The Kalahari National Gemsbok Park is managed together with the Gemsbok National Park of Botswana as one ecological unit. Since 1999 this park is recognized as a whole unit known as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Animals could roam freely between the parks for the past 50 years because there was never a border fence.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park comprises half-a-million hectares of sparsely vegetated, red sand dunes and dry riverbeds within South Africa‛s borders. Including the Green Kalahari and Botswana the park as a whole is a two million ha sanctuary for antelope, gemsbok (oryx), springbok, blue wilde beest, red hartebeest, eland, the Kalahari lion leopard, cheetah and smaller game such as mongoose, porcupine and honey badger.

The vegetation is characteristic of the Nama-Karoo biome, consisting of sparse grass veld, low shrubs and hardy thorn trees such as camel thorn acacias and black acacias. Temperatures are typical of a continental climate – very high in summer (often above 40°C) while winter nights are bitterly cold. Winter days are clear and sunny. The rainfall varies between 100 to 125 mm per year and water supplies are supplemented by boreholes. Animals supplement their water intake by eating plants such as wild cucumbers and tsammas.

The Park comprises of 6 different camps. There are three traditional rest camps and three wilderness camps. The three oldest rest camps are Twee Riviere (Two Rivers) close to the entrance, Nossob, next to the Nossob River and Mata Mata next to the Namibian border. Twee Rivieren is the largest camp and also the administrative headquarters. Electricity and cell phone reception are available 24 hours. Luxury accommodation is available at Twee Rivieren. Electricity is available for 18 hours a day at Mata Mata and Nossob.

Basic facilities are also available at Bitterpan (between Nossob and Mata Mata) and Grootkolk in the dunes. The Bitterpan camp is built on stilts with a wooden walkway adjoining each of the units. Grootkolk is situated admist the red sand dunes with only the stars and silence for company. There is also a tent camp 3 km from Mata Mata known as the Kalahari tent camp.

Fifty-eight mammals, 55 reptiles, countless insects and a host of plant species share the desert and dry savannah, while 260 species of birds, including 20 species of raptor have been recorded.