At first glance the Kalahari is harsh and hot, but once it gets under your skin it is hard to forget the beautiful scenery that was etched into your memory on your first visit.

To make a visit to the Kalahari easier and more enjoyable I am sharing a short packing list for your visit:

1.       The number one slot is filled by a good body lotion. The air is dry in the Kalahari and the water do not treat your skin gently either.  Unless you want to look like the dry riverbed of the Nossob river, pack enough of it.  You will certainly need it.

2.         And while on the lotion and potions pack the sunscreen, especially during the summer.  You will spend most of your time in your vehicle, but even then make sure you cover up with suntan lotion to protect you from the African sun.

3.         Lip balm and eye drops.  Like I said when discussing body lotion the air is dry, you do not want your lips to be cracked and your eyes red and irritated.

4.         Of course if you wear a hat a lot of the sun will not get to your face.  It is still an important item whether it is summer or winter in the Kalahari.  

5.         Pack the bug spray.  This is a malaria free area, but flying insects can be annoying and you do not want to swat them the whole time.  This might just chase away that beautiful cheetah that you were watching through your binoculars.

6.         Speaking of which – binoculars and cameras. A binocular is an important item as you can see far and wide here.  The animals are not always close to the road. And the possibilities to capture “star trails” on a cloud free night is big.

7.         Bird and animal books.  That is what you will be doing here – spotting animals.  You will be amazed at what you will learn when looking up even the ordinary animals. 

8.         Fill up your water bottles in the morning before you leave camp. There are no kiosks selling water and cold drinks as this is one of the less developed parks in South Africa.

9.         An item for the ladies: Wear a sports bra …  At times with all the vibrations on the corrugations, your bones, and more, will rattle and roll.  (Read this one with a bit of humour, please).

10.      At last something to pack for the men.  It is a good idea to fit a seed net for your vehicle especially when you plan to drive the 4×4 trial.  The grass is high and dry and the slightest of heat friction can set your vehicle alight.  Get into the habit of checking regularly underneath your car for dry grass that are stuck … and deflate your vehicle’s tyres, it makes the ride easier. To monitor the correct pressure you will obviously need a tyre pressure gauge!

I hope that this will add to you being a happy camper in the Kalahari and remember to enjoy your visit and the sunsets.

To gain some more insight into the Kalahari also read the Red Dune Route post at Kalahari Red Dune Route

The post 10 ESSENTIALS TO PACK FOR A VISIT TO KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

The Kalahari is not only amazingly rich in diversity but also reflects an endless variety of moods, making each new encounter different from the previous ones. The Kalahari Red Dune Route extends north of Upington into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park that forms the borders with Namibia and Botswana which is also one of the largest conservation areas in the world.   The red colour of the dunes in the southern Kalahari can be attributed to the high iron oxide content of the sand. In areas of higher rainfall and in shallow areas where water collects, the iron oxide is leached out, causing the sand ultimately to turn white. The gradual effect of the leaching transforms the desert into a wonderful variety of colours.

We camped for three days at Loch Maree just outside the Kgalagadi Park as it was a long weekend in South Africa and everybody was out visiting the park as the days are getting cooler now.  Here summer temperatures soar easily to over 45 degrees so that is not the favourite time of the year to visit this remote section of our beautiful country.

God was good to us and every morning we woke up with the most stunning of sunrises which turned into beautiful days of maximum temperatures reaching about 28 degree Celsius.

From Loch Maree the Kgalagadi is within easy reach (± 90 km) along the tar road that will take you to the southern gate of the park at Twee Rivieren.  Unlike Kruger National Park check-in was easy as there were no crowds and queues to negotiate.  The friendly lady who checked us in even advised on the appropriate tyre pressure to negotiate the corrugated roads of the park.  Although we did not see any species of the cat family gemsbok and springbok were in abundance and as an extra bonus we had some great bird sightings too.

If you are willing to travel that extra bit to avoid the masses you will undoubtedly be rewarded with spectacular views in the Kalahari!

Want to retrace our steps?

Contact us on info@travelbucket.co.za and we will answer your questions

The post KALAHARI RED DUNE ROUTE appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.