SANParks.org Forums

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was the third National Park visited in our holiday this November.
It started south of Johannesburg in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
(See http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12526)
After a very pleasant stay in Augrabies Falls National Park
(See http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12545)
we headed for Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
At the end of our holiday we had to visit
Kruger Park (Punda Maria, Shingwedzi, Letaba and two day visits)
again.(See http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12767)
Last year was our first visit to SA without a trip to Kruger and I missed it very much.

Have fun!

9th November 2006

Started at 8 am at Augrabies Falls National Park, had again a very relaxing time there.
In Upington we filled our bags at P’n P and the car at the petrol station.
Left Upington at 10 am turning North. Finally we came to Molopo lodge to deflate our tyres at the petrol station. The friendly attendant deflated them much more as we requested, telling us “The road towards Twee Rivieren is really very bad. It’s better to deflate them more.”
Always good to have someone knowing the current situation.

Right after the tarred road ended and changed into gravel and sand there was the first detour. One lane for both directions with some additional loops to cross each other. These additional loops were unfortunately with deep sand. Someone had engine problems and blocked the main route, but there was this loop to come across.
Bang buff …the car banged on the middle of the lane at the sand piled up by the road work vehicles. Not enough clearance underneath the car. No time to enjoy the landscape , today we need four eyes watching the road. … and a very good driver.
There were sections where you started to sink into deep gravel, guess they were finally prepared for tarring. Always when you thought you got it the next challenge appeared …

…today only cattle on the road ….


Happy to see this sign.

Finally we arrived at Twee Rivieren at 1 pm. Due to good preparations from the Augrabies reception our names were on the booking list.
We got #23.

Disappointment … no morning walk for sable …. currently only one guide on duty.
Plans were changed and we were on a sunset drive this evening. Sorry Tamara, guess this is why we didn’t see each other this evening.
We had a very early dinner at 5:30 pm at the restaurant


and left at 6:30 pm with the sunset drive.
First animal we saw was a far away tawny eagle sitting on the ground. Then we came across a B/B jackal running up the dune.
We were on our way towards the Auob riverbed and supposed to see lions.:-)
Came along the local steenbok couple, a black korhaan and then it turned more and more dark.
After a little pause the lights were handed out and then we had very often these reflecting eyes. A lot of springhares and eagle owles in the night.
As we didn’t expect any more to come across the lions we found them under a tree in the Auob riverbed. Too far away for a picture, just a picture you will ever keep in mind.
On our way back to Twee Rivieren we saw African wild cats, bat eared foxes and a cape fox. So this sunset drive was a good start for first time visitors to Kgalagadi.

Sitting on the veranda with an evening castle after the sunset drive we got more and more visits of the residents of #23. The bats were not amused to share the cottage with us. Even in the night I had bat wings twice very close to my head. They checked if I really was in my bed.

10th November 2006

Our first sunrise in Kgalagadi …


This morning we first started for the Nossob direction, but more and more bushes blocked our view. Not that much fun with a sedan car.

Which way to go?

After turn around and back to the route of the sunset drive we came across a black korhaan, the local steenboks, our first oryx in Kgalagadi and two ostrichs.


Unfortunately the lions of last evening didn’t stay under their tree in the Auob riverbed. So no lions at daylight. We only found a lonely oryx and springbok in the riverbed and a very far away raptor.



This one was to curious to hide away


Had a walk in the camp after breakfast.

Twee Rivieren reception and view from the reception

No slide show today at the info center.

Info center

This one was chasing birds …


Enjoying the Kalahari morning


Found this curious ground squirrel near the pool area.


When sitting outside at #23 this nice fellow joined us ...

...cooling in the shade of the car ...



Love these yellow mongoose. This is a very cute one, isn’t it?
Really miss that someone sneaks around the corner when I am outside at home.

It was a very hot day and we decided to leave not that early this afternoon. Got our permit at the reception and off we were for another glimpse at the Kalahari wildlife. We were not that far away from the camp when my cell phone alarmed me, a new message arrived. It was a message from Elsa. So I’m going to have my first YR meeting tonight.

Too hot for the animals today. Very quiet on our way to the Auob riverbed. On our way back to Twee Rivieren we stopped at the waterhole close to the crossing towards Nossob and watched the springboks.


… and there was a red hartebeest standing there like a statue …
Those hartebeests are strange guys, it seemed it was thinking about going to drink water or not.



After dinner I headed for #12 to see Elsa. It was great chatting with Elsa and her husband in such a breathtaking environment. …. millions of stars at the Kalahari sky.
Time went by quickly and I had to leave for #23 which was at the other end of the camp. No moonlight today only the stars are shining. Silence, no animals to hear. I hoped that the door I saw this afternoon ... the door to the Kalahari … had been closed tonight.

When you hear animals you know where they are, but this silence doesn’t mean that there are no eyes watching you. I was glad to reach #23 after a short walking distance which got extremely long when walking it in darkness.

11th November 2006

Time has come to leave this wonderful place on earth. It was going to be a very hot day. We left Twee Rivieren at 7am and had 35 km of perfectly graded road. The friendly waving grader, we came across when we were on our way to TR two days ago, had done a good job. But whenever we had to take a detour it turned into a nightmare. The road work trucks had left deep lanes and high sand in the middle.
After many bangs we reached the tarred road and arrived at Molopo Lodge to get our tyres inflated again.
After enjoyng a nice breakfast we continued our trip to Upington. And there they were ... oryx antelopes in the Nature Reserve north of Upington, close to the road.



What a great farewell! :smile:

We had a wonderful time in the Kalahari, but two days time is definitely too short. Hope next time we spend some days in one or two of the other camps as well. I still have to make up for my first morning walk in a South African National Park.
... and I miss my little friend ....