Review Kalahari Tented Camp, SANParks Camp, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Paul‘s Camp Review for the
Kalahari Tented Camp
Wilderness Camp by South African National Parks – Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
General Impression Camp: 
General Impression Staff: 
Details:
Duration of stay: 6 nights / self-drive Safari
Check-in / Check-out:
Check-in Process:
Check-out Process:
Concierge Service: N/A
Staff @ Camp:
Room / Bathroom:
Bed, quality of sleep:
Bathroom, Shower:
Room Atmosphere:
WiFi / Internet: (N/A)
Housekeeping general:
Cleanliness:
Food & Beverage / Restaurant
Self-catering only!
Paul‘s Mix:
Pool, Spa:
Camp Location:
Mojito Rating 
: N/A
: N/A
General Customer Care:
Staff attitude, interaction and responsiveness:
Social media interaction: N/A
--
= bad, a lot of work needs to be
done
= not good, you will be busy
with corrections
= good & normal, nothing
special
= high level, but the icing on
the cake is missing
= topnotch, leave me here!
= Half a Point/sheep
--
The Camp
Kalahari Tented Camp is a wilderness camp, which means it is completely unfenced. It
sits deep in real wilderness, full bush, and right in the core of predator country. You’re basically on red dunes overlooking the dry Auob riverbed with a waterhole visible from many tents.
It’s run by SANParks and has 15 safari tents scattered across the dune slope.
Because the place is unfenced, wildlife literally moves through camp at will. Lions, hyenas, jackals and antelope are regulars. The only thing fenced is the car parking under cover, because
lions can be curious and, yes, have been known to bite tires. That kind of experience makes it genuine — not sanitized safari-park style.
There is no power in the camp except for some lights in the tents which are powered solar.
There are no power outlets, which means, you can not charge any electronic devices. You rely on power banks, charging in your car or driving to Mata Mata Camp (3km) and asking the reception
team if they would charge.
The Atmosphere:
It’s calm, quiet, and real Africa. No walls, no city noise, no aircon droning in the background — just birds, wind, sand, and the occasional roar or snuffle from big game at night. No light
pollution and you can see the milky-way easily every night with pure eye
The camp has a wild, peaceful vibe and that it genuinely feels like being part of the bush rather than just visiting it.
We were sitting on our deck in the early morning, over lunch and after the late afternoon drive, watching giraffe, antelope and even predators coming to drink at the waterhole. Absolutely
stunning viel and the real kind of safari feeling.
Always knowing there is no fence.
Accommodation Types Available:
All 15 units are safari tents — variations on the same theme: canvas walls, sturdy wood frames, and safari-rugged details. They sleep up to two (or four in family tents), and they all face
the riverbed.
Our Accommodation:
We stayed in a double safari tent with two single beds pushed together. Inside you get:
Two single beds with bedside tables
A basic wardrobe area and luggage racks
Bathroom with shower, toilet and basin.
Separate kitchen tent with fridge-freezer and gas stove. The fridge-freezers
It’s comfortable but very simple — don’t expect luxury. The tents are well set up for self-catering, and most guests say they’re surprisingly livable for a canvas structure when the weather’s
moderate.
Dining:
There’s no restaurant at the camp itself.
It is a self catering camp and we cooked our meals in our kitchen tent, which is well equipped. Shopping for supplies isn’t possible here — you do that at nearby Mata-Mata, about 3 km down
the road. The shop has all the necessary utensils to prepare a meal, a little choice of fresh products and some frozen meat. It delivers enough if you need to stock up for 2-3 nights but
definitely not for the weekly grocery shopping.
Shop:
No shop on site, so you need to stock up at Mata-Mata Rest Camp, where basic groceries, drinks, firewood and essentials are available. They’re not huge supplies, so plan carefully.
Fuel station:
Likewise, there’s no fuel here at Kalahari Tented Camp. If you need petrol or diesel, you refill at Mata-Mata’s petrol engines fuel station,
Facilities & Surroundings:
The camp has a small swimming pool — a real bonus in peak summer heat but the water does not look very appealing.
That said, the pool has the same attraction like a waterhole for the animals at hot days. You simply don't care if you can refresh.
Otherwise there is nothing else, just nature, the bush, the classic Kalahari: endless dunes, sparse acacia, a dry river channel that life pulses through at dawn and dusk. Wildlife is abundant if you’re patient — not the guaranteed spectacle of a big lodge, but enough to make mornings and evenings unforgettable.
Mobile Connectivity:
Mobile signal is patchy at best and the signal is a 2G signal from Namibia. No South African signal up here.
But for us, not having signal and electricity it is part of the charm of this camp.
We were here to unplug and watch the land, nature and the animals.
WiFi - Connectivity
WiFi would be available at Kalahari Tented Camp.
You need to purchase vouchers at the shop or reception at Mata Mata. Coats are R75 for 400MB.
We didn't buy it.
Guests & Ambience:
Most visitors come for serious safari vibes, not comfort travel. You’ll find couples, small groups, and die-hard nature lovers. Folks tend to chat quietly at the pool deck or over braai fires
in the evening, sharing sighting stories and warnings about passing predators.
Summary / Overall:
If you want wild, close-to-nature, self-reliant safari accommodation, this delivers in spades.
We LOVED it!
The tents are basic but functional, the bush life is front and centre, and it’s peaceful in that spine-tingling way only real wilderness can be.
Just go in with the right expectations:
No luxury, no restaurant, no fenced safety, but...
just pure safari and bush life.
If you really want wild Africa, this camp beats regular rest camps for bird calls, animal traffic and genuine out-there feel.
Booked far ahead? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely, and we will be coming back ourselves.
Notes:
– Paul the Sheep does not receive any benefits or discounts from Hotels, Airlines, or SANParks.
– All stays are paid in full to ensure independent, honest, and authentic reviews.
– If you’d like more details or pictures, just drop us a message!