If you are looking for a true nature experience without having to “rough it”, then you should visit the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park nature camps! All of these wilderness campgrounds are not fenced off, which makes the park so attractive to people who want to get really close to nature.
Some facts about the camps before we discuss our experiences in each one:
• There is a tour assistant / camp manager on call at all times and, to maintain the serenity and exclusivity of the wilderness camps, a maximum of eight people are allowed in each camp, two people in each of the four cabins .
• All accommodation units at Wilderness Camps have en-suite bathrooms, gas refrigerators and geysers, while solar panels provide electricity for lights. All units have kitchen utensils, cutlery, ceiling fans, linens and towels, and are cleaned daily.
1. Kieliekrankie
This is the highest camp, situated on one of the highest dunes overlooking a private water hole. The four dune cabins are spacious and number four is the most private as it is at the very end.
The views by day are magnificent as you can see for miles. We have had regular sightings of brown hyenas, gemsbok, black backed jackals, cape cobras, clerks and hawks. At night we have seen leopards, caracals, African wildcats, steenbok, porcupines, scorpions and owls. When there is a storm, the view is spectacular with the sky changing color and lightning lighting up the sky!
The waterhole is about 120 meters away, so you’ll need at least a 400mm lens to photograph animals drinking. However, the resident leopard walks between the cabins to and from the watering hole!
2. Urikaruus
This camp is built on stilts in the dry bed of the Auob River and the four riverside cabins are connected by raised walkways. Bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs, while kitchens, dining rooms, and terraces are downstairs.
The views are not as impressive as at Kieliekrankie and Gharagab, but we have seen huge herds of gazelle, wildebeest and Tessebe passing the lodges. We have seen lions, brown hyenas and cheetahs at the private watering hole during the day and even at night. For wildlife photography this camp is great especially if you don’t have a long lens as the watering hole is only 50 meters from the cabins. One year we had a lioness walking around camp while our neighbors unpacked her car!
3.Bitterpan
The camp is situated in the dunes and is built on stilts with wooden walkways linking the reed huts. Bitterpan is ideal for small groups of friends as there is a communal braai (BBQ) and fire pit area.
Behind the cabins is a 20-foot-high observation tower that offers great views over the basin, the watering hole, and the dunes. The road leading to the camp is a 1 way road and you must have a 4X4 to drive this road.
4.Grootkolk
Grootkolk, like Bitterpan, has a common kitchen area, making it ideal for small groups of friends. However, each desert hut has its own braai should you want your privacy. We found the units to be a bit cramped.
The water hole is about 70 meters from the cabins and it is not easy to see if the grass is long. We have seen lions and leopards in the area.
5.gargab
The camp is located at the north end of the park and the four log cabins are built on top of a dune offering great views of the dunes and surrounding forests. Also, there is a viewing platform behind the cabins that offers a 360 degree view of the area.
The private watering hole is about 70 meters from the cabins and we have seen lions drinking here most mornings and evenings. Opportunities to photograph sunrises, sunsets, and thunderstorms are excellent here. The road that leads to the camp is 1 way and a 4X4 vehicle is needed.
6. Kalahari Tent Camp
This camp is the largest of the wilderness camps as it features 15 ensuite desert tents made from sandbags and tarpaulin.
The spacious tents are situated on a high sand dune overlooking a private watering hole in the dry bed of the Auob River. This is the only wild camp that has a swimming pool and where children under 12 are allowed.
This camp and Urikaruus are the only two camps where we see giraffes. We have also seen lions and large herds of wildebeest and gazelles. The water hole is about 120 meters away and the middle shops (numbers 6 to 10) are the closest to the water hole.
The tents stand on wooden platforms and yearling hyenas chased and killed a young wildebeest under our neighbor’s tent. You can imagine the noise – they were terrified and used a knife to cut the rear carp so they could get out and ‘escape’. The camp manager assured them they were safe, but the next day they left. Needless to say, they returned a few months later – the Kalahari desert experience is truly addictive!