Mata-Mata Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Black backed jackal · Lion
From R 542 a night
Inside park
Where to stay in and near Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Kalahari desert shared with Botswana
Northern Cape, South Africa
Malaria-free
About Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park joins South Africa's former Kalahari Gemsbok park to Botswana's Gemsbok park, a red-dune desert of camelthorn trees and two dry riverbeds, the Auob and the Nossob, along which the camps and waterholes are strung. It is famous for black-maned lions, cheetah on the dune slopes, and raptors in numbers, and it is not a Big Five park: no elephant, buffalo or rhino. The main camps are Twee Rivieren, Nossob and Mata-Mata; the unfenced wilderness camps are the ones people book a year ahead. Winter days are mild, nights are freezing, and summer is very hot.
Things to do: Game drives · Stargazing · Scenic drives · 4x4 trails · Guided walk · Photography
Where you can stay: Camping · Chalets · Nearby B&Bs
Wildlife near Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
What people record most across Northern Cape. Past sightings, never a guarantee.
From iNaturalist records across Northern Cape, not confirmed sightings inside this reserve.
Stay in & near Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Request inside-park camps here. Spekboom confirms with SANParks, then you pay on Spekboom. Mix in a gateway stay from the same list if you want nights outside the fence.
Twee Rivieren Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Black backed jackal · Lion
From R 544 a night
Inside park
Nossob Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Lion · Black backed jackal
From R 544 a night
Inside park
Bitterpan Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Shepherd s tree · Lion
From R 2,805 a night
Inside park
Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Shepherd s tree · Lion
From R 2,805 a night
Inside park
Urikaruus Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Shepherd s tree · Lion
From R 2,805 a night
Inside park
Grootkolk Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Shepherd s tree · Lion
From R 2,805 a night
Inside park
Gharagab Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Shepherd s tree · Lion
From R 2,805 a night
Inside park
Kalahari Tented Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Shepherd s tree · Lion
From R 2,755 a night
Inside park
When to visit Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is dry for most of the year: no month averages more than 54 mm of rain, and January is the wettest. The dry season runs from May to November, with little or no rain. December is the hottest month, with average highs of about 35°C, and July the coolest, with average lows of about 5°C.
| Month | Rain (mm) | Average high (°C) | Average low (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54 | 34 | 22 |
| February | 51 | 34 | 22 |
| March | 33 | 32 | 20 |
| April | 24 | 29 | 15 |
| May | 4 | 26 | 11 |
| June | 4 | 23 | 6 |
| July | 1 | 23 | 5 |
| August | 1 | 25 | 8 |
| September | 1 | 30 | 12 |
| October | 9 | 32 | 17 |
| November | 16 | 34 | 19 |
| December | 40 | 35 | 21 |
Averages for 2005 to 2024 at the park's centre point, about 997 m above sea level. Weather data from Open-Meteo.com (opens in a new tab) (ERA5), CC BY 4.0.
Getting there
9 stays we sell in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Tap a pin for the listing.
25.2854° S, 21.0783° E400 km from Cape TownOpen in Maps (opens in a new tab)
Why book here
Your stay helps keep Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park wild
Wild places survive when the communities around them earn more from protecting wildlife than from anything that would replace it. Every stay you book through Spekboom carries a conservation contribution built into the price, never added on top, so choosing where you sleep becomes a way to fund the people and projects keeping this landscape intact.
- Built into every booking
- A conservation share
- Where it goes
- Local causes & communities
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: your questions
Where is Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is in Northern Cape, South Africa, and extends into Botswana.
Is Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park malaria-free?
Yes. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is in an area recorded as malaria-free, which is why it is a common choice for families with young children and for a first safari. Malaria risk can shift with the season and the year, so confirm current advice with a travel clinic before you go.
What wildlife can you see near Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
In Northern Cape, commonly recorded species include animals such as Black-footed Cat, Gemsbok, Roan Antelope, Cape Ground Squirrel and birds including Red-necked Falcon, Red Lark, Bradfield's Swift, based on iNaturalist occurrence data. These reflect the wider province, not confirmed sightings inside the reserve.
How do you book a stay at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
Request inside-park rest camps on Spekboom. We confirm the dates with SANParks, then you pay on Spekboom. SANParks assigns the unit after confirmation. Gateway lodges and guesthouses listed here book the same way, so you can mix nights inside the park with a stay outside.
How far in advance should you book accommodation in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
SANParks opens rest-camp bookings 11 months in advance, releasing a new month on the first working day of each month, and popular camps sell out within days for school holidays, long weekends and peak season. Request as early as you can on Spekboom for those dates. Stays just outside the park usually have availability much closer to the time, and you can book those here too.
Do you pay conservation fees at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
Yes. SANParks charges a daily conservation fee per person on top of accommodation, with lower rates for South African residents and SADC nationals. Wild Card members do not pay the daily fee. Tariffs are revised each year, so check current rates when you book.
When is the rainy season at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is dry for most of the year: no month averages more than 54 mm of rain, and January is the wettest. The dry season runs from May to November, with little or no rain. December is the hottest month, with average highs of about 35°C, and July the coolest, with average lows of about 5°C. Averages for 2005 to 2024 at the park's centre point, about 997 m above sea level.
When is the best time to visit Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
The best time to visit Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is Aug-Oct (flowers), Mar-May.
What is there to do at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
Popular activities at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park include game drives, stargazing, scenic drives, 4x4 trails, guided walk, photography.
Where can you stay in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
Places to stay inside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park include Mata-Mata Rest Camp, Twee Rivieren Rest Camp, Nossob Rest Camp, Bitterpan Wilderness Camp, Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp and Urikaruus Wilderness Camp. Request them here; Spekboom handles the SANParks confirmation. Every booking funds conservation.
Parks near Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
The closest parks and reserves. Distances run centre to centre, as the crow flies.
Part of
Other parks and reserves that share something with Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Malaria-free parks and game reservesTransfrontier parksNational parks and reserves in South AfricaNature reserves and parks in the Northern CapeAll protected areas