World Image issue 30 March 2016_1

The Kalahari
[Also known as the Kalagadi]
Kalahari –“the thirst land”. Start of a dust storm.
The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park [The
Kalahari] shares a common unfenced boundary
with the Gemsbok National Park of Botswana. This
allows free movement of wildlife.
As a Transfrontier Park, it is one of the World’s
biggest Parks and one of the most pristine places on
earth. The Park was established in 1931 to protect
the huge herds of game.
I have had the opportunity to visit the Kalahari for
short stays on three occasions and have always
regretted not having longer visits and longer camera
lenses.
In the following few pages I share with you the
little experience I have of this pristine desert area
and it`s opportunities.
Access for most tourists from South Africa, or for
those having arrived in South Africa, is by road to
Upington, or by air from Cape Town or
Johannesburg to Upington and then by road to the
main camp at Twee Rivieren, [Two Rivers] this
probably entails hiring a motor vehicle.
There are daily flights from Johannesburg and Cape
Town to Upington.
The journey from Upington to Twee Rivieren takes
about 3 to 4 hours and most of it is through desert.
(see the map below).
An ideal visit to the Twee Rivieren camp is for 3 to
5 days duration. This gives adequate time to cover
routes along the two rivers. In planning daily game
viewing ensure you have water, refreshments,
snacks and patience.
Be prepared to spend up to about two hours at a
waterhole, the time spent can be extremely
rewarding. Most water holes are in the river beds
and observation is excellent.
If more time is available game viewing could easily
be extended to include more of the Northern area of
the park where there are good Rest Camps.
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