Khumaga (Kumaga) is one of the Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Parks, Botswana: Khumaga entrance gate two campsites in Makgadikgadi National Park in Botswana. The Njuca Hills (a little more than hills, but any rise in the ground is significant in this flat landscape) to the south have two campsites with a bush toilet as the only facility. Khumaga campsite in the north has 5 campsites and is pleasantly located overlooking the Boteti riverbed. There is no water on the Njuca Hills and the Khumaga water has a strong sulfur smell and is unsuitable for drinking.
Makgadikgadi Park has only two campsites. Khumaga is the base for exploration along the Boteti River.
Njuca Hills is closed, but there is Tree Island in the Eastern Plains, a possibility to explore on the way to Nxai Pan. The area of what is now Makgadikgadi Park was declared a game reserve in 1970, and in December 1992 the boundaries were extended and national park status was achieved. The present park covers about 4900 square kilometers.
Makgadikgadi, whose name implies a vast, open, lifeless land, has not lost its folklore. There are stories of people setting out from Gweta to explore the land between them and the Boteti River to find a favorable environment for settlement. They entered these great thirsty lands at the driest time of the year, attracted by the great lakes with sparkling water on the horizon. The lakes, suffering greatly from thirst, always hurried them to reach the life-giving water, which always remained just ahead of them. One by one, they fell and died. This is a sobering thought, but quite understandable if one personally witnesses these mirages. Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Park, Botswana: Khumaga Entrance Gate
The campsites are located within the park. Khumaga (Kumaga), 48 kilometers southwest of the main entrance, is located on the banks of the Boteti River and is equipped with a wash block and water standpipe. This site, which is also an alternate entry point into the park, is equipped with a wash block and riser. Here, the water supplied from a borehole has a particularly unpleasant sulfur odor when first tapped, but improves when left to stand. However, it is noted that water should be brought for drinking purposes. There is a limited basic food supply in Kumaga village.
Kumaga takes its name from a pool near the village that contains edible tubers. From the junction of the main tar road, an eight-kilometer rough gravel road leads to the park entrance gate, where entrance fees are payable. All roads within the park are rough and in many cases very sandy, so it is essential to have a 4×4 vehicle.
