Welcome to Kalahari Safaris, where your African Adventure begins.
Kalahari Safaris offers private and / or small group tours up to 10 people. We specialise in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Augrabies Falls National Park. Our tours start and end in Upington – ranging from camping to exclusive tailormade tours.

Your guide Pieter, who was born and raised in this fascinating land of contrasts, learnt many of his skills from the legendary bushmen. He will share with you his intimate knowledge of each sand dune, the specially adapted plants and the wildlife. Pieter is a THETA registered tour guide.

Kalahari Safaris will explore with you, our special guest, the hidden beauties of the magical Kalahari Thirstland. Together we will figure out the secrets of the predator tracks in the sand roads – which animal has hunted there? The beautiful Cheetah or the Leopard that hunts in darkness…?

You will be surprised by the great variety of the Kalahari wildlife. And after a day rich in discoveries, we will watch the sun go down over the ancient Acacia trees, and the night voices of the bush will sweeten your dreams…

UNWIND…FIND YOURSELF…
AND ENJOY YOUR STAY WITH KALAHARI SAFARIS!


Information

Lonely Planet Travel Guide says: "Kalahari Safaris comes highly recommended by our readers."

Northern Cape, Upington
Mention Upington and the mind conjures up visions of a desolate and sunbaked Kalahari desert town where man’s existence is a daily struggle. But how wrong can one be!

The Orange River runs like a glittering green ribbon through the beautiful Kalahari Desert. The main attractions are the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (250km) and Augrabies Falls National Park (120km).

For visitors it’s much easier to bring this contrasting ecosystems together with a tour guide from Kalahari Safaris that grew up and lived his whole life here.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
This park is one of the most pristine conservation areas on earth. It’s 38000km² of truly Kalahari semi desert vegetation, with the ancient Acacia trees, red sand, saltpans and wide variety of desert animals making it a photographers Paradise.

The Nossob- and Auob rivers are ephemeral, meaning that it’s dry and only flows during a very good rainy season. (once every 20 years!)

Predators found here: Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Aardwolf, Black-backed jackal, Brown-and spotted hyena, Honey badger, Caracal, African Wildcat, as well as Cape- and Bat eared fox.

Antelopes: Gemsbok, Wildebeest, Giraffe, Eland, Springbok, Hartebeest and Steenbok.
Small mammals: Yellow mongoose, Meerkat (suricate), Aardvark, Porcupine, Ground squirrel, Pangolin and Springhare.
Birds: 264 species, of which 20 raptor species are present.

Together with the small creatures and hundreds of plants species, it all comes together to form a truly well balanced ecosystem. And after good rains the Kalahari explode in a symphony of colours…

Augrabies Falls National Park
“Aukoerebis” (place of the big noise) – as it was called by the Khoi people, is the 6 th largest falls in the world when the Orange river is in flood. The Orange river plunges 67m into a 17km long ravine. Activities at Augrabies are rafting, hiking, game drives to view the diverse ecological systems as well as visiting the spectacular viewpoints. Names like Ararat and Echo Corner tells it all: A lunar-like landscape with strange and wonderful sandstone formations… The “Kokerboom” abounds here, even a 800 year old grave of a little Bushman girl… And a walk on the “Moon rock” will give you a panoramic view of this wild and harsh place.

No wonder Augrabies Falls are a sought-after tourist destination!

Witsand Nature Reserve
In this scenic reserve you can hike in an Acacia woodland, watch birds coming to drink at an eye-level waterhole, or you can climb up the 60m high dunes. Or simply relax at the pool after a long and busy day of exploring… Sometimes the vervet monkeys or baboons join us for breakfast!

Inportant Questions

How do I get to Upington?
There are daily intercity busses from all major South African cities www.intercape.co.za. Upington airport has direct links Cape Town and Johannesburg www.saairlink.co.za

How do I get to my guesthouse on arrival in Upington?
Kalahari Safaris will gladly, and free of charge transfer you from the airport/bus station to the guesthouse of your choice before and after your tour. We will also supply you with information you need to make the right choice regarding accommodation in Upington, from budget to luxury 5 star.

Is Kalahari a Malaria area?
The Kalahari is malaria free. For any other health issues www.travelhealth.co.uk

Any important backpacker travel information about Southern Africa? www.travelcomments.com

... for more tour options please see www.desert-explorers.com and www.kalahari-safaris.ch

 
Kalahari Safaris - Desert Explorers

KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK - 3 DAYS/2 NIGHTS TOUR

Upington / First night
Arrival in Upington, the town where the desert comes alive:
- By your own means (car - which we'll keep in safe storage for the duration of the tour).
- By bus (transfer into town from the bus station organized by Kalahari Safaris).
- By plane (transfer into town from the airport organized by Kalahari Safaris).

OVERNIGHT: GUESTHOUSE OF YOUR CHOICE

Safari / Day 1
Upington – Kgalagadi “Twee Rivieren Camp” (250 km)
We leave Upington at 8H00 in the morning to drive to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. We visit the Norokei Salt Pans and the Khomani San Bushmen. Twee Rivieren is our base for the night. We depart for a game drive according to game reports, until the gates close for the night. Be prepared to experience the abundance of wild life that the Park has to offer, like the "King of the Kalahari" - the Gemsbok - silhouetted against a backdrop of red dunes or maybe the Kalahari lion searching with its pale, yellow eyes...

Other animals found in the Kalahari are the cheetah, leopard, spotted - and elusive brown hyena, aardwolf, and the beloved "Little People" of the Busmen, the Meerkats...

The Park boasts with 264 bird species, including the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori Bustard. We will also study the fascinating "sociable weaver" birds, with their huge nests balanced precariously from a branch of the Camel thorn tree. Night game drive in an open truck ( 3 hours) to see the nocturnal animals usually not seen during day time.

Safari - Day 2
Twee Rivieren – Nossob Camp (160 km) or Mata Mata Camp (120 km)
We do an early morning game walk in the open Kalahari with game rangers, (3hours) then start our game-drive along the river bed and the water-holes to discover the fascinating flora and fauna of the Park. Your guide has a deep love and respect for this semi-desert and will share with you his comprehensive knowledge of the Kgalagadi - from the tiniest barking gecko to the lumbering giraffe, to the deadly polyclada beetle used by the Bushmen for their poisoned arrows, or the life-giving tsamma-melons , or the explosion of yellow colors coming from the Devils Thorn flowers...

We will read the signs left by animals in the sand roads of the Kalahari and watch the behaviour of the springboks; maybe they will tell us with their joyful jumping that the life-saving rains are coming... Our journey will stop either at the “Nossob Camp” or at the “Mata Mata Camp”, in the late afternoon. A well-deserved sundowner - after this day on the road - will be welcome! A dinner under the stars will close this day rich in discoveries. Optional night game drive.

Safari - Day 3
Nossob Camp - Upington (400 km) or Mata Mata Camp
– Upington (370 km)
In the morning we continue our safari for new discoveries along the Nossob- or Aub river-beds. Your guide will explain to you the special plant and animal adaptations of the Kalahari-Thirstland. The safari will then continue in the direction of Twee Riveren. After a short break for souvenir-shopping, we leave the Kgalagadi Park at 13H00 for a scenic drive towards Upington, our end–destination.
The Safari ends in Upington at about 16H30 End of tour.
Overnight: Guesthouse of your choice.

Price includes: THETA registered driver/guide (NC 0041) & air conditioned transport all entrance- & conservation fees & night game drive & morning walk with rangers accommodation as per itinerary: camping, chalets or the new Wilderness Camps 3 meals per day ( light lunch)

Price excludes: bottled water, soft- and alcoholic drinks, meals & drinks before and after tour at Guesthouse.

Guests need: sun block, hat, closed shoes, insect repellant.

Other tours:

TOUR 1: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park ( Gemsbok Park)  2 - 10 days
TOUR 2: Augrabies Falls National Park 1 - 2 days
TOUR 3: Witsand Nature Reserve 2 - 3 days
TOUR 4: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 5 days "Big Cat" Expedition
TOUR 6: Any combination of tailormade tours can be done
                 to suit your timetable and budget.

Kalahari Safaris also do Walking safaris in the Kgalagadi and Augrabies, Night game drives, River rafting on the Orange River, as well as 4x4 Trails.

Enjoy your stay in the Malaria-free Green Kalahari!