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Bontebok and Blossoms—De Hoop and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, March 2022


Atravelynn

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Atravelynn
19 hours ago, Zubbie15 said:

I had also been seeing the galleries full up with photos and anticipated the start of this report, and it's really delivered. The details are exquisite, love the maps with the details of where the sightings occurred. And very cool info about the ground agama!  Thanks. Those lizards have it all figured out!

 

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Atravelynn

8 Mar, Afternoon through Evening at Mata Mata

Within an hour of our arrival at Mata Mata, the meerkats came calling, about 3:15 pm. 

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Meerkat on our front walkway at Mata Mata, afternoon.

 

 

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Meerkat on grounds of Mata Mata, afternoon.

 

 

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Meerkat on grounds of Mata Mata, afternoon.

 

 

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Meerkat on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Adult and juvenile. Meerkats on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Ground Squirrel on grounds of Mata Mata, afternoon.  Tail for shade.

 

 

Rather than head out for a safari on the roads that afternoon, we decided to take advantage of the Nossob Riverfront chalet’s location and watch for animals that would pass by to reach the waterhole.  No animals appeared during the daylight, except for the meerkats and ground squirrels.

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View from my riverfront chalet at Mata Mata.  Meerkat is on lookout in the afternoon.

 

 

That afternoon I strolled the grounds of Mata Mata to find:

 

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Crimson Starling in tree on grounds of  Mata Mata, early evening.

 

 

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Cape Starling in tree at Mata Mata, early evening.

 

 

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Thunderbolt Flower at Mata Mata, early evening.

 

 

The braai grill is empty in the next photo because while Pieter was grilling the food and preparing our meal, I was out and about and not around the chalet to take photos.  Pieter took care of everything so I had all the benefits of the Kgalagadi with none of the chores.  I did help out, of course, but I was not tied done with chores.  For many of the veteran Kgalagadi campers, it seems the meals and their preparation are actually part of the appeal and fun of the adventure.

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Ready for braai. View from my riverfront chalet at Mata Mata.

 

 

On the subject of food, Pieter brought along a variety and he whipped up delicious meals throughout the trip.  At one evening meal he asked if I’d like my pot pie in my soup like his.  Wanting to immerse myself in the culture of Kgalagadi cuisine, I enthusiastically agreed to the pot-pie-in soup concoction and even snapped a photo.  When I asked Pieter the origins of this dish, thinking there might be some fascinating Kgalagadi Lore behind it, he replied, “That’s just what I do.”  So, it’s what I did.

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Pot pie in the soup. Very tasty!  You CAN try this at home.

 

 

While we saw no animals from the chalet in the riverbed during the daylight, probably because of the ample water from the rain, at night under the spot lit waterhole, a male lion appeared.

 

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Male lion at Mata Mata Waterhole, viewed from Riverfront Chalet.  Photo is tiny.

 

 

9 Mar, Morning at Mata Mata before departing

Morning is an active time for mongoose.  I watched a resident troop of yellow mongoose from about 7:15 am to 8:00 am.  One other lady with a big lens joined me for a while but there was surprisingly no crowd at this spectacle. Wild times at the mongoose den!  My morning Mata Mata mongoose represented the most photographed animals of the trip.

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

 

 

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Yellow Mongoose on grounds of Mata Mata, morning.

 

Next is the short drive to nearby Kalahari Tented Camp

Edited by Atravelynn
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Great meerkat and yellow mongoose action at Mata Mata. Wonderful views of the green Kalahari from the riverfront chalets, I must stay there sometime. 

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Atravelynn

9 Mar, Mid-morning to afternoon drive around Mata Mata and then to Kalahari Tented Camp

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Mata Mata Rest Camp and Kalahari Tented Camp are under 4 km away from each other but we did a game drive of a wider area.

 


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Pale Chanting Goshawk captured a snake.

 

 

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Pale Chanting Goshawk captured and ate a snake.

 

 

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Gemsbok drinking at Dalkeith Waterhole.  One of a herd of a dozen at the waterhole.

 

 

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Spotted Dikop, Kgalagadi.

 

 

9 Mar, Afternoon drive from Kalahari Tented Camp, then overnight at Kalahari Tented Camp

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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Black-backed jackal disturbed the Crowned Lapwing.

 

 

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Brown Snake Eagle, I think.  One of my favorite pictures of the trip.

 

 

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View from my chalet at Kalahari Tented Camp.

 

 

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View from my chalet at Kalahari Tented Camp.

 

 

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View from my chalet at Kalahari Tented Camp.  Those look like rain clouds.  Reflection of the sunset in the waterhole.

 

 

We did not see any animals at night at the spot lit waterhole.

 

Kalahari Tale:  Pieter was guiding a very proper, older British couple.  The couple was seated outside at a table, complete with white table cloth, proper place settings and wine.  Pieter was standing nearby and suddenly thought he saw a leopard about to spring upon him.  Despite the warnings never to run, he did run.  Toward the table.  As Pieter approached the table, fear propelled him into the air in an attempt to leap over the table, perhaps to seek safety on the other side. 

 

He believed he was about to clear the structure when he landed just short, upending the table and sending everything flying, including the red wine.  The gentleman was drenched, with wine dripping from his mustache.  The wife escaped the deluge and serenely took in the chaotic scene between drags on her cigarette. 

 

Neither of the two guests seemed phased by the upheaval, though they were a bit perplexed as to why Pieter had tried to hurdle their table. He explained about the leopard and that he came to the realization mid-air that it was only a porcupine.

 

 

10 Mar, Kalahari Tented Camp to Nossob Rest Camp

 

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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Young Martial Eagle, Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Young Martial Eagle

 

 

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Young Martial Eagle

 

 

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Young Goshawk and African Monarch, Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Young Goshawk and Puff Adder, Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Young Goshawk and Puff Adder, Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Young Goshawk and Puff Adder—Most exciting sighting of the trip.

 

 

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Young Goshawk and Puff Adder—Most exciting sighting of the trip.

 

 

Photographic note:  I took lots of shots of this brief but exciting encounter and combined the sharpest snake and sharpest bird shots into one picture.  But this encounter between the Goshawk and Puff Adder did happen right in front of me; I didn’t combine separate sightings to make it look like an interaction.

 

 

In contrast, the following photo was cut and pasted with the goal of pure sensationalism, which I’ve titled, “Puff Adder Attacks Pot Pie in Soup.”

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Puff Adder Attacks Pot Pie in Soup.  Don’t try this at home.

 

 

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Flowering Desert, Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Windswept dunes of Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Ostrich chicks, roadside in dunes of Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Steenbok in Kgalaagdi.

 

 

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Steenbok in Kgalaagdi.

 Next is time at Nossob Rest Camp and the drive to Gharagab 

Edited by Atravelynn
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Atravelynn
38 minutes ago, Treepol said:

Great meerkat and yellow mongoose action at Mata Mata. It is a hoppin' place. Wonderful views of the green Kalahari from the riverfront chalets, I must stay there sometime. 

I heard that it is actually not as difficult to get the riverfront chalets vs. other accommodations because the riverfronts are more expensive and are not snapped up as quickly.  I stayed only 1 night at a riverfront chalet.

Edited by Atravelynn
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Fascinating sightings of goshawks and snakes - and what a striking bird that crimson starling.

The young martial eagle is trying to find the best angle for @Atravelynnviewing by the looks of it!

Is that leopard tortoise about to eat that yellow flower?

Useful advice to remember - don't stand under social weavers' nests.

As always thoroughly enjoying this latest report of yours.

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madaboutcheetah

Meerkats in your walkway, Raptors everywhere ....... The stand off between the Puff adder and Goshawk is awesome!!!

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an eventful safari, Goshawk and Puff Adder encounter is exciting

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Already the De Hoop segment was spectacular to read (and relive), but so far KTP even surpasses it! 

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Atravelynn
21 hours ago, Caracal said:

The young martial eagle is trying to find the best angle for @Atravelynnviewing by the looks of it!  Ha ha, yes all for me.

Is that leopard tortoise about to eat that yellow flower?  Yes, the tortoise devoured it.

 

As always thoroughly enjoying this latest report of yours.  Thank you.

 

19 hours ago, madaboutcheetah said:

Meerkats in your walkway, Raptors everywhere ....... The stand off between the Puff adder and Goshawk is awesome!!!  It was!  I had never seen that before.

 

14 hours ago, Soukous said:

an eventful safari, Goshawk and Puff Adder encounter is exciting  Yes, a trip highlight.

 

5 hours ago, xelas said:

Already the De Hoop segment was spectacular to read (and relive), but so far KTP even surpasses it!   KTP has much more variety and potential for excitement than De Hoop.  Though De Hoop offers a beautiful setting with unique wildlife.

 

Edited by Atravelynn
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Atravelynn

10 Mar, Nossob Rest Camp, afternoon drive and night at the Nossob hide

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 No photos from this afternoon outing

 

 

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White-faced Owl on the grounds of Nossob Rest Camp, one of two owls.

 

 

 

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This leopard is a night-time regular at the Nossob hide.

 

 

There was some excitement in the Nossob hide besides the leopard sighting.  Someone’s ringtone was reverberating through the hide.  Forty-five notes into the catchy tune, the phone’s owner finally shut it off. For days I tried to place that song in my mind. Finally, it came to me—the theme song from The Match Game with Gene Rayburn!  Upon further research I discovered the title is Swingin’ Safari.  How fitting.  Still, the second time we were all serenaded with The Match Game’s Swingin’ Safari, though the tune was stifled well before Note 45, it was annoying.

 

11 Mar, Drive from Nossob to Gharagab

Today’s destination was Gharagab.  Throughout the trip I was practicing the correct guttural pronunciation of the g-sounds in Gharagab.  Pieter joked that if I did not say it right, I would have to repeat the entire itinerary all the while practicing my Gharagab pronunciation.

 

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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Turtle Doves at Cubitje Quap Waterhole.

 

 

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Turtle Doves at Cubitje Quap Waterhole.

 

 

We did not see many big flocks of birds at waterholes.  I talked with frequent visitors who were surprised they had not seen any sandgrouse at waterholes when they normally observed flocks in the hundreds.  We concluded the birds had many choices of where to drink.

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Black-backed Jackal at Cubitje Quap Waterhole.

 

 

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Black-backed Jackal at Cubitje Quap Waterhole.

 

 

 

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Pale Chanting Goshawk

 

 

Even with many options for water, herds still did come to the established waterholes sometimes just out of habit. 

 

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Wildebeest at Geinab Waterhole.

 

 

It was for this species—the wildebeest—that the waterholes throughout the KTP were established.  The other species are adapted to make due in the arid conditions, but not the wildebeest.  They need a permanent source of water.  The other animals, such as the Springbok or Gemsbok, use the waterholes but are not dependent upon them to stay alive.

 

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Sheep’s Pea Ground Cover

 

Pieter told me an amusing story about a German tourist in need of assistance from fellow Kgalagadi travelers.  Pieter was driving two clients when they came upon a vehicle at the side of the road.  They stopped to assist and discovered a woman from Germany had run out of fuel.  So, they invited her into their vehicle and planned to fetch some petrol for her car.  The whole group immediately hit it off so well that they decided they’d all continue the safari together and just leave the car with the empty tank where it was. 

 

Days later after an enjoyable several-day tour of the Kgalagadi, they finally picked up that can of fuel and then dropped the German lady off next to her locked car, which was still sitting along the side of the road. They helped her fill the tank then bid farewell and drove off in separate directions.

 

Such helpfulness from fellow travelers was something we would experience in the coming days, though not because we ran out of gas.

 

 

11 Mar -12 Mar, Gharagab Wilderness Camp

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Gharagab Wilderness Camp Chalet

 

 

The shaded spacious viewing decks at the remote Gharagab Wilderness Camp chalets  are where most guests spend their time. We remained at the chalets during our two-day stay, rather than drive around, and took in the exhilarating remote views and chatted with the friendly neighbors.  I was glad I had brought a book.

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Waterhole view from my chalet at Gharagab.

 

 

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Cape Canaries viewed from my chalet at Gharagab.

 

 

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Cape Canary viewed from my chalet at Gharagab.

 

 

The abundant water sources decreased the amount of wildlife that came to drink at the Gharagab waterhole, but the nights were still quite active at the waterhole.  I set my alarm for every 60-90 minutes or so throughout the night to check the waterhole, which was lit all night.  A restless night could be compensated for with naps the next day, since we remained at the chalets.  Throughout the night, black-backed jackals were nearly a constant presence, plus several lions, two spotted hyenas, and gemsbok appeared both nights.  A leopard showed up one morning before dawn.

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Some of the animals at Gharagab Wilderness Camp waterhole.

 

 

 

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One of many Black-backed Jackals viewed from my chalet at Gharagab.

 

The Brown Hyena Sighting that Wasn’t

A pitiful sound of a wounded, dying animal could be heard the second night, probably 100 meters away, behind the dunes.  The next day Pieter told me he believed it was the howling of a brown hyena being killed by lions, probably as it was heading to the waterhole for a drink.  The camp manager had told us that a brown hyena frequented the waterhole. No more, for that particular very unfortunate creature.

 

 

Pride of 14 Lions Attack the Vehicle in the Night

I was awakened by banging pots and pans and loud shouts.  It was Pieter trying to scare away the lion pride, which he counted at 14, that had ambushed the vehicle. Making a racket on his balcony deck did not deter the lions who were gnawing at the tires and trying to remove the panel over the rear wheel.  So, Pieter raised his hands over his head, roared, and ran at the pride that surrounded the car.  The startled lions fortunately dispersed.  Pieter hopped into the driver’s seat where he turned on the engine and flashed the lights to keep away the cats and save the vehicle from further damage.  Pieter was unscathed through the ordeal, thank goodness!

 

This amazing feat will be recounted in the future, Pieter assured me.  He added that when narrating the tale for children, he will embellish the facts by describing how he rode

on the back of the biggest male lion to lead the pride away, parade-style, from his trusty vehicle.

 

 

Unlike other camps where vehicles are kept in a cage-like structure through the night for protection, no such structure existed at Gharagab.  The visitor’s log described similar experiences as ours.

 

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Pieter had to change a tire that was deflated due to lions biting it in the night at Gharagab.

 

 

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Pathway to an elevated lookout point at Gharagab.

 

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View from elevated lookout at Gharagab.

 

13 Mar, Gharagab to Nossob

 

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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Enjoying the scenery and yellow Devil’s Thorn from a vehicle that still had four intact tires at that point.

 

 

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Jackal and Turtle Doves at Polentswa Waterhole.

 

 

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Jackal and Turtle Doves at Polentswa Waterhole.

 

 

A couple hours after departing Gharagab the replacement spare that Pieter had to put on early that morning went flat.  The spare had been on top of the vehicle along with some of the destructive lions, but the damage they had done was not evident when it was put on the vehicle.

 

Fortunately, the Kgalagadi is filled with helpful, friendly visitors who came to our rescue.  It was like we were all good buddies from way back.  We had a new borrowed tire with plans to reunite all tires with their correct owners at Nossob, the next destination for us all.  Thank yous and see-you-laters were said and our rescuers took off. But after hobbling along less than a kilometer it was obvious the borrowed tire was not the proper fit.  We were stranded once more.

 

Again, more travelers came to our rescue when they saw our predicament. Pieter and I ended up riding to Nossob in separate vehicles with two different families and we left the locked vehicle with the poorly fitting tire behind.  Pieter then spent the afternoon attending to the vehicle and tires with a mechanic and then delivering our borrowed tire back to the owner.  I went to “the ballet” at the Nossob hide.  Throughout this whole ordeal Pieter remained very concerned about my well-being and did his best to minimize any inconvenience for me.  Very professional!  But what a mess and expense for the poor guy.

 

13 Mar at the Nossob Hide and Waterhole, 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. 

Were these birds performing a rain dance?  If so, they were effective because 50 mm or 2 in fell that night.

 

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Young Goshawk at Nossob Hide and Waterhole doing a rain dance ballet.

 

 

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Young Goshawk at Nossob Hide and Waterhole.

 

 

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Young Goshawk at Nossob Hide and Waterhole.

 

The ballet continued with new dancers.

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Shaft-tailed Whydah at Nossob Hide and Waterhole.

 

 

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Shaft-tailed Whydah at Nossob Hide and Waterhole performing a ballet.

 

 

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Shaft-tailed Whydah at Nossob Hide and Waterhole.

 

 

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Shaft-tailed Whydah at Nossob Hide and Waterhole.

 

 

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Red-headed Finches flying at Nossob Hide and Waterhole.

 

 

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What the skies look like before 2 inches/50 mm of rain.  Moon is visible.  Nossob.

 

 

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What the skies look like before 2 inches/50 mm of rain.  Nossob.

 

 

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Goshawk with rain clouds behind.  Nossob.  Kind of a wild look in the eyes.

 

Heavy rain started falling about 10 minutes into our night drive so it had to be cancelled.  The rain just kept falling.

 

Next are our drives from Nossob Rest Camp

Edited by Atravelynn
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leaping over a well-dressed table to escape a leopard that turnedout to be a porcupine is pretty funny... on hindsight. Thank goodness he didn't leap over your pot pie-in-the-soup!

 

that's a thrilling sighting of the goshawk and the adder - were they that close?! i'm guessing the adder made a getaway.

 

so entertaining to watch the meerkats, mongoose and ground squirrels - they are such fun to watch. 

 

That crimson breasted shrike is stunning! the one I saw kept hiding in the trees and yours was so confiding. 

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madaboutcheetah

That's a story to tell ....... I'm not sure why the Kalahari lions try to go for the tyres??  We were on a mobile safari in the CKGR many years ago (2010??) and we had two Male Lions try to go for our tyres ....

 

You had some amazing birds - the shaft tail wydahs are really pretty.  

 

You seem to have crossed into Botswana?  Do they have a border post there?

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Good to see DeHoop again. Beautiful Bontebok. A fine place to stay

The KTP section looks very enjoyable, and you did it in an appealing way with a driver/guide (a very good one by the sound of it)

The Goshawk/Puff Adder sequence is excellent and the lions eating your car sounds like a real experience!

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Atravelynn
15 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

leaping over a well-dressed table to escape a leopard that turnedout to be a porcupine is pretty funny... on hindsight. Thank goodness he didn't leap over your pot pie-in-the-soup!  Ha ha, good one.

 

that's a thrilling sighting of the goshawk and the adder - were they that close?! i'm guessing the adder made a getaway. Yes. They were at times even closer than I was able to catch in the photos.  The shot that really surprised me is when they were sitting side by side and the goshawk is refusing to look at the snake which has its head up. "You don't scare me!" the goshawk seems to be saying.  After a few passes, the goshawk flew away.  I think the snake was too deadly of a challenge.

 

 

 

14 hours ago, madaboutcheetah said:

 

You seem to have crossed into Botswana?  Do they have a border post there?  The main entrance at Two Rivers Gate allows you to walk out on the South Africa or the Botswana side.  We never officially crossed a border but the main road often criss-crosses between the two sides, which are indicated by white cement markers.  While viewing a cheetah family, I noted to Pieter that we were actually in Botswana.  He agreed but reminded me that the cheetah were in South Africa.

 

10 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Good to see DeHoop again. Beautiful Bontebok. A fine place to stay

The KTP section looks very enjoyable, and you did it in an appealing way with a driver/guide (a very good one by the sound of it)  I did not encounter anybody else being driven around, so it's not that common.  But it worked great for me.  I would not drive myself although I saw quite a few people driving on their own, including women.  I think they were all South African.

 

 

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Atravelynn

14 Mar, Morning drive from Nossob Rest Camp

 

 

large.1818505512_morningaroundnossobfors

A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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African Wild Cat seems to be unhappy with the wet conditions.

 

 

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Kori Bustard

 

 

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Gemsbok and Kori Bustard

 

 

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Gemsbok and Kori Bustard

 

 

14 Mar, Grounds of Nossob Rest Camp, 11:00 am to 2:30 pm

Similar to the brown hyena sighting that did not happen because the unfortunate beast was killed by lions in the dunes, the tree rat I hoped to see was being brutally pecked to death by a crow outside my chalet. 

 

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Outside my chalet at Nossob Rest Camp, a crow killed a tree rat.  Notice the “lake” from the rain the previous night.

 

 

 

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Ground Squirrel on the grounds of Nossob Rest Camp.

 

 

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Swallowtail Bee-eater on the grounds of Nossob Rest Camp.

 

 

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An Orange-tailed Skink, I think.  On the grounds of Nossob Rest Camp.

 

 

There is a short walking trail at Nossob that is contained within the fenced grounds so it is safe.  The whole route took about 10 minutes.

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Millipedes on the grounds of Nossob Rest Camp and along the walking trail.

 

 

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Cape Hare on the grounds of Nossob Rest Camp.

 

 

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Cape Hare on the grounds of Nossob Rest Camp.

 

 

14 Mar, Afternoon drive from Nossob and night drive at Nossob

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no photos from this outing

 

 

Night drive:  About $35 USD per person, paid in rand.  Credit cards accepted.  At least 2 participants are required.  One person can pay for two.  Once underway, there are no refunds.  The roads used are not the ones available to the public, so it is different territory.

 

Small groups go in a safari vehicle with protection above—not enough to protect from the torrents of rain on the previous night when we had to turn back after 10 minutes. 

 

Over 6 participants (I think that’s the cutoff) use the big truck shown below where volunteers do the spotlighting, which might include a 10-year old eager to light up the sky, the interior of the vehicle, etc.  That’s what we had the first half of the trip and we saw nothing.  I spotlighted the second half of the trip in what I felt was a far more productive manner and we saw...nothing.

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Nossob night drive vehicle for groups larger than 6 participants.

 

 

But before the volunteer spotlighting began, we saw some cool stuff:

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Tree rat--these little guys come out at dusk and the night drive guide knew just what time and which tree.

 

 

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It was rewarding to find a live tree rat.  Earlier that day, my tree rat sighting was at the end of a crow’s beak.

 

 

 

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Barking Gecko—Before rain these lizards peek out from their holes and bark when the sun goes down.  They were nearly deafening back at Gharagab and their prediction of rain was accurate.

 

 

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Spotted Eagle Owl on night drive from Nossob.

 

 

15 Mar, Drive from Nossob to Twee Rivieren

 

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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Red-necked Falcon

 

 

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Red-necked Falcon

 

 

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Pieter’s favorite sighting of the trip—A playful Springbok and Secretary Bird.

 

 

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The rain seemed to lighten the mood for cross-species play, such as these Springbok and Secretary Bird.

 

 

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Playful antics between Springbok and a Secretary Bird.

 

 

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Two of the omnipresent ostrich chicks.

 

 

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Omnipresent Ostrich Chicks.

 

 

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Black-chested Snake Eagle in flight.

 

 

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Pale Chanting Goshawk looking pale.

 

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Crimson-breasted Starling at Kaspersdraai Waterhole Picnic Area.

 

 

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Marico Flycatcher at Kaspersdraai Waterhole Picnic Area, Devil’s Thorn behind.

 

 

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Mother and “pup.”  The Striped Field Mice were darting between areas of coverage so I didn’t know I had snapped the baby until I reviewed the shots.

Kaspersdraai Waterhole Picnic Area.

 

 

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White-browed Sparrow at nest at Kaspersdraai Waterhole Picnic Area.

 

 

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Scaly-feathered Finch at Kaspersdraai Waterhole Picnic Area.

 

 

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Springbok

 

 

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Omnipresent ostrich chicks in foreground, springbok behind.

 

 

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Red hartebeest were plentiful but rarely did I find them grouped attractively.  These are attractively grouped.

 

 

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Cheetah using the ridge of the Nossob Riverbed to get a better view.

 

Next is the final two days at Twee Rivieren, then back to Upington

Edited by Atravelynn
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Towlersonsafari

wonderful sightings and photos in what i think is our favourite place in africa @Atravelynn-and now we know why we never see any pies in the wild, the puff adders eat them all- it did look like puff pastry

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michael-ibk

Wonderful report, Lynn - and your photos are so good, congratulations. You have such an eye for detail, really special. Love the different angles and compositions with the Bontebok, they are such good-looking Antelopes. And all the bird shots, just Wow - excellent! The Whydah Ballet is particularly striking.

 

We loved De Hoop, and your report makes me want to go back! BTW, I´m pretty sure we did not see Blue Cranes in De Hoop neither, just outside on the farmlands.

 

Really interesting to see Kgalagadi with so much water. Beautiful scenery even as a tradeoff animals seem to have been much more scattered. Gharagab was our favourite place there probably. Like Hari I´m quite puzzled why the Lions would attack a car like that. Pieter really sound like a bold guy - if 14 Big-Teethed Cat would be over my car I would just cuddle under my blanket and sing "La-la-la-la-la, not happening, not happening." :)

 

 

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Atravelynn
9 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Thanks!

 

We loved De Hoop, and your report makes me want to go back!  I know.  I think you mentioned you'd do the big hike around the lake another time.  I'd like to do that too and some biking.  Could really spend a week there. I think there is several day hiking trip along the shore when the whales are around.  That would be cool.  BTW, I´m pretty sure we did not see Blue Cranes in De Hoop neither, just outside on the farmlands.

 

Really interesting to see Kgalagadi with so much water. Beautiful scenery even as a tradeoff animals seem to have been much more scattered. Gharagab was our favourite place there probably. Like Hari I´m quite puzzled why the Lions would attack a car like that. Pieter really sound like a bold guy for sure! - if 14 Big-Teethed Cat would be over my car I would just cuddle under my blanket and sing "La-la-la-la-la, not happening, not happening." Sounds like a good plan.

 

:)  One theory on the lions I heard was that they became rather territorial and confident during covid.  Then when people showed up again, they were letting us know who was boss.  But a vehicle cage, like they had at Kalahari Tented Camp in KTP would solve the problem.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Towlersonsafari said:

wonderful sightings and photos in what i think is our favourite place in africa  I have an inkling as to why it is your favorite now. @Atravelynn-and now we know why we never see any pies in the wild, the puff adders eat them all- it did look like puff pastry ha ha!

 

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Atravelynn

15 Mar, On grounds of Twee Rivieren

Late afternoon butterfly hunting on the Twee Rivieren grounds.

 

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                                 African Monarch on grounds of Twee Rivieren.         

 

 

 

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African Monarch on grounds of Twee Rivieren.

 

 

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African Monarch found a pal on grounds of Twee Rivieren.

 

 

15 Mar Afternoon drive from Twee Rivieren and hide at Twee Rivieren

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

 

 

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Lanner Falcons eating.

 

 

 

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One of two Lanner Falcons, fly away.

 

 

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Jackal showing submissive behavior.

 

 

 

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Jackal showing submissive behavior.

 

 

 

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Jackal showing submissive behavior.

 

 

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Jackal showing submissive behavior.

 

 

 

At the Twee Rivieren hide that night, the 3-member family of Giant Eagle Owls was present.  No photos.

 

 

 

16 Mar Morning drive from Twee Rivieren and around grounds of Twee Rivieren

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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Cape Cobra crossing road.

 

 

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Sparring Gemsbok. The abundant rain animated the gemsbok.

 

 

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Sparring Gemsbok

 

 

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Gemsbok

 

 

A visitor could be forgiven for thinking the KTP had been transformed into an ostrich farm.

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Ostrich chicks and their families were everywhere.

 

 

 

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4 of hundreds of ostrich chicks in the Kgalagadi.

 

 

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Ostrich mud spa on the road thanks to the rain.

 

 

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Tawny Eagle

 

 

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Another Tawny Eagle

 

 

 

Around noon, back at Twee Rivieren, the butterflies were flitting about the Devil’s Thorn.

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Marbled White Butterfly on the grounds of Twee Rivieren.

 

 

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Marbled White Butterfly on the grounds of Twee Rivieren.

 

 

16 Mar, Afternoon drive from Twee Rivieren and hide at night.

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

 

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Wildebeest parade.

 

 

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Wildebeest enjoying the mud.

 

 

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The only daytime, photographable lions of the trip: iioness and 2 cubs, 1 cub shown here.

 

 

 

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Shooting into the sun, giraffe.

 

 

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Giraffes were seen only one other time in KTP and those were too far for pics.

 

 

Since my chalet was right next to the path leading to the hide at Twee Rivieren, I decided to visit the hide at 3 am my last night to see what might be happening in the wee hours.  The empty hide indicated no one else was like-minded that night.  The Giant Eagle Owl youngster was in a tree that was slightly illuminated, very close to the hide. 

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3:26 am, Young Giant Eagle Owl at Twee Rivieren Hide.

 

 

Next is the final day in KTP, Three Gables Guesthouse in Upington and the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden in Cape Town

Edited by Atravelynn
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Atravelynn

17 Mar, Final morning drive from Twee Rivieren

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A copy of the map provided upon entry is shown, above, with the area we drove outlined in red.  That area is sketched in enlarged form showing where the major sightings were.

 

 

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The wet fur on this jackal is not from rain but from morning dew.  The previous heavy rain had transformed the dry region into a humid one.

 

 

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The abundant rain seemed to enliven the antelope.  Proncking Springbok.

 

 

 

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High jumping Springbok.

 

 

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The good mood brought by the rain extended to Gemsbok and Wildebeest.

 

 

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Sparring Springbok.

 

 

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Honey Badger at a distance, emerging from the brush.

 

 

 

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One of two juvenile cheetahs in a family of three.

 

 

 

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Cheetah in green grass.

 

 

 

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Springbok. This little guy in this herd may not even know the meaning of arid at this early point in his life.

 

 

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 Note the versatile and useful white Sheldrick bandana, a gift from Jane / Safarichick to those of us who joined her in Kenya in November, 2022.

 

During the trip Pieter had joked with me that if I did not pronounce Gharagab using the correct guttural g-sounds, I’d have to do the whole trip over again.  Hoping this humorous threat would be carried out, our last morning I kept pronouncing it Gary-Gab, stressing the flat nasal a-sound.  I did not score a do-over trip, but we came to the conclusion that if I am lucky enough to return, a visit during a drought rather than a period of prolonged rainfall would provide a nice contrast and show the Kgalagadi under more normal conditions.  And of course, I’d contact Pieter Hanekom of Kalahari Safaris!  While 10 nights in KTP provided me just a glimpse of this captivating region, I do better understand the appeal to so many who consider themselves fans and visit whenever they can.

 

 

A takeaway lunch at Kgalagadi Lifestyle Lodge fueled our 2.5-hour drive back to Upington.  Katz Tours & Safaris had arranged my overnight at Three Gables Guesthouse, a charming inn. Farewell to Pieter for a wonderful trip.  Quoting him in a post-trip email exchange in his typical understated fashion, “We had some adventures.” Indeed, we did!

 

 

17 Mar, Overnight Three Gables

 

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The Charming Three Gables Guesthouse

 

 

 


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Three Gables Guesthouse, looking like a fairytale.

 

 

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Three Gables Guesthouse

 

 

I was driven from Three Gables into town for dinner at a nice hotel and then picked up and brought back.  I asked about the typical clientele at Three Gables.  It spanned the spectrum but most guests were German automotive engineers who came to the area with test cars to see how they would hold up in the extreme heat. 

 

 

18 Mar, Upington to Cape Town, day in Cape Town

8:30 am to 9:50 am South Africa Airlink, Upington to Cape Town.  Arrive Cape Town 9:50 am.  David, a colleague of Wayne’s of Take2Tours (and delightful guy) met me at the airport and helped with the in-airport Covid test needed to get into the US.

 

We drove to the Waterfront where I walked around, watched the incredibly talented buskers, had some lunch at the market and visited the Two Oceans Aquarium. Then David drove me to the magnificent Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden, where Wayne had arranged a 3 pm tour for me.  Otherworldly!  Then back to reality to the Cape Town airport for the trip home, arriving about 5:30 pm, about four hours before my flight.

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There are buffalo sculptures in the shot, Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden.

 

 

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Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden

 

 

 

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Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden

 

 

I bid farewell to the Dylan Lewis wildlife in sculpture form, as I had done to the furred, feathered, and scaled forms the day before.

 

 

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Bontebok bums from De Hoop Nature Reserve

The End

  

Edited by Atravelynn
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Thanks for sharing @Atravelynn, full of great information, funny stories and lovely photos. I definitely appreciate how much work you put into this report! 

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I've thoroughly enjoyed re-visiting De Hoop and KTP with you, thanks for sharing. The Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden looks an ideal place to spend a last day.

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@AtravelynnThanks for this very informative TripReport, it was wonderfull to follow your adventures in the KTP where we drove so many years ago, and De Hoop was a real bonus. 

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Thank you for a very enjoyable and interesting report. Excellent photos and very engaging writing with lots of practical details.

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