Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

MABUASEHUBE or CENTRAL KALAHARI GAME RESERVE

Hello Gents

I am in serious need of a fix , and this fix can only be had by seeing far distant horizons at places I have never been. Going to get a partial fix this December by camping along the Transkei wild coast but that will only help temporarily.

So in order to get THE FIX I am planning on going to the MABUASEHUBE or CENTRAL KALAHARI GAME RESERVE in June/July 2012. DV. As I have not been to any of them I would like to ask your opinion on the choice.

I have read some of the trip reports on the Overland Forum and with all the lions in the campsites at MABUASEHUBE that is a great drawing card, but the facilities and the lack of water is a drawback.

At this point it will be my wife and myself with the Troll and a Jurgens Xplorer. No children unfortunately as they are with the alternative parent.

Regards

Izak

Izak those are wonderfull places in June and July. Not sure how long you intend staying, but water can be a problem, although if you plan your stops carefully you can probably do OK. In Mabuasehube, the camps are often arranged in pairs, one of which has only a cooking shelter (concrete slab with triangular roof but with both sides and end open) and a long-drop, while the other one has an ablution block with toilet, basin and outdoor cold-water shower. Very bracing in winter. The idea is that both camps are allowed to use these ablutions. So at least there you only need drinking water.

In CKGR most of the camps only have long-drops and sometimes bucket showers, and no water, so there you have a larger problem. I do know however that the camp at Xade gate has ablution facilities with hot showers, flush toilets and hot water sinks for washing the dishes. We stayed three nights at Deception Pan, where there is no water, and then one night at Xade gate. At Deception pan we unfortunately had noisy South African neighbors with Vuvuzelas. It looked like they had looked at the rules and decided to try and break them all, even going for a drunken night drive on the Cruiser bakkie's roof rack. To get from Deception pan to Xade is a whole day's hard drive, and a caravan is going to make your life difficult in the thick sand. However the worst sand is from Xade heading towards Ghanzi for the first 40-60km it is very thick. Personally I would not want to tow a caravan on that road. Lots of people have suffered blown gearboxes there from towing.

Some of the roads in and around Mabuasehube can also be quite sandy, particularly the road between the gate and Mcarthy's rest. Not as bad as the CKGR though.

My feeling is that the two of you should easily be able to do it, but rather leave the caravan at home. Also be aware that the trip between CKGR and Mabuasehube is pretty much a two-day affair. We spent one night at Khawa Lodge in Ghanzi, and campeed wild the second night between Lehututu and Mabuasehube. This is of course not really legal now, but soon after we stopped a parks board guy arrived and after we explained the situation he agreed that it was the best option. However be aware there is probably only one viable campsite along that road, unless you are prepared to make your dinner on the gas stove.

Zakki - km oefen solank - kom saam oompie oppi Uitreik - dis teen Central

Mabu-seb is klein gebied - Central le so wyd as die Heer se genade - jy kan dae weerskante toe sien - en as jy die besoek met volmaan kan laat saamval .... jy sal nooit weer dieselle wees nie

Maar ernstig - Ons maak vir jou plek op die Uitreik - KOM

Izak I just wanted to add something:
On the eastern side of CKGR, the nearest filling station is at Rakops. But this filling station is unreliable. When we were there there was no fuel, and I have read this before on other forums. Therefore plan to have enough fuel to reach Mopipi, which is 65km further.