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Will be staying for one night at KK.

@Jumbo, nice pic of the leopard. Maybe I'll be lucky and see the leopard also.

And we did see the leopard.

me too

Great sighting of the leopard, let's hope it stays around for our visit on 5th May.
When we were at Kielie a couple of years ago, we witnessed an amazing sight just before sunrise. A mirage appeared in the west, looking like a huge city was growing out of the desert, with towers and high points that looked like skyscrapers. We managed to take some photo's, and I think in some of the units one can see framed photo's of this phenomenon. It was truly magical. Next time you go there, stand outside and watch the horizon just before sunrise, you may see something remarkable

Lonehill_Birders, hope you see the leopard.(There were also 2 cheetahs, but we left to early to see them, they only passed there later in the morning.)

Yes the units do have a photo and an explanation of this in them.........we've seen it on previous occations but not in the park..............and now I know what I saw!!!!

@Lonehill_Birders

What you have seen is what is called the Fata Morgana Effect.

See below a description and some pictures.

THE FATA MORGANA EFFECT
“CASTLES IN THE AIR”
Considering an early phrase “castles in the air’, describing imaginary constructions or
more to the fact: pipe dreams and visions that will never come to fruition. These
explanations can be used to describe this phrase quite accurately, but consider this: it
may also be used to describe a actual rare, optical phenomenon, a Fata Morgana. A Fata
Morgana is a superior mirage than those evident in that ‘distance pool of water’ on a hot
tarred road or the illusions of water in the desert’.
A Fata Morgana can be best described as follows:
“A rare optical illusion resulting from a temperature inversion, where the interface
between warm air over colder, dense air below acts as a mirror, to reflect surface
features (producing upside-down, fairy-like, ever changing images of the topography
below). The phenomenon was first described in English in 1818 in the translation of an
Italian document that referred to such a mirage that had been witnessed between
Calabria and Sicily in the strait of Messina. Fata Morgana was the Italian version of the
name “Morgan le Fay”, the shape-shifting fairy that was half sister to King Arthur.” (see
image and text by Adrian Brink in the kitchen of unit no. 4, Kielie Krankie, Kgalagadi
Transfrontier Park).

Associated images:
On the 7 January 2012 at around 06:40 from the Kij Gamies view site on the lower dune
road in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, we had the privilege of witnessing the Fata
Morgana phenomenon describe above. What first appeared to be mist on the horizons
turned out to be what seemed a wall above the dunes on the horizon. What made this
even more spectacular was that it was continuous around the horizon in a full 360
degrees with a perfect flat top.
The first 3 images show the full reflection (Fata Morgana) of the topography below. The
remaining images show the slow disappearance of the phenomenon. During this time,
when viewed without binoculars, it certainly does look like buildings (or “castles”) on the
horizon. The final image shows the break up as viewed towards the sun, hence the lack
of detail in that reflection.
Next time you in the KTP, more specifically, the lower dune road where the dunes seem
to be highest in the park and, thereby, allowing a 360 degrees view), look out for this
phenomenon.
By Shane Saunders

Pictures to follow

Here are some pictures of the Fata Morgana Effect:

Cheers KG,
those photos are class. I love the third one. It looks like there is a giant crashing wave coming down on the dunes. Brilliant.
Only 5 weeks to go for us. I know we aren't likely to see any Fata Morganas but it just shows that you never know what wonders the park is going to treat you to next.

Hi there Relaxevous,

I have been lucky enough to see this effect on a !Xerry trail I did, it sure is amazing to see it and sure is a rare event. Timing has just got to be perfect to experience this.

in French is mirage... a little bit like oasis in the sahara !
nice and interesting pictures

Thanks KG, it is exactly what we saw, we also read up on the phenomenon when we got home.


IMG_3103 by Boskat/Ramkat, on Flickr


IMG_3102_T by Boskat/Ramkat, on Flickr


IMG_3100_T by Boskat/Ramkat, on Flickr

Stunning Pics LB,

Maybe this could be where the 'Lost City' of the Kalahari is......

You're right KG, maybe that's what people have been looking for all these years - a mirage.
The bottom photo seems to be a reflection of Kieliekrankie camp, if you look at the whole outline, it seems to be the silhouette of Kielie ????? Or am I smoking my sox?

Very true it does look like the a camp or building of some sort or........the Lost City