Karoo to Kalahari

https://www.polarsteps.com/CherylDru/7499165-karoo2kalahari

Knysna harbor, a must visit on the Garden route

After out epic Cape to Lake overlander from Malawi to South Africa, we spent a month in George South Africa getting some much needed quiet time and working out our next move. 

Victoria Bay, the choice swimming bay

George is the capital of the iconic Garden Route in the Western Cape which includes a number of famous towns such as Knysna and Plettenburg Bay to the west and Mossel Bay and Still Bay to the East. With an airport connection to Johannesburg in 2 hours, George is a good spot to hang around as long as you're prepared to put up with the cold, especially in Winter. This is Golf country with the famous Fan Court forming a suburb in George and Earnie Els, the famous Golfer calling this part of the world home.

Picture perfect George is also Golf heaven with a string of courses. 

The return leg to Malawi was pretty much up in the air and there were a few options but the popular one was through Botswana to Zambia and spend sometime in Zambia which should be dry by now following cyclone Freddy. The shortest route was through Mozambique but we were in no hurry and Moz can be a messy option. There is another option through Zimbabwe, also needing to cross through Mozambique. We really were not sure other than the need to go through Botswana but this decision was taken away from us due a work commitment in Botswana!

Victoria Bay, George

The original plan also included going back to Malawi to sell the car but with a set data for the work commitment, the trip back to Malawi would be chaotic with serious time pressure to sell the car and relocate to Botswana. There was also the minor details of what to do with all our camping gear once the car was sold in Malawi including the faithful roof tent which has been with us for over 15 years.

Plenty to do in George, paragliders at Map of Africa. 

Not the kind of thing you can sneak on to a plane as cargo so it was decided taking the car back to sell in Malawi be put on hold an alternative trip planned for South Africa, something we always though would be done at a later point.

Snoek is famous fish in the cape but it can go off when it's called a pap!

First choice was to check out the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park between the borders of South Africa, Botswana and South Africa but much to our surprise and horror it was fully booked out. One of the great things about East Africa is campers don’t need bookings, there is actually no booking system but in Southern Africa, bookings are essential. 

In the Cape, don't miss out on a Snoek Braai. 

Next we checked out Kruger and managed to get a booking over 7 nights across 4 camps but importantly we had a plan, albeit Kruger was over 1,500 kms from our current location in George.

Time to pack the car again, destination Botswana!

As with any good overlanding trip, the key is not to rush around ticking boxes but for the first time in 3 months we had a booking and around here, you pay for your booking immediately so there is no changing dates. It was decided that this trip would start from the Karoo, which is about a 3 hour drive from George and end in the Kalahari in Botswana, our destination for the next couple of years.

Meiringspoort Pass, it can closed in heavy rains. 

The drive to Karoo National park is action packed starting with the Outeniqua pass, to get over the mountains surrounding George. Next stop is the Oudtshoorn, the Ostrich capital of the world. Although we did not stop at the Ostrich farms, apparently you can ride an Ostrich here. 

Meiringspoort waterfall, it's a small walk but you don't see it from the road. 

Next is the Meiringspoort pass, another spectacular pass through a mountain gorge crisscrossed by a numerous rivers and streams, with the highlight being the Waterfall. Over the pass your enter the true Karoo land which is semi desert biome unique to South Africa. Sparce in vegetation and home to the much claimed Karoo lamb which somehow we never got our hands on.

Meiringspoort waterfall, it's a small walk but you don't see it from the road. 

Karoo National Park is located close to the town of Beaufort West along the main N1 Cape Town to Johannesburg highway. But it does get really cold here in winter to the extend there was frost on our test with the windscreen having a layer of ice and the bird bath having a frozen later on top. 

The bird bath froze overnight. 

It’s at this stage we realized how handy a heater would be but our car is an Asian model where the heater is not connected so had to wait for sunshine to thaw out the windscreen before being able to drive. As with all South African parks, the camping facilities are the best in Africa with powered sites, braai spots, hot water showers, laundry facilities and of course crowded campsites on top of each other.

Waiting for the frozen windscreen to thaw. 

xKaroo National Park is essentially a desert park with Rhino being the largest mammal while Gemsbok, Elland, Mountain Zebra, Red Hartebeest and Steinbok are all present small numbers. 

The Karoo landscape

Lions were reintroduced and are the only major predators but is probably one of  the better places to shoot the Bat Eared Fox, a comical looking canine who is able to dig up grubs by using its amazing ears to hear stuff underground. Keep an eye out of the Karoo specials for the birds starting with the Karoo Korhaan. 

The park is made up of reclaimed farmland. 

There are also Verreaux’s Eagle nesting in the park during the breeding season and sightings of the Black Footed Cat (a.k.a the anthill tiger). Definitely a must check out in the South African national park trek but go here for the landscapes and vegetation as the game is sparce.

Demonstration of an old time Hyena trap

Back to George and this being South Africa, there is no need for wild planning and stocking up so next stop along the Garden Road is Tsitsitkamma National Park. The feature of this almost prehistoric beach based forest park are the twin towns of Natures Valley and Storms River. 

The famous Knysna Oster, we didn't get get the hype. 

Both have great campsites but take not that the Storms River campsite is on the beach and exposed to the Atlantic winds which only folks from this part of the world can cope with, especially in winter. 

The coast here is wild and inhospitable

There were reports of the much south after Finfoot at Natures Valley but we couldn’t find it. We did find the Half Collared Kingfisher at the Natures Valley campsite. There were a pair and appeared to be residents and if you are taking walk from campsite, take the left and lookout at the first expanse of water.

Beautiful beaches but it's cols Atlantic water

Natures Valley is quiet holiday hamlet on a forest covered beach. There are no services here expect for one stop restaurant and corner café that will sell some basics. If you ever wanted a quiet tranquil holiday on an idyllic beach and a crystal clear lagoon surrounded by high forest covered mountains, look no further than Natures Valley on the Garden route. 

Tsitsitkamma National Park, Natures Valley

The campsite is set in the forest and fully services and like most South African campsites, has several accommodation options including self-catered chalets and tiny Forrest huts. A huge acknowledgement to South African National Parks (SAN Parks) for the excellent work they do keep a string of campsites in great conditions throughout this wonderful country.

Picture perfect Natures Valley

Storms River is different set up in that it is only the SAN Parks facility set on the beach. The walk to the Storms River mouth is a must and there are two bridges across the river mouth. 

A Forest Cottage is good option with SANParks. 

In the right season, there are water activities up the Storms River gorge for the younger folks. There are also reports of Whale sightings off the coast but the sea is very rough and looks anything but inviting at any time. This is hiking country and not for the faint hearted with the most famous being the Otter train which takes a few overnights to complete depending your level of fitness. Also keep an eye out of the Cape specials such as Knysna Wook-Pecker and Knysna Lourie.   

The suspension bridge over the Storms River

Next destination is Addo Elephant National Park a comfortable 3 hour drive and along the way the adrenaline lovers can stop over for a bungee jump off one of the highest bungee jumps in the world. I would have frozen to death by the time they pulled me up so definitely not even a remote possibility of a jump. 

The Bloukrans bridge, one of the highest bungee jumps in the world 

Approaching Addo can be awkward as there are two entrances and the village of Addo so set your met meters accordingly. We were enjoying the simple pleasures of traveling in South Africa like finding a clean toilet and food. Years of travel in East Africa where one leaves home with pre-cooked meals and timed, dodgy toilet stops are a distant memory now.

One can Kayak up the Storms River mouth in summer

Addo is famous for its ‘red’ elephants from the dust in this area. There are no large trees in Addo due to the winds off the coast so it’s a case of scattered short grass plains surrounded by short thin trees. The animal sightings are in the plains which are far and few in between but when you do find something, it’s a good unobscured sightings. 

This is big 5 country

There are lions here but apparently in the Southern section. The only campsite is at the Northern entrance so don’t go chasing lions here. The elephants are easy to find and they do come out the grass plains in the afternoons. There is also a great shooting hide at the Northern gate but as luck would have it, there were some repairs carried out when were there. 

Addo offers a wind swept short bush wildlife experience. 

Addo is also worth a visit for its unique landscape and elephants which would be a major attractions in the dry season at the numerous waterholes scattered throughout the park. Look out for the Denham’s bustard at Addo.

Short bush and grass plains are the feature of Addo. 

Next on the route to Kruger is Mountain Zebra National Park which looks an easy 3 hour drive but it’s anything but as the drive is through several mountain passes which you share with large trucks and lots carrying vehicles to and from Port Elizabeth. 

Spectacular scenery of Mountain Zebra National Park. 

There is not much on this route in terms of attractions or large towns but we are off the coast and finally heading inland on this awesome country. The landscapes reminded us a lot of Australia and its country towns and what was also noticeable was the deterioration of the roads as we left the Western Cape and went in to the Eastern Cape.

Do not let your guard down in the bush. 

Mountain Zebra National Park is an underrated gem of a park both in terms of landscapes and game viewing. The short grass plains offer great views and your can climb up to the top of the plateau for awesome views of the surrounding plains. This is also home to some unique angulates in the form of the Blesbok and White Tailed or Black Wildebeest. 

Mountain Zebra, a subspecies unique to the Cape. 

We had seen neither before and there is other common game such as Springbok, Mountain Zebra, Eland and Hartebeest. There are Lion, Cheetah and Rhino here but you have your work cut out to find them. 

Springbok galore at Mountain Zebra National Park. 

The main game concentration appears to be around the two dams close to the entrance and up the escarpment from the South. This is a little gem of a park not be missed if you are down this part of the world.

The Mountain Plateau scenery is spectacular. 

Having covered the ‘Southern’ circuit of parks, next stop was Kruger still over a thousand kilometres away so we broke journey at Bloemfontein. There is no camping options here except for Sangiro lodge which is a hard find as it’s a no entry road on the shoulder of the highway! The facility is ok for a one night stopover but not much more. 

The Bontebok, another animal unique to these parts. 

We were also hoping to pick up a 500-watt lithium power bank for off grid camping but Bloem was out of stock thanks to the power cuts in South Africa. So we went all the way to the factory in Pretoria on route to Kruger  which also meant we lost time and had to camp on route. 

Left to Graaff-Reinet home to Camdeboo, home of the Anthilltiger. 

We stumbled upon Stonechat campsite in Schoeman Kloof. This is great little spot with a small lake and good facilities expect for the never ending mining trucks that go up and down all day and night.

Say no more!

Finally, we were within a day’s drive of Kruger. Going down the mountain pass to Nelspruit the change in vegetation is noticeable and this is the last stop to stock up before heading to Kruger. Our base for the next couple of days would be Henk Van Rooyen camp in Marloth Park. 

Stonechat campsite, Schoemanskloof.

Marloth Park is a suburb but set in the bush! The Kruger park is across the Crocodile river and you can watch the game come down to drink on the opposite bank. Marloth park itself has its own game including a fenced off game reserve surrounded by homes.

Busy roads with big trucks, a long way from Malawi. 

What’s really crazy is there is game outside the fenced reserve walking around in people’s gardens and this includes Lions! I guess the Lions days are numbered if for nothing else, the gene pool must be limited but we were here for a couple of days to work out what the life style here was like and it looks awesome. 

8 lane highways, a far cry from the years in East Africa. 

If all that is not crazy, there were guys jogging and going for walks while the Lions were presumably sleeping or pondering the day they decide to taste a human.

Maputo, Mozambique is a mere 130 KMS from Marloth Park.

Either way we were taken up by this suburb like no other with it’s own game, game reserve while sharing a border with the Kruger park just 30 minutes away.

We don't have too many gadgets but added this to the armory for Botswana. 

What we also picked up is South African parks are full of caravans, motor homes and 4x4 trailers which we don’t see outside South Africa. This is basically a mobile home literally including the kitchen sink, pay tv, air-condition, toilet and multiple fridges. 

Marloth Park camp site, on the Crocodile river opposite Kruger NP. 

All camp sites are dominated by these set ups and usually the guys are chilling in these camps for weeks.  I guess it’s caravanning in its true form with a whole community around it. The South African infrastructure is perfectly set up for this lifestyle where you can move from site to site but you will have to book well in advance as it is awfully popular.

All things South African, mobile home, Braai gear and pork chops!

The day has finally arrived for us to check out one of the worlds premier wildlife destinations – the Kruger National Park. 

Troop of processionary caterpillars kept us occupied at the campsite. 

This is a monster when it comes to National Parks in terms of sightings and presence of wildlife including Africa’s super 7. 

Marloth Park borders to mighty Kruger NP

What’s more the game is well habituated to vehicles and thus sightings are rewarding and the park is huge with multiple entrance gates and camps which cater to all budgets. 

Kruger National Park, we are finally here entering through Malelane.

All camps are armed with well stocked stores, fuel and restaurants so you don’t really need to carry anything even for multiple days as long as your willing to pay the rates. The roads are well maintained dust tracks with the major arteries tarmac. 

Sightings board, why don't all parks have this?

Yes there are cops in the park with speed guns for the idiots who actually speed in a national park. There is even a golf course in the park if you really want to get carried away.

Southern Kruger, Malelane, Crocodile bridge, Skakuza, Lower Sabie - red roads are tarmac. 

Our entrance gate to Kruger was the Malelane gate which was also our camp for the night. This is probably the best gate in the park to have a realistic chance of sighting the big 5 mainly because the Rhino are plenty in this area which we didn’t find in other areas. 

Anything for a Braai is all of South Africa. 

The main game driving areas are based along the crisscrossing rivers and is well stocked with all predators and plains game. There was  a pride with a 3 male coalition, Leopard and Wild dogs within a stones throw of the camp. 

The essential Kruger, Lions on the tarmac with traffic!

There are also some interesting waterholes within striking distance. Kruger also has active sightings board updated through the day and an App where you can get a feel of what is moving around.

North to South Kruger could be nearly 400 KMS. 

Next night was the Lower Sabi which is one of the few camps not located by an entrance gate. The vegetation is more savanah and open plains and the great thing about this camps it the ability to explore in opposite directions, all offering different biomes and wildlife experience. 

Best chance to see Big Five, Malelane at Kruger. 

This area also had a forested area on the road South where we had two Leopard sightings in one morning and Lions were roaring at night. The area across the river towards Mlondozi reminded us of Kalahari, flat grasslands offering a different experience where unsurprisingly there were reports of a Cheetah sighting. Take note the fuel stop at Lower Sabi is out of service and had been for a long time.

There is no fuel at Lower Sabie so plan accordingly but all other camps are ok. 

The mad run through the park continued the next day as headed to Crocodile Bridge, also a park entrance and thus reasonably busy. The campsite is surprisingly small for one of the oldest camps and always try to get yourself a site against the fence to keep an eye on the passing game. 

Feeding animals is plain stupid, don't be the idiot and read up why you mustn't. 

The Lion pride was literally asleep next to the campsite. The main game viewing is towards Lower Sabi and along the Crocodile River and we didn’t find this camp all that exiting in terms of camping or game. 

Sunset lagoon, Lower Sabie, don't miss it for sunsets. 

There is an awesome waterhole close to the camp that should be first point of call and don’t miss the Hippo pool on the crocodile river, oddly one of the few places you get check out the actual Crocodile river.

Common kitchen at camp site, hot water urn, electric cook tops and wash basins. 

Day 4 and this time we were at Pretoriouskop, however on the approach to Pretoriouskop it was evident why we could get last minute booking here, the vegetation is thick and almost impossible to spot game. 

They have been doing this for a long time in Kruger and are experts. 

There was plenty of signs of elephant activity and reports of a Leopard close to the camp but we were convinced from the outset that we needed to get out of here asap. The campsite is huge with good facilities as always but we were not impressed with this part of the park. 

Self catering bungalow with the all important Braai is a great option. 

There are a couple of waterholes and a kopje close by but the thick vegetation was a problem. Our main focus was that we needed to come back here in a couple of days for two night and there was no way that was an option.

There are many tales of old timers in the bush. 

The wild ride through Kruger now took us to Skukuza the next day where we could only secure a chalet as the campsite was full. 

The Voortrecker wagon is part of South African history. 

We also managed to swap our Pretoriouskop two days for Satara chalet as the camp was full. Skukuza is the biggest and most prominent camp with 3 restaurants, airport, golf club and multiple accommodation options. 

self catering bungalows with cook top, microwave, sink and baboonproof fridge. 

It is also not next to an entrance gate which means one can explore in 4 different directions. This is probably one of the best places to based yourself to chase game in Kruger and sightings here are fantastic.

The game is very tame, this clan outside the Skukuza gate resting on the road. 

A pride of 19 brought down a buffalo, the wild dogs were further down the same road and there is a clan of hyenas just outside the camp gate who insist on sleeping on the road despite heavy traffic. 

Even feathered game is used to cars like this Crested Barbet. 

There were reports of two Leopard in the area too but the main thing there are multiple roads to explore including two roads that hug the Sabie River. Also worth noting the chalet is a nice option and welcome break from the campsites which are awfully crowded and stacked on top of each other. 

This chap wasn't happy with us and let us know all about it. 

The chalets are self catering with a toilet and braai spot so you have everything one needs to have a comfortable stay with minimum fuss and most of all some much needed privacy and quietness.

Car trouble and the camps have a resident 'guy' who can do some basics. 

Next stop, Satara, another great camp without an entrance gate and this is as North as we could reach and there was so much further North one can check out. Satara also offers some great game viewing options in multiple directions. 

Lookout for the Honey Badger at Satara and they will raid your bin. 

The resident Leopard had a kill less than 2 kilometres from the camp gate and the Lions there were reports of multiple Lions prides in all directions. 

The Bushbuck is hanging around the notice which says not to feed him!

There was Cheetah sighting also close to the camp gate so Satara we concluded was a great options for Kruger. Having checked all of the Southern camps, our first choice would be Skakuza followed by Lower Sabi.

Meat, Potatoes and Corn is all you need for a Braai.

We ended up spending 9 nights in Kruger and had some great sightings except the Cheeta which is a rara sight in this park. The Leopard count was 9 including multiple sightings on the road and a couple up trees including one with a kill.

We are not kitted out and thus some diving is needed at times. 

 While we had multiple Lion sightings, we felt the money shot remained elusive. Rhino was great but only in one area while Elephant and Buffalo were common. 

When in South Africa, keep calm and eat lots of Biltong and Dry Wors. 

Wild dog sightings were also better than expected while the bird count went over a hundred getting to the top for one single trip beating the 99 from the Serengeti. Despite the maddening crowds and tarmac roads, Kruger remains one of the top iconic wildlife destinations in the world and we will be back.

Running repairs in South Africa, destination Kalahari in Botswana. 

We left the park through the Orpen gate and headed for Polokwane via Hoedspruit headed for Botswana which was still a days travel from Polokwane. Google with show the quickest route through the Groblesbrug border and Palapye but ensure you get the timing right as overnighting on this route could be a challenge. 

Banana plantations for the whole of Southern Africa. 

We opted for the Pretoria – Rustenburg route mainly because it was a better road. The Tlokweng border was a breeze and what a world away from the serious challenges of crossing East African borders. 

Crime is a major problem in South Africa and needs to be planned around. 

Even the Zambia – Malawi border can take hours and you never really sure what takes up time and it never seems to be same issue. Once it was a non-functional printer and another, the network was down but there seems to always something that takes hours.

The turn to Botswana at Zeerust, South Africa. It's an hour drive from here. 

Gaborone is not a tourist stopover so unless you need to attend to logistical matters, plan to get further in to this beautiful Country over fiddling around in Gaborone. 

Kutse Game Reserve turn off at Molopolole, Botswana. 

Accommodation is also limited and don’t plan to camp in Gaborone as the facilities simply don’t stack up. 

The tarmac ends in Letlekane and is a 100 KMS of corrugation to the gate. 

A place worth overnighting are the chalets at Mokolodi which overlook a waterhole. The chalets are self-catering and well stocked with all you need for a comfortable stopover.

This is not a plan and we need a proper canopy to load the roof. 

Next stop was Kalahari to formally conclude the Karoo to Kalahari run and what better place than Kutse Game reserve, our favourite handout from all those years back in Gaborone. 

The Khutse gate, remains the same. 

The first and most irritating factor was the horror corrugations from Letlhakeng to the park gate. This was once a not to be messed around sand track which was a serious challenge but was filled up with gravel to service the small village that was set up in Kaudwane to accommodate the San Bush People who left the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). 

Kutse campsite MOS2, shade is gold dust in the Kalahari, especially with Ele's around. 

The previous 4x4 only sand tracked was not motorable by most vehicles but like all gravel roads, is now a corrugated horror show so drop your tyres when the tarmac end and Letlhakeng service station has an air pump but it doesn’t have a gauge so make sure you have a tyre pressure gauge.

Kalahari Sunsets are mighty special, get that fire up early. 

Kutse Game Reserve is the Southern corner of the CKGR and the cross over from the Southern to Northern CKGR remains one of the great off road challenges.

Sunset over Kutse Pan 1.

There are no facilities in between and help will not come, so don’t cross it unless your in a convoy and are surrounded by folks who know how to handle miles of soft sand. We were not here to cross but just checkout Kutse and the big surprise was the elephants!

Our travels are over and time to empty the fuel from Malawi. 

When we first went to Kutse in 2004, the nearest elephants were over 100’s of miles away and the thought of an elephant in Kutse was simply not a discussion point.  That was till somewhere in 2010 when we arrived at the game the park authorities warned us about a lone bull which we took to be a joke and laughed off. That was until we picked up the track of an elephant in the park. 

The final pack, we were to get robbed later today of all our camera equipment!

I recall waiting at the Molose waterhole when the Government Vetenary officer pulled up and inquired if we had seen an elephant! This would have been a piece from the ‘gods must be crazy’ if not for the track we had seen. He informed us that unusual visitor was in the park and they were trying to work out what the issue was.

Mahurushele was our original favourite. 

We left Botswana in 2010 and never saw the elephant but followed reports overs the years that the original single bull had now been joined by other bulls to form a sizeable herd but most importantly they were here for good it seemed. Kutse itself remained unchanged with all the same campsites with a notable difference of trees knocked down by elephants taking out the all important shade so make sure have a shade plan for this park as there really are not many large trees. 

The Horizon that never ends, Kutse Pan. 

The other feature was that despite no changes or services provided to the camp sites, the significantly steep increase in camping fees apparently for no apparent reason unlike the Northern parks where the increase in camping fees has been matched with significant improvement in camping facilities.

120 days of travel, 5 countries, 20,000 KMS have ended at our new home in Botswana. 

We spent a couple of days in Kutse and appreciated the great new waterhole on the main Kutse pan which for years never had any water. The roads in the park are corrugated which is annoying but is a factor in all parks with the increase in traffic. We returned to Gaborone to start the new phase of our African journey in Botswana. It was great to be back in Southern African after 13 years in East Africa which is a very different experience to Southern Africa. 

Sadly upon arriving Gaborone we got robbed of all our equipment including camera, laptops and backup which were all packed to be unloaded but were beaten by new age thieves who were apparently armed with jammers which can disable your cars security system. It was a sad end to 5 months of travel over Southern Africa and we have lost all our photos and videos. Despite the highs and lows, the journey through this awesome continent will continue and the memories of this amazing trip of a lifetime will live on.