Bots -First Time Self Drive- Intinerary Advice Please!!!!!

[Addison]

Hi All,

Took the advice - most anyway - so generously offered herein and things appear to be coming together nicely. Almost there.

I have put together the following itinerary for the Bots. portion of my self-drive and would like some input. I am particularly concerned about distances and conditions between camp sites - water crossing scares me most at this point although I guess deep sand in CKGR is equally as bad.
I will be solo.

Please see below and let me know your thoughts.

Oh - and yes I did use T4 on my Mac to develop the route - Thank you again for the suggestion - T4 is Very cool. By the way HOW do I get my T4 data to appear in Google Earth?

The suggestion was made to use the T4 layer but I cant find it.

Itinerary


Day 1 - Jnb to Khama Rhino Sanc. via Martin's Drift (This appears a simpler route than into Gaberone and out again). Overnight at KRS.

Day 2 - KRS - & early to bed.

Day 3 - To Maun / reach Maun mid-day, fuel/resupply- Nite at Audi Campsite.

Day 4 - Make for 1st Campsite - North Gate Campsite

Day 5 - North Gate Campsite

Day 6 - North Gate Campsite

Day 7 - Make for 2nd Campsite - Savuti Camp

Day 8 - Savuti Camp

Day 9 - Savuti Camp

Day 10 - Make for 3rd Campsite - Xakanaxa Camp or South Gate Camp (If Xakanaxa is thought to be too far)

Day11 - Xakanaxa Camp or South Gate Camp (If Xakanaxa is thought to be too far)

Day 12 - Xakanaxa Camp or South Gate Camp (If Xakanaxa is thought to be too far)

Day 13 - To Maun - Crocodile Camp (To be different) or Audi Camp - RESUPPLY - Early AM Make for Tsau Gate (CKGR)

Day 14 - 1st Campsite - Motopi 1 (NOT CONVINCED THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO CAMP _ BUT IT IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AFTER THE DRIVE FROM MAUN)

Day 15 - 1st Campsite - Motopi 1

Day 16 - 2nd Campsite - Passarge Valley Manong Camp 1 or Sunday Pan Camp 1

Day 17 - 2nd Campsite - Passarge Valley Manong Camp 1 or Sunday Pan Camp 1

Day 18 - 2nd Campsite - Deception Camp 3 or Alternate Deception Camp

Day 19 - 2nd Campsite - Deception Camp 3 or Alternate Deception Camp

Day 20 - UP Early - Make for KRS.

Day 21 - African Ranches River Camp (Sherwood, Bots.)

Day 22 - Cross at Martin's Drift - Ret. Sat. Phone (?) - Turn for KNP - Crocodile Bridge Camp.


Can those of you who have done something similar please offer advice?


Thank you for all of you help. OH apologies for any typos - I know I misspelled something - always do.

Addison

[GreenDisco]

Hi Addison,

Your proposed times seem more than adequate and you will easily get from 1 camp site to the next, it shouldn't take more than a few hours if you take your time.

Kalahari Safari has quite a lot of up to date info on the area as well as some of the other guys based up there (who are active on the forum). Piri is another.

Just take your time at the water crossing and make sure of your line and you will be fine.

In terms of the soft sand drop your tyre pressure to 1 bar and you wont have any hassles either.

We've only been back a few days now and I'm already jealous of your upcoming trip!!!

To overlay your track / route on Google Earth simply click "View", "View in Google Earth" in the Mapsource application

Cheers and enjoy!
GD

[Kalahari Safari]

Addison,

You are doing a good job with the planning, remember, its the most vital part of the trip and done by yourselves will give you the best satisfaction.

Can I suggest some small changes:
Day 3-4 instead of going to North Gate, book at South Gate, next day pack your stuff and do a all day drive to 3rd Bridge (plenty to see - and its the game drive). Use the direct route via Xini Lagoon in the West then 1st, 2nd Bridge.
Next day (5) book at North Gate for the track to Savute.

On return from Savute, you will know the track conditions and can make it to Xakanaxa (North Gate to Xakanaxa is less than 2 hours on direct route through the forest), but visit Dombo Hippo Pool on the way.

Day 12, use South gate as otherwise you will struggle to make the gate before 11:00 AM dead line to leave the park.

CKGR is okay as tracks are very sandy, butt try to book at Kgori Campsite #3 or #4 (DWNP is still managing it), much better views than deception Valley which has the camps in the thickets of the forested area.
Kgori is overlooking the deception plains.
Day 20 start off from Deception and use Matswere Gate and track direction Rakops, then KRS is possible, they have the gate open until 19:00 hrs.

On water crossings: They are unavoidable, but walk them first and memorize the twists and turns, check for mud or sand (sand is better). Then drive it on the memorized route.
Remember: "As slow as possible, as fast as necessary" is the key. Use Low 4 and 2nd gear with about 2500 to 300 revs to have torque and reserves to accelerate if needed.
For the sandy stretches as GreenDisco says, lower the tyre pressure (I would start with 1.4 bar), so you can deflate further if you should get stuck, but be careful not to speed corners as you run the risk of ripping the soft tyres from the rim.
If you get stuck, don't force it, stop when spinning occurs and spade the wheels and underbody free from loose sand, then select low4 and 1st gear.

Enjoy your trip.