SANParks.org Forums

At the end of the day, nature is for everyone and not the privileged few...if someone would like to look around a camp with the view of staying there in the future then who are you to stop them? I would never sign up to stay at a camp without first checking the place out and seeing what you actually get for your money...that is the freedom of choice. If it's so select then why isn't there a guard on the gate with a name list to check vehicles against?

Hi all.

Looks like this is turning into an interesting debate! Wandrew wrote that there is never a good time to "pop in" at a camp like U. We find it very difficult to motivate ourselves to go on a drive and sit at a waterhole waiting for animals when the water hole at U is such an active water. Much better to sit watching the U waterhole with a cold beer or nice glass of red wine in the hand.

I understand that people who want to potentially stay in the camp want to see what it is like, but if everyone does this, the residence have to put up with a stream of cars.

The question of keys is also an important one. Now that the tented camp has been upgraded and the tent flats have been replaced with nice wooded doors, it is hoped that keys will also be made available.

Thanks to everyone who make the forum so interesting.

See you.

3dgreek said:
I would never sign up to stay at a camp without first checking the place out and seeing what you actually get for your money...that is the freedom of choice!

How can you do that as an overseas visitor?

When we were looking for camps in KTP to stay at,we had lots of chances
to search in different places!Google,magazins or travel agency!!
Of course,this forum too!!

We made never bad experiences!We were even positive surprised with
all the wilderness camps there!!
You a r e in the bush!!That counts for us!!!

Maybe this will be a part of the solution? Maybe I'm wrong, because I'm new here and my first visit will be in April.

I think it will be a good idea that the people who made this side, make new pictures for an impression of:
- all the campsites and surroundings
- all the wilderness camps and its surrounding
- all the chalet as well as inside as outside and surrounding

And then place all these photo’s at ‘Availability’ and ‘Reservations’
Now there is one small or even no picture of these accommodations, so I can understand that some people want to have a look.

For example:
We made a reservation for a chalet in Nossob (CH2) I looked for a picture at ‘Availability’ and ‘Reservations’, but till now I could not find a picture how this chalet looks like. Not inside and not at the outside. I can't go to KTP to have a look first, so for me it will be a surprise what we get.

For me I'm more on prof side, if we have to chose a side at all.
We had the experience, it almost seems an endless stream, of visitors in Grootkolk, KTC and Kieliekrankie.
For me a sign or a rule is a rule which stands. Where do you draw the line, with how many cars, or like gate closure, just another 5 minutes and then 10 and the half an hour or a 4x4 track can be taken with a Tazz too because you want to have the freedom of choice?
It does not have anything to do with freedom of choice. Why not play on the 'wild side' for once in a while and book something before checking it out. You even might be surprised.
If everything known in advance life could get pretty boring (to me)

I have never drove into a "residents only camp" to have a sneak view before...I never had the urge to do that.

When this thread of prof started I thought "What's the big deal doing that?".
But as the thread progressed and the forumites posts rolled in it became clear to me that this IS a problem and it shouldn't be done. As Jonkers said "Where do you draw the line?".

I am totally against the inquisitive viewers driving into these private no entry camps , I think in this day and age people want the peace & quiet these camps offer .
What about the experience of adventure of arriving to stay at a place for the first time ? The internet allows more than enough opportunity to find out about and view the places you want to visit .
(Go to KNP and see why these KTP camps should be regarded as sacred)

Wow, some interesting and divergent points of view Perhaps I can throw my 2 cents worth into the mix. The wilderness camps are high value, low impact camps. High value since the financial return per customer is higher than the conventional camps, and low impact because of the small size of the camps which reduces their impact on the environment. The small size benefits the residents because low volumes of traffic mean that they can enjoy the peace and quiet of the wilderness, and that the animals are not spooked away from the waterholes and the vicinity of the camp, which is evident from the fantastic sightings of various forumites in the trip reports - for this reason people are prepared to pay the extra, which benefits the park (and indirectly all who visit) since it increases the revenue per person entering the park. Increasing the traffic flow from the steady stream of “visitors” does detract from the low impact benefits for residents. Remember as Prof said, you are not the only car in the day just popping in for a look see.

Our “freedom of choice” is to choose to pay the extra money and stay in the camp or not. Unfortunately, as non-residents our “freedom of choice” ends at the no entry sign. Otherwise, as others have stated, where does it end? What about the other no-entry signs on various roads in the park - is it my “freedom of choice” to simply drive down these in curiosity to see where they lead? Or, if I see a lion behind a bush, is it my “freedom of choice” to drive off the road for a clearer look? Or to travel at 100km/h along the roads because I am in a rush to get to camp? Or to arrive in camp after gate closing time simply because I have seen a fantastic sighting? Of course NOT. When we enter the park we sign a permit saying we will obey the rules in the park, no ifs or buts. If you do not agree with these, simply do not sign and do not enter the park. If you do sign and enter, obey the rules! It is not up to us to choose which rules we want to obey and which not. If I am in the Louvre in Paris for example, I can not do as I wish to get a closer look at or touch the exhibits (probably will be thrown in jail), or can not first enter and have a look around to see if it is worth my while to pay the entrance fee? If you do not agree with all the rules, petition SANPARKS to change these.

If you really feel the need to “try before you buy”, go to the effort of approaching the tourism manager in Twee Rivieren and get official permission to visit the wilderness camps. In my humble opinion, all other non-residents entering the wilderness camps should be immediately spot fined by the assistant.

It is very sad that one has to post a guard to stop people going into private places. Do you also like to go down all the roads with a no entry sign. Why do people think they have all these rights? Do they fly to a country and check out the hotels and then fly back to book them before their holidays? Its the same thing isnt it?

"I want to check out a place before I book it" is the lamest excuse I've ever heard...even if one is too lazy (or too dumb) to check out the internet to find additional information and / or pictures, there is still the national park brochure...plus one can always try and find other folks who have just finished their stay there...

Hello everybody!

Maybe the answer is somewhere here already, but I could not find it.
Having been a few times to the KTP already, we never saw anybody in the campring at Roiiputs.
So I was wondering:
- Do you stay there alone at night?
- Where do you book?
- How much does it cost?
- If you camp there, can you stay by the waterhole after sunset?

And any information you could think of ...

Thanks guys!

Hello Picasso

Wasn't there till now. We will visit Rooiputs and Polentswa in May 2009.
I have booked both places by DWNP in Gabarone Bots.
dwnp.parrogabs@gov.bw, fax +267 3180775
It cost you 200Pula for a couple for one night, entry fee and campsite.
Friends told us that there is no facilities, only pure nature...and i hope that we are alone...nothing is fenced, just you and the wilderness. I think you have to be at the campsite by sunset....but nobody will control it....so if we are back 24. May 2009 i can answer all your questions.

Thanks Guagu!
We will wait for your report then!
Will you stay in a tent? Is it a big one? Were you given instructions regarding lions ?

Hi Pikasso

Getting brave are we ..
Many people opt for the rooftop tent situation...probably a lot safer that way. I know Bigal camped in Rooiputs and Polentswa ...maybe you should pm him. I am sure he can answer many questions for you. I know he needed the bathroom one night but had to stay put in his tent because the lions were visiting :
Could be quite an adventure...I guess we will camp at Rooiputs one day. I will probably spend the entire night sitting in Monty..probably be too excited to even think about sleep
Remember you have to be totally self sufficient... there is no running water etc. There is a chemical long drop toilet and a shower stall ...but you will have to take your own bag of shower water to hang up in the shower stall !!!
Let us know how you get on !!!

Thanks Caracal!

It seems so tempting to stay alone in the dark with the lions and the leopards and the CHEETAHS!


By the way, how do you get to Rooiputs these days with the road closed?



PS: I couldn't find the meaning of "Monty" ... I have a little idea though : ...