Kaa

[Bobby Stodel]

In October on my way from Victoria Falls to Cape Town I want to go through the Kgaligadi Transfrontier Park.

I have visited Mabuasehube a few times.

How feasible is it for me to travel from Kaa to Polentswa in my Land Cruiser 105 and Echo trailer?

When I look at T4A it seems that it is less than three hours along the Kannaguass Trail.

Do I need to apply for a permit in advance or can I pick one up at the Kaa gate?

Will I still be able to get campsites at any of the camping places that I see on the map like Sizatswe, Gnus Gnus or Lang Rambuka?

If so, where do I book?

Anything else that I need to know except that I need to take a seed net?

 

Bobby Stodel

 

[Alpesh Patel]

Bobby

That part of the park is desolate but people love it for the solitude. 

You cannot book Kaa. It’s on arrival only but twice I have been there there was no one else camping. 

The road from Kaa to Polentswa is a a tough one and a car breaker. So will be worse with a trailer. But go slow and you can do it. 3 hours is reasonable. I have done the round trip in little more than 4 hours but not pulling a trailer. 

The other sites you do need to book. Do it through DWNP but easier via a travel agent. I would recommend Ultimate Routes. 

Thanks. 

No need for a permit. 

Sent from my iPhone

On 8 Aug 2024, at 19:55, Bobby Stodel <rob...@stodel.com> wrote:



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[Mark Yeadon]



Hi Bobby

If you are coming from the Hukuntsi I would recommend a night at Name Pan ( no amenities but stunning) about . No booking required and payment is made at the KD2 WMA gate in Zutshwa. 

There are no campsites along the route from Kaa ( Gnus ect are on a separate loop )  I would allow more than 3 hours travel time from Kaa to Polentswa due to your trailer and unknown condition of the track. 

If you are travelling alone I would recommend a Satphone and also getting the office telephone number when you check in at Kaa gate ( they also have Wi-Fi if you ask nicely)

I would contact DWNP directly for a booking but Polentswa ignition be a bit of a long shot -  Nosob could be a possibility. 

Sent from my iPad

[Emile Wessels]

Hi

 

I do not have experience of towing a trailer in Kgalagadi, but the last time I drove the KAA access road it was broadly similar to the Nossob-Mabuasehube track. I “think” (as opposed to “know”) you should be able to get a park access permit at the gate. Your main problem will be getting a booking for Polentswa as it has become very popular. You should easily be able to get a booking for Gnus Gnus, Sizatswe (to be distinguished from Sesatswe) or Swartpan, but the track to Swartpan was a bit overgrown the last time I drove it. Swartpan itself is spectacular though. The track to Gnus Gnus is also likely to be little used. The section from KAA to Sizatswe and Thupapedi was better. Note that Sesatswe and Lang Rambuka are campsites on the one-way Polentswa Wilderness Trail starting at Polentswa, so they are automatically booked if you book the trail. You cannot stay there without booking the trail. All of these are booked at DWNP.

 

Here is a link to a video about the Polentswa Trail (from 4:40) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnhl0VFEf-g

 

And this should give an idea about the KAA access track and the track to Swartpan (from 2:40)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgCindk12yU&t=537s

 

Regards

 

Emile

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[K Ben]

Hi,

is it possible to go to Sizatwse  and Gnus Gnus Camp with only one vehicle? 
And how is it about Swatspan? Is it worth a visit?

Regards

Knut

[Mark Yeadon]

Hi

It’s been a good few years since I drove that trail but …..

You will need to spend at least 2 nights in the park to meet the cross border requirements. Kaa gate have an overflow camp, if you arrive late they’ll let you use it. 

Camps North West of the Kaa Polenswa road can only be accessed from Kaa gate so you can’t , for example travel straight from Gnus Guns to Polenswa

The Kaa Polenswa trail was easily drivable but I’d carry a satphone if I was doing it ( along with the telephone number of the gate staff. 

Regards

Mark

Sent from my iPhone

On 18 Jan 2026, at 19:11, 'K Ben' via Tracks4Africa <tracks...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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[Lizette Swart]

Hi Knut,

I did it solo in August last year, only one other vehicle on the entire trail. Lovely drive, lots of deep sand and the loop from Sizatswe onward is very overgrown so there is a good chance you will pick up some bush rash.

Unfortunately the boreholes along the Kaa trail are all broken, so the game is scarce in the dry season. Did see some lion tracks so the prey must be there if the predators are about. I chose Swartpan 1 which had a nice view over the dry pan, and I liked GnusGnus on top of a little hill, also with a nice view. I chose to head back to Kaa Gate, where I shared my campsite with a leopard for 2 nights. The main campsite has a shower and every morning it inspected the area behind the shower, where the washing area is, before setting off into the bush. 

Kaa Pans borehole is working, lovely to sit snd watch the game come and go with sundowner.

Enjoy!

Kind regards

Lizette

Lizette Swart
lizette@tracks4africa
co.za

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[Bobby Stodel]

Hello Knut

 

Following my August 2024 enquiry below I was in the area in October 2024 as part of a longer trip.

We were a single vehicle pulling a trailer.

The whole area was very dry and so we saw almost no animals.

A previous contributor has referred to the 2 day rule which prevents one from entering by a gate in one country and leaving by a gate in a different country unless you have stayed two nights in the larger park.

That rule does not prevent you moving from the Botswana side of the Park to the South African side at any time. In the event, because it was so dry, we only spent one night on the Botswana side and then spent three nights on the South African side.

So you can easily move from Kaa to Polentswa if you have reserved places.

My descriptions of the route are on Days 12 and 13 of my blog article: https://bobview.com/2024/11/victoria-falls-to-cape-town-october-2024/

I spent 18 days in the wider Kgaligadi in May this there which is described at: https://bobview.com/2025/06/kgalgadi-may-2025/

Travel well

 

Bobby Stodel

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[Emile Wessels]

Hi

 

We went as a single vehicle, but did carry a satphone.

 

Regards

 

Emile

 

From: 'K Ben' via Tracks4Africa <tracks...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, 18 January 2026 19:11
To: Tracks4Africa <tracks...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [T4A] Kaa

 

Hi,

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[K Ben]

Hi,

thank you everybody for your replies. We appreciate them very much.

We want to stay about 3 weeks  in the park. That is why the 2-day-rule should not bother us :-).  

Being the only one in the area is an appealing thought.  We are still  working on our tour, but I think we will go there. And it seems doable, as you wrote. 
@Emilie, we definitly will take a satphone, even if it is only to reassure ourselves.
@Bobby, thanks for the links, we will go through them.

Regards

Knut