This vast wilderness area offers the alluring combination of abundant game, superb landscapes and good birding, all within two-wheel drive access. The park is best known in birding terms for its remarkable diversity and abundance of raptors, including Bateleur, Red-necked and Pygmy Falcons and Giant Eagle Owl (p.116*). However, it also offers a number of other often underestimated specials, among them Burchell’s Sand-grouse (p.116*) and Pink-billed Lark. Antelope such as Gemsbok (Oryx gazella) and Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) are common, and the park is also arguably one of the best places in the world to watch hunting big cats, like Lion (Panthera leo) and particularly Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). Spotted (Crocuta crocuta) and Brown Hyenas (Hyaena brunnea) also occur. The latter is actually the more common, but is rarely seen due to its crepuscular habits.

In 1997, the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park was officially joined to the Gemsbok National Park in adjacent Botswana to form South Africa’s first Transfrontier Park, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a vast conservation area spreading over 3.6 million hectares of the southern Kalahari. It is now possible for visitors from South Africa to enter the Botswana portion of the park, provided that they are equipped with four-wheel-drive vehicles and have checked in at the Gemsbok/Bokspits border post, 60 km south of Twee Rivieren (see Useful Contacts, p.136).

The southern (South African) segment of the park forms a vast triangle enclosed by the Namibian border in the west, the Nossob River (also the Botswana border) in the north and east and, approximately, the Auob River in the south. These two rivers remain dry for decades on end, but are punctuated by numerous artificial waterholes that concentrate the game along the otherwise parched riverbeds. The principal roads in the park run along the length of the two riverbeds; the only other roads are two short-cut routes across the central dune sea between the two rivers. The park roads are all unsurfaced, but are well maintained and fully accessible to sedan cars. The 260-km approach route from Upington is however tarred for all but the final 60 km of its length. There are three rest camps in the park: Twee Rivieren, at the entrance (the southeastern extremity); Mata-Mata, on the Namibian border in the far west; and Nossob in the north, halfway up the Nossob River.

The timing and length of your stay in the park will most likely depend on the availability of accommodation (camping facilities and very comfortable cottages are available in all the camps; see p.136 for reservation details), and on your own priorities. Because there are relatively few roads, and much of the park is uniform in character, the exact sequence is not especially important and the proposed route we describe below could be executed in any order. This route is an optimal birding one for those spending three to four nights in the park, and encompasses an itinerary from Twee Rivieren northwards to Nossob (day 1) and possibly Union’s End (day 2), followed by an arc southwest to the Auob riverbed via the central dune sea, before returning to Twee Rivieren (day 2 or 3). Note that the drive between the Twee Rivieren and Nossob rest camps is decep-tively long — allow at least half a day without stops. Enquire about current game-viewing conditions, and about the highly recommended night drives that depart from both the Twee Rivieren and Nossob rest camps about an hour before sunset. These make for an atmospheric evening drive before the spotlights come out for an exciting search for nocturnal birds and carnivores.

Allow at least three and a half hours for the drive from Upington north to Twee Rivieren. If you have time to spare, the Spitzkop Nature Reserve just north of Upington is worth a brief visit (see p.111). Sixty kilometres from Upington, the landscape changes from open Karoo plains to sand, and the road takes a roller coaster route over parallel dunes. Watch for Burchell’s Courser (p.96*) and Black-eared Finchlark (p.96*) along the initial Karoo expanses. Northern Black Korhaan, Double-banded Courser and, in wet years, Pink-billed Lark, are all likely along the grassy dune sections of the road. Look out for the occasional Pygmy Falcon, which is dependent on the numerous Sociable Weaver nests ingeniously attached to the telephone poles (see p.110).

Near Andriesvale, 60 km south of the park, the road joins the confluence of the Molopo and Nossob rivers, which are wooded with giant camelthorn (Acacia erioloba) trees. This woodland, especially near Molopo Lodge, offers good roadside birding, including Lilac-breasted Roller and Golden-tailed Woodpecker.