Cape Town * Cape Winelands * Cederberg * Augrabies Falls * Kalahari Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
This distinctive 13-night Cape to Kalahari self-drive journey contrasts the colour and culture of Cape Town with the remote, sun-baked beauty of the Kalahari Desert. It combines city, winelands, mountain scenery, spring flower country, the mighty Augrabies Falls and rewarding desert game-viewing in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Begin in Cape Town, one of the world’s most dramatically situated cities. Cradled between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, it offers a compelling mix of history, natural beauty, excellent dining and a rich cultural character shaped by African, European and Asian influences.
After a few days in the city, you head to the Cape Winelands for a night in the Franschhoek valley before continuing north to the rugged Cederberg Mountains. This is a landscape of sculpted sandstone formations, San rock art sites and superb walking trails.
From here, you travel through Namaqualand, famous for its spring wildflowers, before reaching Augrabies Falls National Park. Here the Orange River crashes through a dramatic gorge before plunging into a deep, rock-enclosed pool below.
The trip builds to a memorable finale in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, one of Southern Africa’s great wilderness areas. This is a land of red dunes, dry riverbeds, sweeping horizons and immense skies.
Wildlife is uniquely adapted to the arid conditions, with the chance to see black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetah, leopard and hyena, along with springbok, gemsbok, red hartebeest, wildebeest and eland. The dry riverbeds are especially rewarding for cheetah sightings.
Tailor This Safari
This Cape to Kalahari self-drive can be adjusted to suit your time and preferred style of accommodation. You may like to add an extra night in the Cape, or include an additional night near Upington at the end for easier flight connections.
There is also an upgraded version of this safari adventure, using better room categories for the first part of the trip and a private concession camp in the Kgalagadi region. This option is more expensive, as the private camps are on the Botswana side of the park and priced in US dollars.
A possible upgraded Cape to Kalahari self-drive could include:
- Cape Town – 3 nights, The Vineyard Hotel, Mountain Room, BB
- Winelands – 1 night, Boschendal Werf Studio, between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch BB
- Cederberg Mtns – 2 nights, Cederberg Ridge Lodge, Luxury Suite, DBB
- Near Augrabies – 2 night, Tutwa Desert Lodge, with access to the Orange River
- Kgalagadi Park – 2 nights, Ta Shebube Rooiputs Game Lodge, Full Board & Activities
- Kgalagadi Park – 1 night, Xaus! Full Board & Activities
- Kgalagadi Park – 2 nights, Kalahari Tented Camp
- Return to Upington for your onward flight.
Good To Know
The Kgalagadi section shown is an example routing for our Cape to Kalahari self-drive sample tour. Final camp choices may vary depending on availability, seasonal conditions and flight logistics. You may need to add a night at Upington depending on flight connection times.
