Our 2027 African Safari is our 28th African trip and believe it our not they keep getting better year after year. Our safaris have taken us to 9 different African nation including different parks within those nations. Always looking for the next best animal park until 2015 when we visited the Kalahari for the first time. The Kalahari is physically located in South Africa and Botswana but has a border crossing into Namibia. During our 2015 safari we were only in the Kalahari Park for 7 days. But we were hooked and wanted more. Unfortunately for us the Kalahari is a very popular animal park with a limited number of non-camping accommodations. Through the years we have slowly learned the best techniques for getting reservations. During our recent 2026 Kalahari safari we were able to spend 7+ weeks which produced some great sighting. In 2027 our 12th Kalahari Safari we are hoping to get even more great sightings.
Our Safari truck rental company we did not find until 2020. We never knew how bad the prior truck rental companies were until we had our first Safari Car Rental rental experience. So we are proud to say we are repeat customers for the 7th time. Without fail they have meet us at the airport upon arrival and driven us the short distance to their location. The Safari Car lot is just a few kilometer from the airport right on the way to Windhoek, which is how we found it. In 2020 we were looking for a new truck rental after completing our 9th rental with another truck rental company. We thought repeat customers might get the newer trucks. Believe it or not our bumper fell off the truck we were assigned. We had to buy rope to tie it back on. For us that was the last straw and Safari Car has been nothing short of fabulous!!!
Day #1=>Depart SFO, on British Airways for a over-night (red-eye) to London's Heathrow Airport. Over the years we have used many different airlines (United, KLM, Qatar, South African, BA, etc) for our trip to and from Africa. Our favorite is BA which has a lot to do with how their staff treat their passengers. The other airlines we have used are not bad they just are not as consistantly good as BA. The BA staff are always very nice and truely want you to enjoy your flight and do everything they can to make that goal a reality. Additionally they don't have noisy parties in the back of the plane when you are trying to sleep. Unfortunately complication from COVID made it impossible for us to use BA for a number of years after COVID. When we were able to return to BA we were excited to learn that their quality of service was unchanged.
Day #2=>We touch down the morning of day#2 where we have a multi-hour layover before boarding another red-eye/non-stop to Johannesburg, South Africa. For us Heathrow has been a very comfortable airport when long layovers are required. We have learned from experience some airplanes have better seat/storage space than others (like upstairs on the big A380 AirBus). So when we have the choice of flights with different aircraft we always alter our flight to get on an A380, even if that means a longer layover. But when getting on your 2nd red-eye in two days comfort is priority #1.
Day #3=>We arrival to Johannesburg, South Africa early the morning of our 3rd day. After a short layover we board our 3rd and final flight on Air-Link to the capital of Namibia, Windhoek. After traveling the better part of 3 days our plan is relax the rest of day #3 at Etango Ranch Guest Farm. This lodge is a popular 3-star, owner-managed guesthouse located 5 mins from Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH). It is frequently chosen as a convenient, quiet, and comfortable base for the first night of a self-drive safari. The rooms are spacious with a/c and includes a highly-rated home-cooked breakfast and dinner. The lodge also offers shuttle services from the airport, perfect for our situation.
Our African Safaris are normally split into three segments: 1) days before the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, 2) days in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and 3) days after the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The map below (right side) shows our route after picking up our Safari Car truck on day #4. The locations of the lodges we will visit on the 1st segment of this trip are labeled. The red dot and dotted line on the map represents all our lodges for the 2nd segment of this trip which are in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is actually in South Africa and Botwanna. This route map shows the better part of three countries (Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa) with white border lines. The last dot on the blue line is the entrance to the Park which is in South Africa but the red dot also part of the Park is clearly in Botswana. All of our lodges inside the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park are in and operated by South Africa.
Day #4=>After breakfast a Safari Car representative will pick us up for the short drive to their location, a few miles closer to Windhoek. After the rental check-out we will immediately head south on the C23, a shortcut gravel route to the Jansen Kalahari Guest Farm, which is labelled on our route map. Their chalets are big with a/c and a large frig. Every time we have stayed at this lodge the meals have been excellent. The drive to Jensen's is not long on purpose since our jetleg will take more than a week to fully recover from.
Day #5=>We have to leave Jensen's right after breakfast because this is a longer day. You can see from our map the distance to our next lodge Kitchen-51 is significantly more than the Jensen drive. But we also have some shopping to do in Mariential which is marked those 2-dots on the route map below Jensen's. We learned years ago the meat at Ry & Kry Butchery can not be beat. We send an order to their email address and they have all our meat needs nicely package is vaccum sealed frozen plastic bags. They take credit card so it is very fast and easy and our truck freezer by this time has reached freezer temps. At Kitchen-51 lodge we like to request a chalet overlooking their citrus orchard, fabulous rest stop.
Day #6, #7, #8 and #9=>Again we depart right after breakfast for another long day of driving. The route map shows our route turning east shortly after leaving Kitchen-51. Always an unknown is the time it will take for our border crossing into South Africa. During COVID they were so backed up it could take hours. From the South Africa border it is less than 90 minutes to Upington, a small town of 67 thousand but with a fabulous modern mall, perfect to stock up for our Kalahari days. Our lodge in Upington is always
River Place Manor Lodge; which is labeled on our route map and less than a mile from the Kalahari Mall. This lodge is on the Orange River, home to Orange River Winery (renamed the Hedgehog Winery). A great dinner option when staying at the River Manor is to pickup at the Mall and enjoy on our deck overlooking the Orange River. In past years we allocated three nights at this lodge to have time to get all the supplies we will need for our 37 days in the Kalahari park where we have to make our own meals. In 2027 our first two days was the weekend, not the best for the quantity of previsions we are needing. So we had to add a 4th night, not a bad thing as this is a very nice lodge.
Day #10 thru #46=>The next 37 days will be in the Kalahari animal park. The entry gate is located at the last big white dot on the blue line and extents to the red marker. Accommodations in the Kalahari are mostly government run(South Africa National Parks) which typically means not fancy, but with a bathroom, shower, etc. The location is everything and thus these are by far the hardest reservations to get of our entire trip. The Kalahari is one of the best place in the world to see cheetah and leopard hunting and the big black main lions. Camps in the Kalahari are UNFENCED, thus accommodations are either raised or have some fencing around each unit. During our days in the Kalahari we will utilize a number of lodges which are detailed below.
Day #10 thru #14=>Our first Kalahari lodge is the largest Kalahari camp located at the southern gate, Twee Rivieren Rest Camp. This camp is the administrative headquarters of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park and has a store, restaurant, pool and fuel station. Twee Rivieren camp is locate at the intersection of the Nossob River Bed and the Auob River Bed. This is a perfect location allowing for a lot of game driving options and also a great place to get our bearing and find out where the most promising sights are currently at.
Day #15 thru #20=>Our second Kalahari lodge is another one of our favorites Urikaruus Wilderness Camp. We were able to book the honeymoon chalet this year. It is located in the central Auob river basin area and only has 5 chalets. Besides its location, Urikaruus has one of the best waterholes in the Kalahari which is exclusive only for Urikaruus guests. The camp is centrally located in one of the best animal activity areas.
Day #21 thru #26=>Our next Kalahari lodge is our favorite, Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp. Kieliekrankie is a self catering wilderness camp on top of red sand dunes, with endless views of the red Kalahari sands. The camp has 4 dune cabins. Each unit has 2 single beds, a bathroom, a kitchen equipped with gas fridge and freezer, solar power for lights, gas for hot water and bbq facilities on a deck.
Day #27 and #28=>Our 1st lodge in the Nossob River basin is in huge demand, Grootkolk Wilderness Restcamp. Grootkolk Camp consists of only four chalets or Desert Cabins, made from canvas and sand bags. This camp is neither fenced nor raised and lions love it. Claw marks in the sand bags of these cabins reminds you to ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings.
Day #29 and #30=>Our next lodge also in the Nosob river basin is the Nossob Rest Camp. We love to come here because the River Chalets are so nice and they have a/c, a great kitchen and deck for animal watching. A rest stop before heading back to the Auob River basin with its longer animal searching days.
Day #31 thru #36=>Back in the Auob River basin and the Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp. Since we were just in the Auob River basin 4 days ago this time we should be aware of where the best sighting are.
Day #37 thru #42=>Our next Kalahari lodge is a return to the Urikaruus Wilderness Camp. Since it has been a few days since we were last at this camp it is very likely that the sightings have all changed. Maybe this time at the Urikaruus water-hole or maybe north. Every visit is different and memorable.
Day #43 thru #46=>Our last Kalahari lodge is back the the lodge we started with, located at the southern gate, Twee Rivieren Rest Camp. Since this camp does have a restaurant we might feel like not self-catering all of our meals while at this lodge.
Day #47 and #48=>After our Kalahari days we will exit the park through the Mata-Mata gate, back into Namibia. The route map to the right is our route for the end of this safari. The blue line starts at Twee Rivieren (bottom of map) our last lodge in the park and also has Mata-Mata which is the Namibian border and exit-gate for the Park. Our first lodge outside the park is very close as you can see on the route map, so we are not rushed if we have good sightings on our last day; the Kalahari Game Lodge. We first stayed at this lodge in 2026 and liked it so much we are spending 2 nights on this trip.
Day #49=>Our next lodge the
Gondwana Kalahari Farmhouse also shown on the blue route line, which is our turning point to the west. This is a new lodge for us. The decision to stay at this lodge was largely based on its location. A couple of the remaining lodges are self-cratering so we need a grocery store which we will find in Mariental after our stay at Gondwana. Notice Mariental is located just a short distance west of this lodge.
Day #50, #51 and #52=>Our next lodge we tried for the first time in 2024 and again in 2025, love it. The villas at Kronenhof Lodge are fabulous. The villa compound is a mile or so from the main lodge, fully fenced with a great view, a garage for our truck and a total of four chalets like the one pictured to the right. In addition there is a common room with a huge full kitchen, a round dining table for 10 and 8 leather recliners. Outside the common area is a cover area with a splash pool, a braai and a full size pizza oven.
Day #53=>Lodge unknown at this time.
Day #54=>Lodge unknown at this time.
Day #55=>Lodge unknown at this time.
Day #56=>Lodge unknown at this time.
Day #57 and #58=>Our last lodge before Windhoek we first stayed at in 2025. The unique chalets of the Namib Grens Lodge built into the rocks are spacious with great views of the mountains. This is a self-cratering lodge for us which is not a problem because these chalets have a great kitchen and braii.
Day #59=>Our last lodge is just outside Windhoek the Trans Kalahari Inn, locate at the red dot on route map. This lodge is conveniently located on the east side of Windhoek on the B6, just 2km from Safari Car return lot AND they have a great rib dinner.