions and hyenas often visit the waterhole at night.
• Union's End – The northern tip of the park, where the borders of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia meet, and the end point of the Nossob valley road.
• Polentswa Waterhole & Campsite – A waterhole in the northern stretch of the Nossob valley, with a primitive Botswana-side campsite beside it, famous for lion and brown hyen…

Where to eat

• Twee Rivieren Restaurant – The only restaurant in Kgalagadi park, at the Twee Rivieren camp near the southern gate, serving simple South African d…

Itineraries

• Kgalagadi Red Dune Loop – Enter the Kalahari from Upington and follow two dry river valleys to connect three main camps in search of black-maned…