Dave travels to the Kgalagadi Wilderness Camps

Anybody that has travelled to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park knows that the wilderness camps are in high demand – they are rarely available and it is quite difficult to obtain a booking. What makes them so special and why do people love them?

I think there are quite a few reasons, and in my mind these are what stand out :

• They are small camps with usually only 4 2-sleeper cabins, which means they are very quiet and usually attract like-minded people.
• They are unfenced, and wildlife experiences can be very close and personal.
• Because they are so quiet, the morning and evening choruses of animals and birds are amazing.
• They all look on to a waterhole and you may not even have to drive to have an amazing game sighting sitting on your porch enjoying breakfast or a sundowner!
• They are located in wilderness areas, away from the main camps, so you have a good possibility of unique sightings without many other vehicles around.
• There is always a wilderness assistant on duty who is there to assist if necessary and will alert you to the game movements around camp.

Indeed, they are so pleasant and relaxing, it is hard to leave them once you get there!

Due to their remote locations, there are a few things that you have to leave behind at the large camps :

• Electricity – all the wilderness camps operate on limited solar/battery power for lighting, and gas for cooking, refrigeration and hot water. There is no 220V to charge cameras etc.
• There is no air-conditioning  – in the hot summer months these cabins can get very hot inside!
• Water is limited – yes, it is limited throughout the park, but here you should be even more aware of water usage.
• You need to bring your own drinking water, food and wood/charcoal for braaiing.

I’d like to briefly share our experience of 4 of the wilderness camps with you.

Kieliekrankie

The entrance is located on the lower dune road after Auchterlonie Museum. This makes it easily accessible from Twee Rivieren or Mata Mata, and ideally situated very close to the Auob river bed. As such you have easy access to prime Leopard, Cheetah and Lion hunting areas very close to camp.

Kieliekrankie is situated on top of the dunes overlooking a waterhole. The 4 cabins are beautifully appointed and are some of the cooler (temperature-wise) of the wilderness camps, with ceiling fans to help with the heat.

The views are amazing and the silence and stars will amaze you! The easy access to the Auob river bed in the early mornings and late evenings is a special privilege and we spent 20 minutes on our own with a Leopard just lying peacefully in the riverbed!

Urikaruus

We finally managed to get a booking here – and found out why it is so difficult! A beautiful wilderness camp with 4 rustic cabins and one honeymoon suite on stilts, raised up into the tree canopy a little way along the Mata Mata road after the Kamqua Picnic Site.

An amazing camp to sit and watch the wilderness with a view to a waterhole in the Auob river bed. We relaxed and listened to the barking geckos serenading the Kalahari night at sunset. You never know what you might see here and one of our neighbours reportedly saw a leopard at the waterhole during the night.

Again, easy access to the Auob river bed means you can take a relaxed early morning drive in a prime game viewing area close to the 13th and 14th borehole loops – or just stay and have a leisurely breakfast and see what appears at your own waterhole!

Grootkolk

Grootkolk has long been one of my favourites. Approximately 110km North of Nossob, it is between the Kannaguass and Geinab waterholes. I love the set up – you have cemented sand bags as the base of your cabin, and then tent canvas as the sides and roof. The kitchen cooking area is outside, overlooking the waterhole, and it is just such an authentic bush experience.

The area often has brown hyena, leopard and lion sightings and the plains game is wonderful to see. We have also regularly seen warthog in this area!

As the distance is so far from Nossob Rest Camp, this is an ideal camp to explore the Northern area of the park from, and a few nights would be ideal to really unwind!

Gharagab

Gharagab is one of the wilderness camps which require a 4×4 vehicle for access. The entry road to Gharagab is between Union’s End picnic site and Union’s End itself. This is an iconic part of the park, and quite isolated due to it’s distance from Nossob camp (164km). The one-way entry road is quite deep sand in places, but easily drivable, and the exit road has some more demanding dunes to cross which require a little skill and low-range capability on the vehicle.

The camp itself is beautiful, isolated and extremely peaceful. Sunsets and sunrises are spectacular, and the view over the waterhole into the dunes is very special. Special barriers are provided to protect your wheels at night as lions, especially youngsters are quite fond of biting them if they come through the camp!

Make sure to bring enough fuel, water and everything you need to enjoy your stay!

In all these wilderness camps offer the traveller something very special, and an authentic wilderness experience. If you can get a booking to add to your Kgalagadi itinerary they are well worth the effort, and will reward you immensely.

Your Ilanga Team