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Got back from a wonderful few days in Kgalagadi

Seen some stunning Lions!....sorting the photos then I will do the trip report

25/08
We stayed over in Upington...well we phoned a lot of B&B but was told they were all fully booked One more try....got place for you some guest cancelled Got to the B&B and was it nice...small but cosy. Why was all the accommodation full? because it was the "Kuier Karnivaal" (the Visiting Festival) this week-end.

26/8
After breakfast we left for KTP....got to Twee Revieren at 12:30pm.
...geez was it hot! Got to our bungelow early, the lady was still cleaning but told us we could pack our meat ect away Went to the shop and got ice cold cooldrinks and sat outside our bungelow enjoying the drinks.
The view of the Reception building.

When the cleaning lady left we had a afternoon sleep....
At 3:30 we took a short drive towards the waterhole...we then saw that the river road to Nossop was closed due to construction on the road
Do not know when it will be completed.
One had to take the road 13klm loop towards Mata Mata if you wanted to do a game drive. All the cars from Twee Revieren and all the Nossop cars and the ones coming and going to Mata were using that road....boy was it busy
This Northern Black Korhaan was calling to his mate...

Mom and Young Gemsbok

Got back to camp....started the braai fire....sat down with a nice drink when this little one came visiting...sat down posing for a picture but also hoping it would get something to eat.



Animals seen on the short drive:
Ground Squirrell, Springbok, Wildebeest, Surricate, Gemsbok, Yellow Mongoose.

27/08

Did not have a early start....only left at 7am
Took a slow drive....stopped to look at all the small creatures....saw a Brant's Whistling rat, could not take a photo as it dashed for its den when we stopped.
Must say....did not see much along the road towards Auchterloni Picnic spot...all the animals were either lying down or still up in the dunes..but hey...we have all day to see them
Near Houmoed we saw a few Surricates but were to far to take photos...they were digging for food while the one was watching out for eagles. They are such funny little ones one cannot help but smile at their antics.
Sat there watching them...had our coffee and rusks.
At Houmoed waterhole this Male Ostrich was drinking water

His legs are red... wonder where his mate was as he was the only one at the waterhole

Further on we saw these 3 Red Hartebeest walking towards Munro waterhole

We stopped at the waterhole waiting for them...but they did not arrive...we then turned around looking for them and it was if they vanished! we realised they must have crossed the road and walked over the dunes to where only they know.
Carried on saw this little nursary of Springbok still resting

Further on saw these ones...look at the front one got a real "spook" face..


Got to the picnic spot....had breakfast and just chilled for a while.

Took a slow drive back to camp
On the way we saw these 2 Swallowtailed Bee-eaters sitting very close to each other.

I then jokely said "now pose the other way" wow they did


Ok have to find the other photos to post......

We got to the waterhole Kanfersboom....saw that there were these Gemsbok gathering around and having a drink..

we then decided to stop under the only little tree that had shade next to the road to watch them...ok SO says he cannot keep his eyes open....so we had a nice little "40" winks under the tree..ahh bliss!
Woke up I think it was an half hour later..carried on back to camp.
Saw these little ones under a tree...they are so cute!

This Gemsbok stood under a tree...

Further on saw this snake cross the road...wonder what it is...we think it is a mole snake...

Saw this one sitting on the Social Weaver nests....we think it is a Pale Chanting Goshawk

Got back to camp and just chilled out in front of our bungelow....
Just as it was getting dark our little visitor the mongoose came to see what is on the menu tonight...decided to rather go next door as they were already braaing.
As we sat down to have our supper this guy nearly gave SO a heart attack....fell off the side outside beam, nearly onto his lap


Off to bed early tonight, it was a long day.


Animals seen today
Ground Squirrell, Sprinbok, Wildebeest, Gemsbok, Steenbok, Yellow Mongoose & Red Hartebeest.

Hi Oumie, great report so far, can't wait for the rest.

The snake looks like a Cape Cobra , you should put it on the
snake ID thread, the peeps there should tell you for sure, and the
little raptor is a pygmy falcon, they often live in empty cavities in
the sociable weaver nests.

28/8

We decided to have a lie in...only left camp at 8am.
Geez only a Ostrich to be seen on the 13 klm to the Ouob river
Did only see one Lone Springbok at Houmoed water hole.
Further on we saw this lone Surricate running around searching for his family....dashed from one hole to the other....ran accross the road onto the dunes still searching, shame hope he/she found them

We saw this Cape Fox....he caught something...could be a mouse...chomped it down as quick as possible

he/she then settled in the hole with just the head visable now

Carried on to Auchterloni for breadfast, near Kanfersboom we saw
this lone Gemsbok under the nice green tree

Got to the picnic spot...a couple of cars there already. We again chilled and sat just looking at the dunes & enjoying the peacefulness.
The resident black Crow was there as usual...flew to each table trying to tell you to feed it....crowing then a gobble sound...was to funny. We sat there talking to it and it answered back with the gobble sound
By now it was getting hot...we then decided to carry on a little further to the Montrose water hole. Halfway there I suddenly got this "Mother" of a headache....SO turned around, headed back for camp.
Saw these Springbok coming over from the dunes towards the river

Further on saw this Gemsbok....looks like he had a major itch under its chin lifted it leg to scrach at the itch......

Just before we got to camp saw a Black Backed Jackal in a distanc, could not take a photo as he/she was running towards the dunes.
Got back to camp...took 3 disprins...had a nice sleep. When I woke up it was to late to go for a drive
Oh well....sat outside with a nice cold cool drink watching the people come and go
SO is making supper....not a braai...a quick meal out of a box.

Animals seen today
Springbok, Cape Fox, Striped Mouse, Yellow Mongoose, Blackbacked Jackal.

29/09
Got up early...we got a long drive to Nossop....out of the gate by 06:30
The 13klm stretch was quiet......
Saw one lone Springbok at Houmoed waterhole...
As we approached Munro we saw about 3 cars parked on the side of the road.....got closer.....then we saw them on the dunes on the left...

There were 4 sub adult males and 4 females

The one male had this naughty face....he just wanted to play...kept on looking at the small tree in front of him....the top of the braches were slightly moving in the wind.....

Then he charged at it....

Tried to pull the top branch down....

Then he ran to to bigger tree and looked up to see if anything was there he could attack....

This male just sat under another tree minding his own business...

This female had such a gentle look on her face.....

This younger male sat one side watching the older one dashing around....

SO then saw a female coming from the waterhole....she looks as if she was in charge....kept on looking to see what the others were doing...

She then decided to come and see what is going on with the one running around and charging the tree...

These 2 decided to have a wrestling match..

Great series of lion pics oumie.

29/09...rest of day's report...
This cutie just looked at us, not worried we were so close to it...

At Tierkop these little ones was standing looking at Dad...
These ones turned their backs...did not want us to take pics
Arrived at Melkvlei picnic spot...
this little guy came "swimming in the sand" towards us, hope that we will
give it someting to eat

When I made a move to get a plate he/she pulled its ears back, eyes wide...hoping I will give it something

Got to the waterhole at Kaspersdraai saw this lone Vulture strolling towards the water

At Rooikop saw these Wildebeest trying to get to the water at the bottom of the troff


This Jackal just waited patiently to get to the water

Some smoke from the fires seen at Nossop early evening


We did not felt like a braai....we decided to make a pasta dish...while the food was cooking we sat ourside, next door was a couple and their doughter chatting to a camp employee....they were also from Cape Town... will continue with this story later....

Animals seen for the day:
Ground Squirrell, Springbok, Wildebeest, Cape Fox, Striped Mouse, Steenbok, Yello Mongoose, Blackbacked Jackal, Bateared Fox, Lion & Gemsbok

30/09

Left Nossop at 8am....took a slow drive to TR......not much on the road, very quiet. Took the loop to Marie se gat...also very quiet...one lone Springbok at the waterhole. We decided to sit there and have our coffee and rusks.
Just before the end of the loop saw some Gemsbok walking towards the waterhole.
While driving on a slow pace we saw this guy lying on the little sandbank next to the road...it kept very still watching to see what we were going to do...

we left it lying there till we started the car it then quickly sailed into the bushes close by.
Just before Kaspersdraai we nearly rode over this ones tail
Stopped and it did not like that...raised its head and waited...watched the car...when So moved the car so I could take a photo it raised its head even further...all the while watching the car's movements

Stopped at Dikbaards kolk for breakfast....not a car in sight
Also did not see the "begging" mongooses...only when another car arrived did they then appear.
Left the picnic spot after a nice breakfast.
We only saw a Ostrich on the 28klm to the Auob River
When we were on the Auob river side did we see animals...Springbok...Wildebeest.....a lone Blackbacked Jackal moving away from the Rooibrak waterhole in a hurry.
We stopped at Auchterloni for a early lunch....could not believe we were hungry again
Sat there for a while just chilling out. A crow arrived and started to make a noise....it was so funny...he/she called then stopped and made this gurgling sound...as if to complain that nobody wants to feed it Kept on walking around the picnic site making the noises. I made more or less the same noise and it will "talk" back Now SO says I really lost my marbles making the same noise as the crow
We decided to head back for TR at the legal speed to go and have a afternoon nap
When we got to Munro we looked for the Lions again but did not see them there....just before Houmoed we spotted them sleeping under a tree...needless to say we did not get to camp early for that afternoon sleep...sat watching them for a while...

This one was in a deep sleep

This female was having such a nice sleep one could see her mouth was a little open and the tongue was moving

This one was also fast asleep also with its tongue out, but looked very uncomfortable as his legs were on top of the tree stump.

Then a Sanparks bakkie arrived and they all woke up, sat up looking at the car.

As the bakkie passed slowly by we saw a chap lying flat down at the back with just his hands showing...with a loud voice asking the driver if they have passed the Lions yet...we had a laugh at this poor frightened guy After the bakkie passed he sat up and said" Jis dit was amper" (geez...it was a close call) all the while laughing
These 2 laid next to each other looking in the same direction...

This female looked over a treestump at all the cars...

Left them to relax, carried on when I saw a female standing next to the waterhole looking to see what was coming...flopped down behind the cement dam out of sight.
Got to TR, our sleep gone but we had a super afternoon.
2morrow we leave for Kieliekrankie for 1 night...cannot wait!

Animals for the day:
Springbok, Ground Squirrel, Wildebeest, Gemsbok, Stiped Mouse, Blackbacked Jackal & Lion

01/10

Only left camp at 8am as we are going to Kieliekrankie.....not to far to travel.
Again on the 13klm to the Auob River we only saw the lone male Ostrich and a Pouched Mouse sitting near its "home"...little one was to quick for me to take a photo...ran into its hole when I tried to focus the camera to take a photo
As we neared the Houmoed water hole we spotted the Lions now resting under a tree right on the otherside of the river under the only tree with the green leaves on...one of the young males got up...shook itself then flopped down next to the others

Carried on to Munro water hole...there were a few Springbok near the water hole...kept on looking towards the area where the lions were resting....
Carried on to Kanfersboom when we saw this Pale Chanting Goshawk drinking water....

We decided then to sit there and have our coffee & rusks while watching the bird. We sat there for a while just enjoying the morning at the waterhole
SO looked back towards the road when he spotted a big bird flying into a tree further down...we drove to the spot where he saw this Marshall Eagle, it sat on a tree next to the road watching the Goshawk drinking...kept on looking around for prey...

Decided to go to Auchterloni for breakfast...near the turnoff we spotted this Black Shouldered Kite....

Got to the picnic spot...we had our breakfast..cereals....orange juice......leftover boerewors & chops from the night before's braai
Sat there for quite a while just chilling out. Our friend the "Gobbling" crow was doing his thing again all the while walking around the field complaining and looking for something to eat
Took a slow drive to Kieliekrankie....we saw a Black Backed Jackal near the Kieliekrankie turnoff...trotting up towards the dunes.
after we turned into the Kieliekrankie road we saw a few Surricates in a distance forraging for food..
On the otherside of the dunes to the left of the Surricates we saw a steenbok...was to far to take a photo.

We decided to see if we could get to the bungelow early...we were lucky the "camp" manager said it was ok...he have already cleaned the bungelow. We then decided we are going to stay in camp the whole day just enjoying the view from the deck
I made sure the gate was shut before we relaxed on the deck

While we were having tea on the deck this little Triped Mouse came running pass our table

....she was trying to make a nest behind the fridge...she has already made several holes in the netting at the kitchen side so she could bring in grass to make the nest. The camp manager tried to close all the holes but they seem to get in all the time...poor chap says he has to try and make a plan to stop them from coming into the bungelow That netting on the kitchen side is not a good idea as he told us the rain comes in from that side soaking everything and the mice has become a problem.
Sat on the deck the whole afternoon....

This Bulbul came to see if there was anything to eat...

As the sun started to set SO decided he wanted to take photos of the sunset behind the bungelows....just after he was finished and walking back to the bungelow this cat gave him such a fright he thought it was a Leopard coming straight for him! after a split second he told himself to take a photo....incase he became food...there was evidence he was "eaten" by a Leopard
It was a African Wild Cat coming from the waterhole back to its home..

It moved so fast SO could only get one photo
Needless to say he had a nice "whisky" to calm his nerves
I took this photo of these cloud formations....looked pretty as the setting sun shone on it.

While we were having our braai these little ones came to visit....

Well we could say to ourselves is... " what a wonderful day it was" just sit and watch the world from a deck

Animals for the day:
Ground Squirell, Springbok, Wildebeest, Surricate, Gemsbok, Pouched Mouse, Striped Mouse, Steenbok, Blackbacked Jackal, Lion & African Wild Cat.

One of my KTP dreams is to go to Kielie Krankie and........do nothing!

That was a lucky cat encounter, what a pitty it was not a leopard probably it would have run away too

Your birds are lovely

Oumie thanks for a lovely description! Your photos of the lions asleep are wonderful and I also like the bird pics. I was a bit surprised to see that people ride around in the back of an (presumably)open bakkie though

02/10

Got up early at Kieliekrankie....watched the sunrise...


We felt sad to leave Oh well made a reservation for next year

We decided to go and see if the Lions were at Kij Gamies as we were told they were there. As we were packing we heard some Lions calling...
we left camp to go to Kij Gamies....along the road we would stop and listen for the lion calls....we could hear them but they were not coming from Kij Gamies. We carried on towards the waterhole. Got there when we saw one Lion Female lying in the sand hidden behind the only big tree...we then decided to go to the lookout viewpoint...there we sat watching them through our binocs...we saw a male and 2 females...
The male did not have a black mane...his mane blended well with the colour of the sand.
View not zoomed in..

the pics we took is zoomed in quite a bit, so the pics are not that good. But we wanted to show how well they were blending in with the sand!


The one female decided to move towards the dunes and they all started to walk towards the dunes...


Then they were gone!....
On our way back this Northern Black Korhaan stood next to the road calling...


All the way to Twee Revieren we saw very little animals.
Left the gate early, we decided to have breakfast in Uphington. What a super week we had
We cannot wait to come again in September next year