SANParks.org Forums

Thanks for the kind comments, it is appreciated .

Hope that the rest of the trip will shed some further light on what to expect in KTP .

Thanks for the kind comments and for being in the bus Jan. It is really appreciated .

Hope you will enjoy the rest of the short trip .

Thanks for the kind comments Timbits .

We were really lucky to have that pangolin sighting . We initially wanted to leave Upington at 04:00 but decided to leave at 05:00. Could have missed the pangolin if left at 04:00 .

The Leeudril 4x4 route was an unbelievable experience. It was like LQ said, they took us up and sometimes straight down over the dunes. The scenery was just awesome. Here is a pic of us at the top of a dune, just before we went down again.



The first sighting on the route was this AWC lying in the shade of an anthill.



The next sighting was this birdie. We specifically did not name the birds in this TR, due to the fact that Sky wanted us to use them for the Duckling bird ID challenge at a later stage.



Our first little steenbok of the trip.



We also found these beautiful flowers (salt of the tortoise?) along the route.



Then we saw another steenbokkie.



The waterhole on the route was quiet and nothing to report on. The rest of the route was very quiet as well. Maybe it was the heat that drove the animals into the shade and therefore not easy to find. Next is a photo of the Houmoed waterhole from the top of the end of the 4x4 route. This landscape is just awesome and unique to KTP.

Near the Houmoed waterhole we saw these springbok and Gemsbok, with another Eland carcass.









At Monro waterhole we came across this one horned Gemsbok.



And some ostriches and springbok at Kamfersboom waterhole





Our guardians decided to show us Auchterlonie museum and to have brunch and a body break at the picnic area. This is the museum from the waterhole and at the museum; the blacksmith’s working station with his tools.







It was 01:00 and 38 degrees Celsius in the shade, when Picnic lit the fire and we had some hotdog buns with special Upington sausages to go with. This was another first for me and Hilda. We were greeted by an array of birds whilst eating and here are some of them.

Wow, I take my eyes off this TR for a day - and 5 pages later and in the meantime you went and saw a pangolin

Fantastic report so far, the KTP is looking very dry

Welcome back billyf .

KTP was not only dry, but really hot as well . At some point on the second day it was 45 degrees outside . No wonder we had our word cut out to bring the 'mites some decent sightings .

Barry I was so glad to have seen that AWC out in the open and not obscured by a lot of branches............

I just love those steenbokkies...........they are so cute.........

Glad you liked the picnic..........

Wonderful AWC shot.

Strange Gemsbokkie with one horn.

Thanks for the kind comments .

You guys were awesome .

Thanks for the comments Val .

Yes that Gemsbok was unique indeed .

That AWC was really special .

Pangolin!!! The road between TR and Upington can be very rewarding! What a start to your trip!
Lovely birds and super AWC shot, and great to see the Leeudril trail again!

Barryels and Hilda, lovely landscape pics and AWC to cute, loved the one horned gemsbok, wonder how he lost it?

Thanks so much for sharing

Refreshed and tummies full, we were off on the third leg of our “trek” to Mata-Mata. We did not see a single big cat yet; maybe it was the heat that forced them to take cover for the rest of the day.
We took a pic of a birdie and his springbok mate at the Auchterlonie waterhole before we set off for Gemsbokplein.



Along the way we had the following birdie sightings and our first scrub hare.

This one is for you VVV.









The gravel road was a real challenge at the low speed we drove due to the corrugation that existed by the traffic the road has to endure. At 14:10 the temperature rose to 41 degrees and we were thankful for the air-conditioning in the bakkie.



Apart from birdies we did not have any sightings till we got to Montrose waterhole where we found some Gemsbok to admire.



We took another body break at Rooibrak before we set off on our final leg of the day to Mata-Mata.
These are some of the birdies we saw along the way.









Our first giraffe in the shade of a tree

Beautiful pics! Love all the birds of prey. What is the animal standing in the shade under the large tree next to the tank and the water point?

The arid conditions and the heat and the springbok and gemsbok remind me of Etosha.