Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

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Ben61
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Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Ben61 »

Hi all,
We are planning the following trip to Botswana and then Kgalagadi: :celebrate:
Starting at 18 May
ELEPHANT SANDS LODGE - 1D
SENYATI SAFARI KAMP - 4D
KWANDO CAMP – 2D
MOBOLA LODGE – 1D
SHAKAWE FISHING LODGE – 2D
TSHIMA BUSH CAMP – 2D
KALAHARI REST CAMP – 1D

Then we starting Kgalagadi 31 May
Twee Rivieren – 1D
Nossob – 1D
Gharagab – 1D
Bitterpan - 1D
Kieliekrankie – 1D
Rooiputs – 1D
AUGRABIES REST CAMP – 1D

Are there any suggestions and concerns about Meat over the Borders?
What do you think about the camps?
Places to see and thing to do.
********I know we are going to plenty of miles.****** :dance1:
Will report back with photo’s when we are back
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Rollercoaster639 »

HI Ben. We have just completed the two echo tours / routes in the Kgalagadi. The trip from Twee Rivieren to Nossob take 3,5 hours if you do not stop to view or have a lunch stop. Plan on taking the better part of the day. Leave as early as the gate opens and enjoy the trip up. Most of the game that you can see is along this road and the road to the Tented camps. Between TR and Nossob there is two official picnic spots with toilets (first one after 60km and the again another 60km). Take your time and have a break / picnic. The reason I say use most of the day for this is that once you get to Nossob and you are in the camp there is not much to be done or seen. The water hole they have there was not busy at all while we were there with only a few springbok coming close. On the way up go to all the water holes.

Augrabies is a nice place to end. The monkeys there are very polite so close / lock / bolt down everything. (They stole my rubber snake there)

Buy water to drink before you go into Kgalagadi as they redefine getting ripped off. Also they will sell you no beer or any alcohol on Sundays.
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Haboob »

Going Up (North) you should have no meat problems...
There is a Foot & Mouth Post at Ngoma Gate as well for those going South, & could be a thorn in the side for nothbound travellers if the family has had no meat for the day, by those manning the post...
Going South they have periodic checks in Bots on especially the Main Routes...
In Namibia they have a Vet Points (Red Line) on a Line from East to West on which they have checks to confiscate fresh Red Meat/Pork...
This runs more or less Level with the Top of Etosha in the East until the B8 then West around the Mangetti National Park Down to the 20* Meridian and then East again to the Botswana Border below the Nyae-Nyae Conservation Area...
You have not indicated the routes you will be using, so I have had to guess. All south moving vehicles are given a cursory check in their coolboxes, fridges & freezers for RAW Meat...
Cured & Cooked meat will NORMALLY pass the inspection, depending on what the official thinks they can get away with...
If they want to confiscate anything found, rather put up camp at the Vet Point and have a braai with the found meat before crossing...
Hope this Helps...
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by zepplin »

Give Kwando a miss and rather spend the time at Ngepi. It will mean a longer day to get there but you won't be sorry.

I've stayed at both and regretted leaving Ngepi once we got to Kwando.
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Haboob »

Ben,
Also look at Senyati Camp for four(4) Days(Very nice campsite, but what will you do there for four Days?
1 Day visit Vic Falls
1 Day visit Chobe along the River & ride around southern side of Park
1 Boat Cruise on River One late afternoon evening The earlier part(rest) of the day visit the Frontier Town of Kasane and do a little shopping.
1 Day that you have spare (Do you just want to lie around the campsite or to you rather want to go and do something else and see other places to get more out of your holiday and the milage you are doing)? You will be there in the area, so spend the extra day at Kwando and the southern loop below Katima Malilo and pop into the two game parks there as a day visitor, then you can still go to Ngepi the next day as suggested. You would then have done both places and seen the two game parks and when they get mentioned around the next braai fire, you can give your opinion instead of listening in wonder of all the places that the other people have been to, that you still need to experience...
The quick visits you do, will show you places that you kan visit on future tours, so that you know what is there and if you want to return there in future. Just to book or plan a few days at every other place and hope that you will find something to do there is being optimystic.
Different People enjoy different things on Holiday (Different strokes for different Strokes). I get bored sitting around doing nothing. That I can do at home in front of the TV watching cricket or rugby.
I suppose it also depends on how you are kitted...
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Ben61 »

Edge,
Thanks for all the information, we doing Kgalagadi at the end of the Botswana trip, we are well kitted.
The original plan was to do Kgalagadi only and then we decided to do Botswana just because we are going +/- in that direction.
KASANE - SENYATI SAFARI KAMP we will be doing Vic Falls, Chobe, Boat Cruise and rest :thumbup:
We will be in Kwando for 2 days and the plan is to do the game parks in the aria.
At DIVUNDU - MOBOLA LODGE we will be doing the rest of the parks and Popa falls
SHAKAWE - SHAKAWE RIVER LODGE we will be doing some Tiger fishing
MAUN - TSHIMA BUSH CAMP we going to do the plane flight over the Delta and stock up for Kgalagadi if we can. :beg:
We (3 couples with 1 Hilux and 2 Cruisers) are sleeping most of the places in the Roof Tents Just to bring the costs down. :eh:
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Haboob »

Ben,
You people are going from Kasane to Caprivi for two to three days and then back to Bots To Maun.
Why go into Kaprivi for that short space of time. That is unneccessary extra costs for Border crossings & Taxes. Do Caprivi properly at another time.
Do Kasane, Ingwezumba Area (Southwest of Kasane), on to Savuti, Moremi and then to Central Kalahari and down to Kgalagadi.
In this way you will be doing mostly Boswana then Namibia (Caprivi) can be done on the next Trip.
Multi Border crossings are not going to be cutting down on expences.
I am not trying to tell you how to enjoy your hard earned leave, but just trying to get you to re-look at how you are doing your planning.
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Ben61 »

Edge,
Thanks for the support,
Hgepi is fully booked - Liked to stay there
I know going to all the places are plenty driving, bud next time we will know where to stay longer and rest more. It is much better resting there and listing to the sounds there as at home.

Do you know what are the expenses at the border crossings?
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Racing snake »

Ben I agree with Edge. Rather do Chobe, Savuti and Moremi than Caprivi. Far more offroad driving but doubt weather you'll get booking at this late stage. Also maybe you want to see Caprivi and not Botswana, again. :thumbup:

We were at Elephant sands in November. Ellies were spectacular but there was no water, at all. Ablutions were trashed. Won't go there again, ever. Camping at Nata lodge is not the greatest but the ablutions and other facilities are fantastic.

Senyati Safari Camp is also very over rated. Used to be great but not anymore. Another place I'll give a skip next time.

For the rest I'm sure you'll have a great trip. :sick: with envy.
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Haboob »

Ben, I don't know off the cuff as there are different costs between the different countries, but you will be looking at about R300 - R500 for two people and a vehicle...
I think that you will also pay additional costs for a trailer if you are towing & if travelling with children or other occupants...
If you will be crossing into the Caprivi at Ngoma Gate, then pay for MULTIPLE ENTRIES, which is only slightly more expensive than a single entry (where you go into Botswana from South Africa), otherwise you will have to pay again when you re-enter Botswana which will work out more expensive (Double entry fees)...
Enjoy...
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Ben61 »

Edge,
We are entering Botswana at Martin’s Drift and we will leave Botswana to Caprivi at Ngoma Gate, we will enter Botswana at Mohembo Border from Caprivi and exist at McCarthy’s Rest Border in to SA on our way to Kgalagadi.
I have attached word document with some information about the borders.

Do you know if we can stock up on meat and groceries at Maun for Kgalagadi
Ben
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by mushroom »

Agree with Edge - get the multiple entry permit at the McCarthys rest border post on the Bots side -this will cover all entery/exit through your trip (just don't lose the paperwork !!! :blushing: :blushing: )

As for the route - again agree with Edge - 4 days at Senyati seems long. Try going into the operator offices in Kasane to find out of theres place at Savuti, Moremi etc.. we did this and had no problems as its closer to the time and the tour operators have cancelled.

Why not toss in the Makgadigadi Pans on the way up? then elephant sands, then senyati? pans are worth the visit. The Popa falls community camp looked really good. Its on the north side of the river opposite the larney hotel/campsites.

Enjoy, whichever route you choose :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Thunder02 »

mushroom wrote:Agree with Edge - get the multiple entry permit at the McCarthys rest border post on the Bots side -this will cover all entery/exit through your trip (just don't lose the paperwork !!! :blushing: :blushing: )

As for the route - again agree with Edge - 4 days at Senyati seems long. Try going into the operator offices in Kasane to find out of theres place at Savuti, Moremi etc.. we did this and had no problems as its closer to the time and the tour operators have cancelled.

Why not toss in the Makgadigadi Pans on the way up? then elephant sands, then senyati? pans are worth the visit. The Popa falls community camp looked really good. Its on the north side of the river opposite the larney hotel/campsites.

Enjoy, whichever route you choose :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Thunder02 »

Haboob wrote:Ben, I don't know off the cuff as there are different costs between the different countries, but you will be looking at about R300 - R500 for two people and a vehicle...
I think that you will also pay additional costs for a trailer if you are towing & if travelling with children or other occupants...
If you will be crossing into the Caprivi at Ngoma Gate, then pay for MULTIPLE ENTRIES, which is only slightly more expensive than a single entry (where you go into Botswana from South Africa), otherwise you will have to pay again when you re-enter Botswana which will work out more expensive (Double entry fees)...
Enjoy...
Hi Edge, you can only use it once, Martin and Jaans went through to Zim and back to Bots, and then when we tried to enter again from the Caprivi back into Bots, they had to pay again.
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Haboob »

Do you know if we can stock up on meat and groceries at Maun for Kgalagadi
Ben

Ben, Sorry for not getting back to you but have been away with work. I am not sure exactly where the Foot and Mouth Vet Control Points are situated in Botswans below Maun, but I think that the Trax4Africa map of Bots should have it on. I have noticed that on the Main Eastern Hi-way running from North to South there are plenty Police Stops where they check and disinfect your shoes, etc.
They seem to be very random and will stop any overlanding vehicle IF they need meat...
I often think that it is in the luck of the draw. If you have a hide-away cupboard then line it with Sayjacks and if you can keep it frozen (well frozen) during the night it will last during the day. They normally do not search the vehicle, but will check your cooler boxes or fridge/freezers.


Hi Edge, you can only use it once, Martin and Jaans went through to Zim and back to Bots, and then when we tried to enter again from the Caprivi back into Bots, they had to pay again.


They must have seen Martin & Jaans comming from a long way away.
The multiple entry is valid for 30 days.
They probably pocketed the other money...
They should just have written the receipt number of the Multi-entry on the new form to show why they were not charged for the second entry...
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Ben61 »

Hi All, thanks for all the information and suggestions. There is only 23 days left be for we starting the trip :celebrate:
I just hope that the Xenophobia :thumbdown: don't stop us entering Botswana.
With my new Dash cam from F_D :smile: and the LUX packed ready to go :yahoo:
:bye:
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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Family_Dog »

^^ Oh goodie! Videos upon your return :)

Safe travels, Ben! :thumbup:


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Re: Botswana & Kgalagadi trip

Post by Ben61 »

The reports for this trip is loaded on the trip report page. Hope you enjoy it.
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