SOUTHERN AFRICAN PEACE PARKS
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Tourist Attractions
Botswana
Department of Wildlife and National Parks
PO Box 131
Gaborone
Botswana
Tel: +267 (3)918 0774
Fax: +267 (3)918 0775
e-mail: dwnp@gov.bw
South Africa
On the South African side there are three rest camps (Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Mata Mata) and six unfenced wilderness camps (Kalahari Tent Camp, Bitterpan, Grootkolk, Ukaruus, Kieliekrankie and Gharagab). Camping sites are only available at Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Mata Mata and a restaurant is available only at Twee Rivieren. Bookings can be made at Twee Rivieren and Nossob for night drives and guided day walks.
Bookings can be made at Head Office, South African National Parks:
PO Box 787
Pretoria 0001
Tel: +27 (0)12 343 1991 or +27 (0)12 428 9111
Fax: +27 (0)12 343 0905
or visit http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kgalagadi/
!Xaus is a luxury lodge situated between Twee Rivieren and Mata-Mata. Open the the attached PDF or visit http://www.xauslodge.co.za for details.
View/download PDF File
Wilderness Trails
The trails sometimes pass through areas of tall grass and sometimes over dunes of soft sand. The routes link various pans, some plain and some spectacular. Kalahari wildlife can be seen in varying concentrations along the trails and lions may explore camps at night.
On the South African side the Nossob 4x4 guided eco-trail runs into the magnificent Kalahari duneveld and allows for up to five 4x4 vehicles per trail. The route runs over three days and four nights and is an excellent way to experience the Kalahari's tranquillity at its best.
Deep in the heart of Botswana's side of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park a trail is available through an area that has remained unchanged from the days of our forefathers. For some 257km of track, on which only 4x4 vehicles may travel for two nights and three days, those who wish to experience a sense of solitude and freedom in the wilderness will find only minimal signs of human intervention.
To give visitors to the park an alternative route to either Namibia or South Africa, the Mata-Mata Tourist Access Facility was officially opened by President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and President Festus Mogae of Botswana on 12 October 2007.
View video clip
The opening of Mata-Mata and Sendelingsdrift (16 October 2007)are key to the success of a strategy for desert tourism, which explores the natural linkage between |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld and Kgalagadi transfrontier parks and South Africa's Augrabies Falls National Park. Added to this list is Namibia's 26 000km² Sperrgebiet National Park. Having been inaccessible for a century has allowed it to become a store of biodiversity, which links up with the Namib-Naukluft National Park to the north.
Kindly note that usage of Mata-Mata requires a stay of two nights in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. This regulation will be strictly enforced and no commercial traffic will be allowed.
Tourists from Namibia may make use of Mata-Mata as day visitors to or to stay in Kgalagadi without checking in with the border officials at Twee Rivieren as long as they return to Namibia. Should they, however wish to leave the park to go to Botswana or South Africa, they would need to go through passport control at Twee Rivieren.
As Kgalagadi has a high occupancy rate, visitors are advised to make their bookings well in advance.
OPERATING HOURS OF MATA-MATA IN NAMIBIA:
Summer and winter 8:00 - 16:30
For more information, kindly contact +27 (0)54 561-2000