I am planning to go on holiday from SA to Namibia via the Trans-Kalahari Highway. Can anyone tell me how busy the highway is and will it be advisable to take another route! I will be on holiday and do not want to stress about traffic and stupid drivers
Reply to this Hi
I have travelled that route many times and it is the best, easiest and most straight forward route to Namibia. It is one of my favourite routes because you can relax while driving. You have to drive a bit slow through the towns of Lobatse and especially Kanye. The 70 km between Jwaneng and Seroma is a bit bad. But other than that you can just drive on a straight and endless road and enjoy the Kalahari scene. Beyond Jwaneng are very few cars for miles and miles. Make sure that you fill up with petrol at Jwaneng because the next petrol station is at Kang (200 km) and then again Ghanzi (245 km) or 400 km if you turn off 45 km before Ghanzi to the Namibia border. Just watch out for some cattle on the road near the villages, but they are few and far between.
Kang is a nice halfway stop with nice chalets, or you can also stay over in Ghanzi or at the Namibia border on the Namibia side. There are a few lodges, campsites in the area.
Werner
Eko Tracks
Reply to this Thx for the info - can you perhaps forward any addresses of the places to stay. I am camping all the way. Most appreciated!
Reply to this I don't have the addresses. I don't think there is a camping place or chalets in Jwaneng. I would rather stay in Kang and the chalets are next to one of the petrol stations. You cannot miss it. I am not sure if they have camping by now. Another option would be in Ghanzi, but it is 48km north of the turn-off to Namibia.
The camping places on the Namibian side of the border are right there (you cannot miss it) while the others are along the road towards Gobabis. They all have huge sign boards which you cannot miss. A nice camping site is Bush Breaks about 10 or 20km from the border in Namibia.
Werner
Eko Tracks
Reply to this Okay, not adding any information, but adding a question. =)
Is this road heading towards Okavango as well? And are there busses that take you from SA (-border?) to the Delta? Flying is a bit too expensive and by buss you get the chanse to see the country a bit more close up! =) Would love to visit the Kalahari desert, but my travel partner is not too interested in this, so I think a bus trip through it would satisfy both our wishes.
Reply to this Hi
The Trans-Kalahari Highway runs from East (near Lobatse) to West (Mamuno boder gate at Namibia), while the Okavango Delta lies way far in the northern part of the country.
I don't know how good or regular the bus service is in Botswana, but having seen a few buses I wouldn't use them. They are definitely not luxury buses. I am not sure from where you enter the country, but a good alternative would be to rent a vehicle.
To explore the real Kalahari, you can drive to the Central Kalahari GR either from Francistown (halfway north to the Delta) or travel south from Maun.
Werner
Eko Tracks
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