Travel Adviser : Rain on the semi-desert plain of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

WHO TO CONTACT

For reservations contact South African National Parks head office in Pretoria on tel 012-428-9111, e-mail reservations@sanparks.org or visit http://www.sanparks.org. For more information on the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park phone Twee Rivieren on tel 054-561-2000.

HOW TO GET THERE

Twee Rivieren is 1 076 km from Cape Town and 1 090 km from Johannesburg. From either city, drive to Upington, then follow the old ‘Gemsbok Nasionale Park’ signs out of Upington onto the R360 to Askham. Turn right at the T-junction just past Askham. The last 65 km to Twee Rivieren is rough to very rough gravel.

GATE TIMES

Jan-Feb 06h00-19h30; Mar 06h30-19h00; Apr 07h00-18h30; May 07h00-18h00; Jun-Jul 07h30-18h00; Aug 07h00-18h30; Sep 06h30-18h30; Oct 06h00-19h00; Nov-Dec 05h30-19h30.

ABOUT THE CAR

Despite warnings against taking a soft-roader onto the “bad roads of the Kgalagadi,” BMW’s X3 3,0 D shone, handling corrugations, slippery mud and wheel-deep puddles with ease. On the Northern Cape’s open roads, the automatic gear box came into its own; the three-litre’s power and road-holding capability is an overtaker’s dream. The diesel economy is good – about eight litres to 100 km.

The 3,0D retails for R457 000. For more info tel 0800-60-0777 or visit http://www.bmw.co.za.