Kgalagadi National Park

Buried beneath the shifting sands of the Kalahari, lies the legend of a lost city and the stilled voices of a past civilisation. Scientists, philosophers and artists alike have all been fascinated by secrets of the shimmering red dunes and many have been captivated by the intense silence and raw beauty of the landscape. A gemsbok warily scents the air while scattered camel-thorns and scrub provide scant protection to a slithering lizard closely watched by a bateleur eagle. A leopard, replete after a successfull hunt, stretches out in the shade. Remote and truly splendid, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the result of a vision shared by South Africa and Botswana. With no surface water and and annual rainfall of only 200mm, wildlife often have to rely on waterholes and tsamma melons as their sole water supply. Although the days are hot, winter nights can drop to sub-zero temperatures. Three restcamps (Twee Rivieren, Mata Mata, Nossob) with ceiling fans in cottages can be found on the South African side. All the restcamps have a filling station and a shop which sells basic commodities. Twee Rivieren has a swimmingpool, restaurant, information centre and public telephones.