Location in the Kgalagadi

!Xaus Lodge is located in the South African sector of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) and access is via the Auob River road that connects Tweerivieren with Mata Mata. The lodge is situated 30 km into the desert, reached after driving over 91 sand dunes from the turn-off at Rooibrak waterhole, 60 km northwest of Tweerivieren.

GPS co-ordinates for a Google search are: S26°09.005′ E20°15.392′.

Please Note the following from Sanparks: 

Twee Rivieren , Mata Mata and Nossob have a problem dispensing unleaded fuel during the heat of the day.The ULP heats up and it forms airpockets . As soon as the system detects these , it automatically shuts the system down and relays the fuel back into the tank. We are able to dispense fuel in the mornings when it is still cool but as soon as temperature rises , the ULP tanks shut down.

We suggest filling up between 07h00 – 10h00. May we also suggest filling up at Ashkam before entering at Twee Rivieren . Because of the consistency of Diesel , this does not occur and Diesel is available throughout the day.

Visit the Sanparks website for further updates

Road access to !Xaus Lodge

The distance from Upington to Tweerivieren is 260km.

Travelling time: 2.5 – 3 hours

From Tweerivieren (entry gate to KTP) to Kamqua picnic site (meeting point for !Xaus Lodge) is 64km. It is a game drive all the way along the Auob river bed and takes approximately 1.5 hours. Note: We always meet guests at 2.30pm on their day of arrival at Kamqua Picnic Site.

From Kamqua picnic site to !Xaus Lodge is 30km on a single-track soft sand road through the dunes. A 4×4 vehicle is necessary for this leg of the journey.

Travelling time: 1 – 1.5 hours

Allow a minimum of five hours from Upington to Kamqua picnic site to meet the Lodge transport/convoy.

Self-drive options

The self-drive to Kamqua picnic site can be done in any standard sedan motor vehicle although a vehicle with good ground clearance is preferable. Guests are met at Kamqua picnic site at 2.30pm on the day of arrival, and escorted to the !Xaus Lodge turnoff at the Rooibrak waterhole. Guests who do not want to take their vehicles over the dunes, park in a demarcated zone off the road behind the dunes for the duration of their stay at !Xaus Lodge and are then transferred in an open safari vehicle. Guests with 4×4 vehicles, and the ability to drive over sand dunes, may drive to the Lodge, in convoy with the Lodge vehicles.

Note: Because the road to the Lodge is a single track, no guests may drive to the Lodge unless in convoy with Lodge vehicles.

Fuel can be purchased at the towns of Askham or Andriesvale (diesel only) or at KTP’s Tweerivieren and Mata Mata. Tyre pressures should be reduced to 1,6 bar for travelling on gravel roads in the KTP and to 1,4 bar if self-driving through the dunes to !Xaus Lodge.

Arriving by air

Upington in South Africa: SA Airlink operates scheduled flights to and from Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Tweerivieren (entry gate to the KTP) offers a non-commercial landing facility. It has a 1.8km tarred landing strip in good condition that can accommodate aircraft of up to 5,500 kg (Kingair 200 or equivalent).

Transfers

For guests flying in to Upington, a return road transfer to Kamqua picnic site in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is available at an additional charge. From Kamqua, guests are transferred to !Xaus Lodge in an open safari vehicle. For guests flying in, or wishing to leave their vehicles at Tweerivieren, a return road transfer to !Xaus Lodge is available.

Border posts

Tweerivieren: South Africa entry and exit, opens 07:30 closes 16:00 all year.
Two Rivers: Botswana entry and exit, opens 07:30 closes 16:00 all year.
Mata Mata: Namibia entry and exit, opens 08:00 closes 16:30 all year.

Guests entering through Tweerivieren, and departing into Namibia or Botswana, must clear Customs and Immigration at Tweerivieren even if they are planning to spend some days in the Kagalagadi Transfrontier Park before their intended date of departure. This is particularly important if exiting into Namibia because guests will be made to return from Mata Mata to Tweerivieren (120km) if they have not cleared South African Customs and Immigration there.

Guests entering the Kgalagadi from Namibia at Mata Mata are required to spend at least two nights in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park before exiting into South Africa. Nights spent at !Xaus Lodge meet this requirement.

Passport

A valid passport is required if exiting into a country different to the one from which you have arrived. No passport is required if you enter and exit through the same entry point. Self-drive guests must be in possession of the motor vehicle licence papers or a letter of authority from the vehicle owner or the car hire company if they plan to clear one of the borders.