Joao Felizardo <jmjfel...@gmail.com>: Aug 17 03:53PM +0200
Dear All
We have completed a trip from the 24th July to 16 the August 2025 from the
RSA to Botswana ,Namibia and the RSA Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park .
Herein a brief summary of some notes and comments that we have considered
important or highlights from the trip:
1-Kroonstad b and b - good with safe ample parking and accommodating for
freezer needs.
2-Valwater b and b - functional and accommodating for our freezer needs ;
town is run down with township engolfing it now but big stores available.
3- Botswana
Francistown Woodlands cottage - still very good standard and maintenance
visible ; accommodating 220 v for our freezer .
No meat checks at borders of any kind ; booms opened and attendants half a
sleep or simply not on sight;
Fine of P1000 for partially crossed very faded continuous line on tar road
; two agents (male and female on cell phone calls and humhumming trying to'
talk' ... told them to get the pos and get the docs filled!
Road from Francistown to Nata - very very very dangerous ; edges broken and
horrendous pot holes with heavy trucks coming from opposite direction ;
building a new road .
Elephant Sands - full of people; very functional accepted rands for payment
of drinks ; people waiting for ellies to come to drink but we saw them from
the access road ; WiFi at pub.
Seniaty camp - run down in places lack of maintenance; but very good game
viewing near the camp ( ellies ;hyena ; impala ; giraffe ; kudu .....;
WiFi at pub.
Chobe river lodge - completely renovated ; expensive beer ,wifi at pub area.
4 -Namibia
Busy Katima Mulilo; good Shoprite store; good river side b and b ; very
clean and accommodating.
Travel across Caprivi ( now Zambezi region) we could not avoid commenting
on the cleanliness and orderly arrangements of the great majority of rural
villages and generally of the lay bye spots along the road in clear
contrast of the situation in SA eg transkei.
Mukolo lodge- kwando river :good accomodation ; excellent boat ride and
guide for fishing ,photography of game ,river and sunset ! Watch out for
pub drink bill( which comes from a hand written book ) and price of bundles
of wood !
Visit to Bwabwata NP - very good ; areas covered - fort dopies; nambwa
camp; long lagoon and horse shoe ( good photos of croc and general plains
game)( fortunately no close encounters with ellies which facilitated this
time the travelling and moving between the areas); very deep sand in areas
( used 1.6 bar on BFG's)
Shimeto lodge -Divundu -kavango river - great camp site ; very good and
much improved lodge complex and accomodation ; good spacious fishing boat
and guide!; sobering moments on visit to ruins of batallian 32 quarters,
pica pau/Breytenbach villa and cemetery ( most crosses now destroyed or
trumpled by the ellies).
Trip to Windhoek - long 916 Kms ;no problem at all with red line crossing
for meat in freezer ( mostly precooked );dinner at Joe's beer house
excellent ! Pub full of German tourists but French and Italian visitors
nearby our table ; excellent service from the restaurant lady manager !
5-RSA
Trip to Mata Mata without issues but at border post with KTP SA side police
official asking for dairy products red meat and wood ???!!! We patiently
explained talked and moved to our camp site.
Mata Mata camp booked but not fully booked; shop and ablutions clean and
very functional ; camp better organised with campsites numbered ;great
sightings of gemsbok ;Blues ; springbok and lion.
Tweerivirien camp - always busy and noisier ; excellent traditional food at
restaurant
Eg Kalahari meaty burger and monster vetcook with mince ; good game
viewing and highlight of the visit - male Kalahari adult lion .
Trip to the Karoo friends farm and back to the eastern Cape - good with no
incidents other than the disgusting visuals of uncollected trash and
rubbish of plastic , bottles , broken glass etc at the entrance of towns
like steynsburg ; molteno and queenstown .
Total distance travelled 6642 Kms.
If anyone requires more detailed info in any way kindly contact me.
Thanks and regards .
Joao Felizardo
Eastern Cape
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