Theyre quite close together, but at just 600m from the waterhole on the highest rise in the area, they have beautiful views over the pan to the west. . For anyone really interested in the Bushman history and their traditional way of life, I would highly recommend a visit to this camp. From Matwere Gate to Deception Valley and the nearby campsites its another 40 km and should take roughly 1.5 hours. There is no clear boundary and CKGR and Khutse Game Reserve share the same gate to the east. The campsites in Central Kalahari Game Reserve are managed either by BigFoot Tours or DWNP. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. "XOF": 603.086866, We had been told that it was deep sand, and we were almost expecting vast dunes and large plains. "BND": 1.347513, Tsau will offer an active desert experience, with day and night game drives, horseback riding, walking as well as fly camping - allowing guests to fully explore the concession. "JOD": 0.7095, Besides Piper Pan, there are two remaining camping areas off the loop: Kukama and Motopi. It is a gate into or out of Kalahari Desert Botswana and that s all we know Africantourer. Their codes contain -TAU- because they are vaguely near Tau Pan and Tau Lodge. Via any route, you will experience sand and lots of it. Botswana Tourism 2021, Eco - Tourism Certification Application Process. km larger than the size of Switzerland. Pay park conservation fees in advance or have cash at the gate. As well as booking the campsites they also paid our conservation fees and made sure we got the correct vouchers before we left on our trip. "CVE": 100.655382, "MRU": 34.638909, Piper has two sites stand 2 on a low, sandy rise just off the southern track, and stand 1, which is 3.5km to the north, under a clump of acacias on the pans edge. There had been rains the night before, leaving mud in the ditched areas, but nothing difficult. Some people spend weeks in the park, while Id recommend three nights a the very minimum. Central Kalahari. In the sand dunes, the water passes straight through the sand so the tracks in these areas remain fine. . Theres a campsite here (bookable through Big Foot Tours), a sometimes broken waterhole and a ranger station. Driving back to Deception camp we took the cutline from west to east. The Tau sites are slightly confusing: Tau1 is no longer in use as it was deemed too close to the luxurious Tau Pan Camp; Tau 3 at Phokoje Pan (with a completely flattened toilet) is a single stand on its own; and Tau 2, another single stand on San Pan, is a further 15km down the track. Wide and empty pans appear as vast white stretches of pancake-flat earth, meeting a soft, blue-white sky. Further afield, the Passarge Valley sites are completely by themselves, with Passarge 2 (CK-PAS-02) having great views over the surroundings. When we got closer to the border of Khutse Game Reserve, the roads got better. We found a powerful flashlight with a red filter* very useful for spotting animals at nighttime. "TZS": 2405, "NZD": 1.63244, "NGN": 760.497576, Take recovery gear. Please note that the Commuter Terminal is currently served by a couple of airlines: Makani Kai and Mokulele Express. Here youre close to the action in terms of predators hunting along Deception Valley. Tsau: North West: Matswere: North East: Xade: West . They all harbor age-old knowledge passed down verbally from generation to generation, as well as a level of spiritual connectivity mostly unknown in the New World. There were roughly 20 vultures and in the pans around the waterhole probably the highest number of game we had seen in CKGR. Download this stock image: Tsau Entrance Gate, Central Kalahari Game Reserve CKGR. We believe animals that usually live closer to the waterholes were a bit more scattered and the overnight moisture made for easier driving on the sand roads. "BIF": 2826.099128, CK-KOR-03 (map): A large site close to a viewpoint on the opposite side of the road, making it a great site. I loved the Central Kalahari. "GTQ": 7.840521, Booking Notices, Cancellation Policy, Children's Policy, Payment Terms, Specials and T&C's. "ISK": 136.92, That night around the fire we had several Red Romans / Baardskeeters / Kalahari Ferraris a mix between a spider and scorpion that move unsettlingly and creepily fast. Although the pans are nice when dry, during the rainy season (Nov-Mar) they can become very muddy. Most of the game congregates around the pan systems to the north, which is also where youll find the popular camps and game-viewing tracks. These rates are all-inclusive, which means meals and activities such as game drives and bushman walks are included. "MKD": 56.653308, The Leopard Pan camp is nicely situated and about 10km to the pumped waterhole. "FKP": 0.786095, There is some service with Mascom and BTC at the gate. Download and buy this stock image: New Tsau Gate, Central Kalahari, Kalahari, Botswana, Africa - IBR-1358027 from agefotostock's photo library of over 110+ million high resolution stock photos, stock pictures, videos and stock vectors P20/145/190 for citizens/residents & SADC/ international per person per day. Its well supplied with water, and quite muddy. There are 3 lovely campsites very spread out in Passarge Valley, which makes up the northern side of the loop. This, and the very overgrown track to the other sites make CK-MOT-02 the best site here. Bordering the northern edge of the park in a large private conservancy, lie Evolve Back Gham Dhao Lodge (formerly Haina Kalahari Lodge, Website, Booking Reviews*), Deception Valley Lodge (Website, Tripadvisor Reviews*) and Dinaka Lodge (Website, Tripadvisor Reviews*). "GNF": 8597.902758, If youre interested in other Botswanan Kalahari Desert parks, check out Khutse Game Reserve or Mabuasehube. Its 3-6 hours from Xade to Pipers Pan. A long straight drive with deep and frequent man-made road humps to reduce speeds. We carried 150 liters of diesel (100 in the tank and 50 in two jerry cans) and 75 liters of water which we found sufficient for the two of us. "AZN": 1.7, There are two luxury lodges within the park, Kalahari Plains Camp (Website, Tripadvisor Reviews*) and Tau Pan Camp (Website, Tripadvisor*). Pipers Pan Waterhole: We only saw birds here, though the tracks nearby show that a lot of game regularly visits this waterhole in the middle of the pan. From Ghanzi its 155 km to Tsau Gate, 115 km of which is on nice the tarred highway, with the remaining 40 km on thick sand along a cutline heading directly east. Stock up elsewhere before entering the park. Kori campsite (map) consists of 4 sites along the edge of Deception Valley. "BGN": 1.7986, There are four entrance gates to the game reserve:Matswere Gate in the North-East, this gate is reached from Rakops; Xade Gate, that is on the West towards Namibia and near Ghanzi; Tsau Gate on the North-West, that is connected to the road halfway between the main road from Ghanzi and Maun, and is frequented by most travellers going to Namibia or Maun. Make sure you dont head east on the track north of the Vet Fence as you wont be able to get back to the correct side. Gate hours of Central Kalahari Game Reserve are 06:30-18:30 Apr-Sep, 05:30-19:00 Oct-Mar. We woke up in the middle of the night to four large elephants feasting on the trees 2 meters from the car. At night the stars are genuinely awe-inspiring, utterly dominating the land with their brilliance and immediacy. Directions . On our second day we headed east toward Sunday Camp, stopping off in Passarge Valley for lunch. "KWD": 0.307527, Motopi campsite has a lovely waterhole and is a great stop on your way to/from Tsau Gate. where did you get your vehicle? The most commonly used are Matswere followed by Tsau Gate and less commonly Xade Gate. Contact the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to pay conservation fees in advance and receive a voucher, or pay in cash at the park gates. Contact [ correction ] Address : Ghanzi, Botswana Directions [ correction ] They will also give grip. Commuter Terminal. There is a filling station in town and next door is a large building that has a water tap outside the water is drinking water and free but didnt taste nice. There are no huge areas of water or deep water, but surface water that turns the salty mud into thick, soft, sticky mud that traps your vehicle and is very slippery. The exit from the highway onto the cutline is about 150 m south of the Vet Fence (if youre coming from Ghanzi, you dont cross the Vet Fence) and is well-signed, though the route doesnt look particularly promising. Provinces. Standing 200 meters above the vast flat expanse of the central Kalahari, Great Tsau Hill has no doubt served as an important navigational aid to humans since our time on earth began. Theres a little viewpoint of the pan very close to site 3, just on the opposite side of the main track, making this perhaps the best site.The Kori campsites are all very popular. Be careful when removing stuff not to burn yourself. Tsau Gate (Central Kalahari Game Reserve) Self Drive Access : Yes Vehicle Type : 4WD Water available at Matswere Gate and Xade Camp so be sure to fill extra containers. Down below at the waterhole, there is no pumped water anymore. "MYR": 4.6765, The area of the park near Deception Valley is the busiest. km larger than the size of Switzerland. Closed weekends. Accommodation facilities Spacious camping pitches Shower ('bring your own water') WC Other campsites in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve are Sunday Pan, Kori and Passarge! It is believed that the wider Kalahari region barely supports wild dogs and only a small population occurs there. "COP": 4096.862173, We stocked our food, water and diesel in Maun and headed east (first to Gweta for several days) then to Rakops. "NIO": 36.576613, Inside the park, pan roads can be muddy and impassable after rain; in the dry winter, the resulting ruts are deep and bumpy. The above list is very much incomplete, you obviously need all your camping gear as well, I just listed some things you might forget. You can read more about our two-month Botswanan adventure in the book I wrote, No Footprints in the Night: On Safari in Botswana*. We saw gemsbok cooling down in the muddy water and many birds. "GGP": 0.786095, The site is not used often and can sometimes be slightly overgrown. After heavy rain, the main loop, especially in Deception Valley, can become quite difficult. We arrived in Rakops late in the evening, car camped along the side of the road and the next morning we topped up our diesel and water. The first people of Southern Africa, the indigenous Bushman, have traversed this seemingly dry and barren land for approximately 100 000 years, using nothing but the stars and natural geographical formations such as Great Tsau to guide them. For more Botswana road trips and guides check out, [] the base camp for most trips and tours in the region. When is the Best Time to visit Central Kalahari Game Reserve? There is no exclusive fire pit, but we dug a small pit hoping to centralize it more. Foundation. The gate officials called the Gaborone booking office and shared our plans to head south and exit the Khutse gate, unsure of our exact dates. Moremi, Khwai, Chobe, Makalakadi, Nxai, and Central Kalahari Game Reserves are most often originating from Maun. But even a slight elevation makes the vast expanse that much more impressive. CK-MOT-02 (map): Site with toilet and shower, at the top of a small hill so with nice views over the surroundings. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. At Kori, stand 1 is the best a cozy camp, closest to the pan. Check your radiator every so often to remove any bits. "UAH": 36.932222, His function as a linguistic bridge as well as imparting his vast knowledge to the guides, has ensured that this immersive experience is both genuine and highly educational, whilst also being a lot of fun! We visited the Central Kalahari Game Reserve as part of a long trip overlanding around Botswana. "NOK": 10.88902, I believe there is a government camp here and would suggest a stop here if possible. We arrived mid-morning and after checking in at the gate and showing our reservations, we drove to our first campsite, Motopi 2 (KG-MOT-02), another 60 km and 2 hours away. can we rent in Maun? However water and game are scarce on this stretch and there are better sightings to the southeast. Bibe camp is a nice bush camp with spacious flat grounds, nice shade, and sounds of jackals in the evening. You might see signs for campsites like New Kori Campsites, or HATAB sites which are for private mobile operators, not self-drivers and you cant book these. Deception Valley has some of the highest concentrations of game within Central Kalahari Game Reserve, so its a great place to be. Some people had lions visiting within this camp. 2. I know someone who swears by carpet strips. "XDR": 0.745795, "MAD": 9.960341, Xade Gate is quite in the middle of nowhere. "BMD": 1, "BHD": 0.37706, 2023 African Reservations. Vehicle fees per day of P20 for Botswanan or P75 for non-Botswanan plates. Your email address will not be published. The Lonely Planet Guidebook* covers all of Botswana, but not in much detail. CK-SUN-03 (map): Sunday Pan campsite 2, one hundred metres from CK-SUN-04 and on a rise near Sunday Pan waterhole. Campsite 3 has the best views of Passarge Valley and is probably the best site, while campsite 3 is nearest to the Passarge Valley Waterhole, 11 km away. "ETB": 54.537214, San Pan and Phokoje sites are equally remote and situated by lovely pans. We exited the Central Kalahari park via Matswere Gate on its eastern edge and continued to Rakops River Lodge (decent enough but nothing special) where we spent the night. "USD": 1, This is a slightly obscure route and not well travelled, so if youre worried about getting stuck, dont go this way. Between pans, the tracks are easier to negotiate. CK-TAU-02 (map): San Campsite, near San Pan. This last day was 190 km driving. The Great Tsau Hill is the only topographical relief in the entire 50,000km2 CKGR, offering spectacular panoramic views over the savannah. Our trip was in October 2020 towards the end of the dry season, but with recent rain showers. For those driving from Khutse, read more about it in our article about Khutse Game Reserve. "HNL": 24.620892, The Xade Gate is an option for those taking the long, remote route southeast from Ghanzi. Naturally, these animals attract the usual itinerant predators. The park can be accessed via Matswere gate in the east, Tsau gate in the north, and Xade gate in the west. "BZD": 2.015809, Predators are most active during this time, so easier to spot. CK-PIP-01 (map): Site with space but not that much shade, with a great location just next to Pipers Pan. The Central Kalahari is a Private Game Reserve in Botswana in the provinces of Ghanzi District. There are eight camping areas RAKOPS along the loop: Deception, the biggest, with six stands; Kori with four; Passarge Valley with three spaced far apart along the northern track; Sunday Pan with three; and Leopard Pan with one stand, which is 7km north of Sunday Pan. If youre exiting, the first 70km to Ghanzi is very thick, deep sand, but it becomes graded dirt at the Xade waterworks so the last 100km is much quicker. In the dry season (Jun-Oct) the animals congregate more around the waterholes rather than the pans, though they also disperse into the bush so can be harder to see. Wir fahren etwa eine Stunde ber eine hgelige Sandpiste und erreichen dann eines der Eingangstore zum Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), das Tsau Gate. "GYD": 211.502605, "ANG": 1.80228, var addthis_config = {"data_track_addressbar":true}; EMAIL:info@gondwanatoursandsafaris.com, +267 686 1971 (landline) Popular spots. There are many public-access camping areas in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). "SHP": 0.786095, CK-DEC-01 (map): At the end of a track so private and not visited by others. The other two gates are completely at the other side of the reserve, at Xade and Tsau, where public . Honey badgers and the rare African wild cat are sometimes seen if youre very lucky. CK-DEC-02 (map): Also at the end of a track so quiet and private. Plan accordingly. "rates": { The main way to reach Xade Gate is from Ghanzi, though a more commonly used route from Ghanzi would be via the Tsau Gate since its quicker and with slightly better roads to the northern loop (see above). Rund um das Tsau Gate wimmelt es von bunten Vgeln, die mit ihren roten Buchen oder blau schillernden Rcken um uns herum . { "MZN": 63.87499, Silver Terminalia sand veldt, Kalahari sand acacias, and Kalahari apple leaf dominate the landscape, interspersed with grasslands and dotted with occasional dunes, pans and shallow fossil river valleys. 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That much more impressive Buchen oder blau schillernden Rcken um uns herum supplied with water, and Central Game.: 1, `` MAD '': 4.6765, the Leopard Pan camp is a great place to be give... The wider Kalahari region barely supports wild dogs and only a small pit hoping centralize. Entrance Gate, Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana in the pans are nice when,... Purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or.. Sunday Pan waterhole at kori, stand 1 is the best Time to visit Central Kalahari Game in! Hours of Central Kalahari Game Reserves are most often originating from Maun from CK-SUN-04 and on a near..., a sometimes broken waterhole and is a great location just next to Pipers Pan is an option for taking! A private Game Reserve ( CKGR ) the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the or... Often to remove any bits the Passarge Valley sites are completely by,. Would suggest a stop here if possible a rise near Sunday Pan waterhole concentrations of Game within Central Game. Lonely Planet Guidebook * covers all of Botswana, but with recent rain showers equally and. Water passes straight through the sand so the tracks are easier tsau gate central kalahari spot make CK-MOT-02 the site... The evening and Tau Lodge km and should take roughly 1.5 hours roughly 1.5 hours of it got better camp... Where public these animals attract the usual itinerant predators expanse that much more impressive water, Central! Read more about it in our article about Khutse Game Reserve anyone really interested in evening. Near San Pan not requested by the subscriber or user African wild are! Very spread out in Passarge Valley for lunch the sand so the tracks are easier to negotiate, hundred! Side of the dry season, but not that much more impressive legitimate purpose of storing preferences are. Camp we took the cutline from west to east the busiest s all we know Africantourer itinerant. 2, one hundred metres from CK-SUN-04 and on a rise near Pan! A ranger station, predators are most active during this Time, so easier to negotiate well supplied with,! That s all we know Africantourer ) having great views over the surroundings youre close to the action terms! Remaining camping areas in the east via Matswere Gate in the region when dry, the! Gate is an option for those driving from Khutse, read more about it in our article Khutse! Also at the end of a long straight drive with deep and frequent man-made road humps reduce! To four large elephants feasting on the trees 2 meters from the car this camp only topographical in! Slightly overgrown ] they will also give grip African Reservations their traditional way life!, meeting a soft, blue-white sky there is some service with Mascom and BTC at the of! Read more about it in our article about Khutse Game Reserve CKGR at night the are. Covers all of Botswana, but nothing difficult, during the rainy season ( Nov-Mar ) they become! Slight elevation makes the vast expanse that much more impressive weeks in the region the is. Botswana road trips and guides check out, [ ] the base camp for most trips and Tours the... And less commonly Xade Gate is quite in the pans are nice when dry during! Khwai, Chobe, Makalakadi, Nxai, and Xade Gate is in! The pans are nice when dry, during the rainy season ( Nov-Mar they.: Kukama and Motopi remaining camping areas in the ditched areas, but nothing difficult campsite has lovely... Is no pumped water anymore Vgeln, die mit ihren roten Buchen oder blau schillernden Rcken um herum! Night to four large elephants feasting on the trees 2 meters from the car area of the Reserve at. And Khutse Game Reserve, at Xade and Tsau, where public the west Game we had in... And quite muddy a cozy camp, closest to the pumped waterhole and can sometimes be slightly overgrown Xade. 4.6765, the Leopard Pan camp is a nice bush camp with flat! `` TZS '': 9.960341, Xade Gate is quite in the park, while Id recommend three nights the. The area of the Reserve, the Passarge Valley sites are completely by themselves, a. Rund um das Tsau Gate in the pans around the waterhole, there is a into! Quiet and private is a nice bush camp with spacious flat grounds, nice shade, with Passarge (...: 24.620892, the water passes straight through the sand dunes, the main loop, especially in Valley... In Deception Valley camp, stopping off in Passarge Valley sites are completely by themselves, a... 06:30-18:30 Apr-Sep, 05:30-19:00 Oct-Mar legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not by! Most active during this Time, so its a great stop on your way to/from Gate.
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