Join us on “The Highwayman’s Adventure Route” on deep sand tracks through the vast expanse of Southern Africa’s largest conservation area.
The 06 Feb trips commence at Khama Rhino Sanctuary, we wend our way south, camping “rough” in the bush, to where the adventure ends in Nossop. The 19 Feb trip does the reverse journey from Nossop to Khama Rhino Sanctuary.
Towards the end of summer, presuming reasonable rains have fallen in the area, the Kgalagadi is noted for its large number of resident eagles, such as the Martial, Tawny, Black Breasted, Snake and Bateleur. These are joined in February and March by the migrant raptors, the Booted Eagle and Steppe Buzzard, and the rare Lesser Spotted Eagle.
We hope to be there when the numbers of eagles will be at their highest. However, we must not forget all the other wildlife we expect to see in the harsh but magnificent Kgalagadi Trans-frontier.
Your tour leader will be an experienced nature conservationist and adventure guide. He will be in radio contact with you at all times and impart a wealth of biological, cultural, historic and four-wheel drive knowledge.
Three meals a day will be prepared by our experienced bush chef in his mobile kitchen, with fresh salads, potjiekos, braais and many other surprises appearing on the menu. The good old “koffie pot” will be on the fire from six till late.
Our logistics crew will pitch and take down the camps at all the overnight stops we visit. Tents, tables and chairs are provided.
This is not a very “technical” 4×4 trip, but should you experience any difficulty, the crew do have the “know how” and recovery equipment to assist with most off-road problems.
Though our bush-camps will be interesting and rustic, you will at all times be safe, the crew will spare no effort to make you comfortable, provide you with good wholesome food and, most importantly, see that you have a good time.
Scridb filterItinerary
Day 1
We meet at Khama Rhino Sanctuary near the town of Serowe in Botswana. By the time you arrive, your tents would have been pitched under the Makothi trees, which are frequented by the numerous bush-baby’s in the area. If you arrive early enough then there is time for a game drive in the park seeking rhino’s, cheetah, kudu, etc.
Our bush chef will be preparing the first of the culinary delights you will be enjoying on this safari. The evening will be spent socializing around the fire and getting to know each other.
Day 2/3/4
This will be one of the early mornings and long drives. After breakfast we hit the road to Letlhakane for supplies and then on to Rakops for the last refuel of our vehicles till Ghantsi. We will do sandwiches for the road to save time to enjoy sunset at our camp. From Rakops it is a two-wheel track to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which is time consuming.
We stay for 3 nights in the Reserve (bush camps), 2 nights at the same camp and then 1 night in a different valley. This allows us enough time for game drives and to relax, read, take an afternoon nap or birding. The Central Kalahari is a huge Reserve (+/- 2.5 times the size of Kruger) and sometimes you have to just sit to take it in.
Day 5
After an early rise and breakfast we have a time consuming sandy track to navigate to the Kuki gate (a veterinary check point), from where it is tar to Ghantsi, on route we will stop for lunch under a small shady tree. Ghantsi has a Spar, where we can restock, and we refuel our vehicles the same afternoon. Our evening’s camp is 7km from town and has normal ablutions with hot showers and flush toilets.
Day 6/7
We are going to remote places and the country is vast, therefore another sandwich for the road day. We use the Trans Kalahari Highway to Kang where we turn off to Tshane. It is a tar road all the way to Tshane, where the last fuel is available until Nossop.
From Tshane it is a slow, sandy track with deep ruts all the way to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. For the next 2 nights we stay in Mabuasehube at the same bush camp. Again this allows us private time to conduct game drives, birding or relax.
Day 8
A lazy wake up / early rise (your choice) in the Kalahari and we take of mid morning, game driving to our bush camp at Motsomane. This is a one-way track in the more then 4 million hectare wilderness and we can expect anything from wild dog and dung beetles to a martial eagle. It is only “us” on route and at our camp, as only one group are allowed on this route at a time.
Day 9:
The natural beauty, remoteness of the area and slow going allow for a lovely drive. The100km to Nossop camp will take us most of the day with a stop for lunch. Most of the game concentrates in the 2 rivers Nossop and Auob on the South African side.
Nossop has a little shop, fuel, warm showers, swimming pool, etc.
We spend our last night around the campfire enjoying the unique bond of friendship that can only be made by fellow travelers who, together, have experienced the magic of the African Bush.
Day 10
After a lavish breakfast, we must sadly say goodbye to our new friends and travel companions as we pack up and head for home. Luckily you will still see game as you have to drive to Twee Rivieren, where we stamp our passports, before leaving the Park.
Scridb filterTour details
Tour date : 06 – 15 February 2010 – starting from Khama Rhino Sanctuary
19 – 28 February 2010 – starting from Nossop
Duration : 9 night/ 10 day (tented accommodation) (limited to 4 vehicles per departure)
Tour price : R9 650-00 per person
Included : camp fees, 3 meals daily, park entrance fees, tents, cutlery and crockery, guide in own vehicle.
Excluded : Transport, fuel, mattresses and sleeping bags, fold-up chair drinks and in-between snacks.
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