Self-drive Kalahari Kgalagadi & Kutse national park February 2017 Botswana and South Africa.

[JPS]

 

 

Self-drive Kalahari Kgalagadi & Kutse national park February 2017 Botswana and South Africa.

Johan and Natalie Seekles.

 

Highlights from this adventure;
1. Roaring Molose lions nearby.
2. Caracal Khutse NP
3. Birding.
4. Brown hyenas 
5. Mata-Mata lions
6. Gharagab Lions around the tent roaring.
7. Wonderfull scenaries
8. Cheeta attack and kill

 

Places visited;
1. Mokolodi Nature reserve Botswana. 1 night
2. Khutse NP Botswana 5 nights
3. Molose camp 2 4 nights
4. Khutse south gate rest camp 1 night
5. Kang ultra stop 1 night
6. Mabuashube camp 1 2 nights
7. Lesoloago camp 1 3 nights
8. Bosobogolo camp 1 1 night
9. Matopi 2 1 night
10. Nosob 1 night
11. Gharagab wilderness camp 1 night
12. Nosob 1 night
13. Biterpan 1 night
14. Mata-mata 1 night
15. Kalahari tented camp 1 night
16. Twee rivieren 1 night
17. Poetry guestroom 1 night
18. Back home.

 

Transport;
Ford ranger 3.2 automatic bushcamper from avis safari rentals.

 

If any questions about the trip, feel free to ask.

[ElenaH]

Excellent video, @JPS ! Thank you sharing! Epic sheetah-hunt, stunning sightings! I also like a scene of two lions in green grass who were too close to microphone. Well, they were not too close but they are just lions and are loud. But the scenery is beautiful! THe butterflies, the life and death birds, everything is very interesting and I am already thinking to visist Kgalagadi in a green season ;-) How the temperatures were? Was is too hot in February? I was in November and it was +44C.

[JPS]

8 hours ago, ElenaH said:

Excellent video, @JPS ! Thank you sharing! Epic sheetah-hunt, stunning sightings! I also like a scene of two lions in green grass who were too close to microphone. Well, they were not too close but they are just lions and are loud. But the scenery is beautiful! THe butterflies, the life and death birds, everything is Thanks for your kins words.very interesting and I am already thinking to visist Kgalagadi in a green season ;-) How the temperatures were? Was is too hot in February? I was in November and it was +44C.

 

Thanks for your kind words.

Kgalagadi for me is the best in February/March it is  a true paradise, especially the Botswana part from this park as the camping is more wild and more adventurous, weather is not too hot and not to cold in the night.

 

You do have to book these places well in advance the Botswana as the South African part.

For the Botswana part I use a reliable cheap agent NDM safaris and the South African part I  just use the sanpark site.

But you have to be on time and the popular places are always a challenge to get.

 

I am working on my 2020 video report in March which I will share soon.

 

And yes November is indeed very hot.......

[ElenaH]

@JPS, thank you for response! Have you been to Kgalagadi in March 2020? I thought, they were on lock down due to Covid-19. Looking forward to your trip-report!

[JPS]

15 hours ago, ElenaH said:

@JPS, thank you for response! Have you been to Kgalagadi in March 2020? I thought, they were on lock down due to Covid-19. Looking forward to your trip-report!

Yes I did....and left just on time.

I escaped from China where I work as an expatriate and decided to run away before things were getting out of control, I had to escape again from Africa after my holiday to run back to one of the safest counties China.

The return trip was kind of chaotic as three flights were cancelled but we all made it just on time.

 

This was my itinerary; So split up between South African as Botswana.

 

1/mrt/20	ROOIPUTS
2/mrt/20	matamata
3/mrt/20	matamata
4/mrt/20	Nosob
5/mrt/20	polentswa
6/mrt/20	polentswa
7/mrt/20	polentswa
8/mrt/20	NOSOB
9/mrt/20	mpayathutlwa
10/mrt/20	mpayathutlwa
11/mrt/20	lesholoago
12/mrt/20	mabuasehube
13/mrt/20	bosobogolo
14/mrt/20	NOSOB
15/mrt/20	ROOIPUTS
16/mrt/20	ROOIPUTS
17/mrt/20	ROOIPUTS
18/mrt/20	ROOIPUTS
19/mrt/20	ROOIPUTS

[ElenaH]

@JPS, you even drove to Mabua and back! How was Polentswa and Rooiputs?  I see you spent 5 nights in Rooiputs! It must have been fantastic! These two campingplaces is not easy to get! Lions are frequent visitors there.

[JPS]

1 hour ago, ElenaH said:

@JPS, you even drove to Mabua and back! How was Polentswa and Rooiputs?  I see you spent 5 nights in Rooiputs! It must have been fantastic! These two campingplaces is not easy to get! Lions are frequent visitors there.

Yes indeed Mabua and back but that's not too hard....nice trip ;-)

Rooiputs is indeed a very nice place with a lot of actions around kijkijk waterhole, I had a male lion in camp at rooiputs, will share that moment. At Mpaya 2 we had a lioness roaring in camp.

 

Polentswa is my favorite next time I go longer.

Lesologolo 2 we had a leopard in the camp at night it is still on my wildcam but will use it for the video.

 

And bookings......yes 1 year in advance and a good agent.

 

Male Lion at rooiputs camp 3

 

Lioness at Mpaya 2

 

[ElenaH]

@JPS Excellent! We had probably the same lioness in Mpaya-1. Interestingly, I've got a leopard on my trap-cam in Leso-2, too ;-) It was in Nov 2019. When did you get yours? In Feb 2018 I assume? And which is your tour-agent if I may ask?

Edited August 24, 2020 by ElenaH

[JPS]

No this was in March 2020.

The agent is NDM Botswana, very satisfied with them.

[ElenaH]

@JPS, then it is likely the same leopard. Mine is probably a female. If you have a photo then post it and I will post mine and we compare ;-)

Thank you for the tip on NDM. I was using Bigfoot for CKGR and Inter-Tourism Group for Mpaya-1 and Leso-2 as it is managed by them. The other campsites in Mabua managed by DWNP but it is almost imposible to communicate with DWNP. Recently I've read that they want to outsource the collection of Parks fees. I assume that campsites will be outsourced as well. Maybe it will be easier to book. Now people book campsites, don't come and don't cancell the booking. That's the problem! It would be good to have a system like Sanparks have. There is also a Facebook site where people exchange the bookings for KTP by the way.

[JPS]

14 hours ago, ElenaH said:

@JPS, then it is likely the same leopard. Mine is probably a female. If you have a photo then post it and I will post mine and we compare ;-)

Thank you for the tip on NDM. I was using Bigfoot for CKGR and Inter-Tourism Group for Mpaya-1 and Leso-2 as it is managed by them. The other campsites in Mabua managed by DWNP but it is almost imposible to communicate with DWNP. Recently I've read that they want to outsource the collection of Parks fees. I assume that campsites will be outsourced as well. Maybe it will be easier to book. Now people book campsites, don't come and don't cancell the booking. That's the problem! It would be good to have a system like Sanparks have. There is also a Facebook site where people exchange the bookings for KTP by the way.

Thanks for updating, I did not know about that Kruger Facebook site? Can you share it?
The agent is very easy as for 50usd they manage it all for you, saves you time and they have the network with the providers.
However, I never tried it to book the trips by myself so I cannot judge what is better to do.

As requested the wild cam clip;

 

 

 

[ElenaH]

here is mine. I will try to compare the spots ;-)

 

 

Yours is a male! They look different.

Firstly I cannot find this triangle in the middle of the belly:

the face also looks different:

and on the back mine has almost quadratic spots:

It looks for me that mine leopard has also thick neck. This is why I think it is a female. And who else can pose so long and so good in front of the camera?

Edited August 26, 2020 by ElenaH

[JPS]

On 8/25/2020 at 3:39 PM, ElenaH said:

@JPS, then it is likely the same leopard. Mine is probably a female. If you have a photo then post it and I will post mine and we compare ;-)

Thank you for the tip on NDM. I was using Bigfoot for CKGR and Inter-Tourism Group for Mpaya-1 and Leso-2 as it is managed by them. The other campsites in Mabua managed by DWNP but it is almost imposible to communicate with DWNP. Recently I've read that they want to outsource the collection of Parks fees. I assume that campsites will be outsourced as well. Maybe it will be easier to book. Now people book campsites, don't come and don't cancell the booking. That's the problem! It would be good to have a system like Sanparks have. There is also a Facebook site where people exchange the bookings for KTP by the way.

 

3 hours ago, ElenaH said:

here is mine. I will try to compare the spots ;-)

 

 

Yours is a male! They look different.

Firstly I cannot find this triangle in the middle of the belly:

the face also looks different:

and on the back mine has almost quadratic spots:

It looks for me that mine leopard has also thick neck. This is why I think it is a female. And who else can pose so long and so good in front of the camera?

The Biggest evidence is indeed your comment And who else can pose so long and so good in front of the camera?

On the snip screen I found other evidence that this indeed was a male

 

Thanks for your very nice pictures. 

 

[Illi]

Oh that's your video @JPS! I love it and have watched it several times on Youtube. We obliviously share a love for a same area. Kgalagadi, both SA and Botswana sides and also Mabua. . Polentswa also my favorite, it's worth maaaany nights. 

 

Great leopards sightings @JPS and @ElenaH, truly special. 

[JPS]

9 hours ago, Illi said:

Oh that's your video @JPS! I love it and have watched it several times on Youtube. We obliviously share a love for a same area. Kgalagadi, both SA and Botswana sides and also Mabua. . Polentswa also my favorite, it's worth maaaany nights. 

 

Great leopards sightings @JPS and @ElenaH, truly special. 

Thanks for your kind feedback, and yes I can't wait to go back to these places, looking forward to my April trip. I do hope that those borders are opening up soon in South Africa....

[safarigirl.se]

On 8/19/2020 at 8:06 AM, JPS said:

 

 

Self-drive Kalahari Kgalagadi & Kutse national park February 2017 Botswana and South Africa.

Johan and Natalie Seekles.

 

Highlights from this adventure;
1. Roaring Molose lions nearby.
2. Caracal Khutse NP
3. Birding.
4. Brown hyenas 
5. Mata-Mata lions
6. Gharagab Lions around the tent roaring.
7. Wonderfull scenaries
8. Cheeta attack and kill

 

Places visited;
1. Mokolodi Nature reserve Botswana. 1 night
2. Khutse NP Botswana 5 nights
3. Molose camp 2 4 nights
4. Khutse south gate rest camp 1 night
5. Kang ultra stop 1 night
6. Mabuashube camp 1 2 nights
7. Lesoloago camp 1 3 nights
8. Bosobogolo camp 1 1 night
9. Matopi 2 1 night
10. Nosob 1 night
11. Gharagab wilderness camp 1 night
12. Nosob 1 night
13. Biterpan 1 night
14. Mata-mata 1 night
15. Kalahari tented camp 1 night
16. Twee rivieren 1 night
17. Poetry guestroom 1 night
18. Back home.

 

Transport;
Ford ranger 3.2 automatic bushcamper from avis safari rentals.

 

If any questions about the trip, feel free to ask.

 

What an amazing video  Thank you for sharing! I'm really jealous that you got to see a caracal, wow! That's my biggest dream (except for the black footed cat  ) And the lions around the tent is just magical, adrenaline at it's best! 

[JPS]

6 hours ago, safarigirl.se said:

 

What an amazing video  Thank you for sharing! I'm really jealous that you got to see a caracal, wow! That's my biggest dream (except for the black footed cat  ) And the lions around the tent is just magical, adrenaline at it's best! 

 

Thanks for your kind words, yes that Caracal was my first timer for me in the wild to see it, I did see it in March 2020 again in Kgalagadi and took some nice pictures as it was walking nearby.

[Kitsafari]

awesome capture of the hunt! thoroughly enjoyed the video so thanks for sharing. 

[ForWildlife]

Cool hunt! And it once again shows how versatile cheetahs are when hunting, and have a lot more tactics than stalk and sprint. I've seen this tactic too, where a cheetah would spot something and run (not sprint) at it until noticed, when it breaks into a sprint.