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Our Kgalagadi trip report ….. a trip that nearly wasn’t!


Davesg

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Impressive pair of Cape Eagle Owls. Very funny, no stepping on the scorpion. A sting would not be so funny. Wow.

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Fabulous KTP trip report, @@Davesg! Absolutely fabulous and exceptionally sharp photos, one of the very best I have ever seen from this park! Thanks for sharing this great experience with us!

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"….. more like having a hair drier blowing in your face !" ...same feeling same location only in February! Some things never changes in Kgalagadi.

 

The Marching Tawny ... what a sight, @@Davesg !

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There was some very sad news on the Kgalagadi Facebook page about 2 Cheetah being killed by lions recently. Always difficult to hear but at part of nature. Great report and photos Pen

Edited by penolva
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Day 6 … back to Twee Rivieren and then home.



We left KTC at about 7:00 the next morning to head back to Twee Rivieren for our final night in the park. Not a lot to see again that morning and I made the mistake of missing the spot where we’d previously seen the owls. Pippa had wanted a final look so I wasn’t a very popular guy when we realized too late that we’d passed them. I was stressing about the car again and preoccupied with what lay in store for us on our way back to Cape Town the next day. A pity that the stress once again impacted on our final day in the park. Oh well ….. the probable missed opportunities of the day just means we’ll have to go back and try again! J



We went out for a drive later that afternoon as far as Rooiputs but again we’d run out of luck for any major sighting. We enjoyed the drive and the fascinating landscape of the Kgalagadi though.



The only photos taken that day were some nice ones that Pippa took of sunset at Twee Rivieren. I didn’t take a single shot the whole day ……. An indication of my state of mind!



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We left Twee Rivieren to start our 1 100km trek home at about 7:30 the next morning. Any hope of the car recovering once on the open road was short lived. It was clear that we’d have to stop in Upington and take the car to the Land Rover agents to have it repaired. It was Sunday though so we’d have to sleep over and take it in the next morning. We arrived in Upington at about 1:00pm …… just over 5 hours to do 250km. It was hard trying to convince the traffic behind us that I was crawling up hills to study the salt pans! J



We were lucky to find accessible accommodation at a comfortable guesthouse very quickly. Unfortunately no picturesque views to distract us for the rest of the day though so we went for a drive later in the afternoon with the intention of enjoying a sunset cruise on the Orange River. When we got to the entrance of the cruise operator there was a very steep slope to get down to the river and parking area. Do we take the risk of the car not being able to get up the hill after the cruise? Nope! …… way too embarrassing if that were to happen so off we go back to the guesthouse for a snacky meal and an early night!



We were at the Land Rover workshop at 8:00 the next morning. It was a busy morning for them but they said they’d look at our car as soon as possible. A couple of hours later a mechanic took our car in for a diagnostic check then took it off for a test drive. He got back, opened the bonnet, took off the engine cover, went off to fetch some tools and 10 minutes later we were told the car was fixed and ready to go! The turbo inlet pipe had come loose. It would seem that it hadn’t been connected properly when the sub assembly was fitted a couple of weeks earlier. The corrugations up around Nossob were enough to shake it loose and send a message to the on-board computer to go into limp mode. My initial sense of relief was soon overtaken by frustration …. Why hadn’t I asked one of the technical staff at Twee Rivieren to have a look at the engine for us before going up to Kieliekrankie and KTC? Live and learn!!



We left Upington at 11:30 and arrived back home in Cape Town at 8:00 that evening. Amazing how much better the car went with a functioning turbo! J



I now understand why so many people are regulars to Kgalagadi. In spite of the car issues and the resulting stress and frustration we both loved it up there. We had some great sightings and we both enjoyed the diversity of landscape in the different areas. We always felt that there was the opportunity of something exciting about to be revealed around every corner. The accommodation was also very good ……. Especially at Kieliekrankie and KTC. We’ll be back! J


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Do it, Dave! Go back, and go back soon, as there are still so much to see and to photograph in Kgalagadi, and I will love to read your trip report and watch your photos!

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Hopefully sometime next year @@xelas. Preferably within the first 6 months! :D Thank you for your comments and support.

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What a shame about the car trouble and the stress involved, @@Davesg! It was a joy to read your trip report and I do hope you'll soon be able to go back. It was also good to read about your trip back to Cape Town in one day. We are starting our trip in February from Cape Town as well and have taken two days for the return drive. That should be plenty then. Looking forward to more great photos from you in a not too distant future!

Peter

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Thanks very much @@PeterHG. I hope you have a great trip in February ..... I'm sure you will. Hopefully you'll post a report and photos when you get back as well?!! :D

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What a beautiful trip report @@Davesg!

 

Good on you for persevering!

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Despite the vehicular stress, it looks like a wonderful trip!

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Well @@Davesg - Don't know about the "epitome of a grumpy old man" - I'm sure that I would have been looking a lot more harassed and grumpy than that ! I think I detect a calm and even temperament.

 

Wonderful photos throughout - can you identify the two raptors in #2 immediately following the Secretary Bird - is the second of those with that magnificent plumage a Harrier?

 

Great to see some of the smaller mammals too including Jackal, those delightful looking Cape Fox, Meerkats, nice photo of that Dwarf Mongoose below those amorous squirrels and even capturing a Four-striped Grass Mouse.

 

Your lovely report has really sparked my interest in KTP.

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Thank you very much @@Caracal. The first of the raptors I think is a Martial Eagle (maybe juvenile?) and the 2nd is a juvenile Pale Chanting Goshawk.

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Thanks for this info @@Davesg - really interesting for me to learn that juvenile Pale Chanting Goshawks have a brown phase which I might add is shown off gloriously in your photos.

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Wow, you really needed some serious perseverance to get to the Kgalagadi, very sorry about your car troubles on the first try. But what a great trip you had afterwards! Great photography, especially love the shots of the Meerkat, the Cape Fox, the Hoopoe (my favourite bird) and the Crimson-Breasted Shrike. I agree about Kalahari Tented Camp, simply a fabulous place.

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