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When my sister–in-law in the UK contacted me earlier in the year to enquire whether I was planning to arrange another ‘boys’ trip to the KTP this year, I thought about it for a few seconds and replied ‘of course’. She wanted to send her husband for his 3rd KTP trip as an anniversary gift. It took a few days to arrange an itinerary and confirm the (only available) bookings:

2 nights Tweerivieren
2 nights Mata Mata
2 nights KTC
1 night Nossob
2 nights Mata Mata
2 nights KTC

Our party was to consist of 6 guys in 2 vehicles, two of the guys were making their first trips to the KTP. In my vehicle was my brother-in-law (Graham), his mate Tristan from the UK (an Australian) who was making his first visit to Africa, and myself.

Our first night in Tweerivieren was Monday, 13 June and we left CT early Monday morning, stopping only for fuel and a Wimpy breakfast in Upington. At around 15h00 we were all unpacked and ready to find the legendary/imaginary Samevloeiing leopard!

The road up to Leeudril has been opened for another few km’s (just past Leeudril 4x4 route entry point) and provided the usual gemsbok, ostrich and springbok sightings, but no leopard. As expected.

We then tackled the dune road and drove up to Monro. I explained to Tristan that the KTP does provide some quiet days and that it was not a zoo etc. The grass was also quite long and I thought to myself that photography was not going to be easy during this trip.

Some of the sightings during the first two game drives from Tweerivieren:






Suricates seen in riverbed but quite a far way off, hence cropped images.





Well, maybe the second day's afternoon drive will deliver something more for the new visitors (I hoped!). More about that later. Enjoy the ride with us!

Great... Another KTP trip report.
I'm totally on board!
Great start mybs

Mybs I'm on board! What a lovely start of your TR A boys trip to KTP, sounds like great fun and moreover such a wonderful present as an anniversary gift.

Great start and I will certainly enjoy the trip with you all. Waiting for the rest of 10days' photos.

I am on board and can't wait especially for KTP eclipse

Seat belt is fastened - I"m here for this one!!

Sounds like it is going to be a fun ride -

Hey..there is no ways you are going to Munro without me...
Geez Gavinw ...will you stop hogging the backseat...that is my ribcage you have just dug your elbow into...just because this is a guy's trip does not mean you Musketeers can have the whole backseat.
Right order has been restored in the back here....you may continue Mybs
Brilliant start by the way !!!!!

Sure this will be a cracker, great pics to start off with.
I'm on board as well.

Thanks all for hopping on board, not sure whether you need to put on safety belts yet.

I had not been to KTP in winter for some time and it is noticeable how short the days are. Gates open at 07h30 and one tends to return from the morning drive around noon. A quick lunch and then by 15h00, it's time for the afternoon drive. Gates close at 18h00. Time flies while on the game drives.

When we left the gates for the afternoon drive, I was quietly concerned as I had promised my visitors so much. At least an AWC in a tree was all I was hoping for. Stopped at the famous 'leopard' tree, nothing, stopped at Samevloeiing, nothing. A bit further on a gemsbok gave a demonstration of what they can do with their horns.



A PCG was having an early dinner.



This ostrich was having a dust bath and gave some opportunity for a few images.



We then drove all the way to the end of the Leeuwdril road, but even the gemsbok ans springbok regulars seemed to have disappeared. I was beginning to feel quite despondent. Maybe a quick trip accross the dunes to Houmoed will do the trick?

Driving slowly back towards Samevloeiing, we saw some cars parked, probably a km north of the waterhole. I still thought to myself that these probably were new arrivals seeing gemsbok for the first time. As we got nearer, yes indeed, there were a couple of gemsbokke, but they were not at ease at all. In fact they were fully alert and staring at a clump of grass, some 15 meters from the road. We could not see anything so I asked a lady what they were looking at. She said there was a jagluiperd (cheetah) lying behind the grass.

Now at least things were hotting up! Well, we waited and waited and waited. Nothing. Eventually the gemsbok lost interest (kind of) and walked away, looking behid them from time to time.

We were on the point of leaving when we saw some movement:



That's no cheetah, that's THE LADY. The imaginery Samevloeiing leo!!

She stared at us through the grass and casually walked away never even giving us another glance.



We all sat breathless, what a sighting! It was a very slow drive back to camp. I told the Aussie he was extremely fortunate to have seen her so close-up, even though the long grass made it impossible to get great images. Second day ever in KTP and he gets to see the Samevloeiing lady!!

We were to meet up with her again, but more about that later in the TR.

But now it's time for dinner and the van needs some diesel...

The atmosphere is much better when there is game around She does exist I was starting to doubt about the existence of the Samloeviing leopard

WoW mybs - You already found the famous leopard

Great pictures of the dustbathing ostrich, the bee eater and the meerkats too

Mybs, how lucky right in the beginning A famous leopard WOW and the ostrich pic is beautiful.

What a start to your trip with a lovely sightings of the leopard. Great photos.

Thanks for looking and sharing this TR with me.

The next morning we left for Mata Mata and managed to get a few shots of the shrike before we departed.





Once again, the KTP was very quiet and we stopped at Kamqua picnic site without having seen much. The bee-eaters were out and we did get a few images of them and some other birds.




At Craig Lockardt we met up with forumite Gerrit and his son and they pointed out this little beaut in the tree at the waterhole.



We arrived at Mata Mata and we were staying in the new houses for the first time. Magnificent accommodation! We declined the remotes for the TV. Did notice that some maintenance is required as some tiles were falling off one wall and the toilet seat was broken.

At the camp I could not resist some quick shots of the neighbours:




Although it was a quiet day, we still enjoyed ourselves and looked forward to a steak braai and a moon eclipse.

Gorgeous bird shots, especially from the shrike and the first squirrel picture is fantastic



Thanks so much, mybs