KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK

Its 3:00am, Sunday and the alarm is ringing to wake us up. Normally I would just turn over hit the snooze button and go back to sleep but today is special.

The reason we are getting up so early is that we have a 1,450km drive ahead of us with a stop off at Upington for the night and then onto Twee Rivieren in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

The car is already packed and all that is needed is to have a shower, pack the camping fridge and our clothes and we can be on our way.

By 4:35am we are at the filling station refueling and we are finally on our way. We share the driving with regular coffee stops along the way and by early afternoon we are in Kimberley with the final stage towards the Orange River and Upington in the Northern Cape ahead of us.

Our route takes us from Kloof in Durban through Pietermaritzburg to Harrismith then on the N5 through Bethlehem, Senekal and at Winburg we join the N1 to Bloemfontein. The route is then through Kimberley and onto the R64 en route to Upington.

Karen Sharing the driving to Upington

A stop to stretch the legs

After a 12 hour drive we arrive in Upington and with the help of our GPS locate the Protea Hotel where we check in and freshen up a little. While having a beer at the bar we discover that there is a booze cruise that leaves from the jetty less than 200m from the hotel at 6pm so off we go to grab our cameras and get our tickets.

The river is in flood and the water is flowing quite strongly but “Sakkie se Arkie” the name of the boat which is actually a floating bar, is busy loading guests and so we clime aboard, get a beer and settle down for the ride.

Gavin on Sakkie se Arkie

Karen on Sakkie se Arkie

Orange River Upington

Orange River in Flood

An hour and a half later we are back on dry land after a very enjoyable cruise on the fast flowing river. We first head back to the hotel to change and then to the Totem Creek Spur, which is in the hotel building for dinner.

The Spur offers a good meal and then it’s off to bed for an early night. We only have 250km to drive tomorrow so we are planning a leisurely morning with breakfast before we leave.

THE TRIP TO TWEE RIVIEREN

We get up at around 7:30am and have a shower, pack the car and then fill up the tank for the final stage. A quick stop over at the local and very popular Wimpy for breakfast and we are on our way by 9:25am.

The drive into Upington from Groblershoop is very pretty as you drive alongside the magnificent Orange River. Wherever you look there are fields full of vines. This is one of the main wine growing regions in South Africa and also an area where a lot of table grapes are grown.

However as you drive out of Upington towards Namibia you realize that you are indeed entering the Kalahari as the landscape becomes very flat, with only the odd rocky outcrop. The road through Gordonia is also incredibly straight and in good condition so it is very easy to speed. I set my speed-cruise and sit back and enjoy the millions of yellow flowers and telephone poles that have been turned into thatched apartment blocks by the Sociable Weavers.

Straight roads in Gordonia

The roads are long and straight after Upington

We arrive at Twee Rivieren just after 12:00pm and check in. The reception is in a new building which offers plenty of space and with its double volume thatched roof it dominates the skyline. We were in the process of confirming all our accommodation in the park when the lights went off and we were told to go to our chalet and pop in before 7:30pm to complete the paperwork.

The Entrance to Twee Rivieren

 

Our chalet number 18 is comfortable with a kitchen with two extra beds in it, a main double bedroom with en suite shower and toilet as well as a dining room table in the bedroom. Only our very own Parks Board would design a chalet with beds in the kitchen and the eating area in the bedroom! But bonus there was also air conditioner and with the ambient temperature around 36 degrees it was very welcome.

Chalet 18 at Twee Rivieren

 

We lay down for about an hour and then at 3:pm went back to the main reception to collect our permit sort out the accommodation and pay the park fees and then very excited we headed off on our first Kalahari game drive.

From Twee Rivieren there are only two routes that you can drive. The one is along the Auob River towards Mata Mata and the other along the Nossob River towards Nossob. Twee Rivieren gets its name from the place that the two ancient rivers meet. Neither have any water in it and the roads regularly cross through the river bed so presumably no one is expecting them to ever flow again.

The Nossob road is closed from Rooiputs camp site to Kij Kij for road repairs so we take the Mata Mata road through the dunes for about 10km and then it joins the river and runs alongside.

What a great way to start a safari - we almost immediately come across a pride of six Lions sleeping under trees next to the road. They were very lazy and in no mood to wake up yet in the 36 degree heat and so we decided to drive on and catch up with them on the way back.

We drove on until Kamfersboom waterhole and then turned back as massive dark rain clouds were building in the south. I was particularly keen to get a picture of the Lions in the Kalahari rain.

Kalahari Storm Clouds

 

We saw herds of Springbok feeding alongside the road many of them with babies and often drove under trees with huge Sociable Weaver nests in their branches. We also came across a Leopard Tortoise crossing the road and stopped to take his picture.

Leopard Tortoise

The other vehicles at the Lion Sighting

Lions on the move

Back at the Lions there were only three other vehicles. They were still in the same place but were now beginning to sit up and look around. After a good afternoon sleep there were many opportunities to photograph them yawning and I took full advantage. 

The rain however was staying to the south with frequent bolts of lightning and rumbling thunder. After about half an hour the lead female stood up and almost at once they all got up and began walking along the road to the north. They were about two kilometers south of   Munro waterhole and so we followed them hoping that they might be on their way to drink. However they climbed to the top of a dune and then lay down there to wait for nightfall. 

Over the years we have developed a tradition of always packing four beers for our afternoon drive. We put them in the freezer around 2:00pm and by the time we leave they are bitterly cold and our cooler box keeps them nice and cold. There is nothing to beat watching Lions and sipping ice cold beer in the bush as the sun goes down and the air begins to cool.

It was getting dark because of the storm clouds so we headed back to camp. The gates close at 7:30pm. We were in just after 7:00pm and filled up the vehicle with petrol for our morning drive.

Kalahari Corrogations

There had been a huge storm at the camp while we were away and we had to drive through huge puddles of rain water in the road. The Tucson had now earned her stripes and was full of white Kalahari mud.

Twee Rivieren Storm Clouds

I went for a short walk to photograph the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park sign and came across some very large and aggressive ants. When I stopped to look at them they came out of their nest in numbers and some stormed towards me. I stepped back and gave them plenty of space. Later I looked them up in my insect book I was surprised to discover that they are called Bal-Byter Ants. This is Afrikaans for Ball-Biter Ants. A rather fitting name I thought considering their aggressive behavior.

Bal-Byter Ants

I made a braai and we cooked some BBQ Spare Ribs and washed them down with a few beers while we viewed our pictures for the day. We were staying for two nights so we had an early night planning to get up early and be out the gate when it opens at 6:00am.

DAY THREE

We drove out the gate shortly after 6:00am hoping to find the Lion pride again. There had been more rain during the night but the sun was up and the Dragon Flies were out in numbers skimming over the pools of water and dipping their abdomens into the water. There were also dozens of Abdim's Storks wading in the shallow water in search of food.

White Stalk

We came across our first heard of Gemsbok (Oryx) and stopped to admire these magnificent antelopes. They are truly symbolic of the drier areas and have evolved special adaptations to help them survive the dry seasons.

Gemsbok

 

The Lions were nowhere to be seen but we did come across a Cape Fox, the first that either of us had seen and a bit further on the first of many Black Backed Jackal.

We drove up to the picnic spot at Auchterlonie where we stopped for a toilet break and to have a look at the museum house. During the first world war the South Africans dug wells at regular intervals. Fearing attack from the Germans they wanted to ensure that they had a ready supply of water for their troops and horses. Each site had a caretaker family that lived there and looked after the well.

Auchterlonie

The Picnic-site at Auchterlonie

We carried on driving all the way to Rooibrak before turning back towards home. We once again stopped at Auchterlonie and made a fire and cooked bacon and egg rolls. They were delicious and were complimented by a strong cup of coffee. Everything tastes better in the wide open spaces of the Kalahari.

Along the way we stopped several times to photograph Crimson Breasted Shrike, White Browed Sparrow Weaver and Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters. We also saw a Wooly Neck Stork out of its usual range and a male and female Southern Ant-eating Chat.

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Female Ant-eating Chat

Male Ant-eating Chat

We were back in camp around mid day and stopped off at the shop to see what was on offer. We then took a walk to the pool only to find that it was bright green and bubbling and not surprisingly closed to the public.

We had a short nap and at 4:00pm we were back on the road, this time we decided to drive along the Nossob roads up to Rooiputs after which the road is closed for road works.

There was still a lot of ground water from last nights storm and we came across a large heard of Springbok drinking from one of these as well as Kori Bastard and Secretary Birds out in the open with many Cape Crows calling from the trees.

Crowned Lapwing

Ground Agama

Kori Bustard

Painted Snipe

Secretary Bird

Springbok

We stopped to photograph the Ground Squirrels and saw another Black Backed Jackal who had climbed out of his burrow to begin his nightly forage for food.

Ground Squirrel

Black-backed Jackal

Back in camp a bit before the 7:30pm deadline I lit a braai and we cooked Boerewors, a traditional South African sausage, and ate it on a bread roll with salad and tinned baked beans for dinner. Of course a couple of beers and a glass or two of red wine helped to wash away the Kalahari dust.

DAY FOUR

Our third night was to be spent at Kalahari Tented Camp near Mata Mata some 120km away. We got up early, packed the vehicle and were on the road by 7:30am.

Soon after we cut through the dunes and joined the Auob River we came upon a magnificent Cheetah walking next to the road with the red dunes behind him. Karen was ecstatic as this was her first Cheetah sighting and what a magnificent male he was. We followed him for a while and then when he crested the dune we continued on our way.

Cheetah

 

Between Rooibrak and the picnic site we came across a huge Black-maned Kalahari Lion walking in the river bed. He stopped under a shady tree, posed for a photo and promptly lay down and went to sleep. The occupants of another vehicle at the sighting told us to look out for a Cheetah at the picnic site. When we arrived at Kamqua the Cheetah was lying under a tree opposite us.

Male Kalahari Lion

 

We stopped and had a cup of coffee, a rusk and a quick toilet break and continued, past the north dune road to Nossob, onto Mata Mata.

White-browed Sparrow-weaver

Having left the relative sophistication of Twee Rivieren we were now truly in the wilderness with no cell phone reception until we returned to the south of the reserve in eight days time.

Did I mention that there is also no electricity at Kalahari Tented Camp?

Well there is solar powered lighting and gas but our camera batteries had to last until Nossob in four night’s time. Personally I don’t have a problem with this but Karen has a wobbly moment when she realizes that she won’t be unpacking her hair dryer, as there is no plug point.

The trip to Kalahari Tented camp took us 5 hours with stops, so we arrived in the heat of the day but were very happy to find that the camp had a swimming pool to cool off in. We head for the pool for a swim and then back to our tented unit for lunch and a siesta. 

Kalahari Tented Camp

Kitchen

 

While we are lying down the wind comes up and we experience a sudden afternoon downpour which cools off the temperatures and because the tents are not really designed for rain we end up getting flooded out on the side that receives the wind. No problem as the water just runs out between the floorboards without spreading too far.

Kalahari Rain Storm

By 4:00pm the rain had stopped and so we head for Mata Mata 4km away to refuel and then head south for a game drive.

At Twee Rivieren we bought a checklist of the most popular animals and birds complete with a map of the park. We had great fun ticking off sightings against the pictures in the guide. This turned out to be the best investment ever and I would recommend that anyone visiting the park does the same. We always keep a detailed journal of our activities and the checklist now has an important place in our Kgalagadi Journal.

We drove through the Auob River Bed and soon after came across two Cheetahs lying down. After a few minutes they got up and headed up and over the dunes, presumably to look for prey.

We drank our bitterly cold beers while observing the Kalahari Giraffes drinking at the Dalkeith waterhole. We then took a slow drive back to camp arriving around 7:00pm.

Drinking Giraffe

Back at our unit number 13, I lit a fire and we drank a few more beers while making a delicious steak dinner. The clouds were all off to the east and I set my camera up on the tripod and used a UV filter to get some great long exposure shots of the sun going down. The sunset was spectacular and when it got dark one could see the entire Milky Way, it actually takes your breath away. This is exactly why Karen and I seek out the most remote corners of our beautiful continent. Big sky, wide open spaces, millions of stars and very important, many animals and few people. Our motto the last few months of 2010 was; the more people I meet the more I love animals. We both have jobs that require a lot of interaction with our fellow humans and by year-end we are glad to get away to the wilderness.

Kalahari Sunset

Around 10:00pm we head off for bed having decided to have a bit of a sleep in the next morning and not do an early drive.

DAY FIVE

All the flaps are open in the tent so it is still dark when I am woken by the birds beginning to chirp. I turn over and go back to sleep. A little later I wake up, it is now light and a glance at my watch reveals that it is 6:00am. Once again I just turn over a go back to sleep. Around 7:00am I finally decide to get out of bed and make some coffee for my sleeping wife.

There was a small herd of Red Hartebeest walking south along the river bed. One was very small probably only a few days old and was staying very close to mom as the young and the old are the favored prey of the Cheetah and Lion that we had seen in the area.

Red Hartebeest

After the rain yesterday afternoon the grass is greener and the landscape is carpeted in yellow flowers as far as the eye can see.

Kgalagadi means land of the thirst so we were very lucky to experience the flowers which would only last for a few weeks of the year.

Kalahari Flowers

Over breakfast we decide to relax in camp for the day and only go for an evening drive.

As the temperature begins to rise we head for the pool to cool off and as it turns out this is where everyone congregates to swap information about what they have seen and where.

  Around lunchtime we head back to our unit and Karen makes us a fine lunch which we enjoyed with the ice cold beers we put in the freezer before we went for a swim.

With the tummy full it is siesta time during the hottest part of the day. Around 3:00pm we decide to head back to the pool for another swim. At the pool we chat to a couple who had traveled 9000km since leaving Johannesburg almost a month before. They had traveled through Botswana to Kaprivi and then Etosha and the Skeleton Coast all the way down to the Richtersveld and then back into SA through the border post at Mata Mata. They were staying a few days in the Kgalagadi and then heading back home. Wow what a trip and what an experience they must have had. 

Pool Deck - Kalahari Tented Camp

 

They also tell us about a Lion kill they found in the morning at 13^th Borehole so at 4:30pm we head off to see if the big male Lion is still at his kill. Chances are that he will be nearby so it is worth the 34km drive.

We found him easily enough. The rump of the Wildebeest had been quite extensively eaten and it looked as though the belly had been opened up, the culprit lying 10m away under a bit of shade fast asleep. We sat and watched for a while and then drove a bit further on to the waterhole to watch the Sand Grouse drinking and then returned on our way home. He was a little more co-operative this time and sat up briefly allowing me to take a photograph.

Lion Kill

He looks like an older Lion and may very well have been chased off by a younger suitor who fought him for the pride and won. In fact a few days later we heard during another pool conversation at Nossob that the Wildebeest had been killed by lightning and that he had just happened across the carcass a day or two later and fed on it. Either way in his prime he must have been a magnificent specimen.

We then took a leisurely drive back to camp, stopping often along the way to watch Springbok, Giraffe and Wildebeest drinking from the pools of water left after the rain.

Springbok

Driving through the riverbed only a few kilometers from camp we stopped to watch a herd of Wildebeest full of spirit and churning up the dust to create a wonderful photo opportunity with the sun back-lighting the dust. The temperature is 37 degrees and the hottest part of the day seems to be just before the sun drops out of view.

Wildebeest in the Late Afternoon

Back at camp we lit a fire and made dinner and then just sat with the lights off looking towards a night sky full of stars and feeling very blessed to be able to share the experience together.

Bibrons Gheko

Then tired and content and a bit sunburned it’s off to bed.

DAY SIX

I woke up just as the sun began to rise to a crescendo of bird calls. The early morning sun rays were soft and gold and there were yellow flowers wherever you looked. Truly amazing.

Sunrise Kalahari Tented Camp

Kalahari Flowers

I stood close to the open doorway to our tent and set up my tripod to try my hand at panning the video camera across the landscape. As I moved across the river bed opposite I heard Karen scream.

A Lanner Falcon had been chasing a small dove that in desperation flew through the open doorway into our tent only to be followed by the Falcon. All this action happened in a few seconds while Karen was busy getting dressed in the same room.

The Falcon immediately realized his error and flew out again through the open door, just as I arrived at the door to see what all the commotion was about. His wing clipped my head as he soared upwards into the morning sky and a mob of Starlings dive bombed him to make sure that he knew he was not welcome.

We looked for the dove but could not find it anywhere. Only later when we returned to the tent he had come out of hiding and we were able to capture him with a towel and release him.

The View from Unit 13 - Kalahari Tented Camp

Lone Wilderbeest

We then had some coffee and went out on a drive. In the river bed we came across two Jackals who then lay down to rest. Little did they know that two Cheetahs walked along the crest of the dune just ten meters behind them. Neither was aware of the others presence.

Black-backed Jackal

Cheetah

Further on we came across a Bat Eared Fox with two pups. The adult was foraging for food, digging and then moving on to dig again. We could not see what she was digging for. The pups meanwhile were peeping at us from a depression behind some scrub.

Juvenile Bat-eared Fox

We found the old Lion from the previous day lying under a small tree on the side of the road about a kilometer from where his by now very smelly kill was.

Sleeping Lion

We took a detour past the kill and found that it had also been moved and preyed upon overnight. However there was no sign of any Jackals or for that matter Vultures anywhere near the kill.

One thing you need in the Kgalagadi is a strong bladder as the picnic sites with toilets are quite far apart and the roads badly corrugated. I have also heard stories of people arriving at the toilet only to find a Lion lying close by beneath one of the shady trees. In this case I suppose that one would have to drive as close as possible and then make a dash for it.

The toilets have a steel sliding door at their entrance which has to be kept closed to ensure that the predators are not in the toilet enclosure when you arrive. However it is always advisable to have a good look around before getting out of your car and inspect the toilet for snakes, scorpions and spiders before getting down to business. 

Ancient Trees in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

On the way back to camp we spotted a Black-chested Snake Eagle. This was the first one that we had seen and a great tick off the list.

Starlings on the other hand seem to be in abundance wherever we have been. We have often watched as they fearlessly dive bomb Raptors in order to chase them away from their nests.

On this occasion we watched as a Starling for no apparent reason chased a Squirrel across open ground and then into a tree. The Starling then seemed content that the Squirrel was no longer a threat and flew off. We waited a while but the Squirrel stayed in the safety of the thick foliage.

While we were driving back I saw a vehicle number-plate lying in the middle of the road so I stopped and retrieved it. We then drove past our camp to Mata Mata to fill up with fuel and get a few things from their shop. We decided that the best thing to do with the number-plate was to leave it at the filling station at Twee Rivieren as everyone stops there to inflate their tires.

Stocked up we decided to take a drive through their campsite to have a look for future reference. Half way through the campsite, which was fairly busy, a man walks straight up to me and asks me if I have seen his number plate along the road. It turns out that I had picked up his number plate. What are the chances of this happening?

The afternoon was spent with first a swim then lunch, a short snooze and then a final swim to catch up on any news of predators in the area.

At 4:30pm we set off on another game drive and came across a heard of Wildebeest with babies. The one still had part of his umbilical cord attached. 

Wildebeest with Baby

Further on we saw Giraffe and a Martial Eagle that was eating what looked like another bird. The Lion was under the same tree as before having just moved with the shade to the other side. He was one sleepy cat and although there were a few cars around he didn’t even lift his head.

Kalahari Giraffe

Martial Eagle

Further on where there was still some ground water from the storm we stopped to watch as Burchell’s Sand Grouse were drinking and they were joined a little later by a Secretary Bird.

Namaqua Sandgrouse

Secretary Bird

We got back to camp at exactly closing time – 7:30pm. To date we have travelled 2130km and today did 210km.

DAY SEVEN

We got up as the sun began to throw its golden rays across the river bed and packed up for the trip to Nossob 170km to the East.

Up to now we had been travelling along the Auob River but now we would cut across to the Nossob River. Both of these are dried up river beds that have not had water in them for centuries.

Driving conditions are perfect for the trip with overcast skies and a temperature of only 22 degrees.

At Viertiende Boorgat we were privileged to see a magnificent young male Lion drinking. He must have been very thirsty as he drank for a full ten minutes. He began standing, then crouching and finally lying down, all the time lapping the cool water.

Once his thirst was quenched he put on a display of calling to the pride with the characteristic roar that carries for miles and makes you feel as though you are really in wild Africa.

We followed him for a while but eventually he headed off into the bush with more of a sense of purpose. Maybe one of his siblings had called back to him.

We heard later that there had been both Leopard and Spotted Hyena seen at Dertiende Boorgat but we were not lucky enough to be there at the right time.

Sign Post on the way to Mata Mata

The road to Nossob was not as corrugated as those around Mata Mata and consisted of a long undulating gravel road through the very pretty red sand dunes covered with yellow flowers as far as the eye could see.

Undulating Roads and Red Dunes on the way to Nossob

We saw Gemsbok, Bat-eared Fox and several Northern Black Korhaan along the way. We finally arrived at Nossob around mid day, after five and a half hours of driving.

Gemsbok

Greater Kestrel

Northern Black Korhaan

We checked into our chalet number 9A and while we were still unpacking we were visited by a very tame Ground Squirrel and Golden Mongoose both looking for a snack.

The Entrance to Nossob

Begging Ground Squirrel - Nossob

Yellow Mongoose - Nossob

Once unpacked we took a walk past the campsites to the pool where we had a nice refreshing swim and swapped a few stories with some fellow travelers as well.

We then decided to head North on our afternoon drive but decided to check out the hide before we left. Outside reception in a thick tree we were fortunate enough to spot a White-faced Scops Owl. There were also around a hundred Abdim’s Stalks sitting on the ground or on stumps around the hide’s water hole. They really are strange birds and some sat with their wings out looking like Pastors delivering a sermon to the congregation.

White-faced Scops Owl

Abdim's Stalk

At the pool we had heard that there had been a pride of Lions at the hide the previous evening so we decided to pop back to check after our drive.

We drove to Kwang where a Lioness had been spotted earlier in the day but only found dozens of Abdim’s Stalks and a small heard of the beautiful clown faced Gemsbok.

Kgalagadi Gemsbok

By now we had become accustomed to looking out for Ground Agamas who often perched right at the top of a bush to get a better view of their territory. They really are entertaining as they aggressively defend their patch against other males and look after their female.

Ground Agama - Guarding his Territory

We arrived back in camp at 7:30pm and after a quick visit to the hide we made dinner and enjoyed a few glasses of wine before retiring to bed at around 10:30pm.

DAY EIGHT        

After the long drive to Nossob we decided to spend the day in camp and so slept in until 7:30am. We then paid a visit to the hide again and spent an hour there mostly watching the Abdim’s Stalks that were still there in abundance. There was a dead Stalk in the water which we later saw an opportunistic Jackal carrying off.

There had been no unleaded petrol the day before but the tanker arrived and filled up the tanks again. We visited the shop which was quite well stocked with all the basic necessities. All that was missing was fresh produce. We had been told that you could even order bread and they would make it fresh for you to collect.

The pool area was very basic with two old umbrellas and no chairs or loungers so you had to just leave your clothes on the ground or hang them on the fence. In contrast the pool at Kalahari Tented Camp had a deck around the pool with plenty of loungers and chairs to sit on.

We headed off at 1:15pm in a Southerly direction to see what we could find. This was back along the road that we drove in on as you can only go North or South from any of the camps except Twee Rivieren where you can go North to Nossob or North to Mata Mata.

Gabar Goshawk

Greater Kestrel

Pale Chanting Goshawk

We didn’t go far as it was very hot but managed to see Lappet-faced Vulture, White Backed Vulture and a pair of Bateleur Eagles.

Back at the chalet we had a snooze and then gravitated to the pool to cool off in the water. The water in the Kgalagadi is not fit to drink as it is full of limestone. Where the water is splashed out of the pool it leaves a thin layer of limestone which gradually gets thicker in much the same way that stalagmites and stalactites grow.

Namib Sand Snake

Gemsbok

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Kalahari Scrub-Robin

Kori Bustard

Lilac-breasted Roller

Later we headed North again to Bedinkt. Unfortunately it is still very light when you have to be back in camp at 7:30pm so you loose out on the best light of the day and the coolness of the evening when the animals either get ready to go out hunting or settle down for the night.

Red Hartebeest

We enjoyed dinner from the braai and turned in early.

DAY NINE                  

We woke up at 5am to a beautiful Kalahari morning. Today we need to pack up and move to another unit, 11A so we hit the road towards Marie se Draai where there were reports of a Cheetah and Cub sighting. 

Black-backed Jackal

Spotted Thick-knee on her nest

 We never found the Cheetah but were lucky enough to come across two Bat-eared Fox with three babies and a little further on we saw a colony of Suricates or Meerkats which we stopped to watch for a while and photograph.

Bat-eared Fox and Cubs

Suricate Lookout

We then decided to head North up to the Polentswa area where there is a picnic spot. On the way just before Marie se Draai we came across a Land Rover Discovery with two very large lenses protruding out of the windows. Fifteen minutes later we could still not fathom out what they were looking at and photographing. It was only when they moved on that we discovered that it was a Barn Owl sitting in a tree stump right next to the road. 

Big Lenses in the Kalahari

Barn owl

There was not much happening on the way to Polenta and back except that the Abdim’s Stalks had all moved to the Bedinkt and Kwang water holes.

Abdim's Stalks in Flight

Back at camp we packed up and moved into our cottage for the night. With lounge diningroom, two bedrooms and a covered braai area it was very spacious.

Cottage at Nossob

Even has Sattelite TV

We had heard that the previous evening there had been Lion, Leopard and Hyena spotted at the Nossob hide so we stopped off there to have a look. We stayed a while but only saw a Black Backed Jackal and so headed back to our cottage for dinner and some star gazing. It’s amazing how many stars you can see when there is minimal light pollution.

There is nothing that beats contemplating the universe with the sounds of Barking Geckos in the background and a glass of Merlot in the hand.

DAY TEN                   

We got up just after sunrise and packed the Tucson as we had to drive South to Kielie Krankie a distance of approximately 150km.  

Wattled Starling

Western Rock Skink

Red-crested Korhaan

We came across a male Cheetah calling to his mate nearby between Cheleka and Dikbaardskolk. 

Cheetah Marking Teritorry

We stopped at the Dikbaardskolk picnic site for breakfast and were soon joined by a very tame Golden Mongoose and a flock of Cape Sparrows that were very keen to clean up the crumbs from our Rusks. 

Cape Sparrows at Dikbaardskolk

Yellow Mongoose at Dikbaardskolk

Melkvlei Picnic Site

The trip took almost 6 hours and so around 1:30pm at a blistering 40 degrees we arrived at Kielie Krankie. Spread out across the crest of a red dune and overlooking a waterhole Kielie Krankie consists of 5 cottages each with its own walkway, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and a fantastic deck with a braai. The view from the deck is out across the dunes with a small waterhole in the centre.

Kielie Krankie

Walkway Kielie Krankie

View from the Kitchen Table

It really is remote and one enjoys a wonderful sense of solitude when you are miles from civilization. I say this but just before we arrived there we crested a dune and suddenly both our phones beeped with several incoming messages.

The walkway from the parking

View from The Deck - Kielie Krankie

Sunset over the Kalahari

View Over the Waterhole - Kielie Krankie

We settled in and had a short nap before heading off to Twee Rivieren 45 km away to stock up on a few supplies. On the way we had a wonderful sighting of a Red-crested Korhaan and a beautiful Steenbok sitting in shade under a bush, almost invisible.

Kalahari Steenbok

We filled up with petrol at Twee Rivieren and treated ourselves to a nice cold drink before heading back to sit on our deck and watch the sun going down while toasting life with an ice cold beer.

We had now traveled 2635 km since leaving home and still had a few more days to explore the park.

DAY ELEVEN              

Another 5am start to the day as we head for Thirteen and Fourteen water holes as we had heard that Cheetah and Lion had been sighted in the vicinity.

We came across a female Cheetah with a sub adult cub that was stalking a Springbok. The Springbok however saw them and scampered off. Later we saw an African Cuckoo at Dalkeith a waterhole north of Fourteenth water hole.

Hoping for a kill?

Cheetah Stalking Springbok

African Cuckoo

We were now both in need of a toilet break having been travelling for 3 hours so we decided to push onto Mata Mata. We came across a pride of Lions consisting of 3 females and a male sleeping under a tree at Craig Lockhardt water hole about 20km from Mata Mata.

Sleeping Lion Pride at Craig Lockhardt

We stopped off at Mata Mata and then began the long trip back to the South. A little north of Urikaruus we spotted a Leopard in a tree right next to the road. He was lying on a branch with just his tail giving his position away. What a great sighting. 

Camouflaged Leopard in a Tree

We got back to camp after 1:00pm in the heat of the day. The only thing missing at Kielie Krankie is a swimming pool to cool off in during the hot hours, but apart from that it is a gem amongst the dunes.

We went out again at 4:30pm to see if perhaps the Leopard was still in her tree. Unfortunately not as the graders that were working in the area had scared her off.

At Gemsbokplein we sat and watched a male Cheetah for some time and then with a huge Kalahari storm brewing we headed back to camp.

Magnificent Cheetah at Gemsbokplein

Sunset Braai at Kielie Krankie

Rain, lightning, thunder and wind. We sat in awe on our deck watching the storm pass by, leaving behind the life giving pools of water for the animals.

DAY TWELVE             

Unfortunately our time in the Kalahari was up and so with a heavy heart we packed up and left at 6:30am for Twee Rivieren.

On the way out we saw Lion, Suricate and a Bat-eared Fox with a baby. 

Bat-eared Fox and Korhaan

Red Sand Roads

Ostrich

Sociable Weaver Nests

At Twee Rivieren we pumped up our tires but they had no petrol so we checked out of the park and headed for Upington.

We stopped at Molopo to re-fuel but they were also dry so we had to carry on to Askham where thank goodness we were able to fill up.

When we crossed the Orange River at Upington the river was in flood and the area where we had sat and waited for Sakkie se Arkie two weeks before was under water. As we drove through the Orange River valley to Groblershoop the whole area was flooded with many of the vines standing in water.

After the floods the trip was relatively uneventful but for a stop for lunch in Kimberley. We arrived at Bloemfontein at 5:00pm and checked into the City Lodge for the night. Once again dinner at the Spur, conveniently just up the road and by 8:30pm we were in bed.

DAY THIRTEEN           

We left Bloemfontein at 6:45am arriving home at around 2:00pm to a huge welcome from our dogs and Karen’s dad who had been baby-sitting the house and dogs.

So ends another adventure in Africa after traveling 3270km since leaving home.

Till the next one.