Tweerivieren & Tweerivieren Border Crossing

The Tweerivieren Crossing: A Gateway in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

The border crossing at Tweerivieren is a unique and highly sought-after gateway, designed exclusively for tourists traveling within the vast Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. This is not a general public or commercial border. It is the main entrance to the park and also serves as an international border post, allowing visitors to enter the park in South Africa and then exit into Botswana, or vice versa, creating a seamless, cross-border safari experience. The crossing is located deep within the arid, red-dune landscape of the Kalahari Desert, at the confluence of the dry Auob and Nossob riverbeds. The border post is integrated into the Twee Rivieren Rest Camp, the largest and most developed tourist camp in the park. The atmosphere is one of a relaxed, friendly, and rustic safari camp, a world away from the formalities of a typical international border. For the wildlife enthusiast and the self-drive safari adventurer, this is one of the greatest border crossings in the world, a passage through the heart of a vast, unfenced wilderness.

A History of Africa’s First Peace Park

The history of this crossing is the history of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Africa’s first formally declared peace park. The region is the traditional homeland of the San (Bushmen) and Khoikhoi peoples. The colonial border, drawn between British Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and the British Cape Colony (now part of South Africa), was a line in the sand that had little meaning. In the mid-20th century, both South Africa and Botswana established national parks on their respective sides of the border: the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana. The border between them, however, remained fenced, disrupting the ancient migration routes of the vast herds of gemsbok, springbok, and wildebeest. In 2000, the two countries signed a historic agreement to remove the fences and to manage the two parks as a single ecological unit, creating the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The Tweerivieren border post was established as the main administrative hub and the primary international gateway for this new, unified conservation area.

The Border Crossing Procedure: A Safari Camp Formality

This is a very quiet border in terms of international crossings, and the process is informal and personal. The border is open only during the park’s gate hours, which vary seasonally. It is essential to check the official SANParks (South African National Parks) website for the current operating times. You must have your visas sorted in advance.

Prerequisites: You must be a bona fide tourist and are required to stay for a minimum of two nights within the transfrontier park. This is not a transit route for public roads. A 4×4 vehicle is not strictly required to reach Twee Rivieren on the main park roads, but it is highly recommended for exploring the wider park, especially on the Botswanan side.

The Process: The unique feature of this crossing is that the immigration and customs offices for both South Africa and Botswana are co-located in the same building at the Twee Rivieren Rest Camp. This is a true One-Stop Border Post. You will go to the main reception building. Here, you will first go to the exit counter for the country you are leaving (e.g., South Africa) and get your passport stamped. You will then walk a few meters to the entry counter for the country you are entering (e.g., Botswana) and get your entry stamp. The officials are park staff who are also trained as immigration officers. The process is very relaxed and friendly. There is no formal customs check for luggage. The entire process is a simple, efficient immigration formality.

Route, Onward Travel, and The Kalahari

This crossing is for travel within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. On the South African side, the road to Twee Rivieren from the town of Upington is a mix of paved and good-quality gravel roads. On the Botswanan side, the “roads” are a network of challenging 4×4 sandy tracks. The Botswanan side of the park is much less developed and offers a much wilder and more remote safari experience. You must be completely self-sufficient with fuel, food, water, and camping equipment to explore the Botswanan side. There are a series of beautiful, remote, and unfenced campsites. The Kgalagadi is one of the best places in the world for wildlife photography, famous for its black-maned Kalahari lions, cheetahs, leopards, and vast herds of desert antelope. You must book your accommodation in the park well in advance, as the camps are very popular and are often fully booked a year ahead.

Final Planning Advice for a Wilderness Crossing

The Tweerivieren border crossing is a unique and incredible adventure, but it is only for the dedicated safari traveler. The key to a successful journey is meticulous planning. You must book your accommodation inside the park months, or even a year, in advance. You must have your visas (if required) in your passport before you arrive. You must have a suitable vehicle and be prepared for a self-sufficient desert journey, especially if you plan to explore the Botswanan side. This is not a shortcut; it is a destination in itself. For the dedicated wildlife lover, it is one of the greatest border crossing experiences in the world, a true journey into the wild heart of the Kgalagadi, a place where the border is just a stamp in a book in the middle of a vast, unfenced wilderness.