SANParks Blog

  11 – 12 August The camping site at Twee Rivieren was packed.  Needless to mention that after the quiet solitude of having a campsite with no one in sight for many kilometers in Botswana, the hustle and bustle of so many people made us feel a bit bewildered.  It was freezing cold and still [...]

  10 August Partner and I woke at the same time, sitting upright with a start.  “What?” I whispered softly, as if anyone close-by would be disturbed.  We were at a “tree-suite” for the night with the closest human beings in Nossob…  “I am freezing!” partner announced loudly.  I need to backtrack a little as [...]

  9 August At some stage during the night I woke to the stereo sound of three different owls.  They were very close.  I contemplated to search for them with my torch and then thought the better of it.  It was dark – the kind of darkness where you cannot see your hand a few [...]

  8 August The fact that I am writing this, should be testimony that Ndoto survived Matopi.  It was incredible to wake the next morning to hear nothing but birds.  Yes…I did wake a few times during the night and heard the Pearl Spotted Owl calling, but the long trip and heat had me yearning [...]

  7 August Our route for the day would take us deeper into the Botswana side of the Park.  It was quite a long haul and given the road conditions, not a quick travel either.  The area we would be entering a few kilometers from Nossob camp consists of thorn-tree and grass savannah with lesser [...]

  6 August An early morning start had us heading in the direction of Upington just as the sun came up.  By the time we arrived, the town was just about waking.  We were like small excited children, in a sense, I think I was much more excited than partner, who had seen the Kgalagadi [...]

  5 August Aukoerebis. Place of great noise… And home to the legendary water snake of the Gariep River.  The Khoi had the utmost respect for the falls, it was not a place where they dwelled regularly nor leisurely. I left the falls for last.  Every evening we ended our day with a walk to [...]

4 August Monday.  We broke camp as we would be staying in a chalet for the next two days.  After being in the Richtersveld for quite a number of days, our laundry bag was full and our suitcases held a minimum of available clothing – that is if you don’t count warm jackets and track [...]

  3 August The sound of the falls woke me.  I peeked through the tentflaps and saw day approaching shyly.  It was that hour when the soft grey of a new day started to change into pastel colours readying the background of the canvass for the final splash of brilliance when the sun breaks the [...]

  1 – 2 August Augrabies National Park We arrived after dark at Augrabies National Park from the Richtersveld as we had to wait for a while in Springbok to have a shattered side window repaired.  Thankful that at least we weren’t freezing anymore, we arrived at the Park hungry and somewhat travel-weary.  We decided [...]