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Hello everybody,

We just came back from a 3,5 week roundtrip through South Africa and Namibia and i just wanted to get the topic going.

First of all i would like to thank everybody who has helped us plan our trip in such short notice and how it all worked out fine lovely! This forum is truly amazing.

Ok next, we didn't took notes and i don't have written report made in teh park because we were to lazy and watched the surroundings and animals to much I will do my best to keep it as good as i still can remember and ofcourse the pictures can help me out.

I first wanna tell some things which where positive and which where negative about the park and i will then start to upload all my pics and movies to the computer Just a little tease

Positive:
- The wilderness camps, the are stunning, being well runned and very enjoyable! Great job Sanparks.
- The encounters, Grootkolk was VERY good for us tease tease...
- The park itself is truly amazing and you can't compare it with any other sanparks or South African park.
- Predator center in Nossob, great job, we loved it!

Negative:
- The roads where in my opinion horrible!! We came from Namibia and boy did we missed those roads... They should check tyre pressures more often i think.
- People misbehaving ofc, speeding!! and the unbelievable amount of people who are sitting in there car without a smile! We stopped some people to tell about our sightings and do some enqueries but we NEVER go halted once ourselves, so we stopped doing it. I saddens us abit because we like the interacting and the helping of eachother.
- The cranky spirits of the reception people at Nossob and Mata Mata, not a smile, they talk VERY VERY silent so i keep have to ask if the can tell it again..

OK ENOUGH of this, i will get my report up together, here are some teasing sightings:
- Big cats all over the place, also in the braai???
- Misbehaving juveniles!!
- Birds of prey being cocky?!

Bare in mind im dutch, so maybey my english isn't as good as i hoped or you wished it would be

Regards,

Bas (Dutch)

Ok here we go!

DAY 1

Because of some pointers we got on this forum we had an overnight stay at Keetmanshoop at the Quiver Tree Lodge and it was very pleasant! The ride to the border was app. 240 km. and offcourse very empty like whole Namibia

We arrived early midday at the borderpost to find out it was kind of chilly at the park. We where prepared and and the service we got at the borderpost was excellent! All excited we where we took some pictures and head over to the reception area. Checked in for Kalahari tented camp and did a uick stop for firewood, some extra food/snacks and get fuelled up, lower tyre pressure.

Of we went!! P.s. there is a construction underway in Mata Mata which we didn't know of and we where uncertain if it was made IN or OUTside the parkgates??

Did not see much on the way to KTC and quickly checked in to get tent number 1, honymoon suite . Did some unpacking and around 15:00 we got in the car for the afternoon drive.

We saw alot of animals in that part of the Aoub riverbed and it was very lovely! Here are some pics.

























We would only stay here for one night and be heading to Nossob the day after. We had a VERY VERY cold night but with jackals and hyena under our cabin

to be continued...

DAY 2

Ok next day, new chances of seeing animals we wanted to see especially. Ofcourse the big cats, but also maybey hyena, caracal or african wildcat. The little and more specials sightings of birds, or mammals can be just as exciting as a leopard in a tree.

Despite the awesome KTC honymoon suite we had a very unpleasent sleep due to the cold conditions. KTC is one of the coldest places i have ever slept and that excludes my trip to the summit of Mont Blanc (mountain in Europe). We had -10 the ranger told us and with a cabin on poles and a strong wind it was unpleasent, but we could at least keep each other warm and had the beaty of nightly sounds surrounding us . But everybody can agree with me that when the alarm goes off and the sun is just cracking the horizon that when you need to get out to head to the toilet it is NOT recommendable to anybody .

OK enough of the negative talk, we had a quick breakfast and warm coffee/tea and head of with FULL excitement because this was our first ever full day in the park. We needed to head off to Twee Rivieren and then up again to Nossob. This was proven to be challeging but doable.
We also found out that day that distances are small on teh map but can take forever in the park due to sightings/ state of roads/ picknicks and toilet breaks. It was a lesson to be kept in mind!

We did saw alot of the usual suspects in teh riverbed and sometimes just stopped at some herds next to the road to enjoy the morning lights just enlighten the animals with suberb photo conditions. We realised at auchterlonie that it was already 11:30 or so and we still needed to go to the reception at Twee rivieren, the shop and fill up diesel... That made us step up teh speed abit so we could at least do our things and start the long drive to Nossob. When we left the dune road to trun right traffic jam.. we where like oh noooo, not now!!! There where lions up in the dunes and you could see one. Due to the time and miscalculations we drove one, stopping sadly for 2 minutes, because we knew we had to get back shortly.

Got our refill, money at the atm, checked the shop (good shop!!) and FORGOT where we actually came for in our hurry... our stamps in teh passports....... I could not believe it when i realised we just driven back to the lions and the imagined we forgot what we wanted to get in teh first place and do the long drive that day.....

We then decided we needed to drive on and watched the lions for some to start the long drive up north.

We saw a beautifull Tawny eagle up close in a tree at Batulama (i think, with a kill. I made some quick shots and wanted to get better framed when suddenly it took off. We looked at what startled it and saw one guy standing next to his car... . We where sadly to late for a pic, and also abit shocked of this misbehaviour and i was abit pissed i lost the change of some awesome feeding pictures. In the picture below you can see it has a weird eye, anybody can explain?

Ok off we went again taking the shortest route from kamqua to dikbaardskolk. This route is used by people to SPEED alot, and i mean speed, like 70 or 80 km/h. Also the staff and supply trucks drive FAR to fast on this dangerous route. We saw not much but still some outstanding birds of prey close to the route. The problem is when you stand next to a tree, engine dead, just off the dune, you don't feel comfortable because if somebody comes over the dune with 50-70 he cannot evade you... We did not like that stretch at all sadly but had some good pics and sightings and our first red hartebeest

We stopped at dikbaardskolk )closeby at the intersection' for some toilet stop and great scenery over the nossob riverbed. We saw we had enough time left and watched the yellow mongoose strolling past us at close range.

Up north we went again not seeing anything to stop at the lovely kaspersdraai waterhole to see someone standing there. We saw a herd of gemsbok at the waterhole and sit there for some. Then i saw movement and watched as a brown hyena came strolling in at the wh chasing the gemsbok away. We where excited ofcourse and watched the brown hyena drink alot of water and being followed by a black backed jackal all the time. After 10 min teh gemsbok started to chase the hyena again up to the road. There he stood ground and returned again to the waterhole. He then stayed there for some 15 min and wondered off in the bush. Was the best ever sighting we had for a brown hyeana!.

The Marie se gat draai proved another traffic jam and appereantly we just missed out the lions that walked there and now where in the vegetation 100 meter off the road. We looked and looked, but could not find em. We decided to head to the park at 17:20 because we where tired and been driving all day.

Checking in was taking ages sadly but we enjoyed the predator centre, warm cottage and also a decent braai with wine. Watched some wildebeest/impala/jackal at he waterhole and bumped into very cocky jackals in our camp. Problem isn't solved We also discovered that at KTC we just missed a cheetah with 4 cubs ... We had mixed feelings but still we had the brown hyeana seen!

Next day off to Grootkolk for 2 nights. My big dream!

Here are some pictures again:


















We also have alot of video footage but i need to convert the *.mod files to mpeg i think to make it work. Will post them asap.

Keep looking because Grootkolk will be exciting

We have made alot of video footage and her is a short video uploaded. I need to work on this to get the size reasonable i think because i have some very exciting videos on day 4

Brown hyena video Part 1

ok here goes next installment:

Day 3
After having a decent sleep in cottage 7B of Nossob we where up early to be one of the first to leave the gates. We where being told and checked the sightings board that the last three days lions where spotted at "Marie se Gat". So our plan was to do a quick morning drive to do the marie se draai, to kaspersedraai, turn back, check out and then head up north to Grootkolk our next sleepover.

We where amazed how rude and unthinkfull people can be, again, because two cars parked there car in front of the right exit (2R direction) and had to check out first at the reception. By the time it was open, there was a queue and we could not get out of the gate, so as 4 other cars..... Ofcourse we couldn't believe our eyes but then again, we grabbed warm drinks and let it blew away, it is holiday nontheless! The people got some serious bad looks from other cars and off we went.

To be short, we saw nothing besides 2 zebras.... I think the cold was to much for all wildlife (-8 degrees) and sadly no lions, big cats for us still.

We head up back, packed our stuff, fueled up, bought some firewood/drinks and checked out at 09:00 hrs. Up north we went!

After driving shortly we saw some cars standing stil, it was a beautifull Bateluer in a dead tree next to the road, with a nest in the tree 50 m away. The light and positioning wasnt in our favor sadly.

Bateleur warming up in the sun.

We continueed our journey with anticipation off the upcomming waterholes which i red so much good things about at the forums, but sadly there was very less game to be seen all the way up to Grootkolk. We did saw some lovely bat eared foxes, springbok, wildebeest though We also saw alot of tracks on the road which i also new is never a bad thing to look out for. here are some pics.

Bat eared fox

Tracks ???

Some human tracks sadly ....

Lion tracks i think

We arrived at Grootkolk around 14:00 i think and the ranger was standing outside (Bruce). We stopped the car, got out and introduced ourselves, i which he answered, "You guys are very lucky!!" So i was thinking, okay, okay, and then i saw movement behind him to see there was a lion walking at the waterhole!!! Gladly my wife made some pictures of it and Bruce told u there was a pride in the vicinity of the camp and we just missed them and the big male, but saw this cat. I WAS THRILLED!!

Lion at the Grootkolk waterhole

We settled in and our neighbours, couple from Capetown, told us about where the lions where, but could not be seen. We exchanged some stories and sat down in teh sun with some refreshments. We then decided we wanted to do a small drive in the afternoon up north to Unions end waterhole, maybey we see something

Well we saw nothing...but the drive and weather was very pleasant!

Union's end waterhole

When we drove back again people where standing outside with the ranger. We found out we missed the whole pride again and they just walked to teh waterhole to teh other direction, but Bruce pointed out that we where still lucky, because next to his cottage where two lions!! They watched us till dark then one left.

Two lions, lioness and young male, 50 m away from rangers cottage

Sunset from our outside braai area.

We made a nice fire and watched the sunset and also the waterhole, where we saw a honeybadger and some kudu stopping over. Bruce joined us for some tea and when we wanted to go to bed i drove him towards his cabin like he requested, he only had a head torch on. We then discovered the lions where still lying next to his cabin! He got out and we went to sleep dreaming of lions and our bad luck on the drives that day.

But that was about to change th next day............!!!


Edit: I also posted some pictures of the camp itself in the Arid section of the forums -> Quick link

DAY 4 - MORNING

Ok i normally would start my trip report here again but i think i will do that after and let the video footage first tell the story

Only intr I will give is the following: The alarm went off just before the sun would come up because we wanted to get an early drive up north, see excting tracks on the road etc. As the alarm went, after a COLD night, my wife didn't wanted to get up because the sun wasn't up and it was to cold, so i told her, let me look if teh sun is there and i pulled the curtain aside to get the scare off my life!!!

I was looking right in the eyes between my car and the window, aprox 2 meter of a lion, with another 3 also looking who made the noise pulling the curtain aside.......

To tease some people a picture:


story continues enjoy the videos! Some with nighshot (slowmotion), some not.





Part 03 i need to reload, something went wrong.









Ok i will start to write my feelings and excitement down and the whole story with pictures and maybey more footage

Day 4 Morning - story
Ok so there I was in my shorts with -5 outside, shouting against my wife where is my camera, where, where, and get out, look!!! Look!!!
Afterwards we did laugh alot about my excitment and how everything was handled

We then just watched them play without making to much noise and hoping the other guest wont come out or already have seen this spectacle. It took nearly 1,5 hrs before we got changed and took warm showers to get breakfast. We where certain this was a once in a lifetime exprience since a. The lions where playing and b. they where sooo close.

Here are some more pictures of the juveniles:







There goes the electric cord from the waterhole

Ok so all the dust cleared and excitment abit faded away we still wanted to make a morning drive. I wanted to see fresh tracks on teh road and followw them, or be the first to drive to a waterhole in the morning. We had a wonderfull drive, but again, not much to see on the way there.

We drove all the way to Union's end to figure out it is a place of magic, but i think SAnparks/Botswana could have made more about the place. We took some pictures there with crossing the borderlines:



When we came back from the drive we then discovered we just missed the rest of the pride had walked pass the camp and got a drink before settling in again about 100 meters from cabin #1. We could see the big male lying in the grass, but they werent moving at all, like lions normally do

We then settled in to get our afternoon siesta before heading out again.

Took some nice bird pics:

wow
therefore, small balconies are not worth much
... so maybe a travel tale... or maybe not
nice video
thanks

Hi BasDutch,


Catching up with your report!Enjoying it very much!!
Awesome sightings and great pix!!I like them all!
Grootkolk is our fav.Camp!!We also had some experience
with lions!!The "big ones"!!
viewtopic.php?p=442164#442164

Thank you for sharing your videos!
Waiting for your next installment!!

@Everybody: thanks alot for the warm words and comments on this report. I am glad everybody is enjoying it alot!

@Ingrid, I already knew of that encounter and your trip report. Although we arent a memeber on this forum i think we have been on it for 3 years or so. Your experience was a big reason for me to go to KTP and esp. Grootkolk wilderness camp. I have told people about your report after we had the experience!

ok a quick installment now for the afternoon, this has a reason


DAY 4 - Siesta time
With all the excitment and lovely weather we sat down in the sun, had some marvelous lunch and I got waked out of my siesta beauty sleep by Bruce (ranger) to be invited to the waterhole. We both where excited and he wanted to see how his electric wiring of the light at the waterhole was managing after the lion attack and show us some tracks of the big male lion.
We walked there and made some pics and got some great info from the ranger. Bare in mind the whole lion pride was still just 200 meters away from us in direction of cabin #1.


Bruce, the ranger

The tree at the waterhole with broken electric cables caused by the young male lion.

Electric being fixed again

Ok excuse for the small installement, but believe me the story isn't over yet

Day 4 - Afternoon

Ok here we go again. After we had a wonderfull siesta we decided we go on a sunset drive, but be back at around 17:00 hrs because we knew the lion pride was still only 300 meters away from our camp and will be thirsty after a good sleep We also wanted to see the big male in its full glory because we missed it 2 times already.

The drive, again, was VERY quiet and untill know we think a. there aren't any animals up north from Grootkolk, or b. the lion pride ate everything. We where abit unlucky again, but our neighbours didn't saw much either. The weather was still very nice and we where home at around 17:00 back in basecamp.

We then discovered the lions where up and moving and heading towards cabin #1, where a french couple (we think) where in and waved at us. We grabbed the cameras and stood with the couple of cabin #3 on the porch and let the lions came closer to us. They where moving towards the noise the ranger was making up the hill at the watertanks and we could clearly see the lionesses where interested and moved there walking path towards that direction instead of the waterhole. It was the whole pride except, offcourse the big male, who was sleeping...

We where still standing outside and at one time we all got in very quickly because a. the lions where spreading around, couldn't see them all and b. they where CLOSE, to close


Incomming pride!




Curious lioness about the weird humans taking pictures at the porch, outside..




Ok now we all get inside, abit to curious. This is one of the young males.

Ok so by now we where all inside and the pride moved to the back of the cabin and started to settle down at the border of the parking lot. We looked at them at close range through the canvas windows in the bathroom. And started to ask the lady from cabin #1 if she had enough food for 5 people

By then the Ranger came down with his ride who helped him, the man of the house from cabin #1 only to find out that they where surounded by lions and they could not get out of the car. The mjority of the pride kept the distance, but the two young males clearly where very interested in the car and started moving behind it at close range. The ranger now had the car running in stationary and full throttle down making alot of noise to scare the juveniles and teach them a lesson he later told us. It only helped after 1 min, and we offcourse where lauging alot at this scene and how everything unfolded.

The two juveniles moved around cabin #3 to only come around the corner again to start heading towards us (because the english neighbour was outside again ) The whole pride had us surroundd now and the juvenile came to inspect the human on the porch. We told him to get in and he did after nerve wrecking 5 seconds .





Just when they came up very close we noticed that there was a Red Hartebeest at the waterhole Shortly after also the juveniles, but not the moms, they where still behind the cabin.







After the Red Hartebeest left, all the lions went to the waterhole and walke closely passed us and the ranger joined us at the porch. It also was getting darker again because the sun already dissapeared behind the dunes


Youngster checking us out


Drinking at the waterhole


More and more lions where still comming

By then the youngsters where playing, we where all on teh porch, but one lioness decided we moved to much and came straight at us and came very close. Till a point where the ranger made fire in 5 seconds (world record i think) and we where all ordered inside again only him standing outside. A juvenile came joining here and then the ranger came in also when they where at aprox. 15 m. away from the porch. They started playing and soon lost interest and headed back again.


clearly interested

We watched them till it almost got dark and the lionesses went on the hunt. The youngsters then went for their dady again, to wake him up for dinner i presume

By now it was cold and we where hungry standing almost 2 hours watching the lions We where escorted back home and given the advice to make a big fire We made some nice pasta and then also discovered the juveniles had broken the electric again...........so no lights at the waterhole.

I will post videos again so stay tuned and also the story continues offcourse at day 5, heading to Bitterpan

Day 4 - evening VIDEO

Ok as promised here is some more video footage of the evening story of day 4. I will upload some more tomorrow.










I will also upload the Day 5 story very soon

Day 5

Ok this was the day that we would leave Grootkolk and head for Bitterpan. An adventure due to the 4x4 trail

But first the night in Grootkolk. We didn't sleep at all due to those lions and especially the big male. It kept roaring all night and at one stage i got out of bed because he was right in the middle off the camp behind our cabin. It was freezing cold and i could not see him through the sidewindows, so i had to look through the canvas windows (with those flaps that make ALOT of noise if you pull them down) in the bathroom. I must admit i was to scared to make that noise and later find out that the male lion, which was huge, stop roaring and looking at you with only canvas between us
He stopped roraing at around 06:00 clock and then moved away from camp.

The next morning we got out, had a very very good look around and had breakfast at our porch. It was cold but sunny and i discovered the lions had been back that night because the place was covered with tracks all around.

Ok so we left Grootkolk early and where the first to be on our way to do the drive down south to Nossob. And offcourse the place was empty... It was getting abit weird by now, because we did not see much on our drives in teh north but everything just at our camp.

Aproaching the famous waterholes of bedinkt and kwang we stopped there and watched some springboks drinking and pushing around, but no cats. We then spoketo eachother, our luck is drained, we need to buy new ones

We stopped at Nossob and refueled, lowered tire pressure even more and checked in for Bitterpan. We bought some wood in the shop and discovered it was the last one and there was no meat, no bread and just a couple of liters of water ..... hmm ok backup plan, we bought cream crackers and some cheese. They day after they would get a refill they told us (we later discovered all our neighbours in Bitterpand had the same issue)

Ok lets do a Marie se gat draai because lions where seen there the sightings board pointed. We drove towards Rooikop and a car flagged us down standing half on teh sandbank to the left. So we stopped in front of him to see what he was looking at... Hmmm we said, looking in the distance over the tall grass, and hmmmmzz again looking at the tree, and then LIONS LION LIONS!!!!!!!
We could not believe we hadn't seen that sooner because she was 5 meters away from us, but in the grass. Everybody has it moments...


The lioness sleeping with the dead gemsbok

It was a lioness with a kill!!! YES we thought a kill. She caught a Oryx but was alone. So i told to my wive who was on top (sort of speak, beacause the car was under 45 degrees ) look for more or.......for cubs!

And there they where, 2 cubs!!

Cub #1


Cub #2




Sleeping on moms head! how cute is that


Still sleepy and tummy full




Mom moved away abit, the two stayed put but where watching us


Mom

The sad part about this, was that the lioness was injured and was limping with here rear right leg. She could not stand very well on her leg. She did had her tummy full and the cubs also, so lets hope all will be allright.

We watched them for some 30 minutes and then we started the route towards Bitterpan. The entrance to the route is somewhat weird and i think Sanparks need some extra directions.

It was challenging and funny and very beautifull o cross the dunes this way and sadly we just missed a leopard crossing the trail but our belgium neighbours did see it and had some great pictures The road towards Bitterpand was very quiet and both waterholes where defect and empty That was a shame.

Bitterpan itsself is just an unbelievable place and the most fantastic sundowner place you can get! We had a wonderfull dinner/braai and fire. Spoken to all the guests and exchanged stories with some nice wine and beers Waterhole was silent, but the camp was SUPERB!


Bitterpan sunset

Story to continue after the page turn

Thanks all for the lovely comments!

Dreamer and Ingrid, i sure hope you will get the same experience as we have in Grootkolk

I also posted some extra info on Bitterpan camp in teh Arid section of the forum: Click Here

I will continue after page turn

DAY 6

Ok where was I, i now know i should have made some notes when we where on holiday, but all will be allright!

Next morning awaking in Bitterpan is a great feeling. The place is fantastic and the scenery is just wonderfull. Nothing beats a warm coffee watching the sun come up behind the dunes!

We needed to go to Twee Rivieren and say goodbey to Bitterpan. The night was perfect for us and although some people heared some game running around teh cabins I was dead asleep that day. After all the excitment and long days it was my time to sleep through teh whole night

We left early and wanted to be the first on the dune road heading south towards Twee Rivieren. We did not see much on the road except for some amazing birds and again giraffes We finally saw the beatifull bee eaters!!!
They where maintaining the raod abit this day on the upper dune road, and thank god they did, because that strech off road was horrible!

Here are somepictures of our morning sightings;













When arriving at twee rivieren we checked in at the reception for our last night and also decided we wanted to go with the night drive that evening.

We had a leaisure afternoon at the camp and decided to eat dinner in the restaurant later that evening.

At 15:30 or something we decided we wanted to head towards the samevloeiing waterhole and just stay put there with some drinks, bites and wait what might pass. We never did this before and we liked the peacefullness this brings when watching all kind of birdlife, game come to drink at the waterhole. Although it was pretty quiet we did had some great gemsbok sightings drinking at the waterhole.





We needed to be back early in camp to get our clothing in order (its always cold with night drives) and to get something to eat before entering our night drive.


To be continued