5 things I hate about the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

1/11/2017

By Roxanne Reid
From my previous posts about the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park you’ll gather that this park, which skips across the border between South Africa and Botswana, has a special place in my heart.

But it’s not perfect. Here are 5 things I hate about the Kgalagadi.

1. Roads, roads, roads. The sandy roads are infamous for corrugations that can devour even the hardiest of vehicles, rattling your rib cage and teeth, maybe even shaking your brains inside your head – depending on how long it’s been since someone came to give them a good dragging with some tyres tied to the back of a tractor. (Secretly, I rather like that poor roads put dabblers off from returning, so Kgalagadi addicts like me can have the place to ourselves!)

Shaking car parts loose on these roads is not uncommon

2. Badly behaved humans. Despite the park’s clearly stated and practical regulations, some people find inventive ways to behave badly. Sitting on the roof of their 4x4 so they have a better view of a leopard at a waterhole. Pushing in front of a car that’s giving a cheetah in the road some personal space, so that they obscure the view for everyone else and frighten the animal into the dunes and out of sight. Driving off-road to get a better view of a sleeping lion, nevermind the damage to the burrows of mice, geckos and many other little creatures. (Here’s a good – or bad – example.) Their motto: sure, no problem, rules are made to be ignored, hey.

Cheleka waterhole, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Visitors happily picnicking at Cheleka waterhole, where predators come to drink and you're not allowed out of your car

Illegal walking in the dunes, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

These schmucks thought climbing a dune was a good idea, rules be damned; I almost wish a lion had chased them, but I wouldn't want the lion to be punished for the humans' bad behaviour

Why do these people have to park offroad? It's against park regulations and they're not much closer to the sleeping lion anyway

3. The unpleasant and dodgy water that comes out of the taps, meaning that we have to carry all our own drinking water into the park. Park water comes from boreholes and is brackish or soapy, and there have been reports of heavy metal baddies lurking in there, especially at Twee Rivieren. There was an expensive plan a few years ago to filter the water in the camps, but that flopped on its face. Park management makes other arrangements rather than drink the borehole water themselves; the lower-downs have no choice.

4. Kissing any vestige of moisture in your skin goodbye as you collapse into flakiness that plays havoc with your wrinkles and sucks at your eyeballs till they burn like hell, turn ghoulish red and feel like they’ve been towel-dried and sandpapered.

5. Leaving the Kgalagadi behind to go home, although it’s true what locals say: if you get Kalahari sand between your toes, you’re destined to return.

What do you hate about the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

And just in case another Kgalagadi addict lynches me, let me just say that there are lots more reasons to love the Kgalagadi than to hate it. Read 10 reasons to love the Kgalagadi to find out about some of them.

Like the post? Pin this image!

5 things I hate about the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park #Kgalagadi #Kalahari #SouthAfrica #Botswana #safari #travel

You may also enjoy
Sounds of the Kalahari
Kalahari Anib Lodge: 12 things to do in Namibia's Kalahari
Travels in the Kalahari

Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission.

20 Comments

David Langmead

1/11/2017 03:16:49 pm

I hate how difficult it has become to get a booking there due to the park's popularity.

Roxanne

1/11/2017 03:33:43 pm

Agree 100%, it's always a struggle, even for camping. In fact, this should be my #1 point!

Sheleph Burger

1/11/2017 05:49:03 pm

Thank you for all posts and other comments about the Kgalagadi.
My husband is of the opinion that he desires to leave me behind in the Kgalagadi for a month without a vehicle to ensure I get rid of the Kgalagadi 'disease' hahahahaha
Keep it going Roxanne!

Roxanne

1/11/2017 07:36:55 pm

Ha ha, Sheleph, I think he might find even that doesn't work! You end up more in love than ever, though I think I'd choose the camp he leaves you in very carefully!

John Reed

1/11/2017 08:48:27 pm

Hates about the KTP
1. The last dune on the Gharaghab exit route
2. The HUGE pothole near Grootkolk our Jimney fell into
3. The occasional driver that assumes because we are from the uk we know 0 about wildlife.
That’s about it really.....

Roxanne

2/11/2017 07:21:15 am

Well the Jimney is a small car so the pothole can't have been all that huge, John! Seriously, what a thing to happen. So many people from foreign lands come to Kalahari with little knowledge, but it's certainly not all of them. Especially people who have been again and again.

Lourens

1/11/2017 09:19:27 pm

There is nothing to hate about the Kgalagadi. If the roads were good, or the water was sweet, there would only be more badly behaved humans and it would be more difficult to get a booking. Are you sure the dry skin and bad water are not some of the reasons we fall in love with the place rather than hate it.

Roxanne

2/11/2017 07:18:25 am

I think you get me very well, Lourens. In fact, the only thing I really hate are badly behaved humans who can't stick to the rules of the park. Everything else is definitely part of the love too.

Frans

2/11/2017 04:12:21 pm

I hate the fact that it is so difficult to get the accommodation in the camps we prefer,when we want it

Roxanne

2/11/2017 05:17:20 pm

Agreed, Frans. As I said to David above, it probably should have been my #1 hate!

John link

2/11/2017 08:32:47 pm

Picnickers.....a certain generation who have visited the KTP numerous times and whose main reason for a drive is to get to the picnic site and have lunch...even if that means speaking past cars leaving others in a cloud of dust...driving past visitors who are photographing an animal, fast enough to send anything into the far off dunes....and if they do see something they attempt to get as close as possible and then get out their sandwiches.
But I will definitely be back :)

Roxanne

2/11/2017 09:18:09 pm

I know exactly what you mean, John. Speeding isn't good for the roads either. But not even badly behaved humans would keep me away, it's too beautiful a place, the wildlife magnificent.

Colin Jennings link

3/11/2017 09:58:07 am

Dear Roxanne,

Love your comments, however, I too deplore the lack of respect shown by so many visitors to our National Parks in all the Southern African countries. It is very sad to see, "big heroes", who think they are game rangers wandering about or going off-road, not only in the Klalagadi Transfrontier Nantional Park, but also Pilanesberg and Kruger. I also get very cross with the "up-market Lodges", who believe they have greater rights than other Park visitors!

Roxanne

3/11/2017 10:03:09 am

Very valid points, Colin. The off-road brigade in national parks will only be stopped when regulations against it can be strictly enforced and transgressors heavily fined. As for the rest, it's all about common courtesy really.

Roger Brown

2/10/2019 04:36:56 pm

Totally egoistic people who totally spoil the atmosphere of a sighting and leave their engines running.......even worse when the noisy air conditioners are turned on

Roxanne

2/10/2019 04:44:08 pm

With you there, Roger, though I know some Turbo diesel engine drivers worry about their Turbo not being lubricated if they switch off straight away. But from game drive speed of 25-30km/h rather than 100km/h that really shouldn't be a problem, and it shouldn't take more than about 30 seconds anyway.

9/2/2020 08:31:23 pm

Guys, seriously? If you love nature you should support the park not bash it... Bash the human's bad behaviour, sure... But this article pretty much focuses on the negatives of a national park which you clearly enjoy frequenting? Have you written an article about the 5 things you LOVE about KTP? Try that rather.

Roxanne

10/2/2020 04:40:18 pm

Sensitive much? I've written tons of positive posts about this place I love, as you'd know if browsed through the Kalahari section of this blog. But I think I should be as entitled to express my opinion about the bad roads, behaviour and water as you are entitled to express your opinion that you didn't like this post.

Cliff Neil Rossenrode

27/12/2020 10:24:49 pm

I agree with on bad human behavior. The roads don't bother us much, all one needs to do is lower the tyre pressues (real low) and then drive SLOWLY. That way you see more and don't get rattled - both senses of the word!
I agree with the point on people leaving their engines running at sightings. The motor noise has an effect on the animals behaviour and the animals use their hearing both for hunting and as prey. (Ref; Gus Mills' Kgalagadi books).

On the good side, Kgalagadi's human number controls must be congratulated. It shows up other Parks like Kruger and Etosha where there are literal traffic jams at sightings.
My two cents worth!
Cliff.

Roxanne

11/1/2021 08:29:45 am

Thanks for your comments, Cliff. Yes, low tyre pressure helps a lot for a better ride (softer and less damaging to the road) but I still love to find I'm driving just after the roads have been graded/dragged rather than just before they need it again!

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.