Kgalagadi Adventure – Twee Rivieren

Wednesday 23 August 2023 Mata Mata to Twee Rivieren

We made a slow start to the day as temperatures were once again below zero until 07h00. Our caravans were packed, hitched and ready to go by 08h30 and we took a slow drive to Twee Rivieren via the waterholes. The Earl and I left a little earlier than Cath and Alec, promising to wait for them at Craig Lockhart.

Sitzas Waterhole

We spotted another honey badger. As usual, he was on a mission but there were no parasitic creatures following him this time.

Ricky off in search of prey. Perhaps his followers were still asleep

We saw some cars parked off at Craig Lockhart which is normal as you have to turn off to get close to the waterhole and people usually wait to see if anything might appear. We were going to do the same while we waited for Alec and Cathy to catch up. And then I saw her – taking a long deep drink so we could not see her face.

Thirst quenched, she looked up and stared at the spectators.

When’s your due date, Leonie?

Any day now, I’m enjoying me-time while I can

She started to walk off and I was afraid that Cath and Alec would miss her but by the time she reached the road they appeared and had a very good view of her as she crossed in front of them.

The next waterhole presented us with a couple of jackal

Dalkeith is Welsh for Field in the Woods.

Kamqua means Green Pothole and I found it amusing that there were indeed gemsbok drinking here just like the illustration on the sign.

There were lots of suricates enjoying the morning sun too.

Too cute

We stopped at Aucherlone for a loo break and leg stretch and while we were there somebody asked if we’d seen the lions. It turned out that this was because we hadn’t reached the spot yet and luckily were going in the right direction. He told me exactly where to look. “There are three of them and they’re sleeping,” he said. “So you could miss them if they’re lying flat.”

We didn’t miss them

This guy had just eaten and hadn’t washed his face

It was a good meal – magie vol ogies toe. (Tummy full Eyes closed)

A little further on we found the ostrich kill the lions had made. Of course, the vulutres were there – some white-backed and a lapet-faced.

Click the link to see a brief video

When we arrived at Twee Rivieren we checked into two bungalows and found that there was plenty of space to park the caravans. Once we were settled we went to the restaurant for lunch. The food there is excellent. We relaxed for the rest of the afternoon and in the evening Cathy cooked us a delicious beef stew.

Our bungalows were quite comfortable. The base rate for each is for two but they have two extra beds in the kitchen. The front door opens into the well-equipped kitchen and then there is a door into the bedroom which has an en-suite bathroom. All the beds are single.

To be honest, I prefer my caravan as it has everything I need and I don’t have to unpack

Thursday 24 August 2023 Our Last Day at Kgalagadi

Today would be our last day in Kgalagadi. It was three against one to leave two days earlier than planned. Yes, it was me who wanted to stay the duration but as I am not a driver I did not object. The corrugated roads can be a trial and we had had the most amazing time and seen almost everything the park has to offer so it was good to leave on a high note. And leave on a high note we did!

This is what we saw on our last day.

Beautiful tawny eagles

Cheetahs are quite a common site in the Kgalagadi but we had yet to see one. Today, he appeared to say farewell.

I spotted him first

Not sure who or what he is looking for

Then he flopped down

I wanted to stay with him for a bit longer. “He might come down to the road,” I reasoned.

But the Earl is not one to wait for action and insisted on driving on.

A lovely rock kestrel cheered me up.

A rather smart socialbe weaver nest

Two Pale Chanting Goshawks hoping the honey badger will disturb some mice for them to pounce upon

I have been searching for a Pygmy Falcon since we arrived and finally he made an appearance.

It was our turn to cook this evening and we made a lamb stew.

Cathy will soon guest post about Mata Mata. Watch this space.

My next posts will cover the places we visited on our journey home.

Kgalagadi Adventure – Mata Mata

Sunday 20 August 20, 2023

It was freezing last night and freezing when we awoke this morning.  Cathy, Alec, Earl and I were packed and ready to leave Nossob by 08h15.   The Twins still had some packing to do and they followed at a slower pace, stopping to see game, while we, the caravanners tried to get to Mata Mata as quickly as possible so that we could find good campsites.

Alec set the pace and we tried as best we could to keep up but other cars got between us and were driving below the limit of 50 kph so we got a little behind.  We caught up at Dikbaardskolk picnic site where we had a leg stretch and loo break. Then it was 50km over the beautiful dune road. This road is undulating and there is a sign that recommends that you take care and keep well to the left.  This is because as you go uphill you cannot see what is approaching in the opposite direction. 

The start of the Dune Road

Undulating road

We kept pace with Alec until Earl slowed and stopped. 

“Look – a honey badger!” he exclaimed.

How he spotted him I do not know.  He was on my side of the road but behind some dune bush and with him was a jackal.  Mostly you see honey badgers on their own but sometimes in pairs. Often, though, you might see a jackal and/or a pale chanting goshawk with him. The wily jackal knows that if he sticks with the badger, he might get a free meal. The badger digs up mouseholes causing the occupants to run for their lives. I’m sure the badger gets first pickings but the jackal might get lucky too.

We spent at least ten minutes with these creatures and got some lovely video footage of the badger digging with the jackal looking on hoping he would find them a meal soon.

Ricky Ratel hiding behind the dune bush

Jacko Jackal knows that Ricky can dig up some prey for him

Come on Ricky – Get to work

Give me a break – I first have to pose for the tourists.

We hoped we had not got too far behind Alec but could not resist stopping to photograph a few birds making us as least 20 minutes behind him.

Ant-eating Chat

Greater Kestrel

Black-necked Heron

Ostriches decorating the bright orange dunes

When we arrived at the picnic site for breakfast Alec was about to unhitch and come to look for us!  

Kamqua Picnic Site with its dead Camel Thorn Trees. Kamqua means Green Pothole in the Khoisan Language

After breakfast, we still had another 50 km to go and this time we kept pace with Alec and Cath.  There was one little delay for both of us when we came upon a lion sighting.   We saw a sleeping female and a male a little further away feeding on a carcass.   Alec was ahead and Cath managed to get some photos. I tried as we overtook the other observing cars but was hooted at for blocking everyone’s view. It would only have taken a few seconds, but The Earl did not want to annoy the tourists, so he hurried on! (See Cathy’s upcoming post.)

En Route, we came across some Red Hartebeest

We arrived at camp at about 13h00, checked in and found two lovely campsites near each other but not right next door.  The sites were not on the perimeter, but we could see the water hole and it was just a short walk to the hide.

We did not go out for an afternoon drive but decided to sort out the caravans, do laundry and visit the hide.  

A single giraffe came down to drink

Her calf who is probably still nursing did not drink but waited patiently for mom then walked off with her.

The Twins arrived at half past three after having some lovely sightings including a leopard!   Priscilla was responsible for the meal tonight and cooked us a delicious tagliatelle with cheese and ham sauce.

Camp all set up and ready for Priscilla’s dinner

Monday 21 August 20, 2023

Today the twins packed up and were ready to leave on the first leg of their trip to Pretoria where they will be visiting their brother, and sister-in-law who is not well. We travelled in tandem and visited the waterhole loops before bidding them farewell after Dertiende Watergat.

A little while ago there was a veld fire in the area and this seems to have affected the sightings. Nevertheless, we had some interesting experiences.

Near Sitzas waterhole we found a wild cat dozing under a tree Sitzas means ‘water with a bad taste.’

A beautiful yellow-billed hornbill made an appearance

The cutest creatures in the Kgalagadi, the ground squirrels looked stunning in the golden light

Dalkeith presented us with a kudu and some gemsbok

Some lovely horns here

Craig Lockhart Waterhole provided some liquid refreshment for the nervous gemsbok

The surname Lockhart originates from the old French word ‘loche’ which describes a freshwater fish. It is believed that Lockhart was a nickname for a freshwater fisherman. (I obtained this information from Peter Derich’s book – Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Self Drive Guide.)

They really are sissies to be frightened off by a crow!

The giraffe must already have slaked their thirst and were just hanging around

A forest of oryx horns

After bidding the twins farewell we continued slowly to Kamqua picnic site where we had coffee and a snack and then made our way back to camp.

The next day was a rest day.

Tuesday 22 August 20, 2023

Everybody felt a little tired of the corrugated roads so we decided to have a rest day today. We stayed in camp and relaxed reading, birding around camp and checking the waterhole from time to time.

Early activity at the waterhole. Depend upon it – you will see jackal everywhere

Jacko dug himself a cosy hole to sleep in

If there’s nothing else there will be sparrows

The prettiest bird in camp is the Crimson-breasted Shrike

A family of Meerkats have made a burrow near the entrance to the camp waterhole. They leave to forage in the reserve when it warms up and then come back later in the afternoon.

Catching the morning rays before going off to forage

This evening they thought they’d pay us a visit

I was preparing food so I think they were expecting an invitation to dinner.

This one invited himself into my caravan!

“Sorry, you’re not invited, ” I said so this one went to sulk under my chair.

After some discussion, we decided to swap our last two days of camping at Mata Mata and try to get sites at Twee Rivieren. Unfortunately, camping was full so we opted for 2 chalets instead.

More about that next time!

Kgalagadi Adventure – Nossob by Guest Blogger Cathy

Nossob

We left Twee Rivieren, having packed up and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. There was no mad rush to get to Nossob as we had booked Premium Campsites so there was to need to try and get there quickly to find a good site in the main camp.

We had decided that we would drive to Dikbaardskolk Picnic Site and stop there to have a leg stretch and visit the bathroom. We arrived first and when Earl and Helen drove in we noticed that the right rear tyre on Earl’s Everest was flat. He tried pumping it up in the hopes that it was a slow puncture and he could make it to Nossob before having to change the wheel. The ground at Dikbaardskolk is not very flat, so changing a wheel would not be easy. Earl was not in luck! Within a few minutes the tyre was once again flat so it was a definite puncture. He drove the Everest to the flattest piece of ground we could see and he and Alec set about changing the wheel, supervised by dozens of Sociable Weavers and Starlings. A job accomplished in a short time!

Earl and Helen arrive at the picnic site

Earl and Alec start changing the tyre

We arrived at Nossob and were allocated Premium Sites 3 & 4. What a pleasure these sites are. There is a fantastic bathroom with a loo, wash basin and a huge shower with lashings of hot water. Outside is a dishwashing basin and loads of counter space to prepare a meal on. They are all close to the fence and are very quiet.

Premium Site #4 at Nossob

Our view from the campsite

One morning, Earl and Helen had left for their drive and I was brushing my teeth, when Alec came in to say I must come quickly as there was a Brown Hyena outside the fence. Well, I have never rinsed and dried so quickly, as a Brown Hyena is a rare sighting! There he was slowly walking along the fence. I only got the quickest of snaps as I didn’t have my glasses on so I pointed and prayed!

My “point and pray” pic of the brown hyena before it vanished behind Earl and Helen’s van

If you get the chance to book a Premium Site at Nossob, you will not be sorry. They are quite exceptional.

We spent quite a lot of time enjoying the hide at Nossob, which has a number of animals come to drink. Of particular note was the lovely herd of kudu that came down. These graceful animals with beautiful large, liquid eyes, radar-dish ears and long, beautiful legs are a pleasure to watch. The bulls with their spiral horns and stunning stripes are regal as they step across the dry river bed.

A beautiful herd of kudu come to drink.

Just look at this beautiful face

Regal spiral-horned bulls

Also at the hide, we were lucky enough to enjoy the visit of a majestic Martial Eagle. This enormous raptor, the largest in South Africa, stood in the water surveying all the smaller birds that were too nervous to join it at the water. With its speckled chest, dark back, crested head, huge beak and piercing eyes, this bird is truly something to behold.

A majestic Martial Eagle

Piercing eyes and a formidable beak

Compare the size of the eagle to the canary

Another fascinating bird that visited the waterhole was the Namaqua Sandgrouse. These beautiful birds are the sports cars of the bush veld. The males will fly long distances to find water and when they do they wade in chest-deep and allow fine feathers on their breasts to absorb water like a sponge. They then fly at close to 60kph back to their nests where the chicks drink the water by combing the feathers with their beaks. This is truly nature at its best!

Namaqua Sandgrouse

Namaqua Sandgrouse whirr in to collect water

We were at Nossob for five nights so we took several drives both north and south from the camp. The road to the north was very corrugated but there were a couple of lovely viewpoints and only one water hole seemed to have water in it. The southern drive was easier and there were many waterholes from which to choose when looking for somewhere to enjoy a cup of coffee and a cookie.

Lovely views from viewpoints

We found it great to sit at a waterhole, either in the morning with our coffee and cookies or in the late afternoon with a drink and just watch and listen. Often there were several of the larger animals drinking and it was interesting watching the behavior of the various creatures. The Springbok were graceful drinkers but rarely moved to the water if there were larger antelope there. They would stand and wait their turn very patiently. The Gemsbok were very skittish and the smallest thing spooked them. Here size and age were the telling factors and the younger, smaller animals were often pushed out of the way by the larger stronger animals. The bullies of the Kgalahadi were the Wildebeest. When they arrived at the water they simply pushed everyone else out of the way! The Jackals ignored everyone and just took care not to be stepped on!

Wildebeest are bullies at the water!

Gemsbok are skittish

Shy Springbok patiently wait their turn

Jackals ignored everyone

When there were no animals at the water, it was great to just sit and listen, especially in the late afternoon. There was the twittering of the sparrows, canaries and other small birds and the doves would come in waves with that distinctive whistling sound from their wings. They often perched in trees nearby and added their soft, melodic cooing to the evening soundtrack. Then the sandgrouse would arrive in their dozens with whirring wings, drink quickly, and within a few seconds with lots of whirring they were off! Crested Lapwings added their distinctive cries as they ran with stilt-like legs around the edge of the pan searching for insects. As the sun started to set, the Barking Geckos would add their voices and in the distance, one could hear a jackal howling. Nature’s soundtrack is something else altogether.

A beautiful canary

Mossies chitter away all day

The doves stayed to add their soft coo

Crowned Lapwings always let you know they were there

On each drive we found the usual suspects, wildebeest, gemsbok, springbok, ostriches and jackals but there were some lovely birds around as well. We found this beautiful Tawny Eagle on several drives, sitting at the top of a tree staring out over the landscape. There were dozens of Pale Chanting Goshawks that must have kept the rodent population in a constant state of hysteria! We also saw many Kori Bustards, as they too stepped arrogantly through the veld. These are the largest flying birds in the world and they certainly seem to know how great they are!

Gorgeous Tawny Eagle

Pale Chanting Goshawks by the dozen

Majestic Kori Bustard

On one drive we were lucky enough to come across a pair of Bat-Eared Foxes out foraging in the middle of the morning. These beautiful, little creatures eat insects and small invertebrates and are wonderful to watch as they bustle about, smelling the ground to find tasty nibbles. It was a treat sitting watching them forage.

Fabulous Bat-Eared Foxes

Another drive turned up a Spotted Hyena, sloping along having just enjoyed a drink. These much-maligned creatures have gained a small place in my heart since learning more about them and their family units from Wild Earth and Africam. They are not the evil creatures that I was raised to believe but effective hunters, caring mothers, as well as being the garbage collectors of the bush veld.

Spotted Hyena sloping along

Before I close I would just like to get a few peeves off my chest.

The first is toilet paper. I can understand that at Kgalahadi, the picnic sites are few and far between and inevitably someone will get caught short while on a drive. Relieving oneself on the side of the road is one thing but why must you leave the toilet paper festooning the roadside plants? Surely people who visit these parks are nature lovers and should know better than to leave toilet paper in the bush.

The last two are reserved for SanParks.

In this day and age, it is incredible that there is no reliable means of communication within the camps. With the wide array of technology available today it is inconceivable that SanParks cannot provide robust communication in the camps. At Nossob you can indeed buy Wi-Fi vouchers (R75 for 400MB!) but most of the time when we tried to connect, you could sign on to the network but there was no internet access! I know that we all deplore the modern habits of being glued to a smartphone, but people do like to keep in contact with their families and it is frustrating to not be able to contact them. Friends in the camp had a very ill sister-in-law in hospital and they would have loved to know how she was doing but could not get connected to find out.

Lastly, the roads. I am not sure why we pay good money to visit the park and then rattle car and caravan to pieces on corrugations the size of the Fish River Canyon. Is it not possible to keep these roads maintained? Again I know that visitors with incorrect tyre pressures cause some of the problem, but that old excuse had passed its sell-by date. Regular maintenance is vital to keep these roads in good nick, improving the visit for everyone. Come on SanParks, get your act together!

In spite of the irritations, a visit to Nossob is always a treat especially since getting a booking takes luck and has to be made months in advance.  We enjoyed our time there and will be back at some time in the future. Now it’s on to Mata Mata for the next leg of our Kgalahadi adventure.

Kgalagadi Adventure – Nossob Day 5

Saturday 19 August 2023  Love in the Kgalagadi

Once again it was very cold when we woke up this morning.  I had to put on my gloves, fleece and a jacket.  On my feet I donned my Ugg boots! But these outer layers were discarded as the day became warmer with a high of 26 degrees C.  There was also a bit of wind today.

After collecting our permit, we took the North road and went as far as Bedinkt Waterhole.

Springbok enjoying the sunshine

Wildebeest in the early morning light

The birding was good there and back and the highlights were Grey Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller and Gabar Goshawk.  Of course, we enjoyed the other usual canaries, sparrows, flycatchers and weavers.

Lilac-breasted Roller – always a delight to see

Another one

Looking the other way

This little bird of prey is a Gabar Goshawk

This Grey Hornbill surveys the scene

While his friend tries to hide

Chat flycatcher again?

When we reached Cubitjie Quap there were quite a few cars observing the wildebeest and gemsbok. It was interesting to see two large herds of wildebeest coming towards each other from different directions.   They seemed to be very pleased to see each other as they greeted each other with low bleating grunts and galloped about side by side enjoying their reunion.

The Wildies having a reunion

One by one the cars pulled off to continue their journey.  We were going along slowly with the cars no longer in sight as we stopped to look at one bird after another. 

Then suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a lioness emerge from the veld and cross over the road in front of us.  Of course, there was an explosion of excitement in the car.  A minute later a very handsome black-maned lion emerged and followed her.   She waited for him some 50 metres ahead and we thought that when he caught up, they would continue across the veld.

Looking gorgeous in the golden light, she waits for her mate

There you are! I don’t know why you keep walking away from me!

But they did not move.  Another car pulled up behind us just as the male flopped down beside the object of his affection.

This is a lovely spot – Let’s stay here for while

Before we could shut our modest eyes they were mating!   We managed to get some photos but now I wanted a video!   We’re not moving till they do it again, I declared.

Lion love!

The other car, perhaps wanting to give the honeymoon couple some privacy overtook us and moved on so now we were the only car there.  Ten minutes later there was another love scene and this time I got it on film.   When they were done the male stood up and roared and the female answered as she lay in the afterglow.  Then they both flopped down, turned over on their backs with legs in the air as if to say – Oh my that was wonderful!  Lion pornography at its best!

Hear ye all – I have procreated with my mate

That was good, my love

Ah – What bliss

Lions in Love

We continued on but nothing else quite so exciting happened.  By midday, we were back at camp where we had some left-over chili con carne for lunch and then spent time doing camp chores and relaxing and only went for a short drive to Marie se Gat at half past four.   There was not very much to see until Priscilla alerted us to something hiding under a tree. How interesting to find a Pale Chanting Goshawk with its dinner.

Pale Chanting Goshawk with a reptile

Is it a black mamba? A snake is a snake to me – no idea how to identify them.

We also enjoyed seeing a number of Kori Bustards

A very large herd of springbok were standing stock still and we were sure that there was a predator in the area but we did not have time to wait and see what happened.

It was our turn to cook so Earl did a braai. I cooked some butternut with chutney and tinned tomato and onion in the smart space pan and prepared a Greek salad.

Kgalagadi Adventure – Nossob Day 4

Friday 18 August 2023 Nossob South and North

At 04h15 Earl nudged me awake – “Can you hear the lions?”  

“Well, I can now that you’ve woken me up!”

They roared on and off till 05h30 and sounded like they were just on the other side of the fence.  After a while, I got up and shone a torch into the veld but I couldn’t see a thing!  Perhaps they were at the camp waterhole!

I went to the loo and then tried to go back to sleep but just managed to doze and was wide away by quarter to six, so I got up, had a shower and started to prepare for the day.  It was freezing so I had to don the gloves again.   After a nice hot cup of coffee, we were ready to leave at 07h00. For the four days The Twins are here they will come on drives with us.

At this hour there was a bit of a queue at reception.  In the Kgalagadi, you have to check in and out with a permit indicating which direction you intend to drive.  Then if you don’t hand it back after your drive, they come looking for you. This is because there is no cell reception out there and you don’t want to be stuck in the desert all night!

So, it was 7:15 by the time headed toward Kasper se Draai.

It was lovely having Priscilla and Hilary in the back of the car.  Two extra pairs of spotting eyes make a huge difference to what you’re likely to see – especially as far as birds are concerned. 

The birding was quite good today – perhaps because it was cooler?

Bateleur

Pale Chanting Goshawk

Southern Fiscal all puffed up to keep warm

Yesterday we had an amazing sighting of lions at Kasper’s but this morning the pond just held the memory.

Kasper se Gat

But wildebeest came down to drink and were very entertaining.   The patriarch came first and checked to see that all was in order.  As the rest of the herd trotted down there was some misbehaviour in the line but it was all in good spirits and they all settled down to have a drink together.

We also saw a few birds.  The Kalahari Scrub Robin posed beautifully.

Kalahari Scrub Robin

After enjoying the scene for a while we left and made our way to Marie se Gat.   Alec and Cathy were making their way to Kasper’s and we stopped to chat.   We also birded along the way and while we were debating about an LBJ that could have been a chat flycatcher a man driving a car with a bumper sticker that read, We stalk birds, also stopped to check it out.  “Tell me what it is,” he said sternly. 
I thought he was testing me and said, “I think it’s a chat flycatcher.”

“Don’t tell me what you think,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “I need to know exactly what it is.”  His wife apologized saying he is very demanding.

“I know,” I said, “I’m married!”

We had a good laugh.

Priscilla and I think the LBJ is a chat flycatcher – Please correct us if we’re wrong

Later at camp, he came to show us his photos of a bokmakierie and a short-toed rock thrush.   I told him I was jealous of the bokmakierie but the short-toe was one I’d seen a few days ago too!

At Marie’s se gat we observed some Gemsbok and then they were chased away by the bullies – the gnus!

Then we went back to camp where the Earl cooked us some delicious scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Cathy and Alec reported that we’d missed a brown hyena passing by the fence after we’d left this morning. But at least my caravan was in Cath’s photograph. (See her guest blog in a day or two)

After breakfast, Earl had a nap and Hilary had a presentation to prepare so Pris and I went exploring around the camp and photographed a few birds.

Pririt Batis

Red-eyed Bulbul

We originally planned to go to the pool where there were bound to be some birds but decided to pop into the hide first. The usual congregation of sparrows and doves were there and we were about to leave when Pris said, “Look at where the water comes into the dam.”

  I trained my binos to where she pointed and was amazed to see the head of an eagle.

It was so still I wondered whether it was real!

 It sat like this for ages then flew up into the tree and we confirmed that it was a martial eagle. It hid among the foliage for some time and we continued watching the activity at the pond.  Then finally it flew out of the tree and landed next to the pond and then into the pond where it stayed for ages. 

Here I am – Aren’t I a handsome fellow

This looks like a good spot to spend the afternoon

Now, please don’t bother me

We eventually left the hide and got Earl and Hilary to take a look before we took the North Road for our afternoon drive. The first waterhole we stopped at is called Cubitjie Quab which means aardvark burrow, but unfortunately, we did not see an aardvark!

What we were totally thrilled to see were bateleurs.  This is a favourite spot for them, and in the past, we have had excellent sightings of them here.  Perhaps it should be called Bateleur Bath.

A lovely spa for bateleurs

Earl got a lovely close-up

We birded and enjoyed the other creatures until we came to Kwang which looked like it didn’t have much water although there were gnus and springbok scattered about.

The most prolific vulture at Kgalagadi is the white-backed vulture

On our return, we went up to a viewpoint and spotted some distant lions under a tree.

It was 6 by the time we got home.  The twins cooked us a delicious Chili con carne without chili but those of us who wanted a kick added some Cayan Pepper.

It was cooler this evening but still pleasant to sit outdoors.  But during the night it became quite cold

Kgalagadi Adventure More from Nossob

Thursday 17 August 2023 Nossob to Kasper se Draai

Last night was quite warm and we did not need the extra blanket on our bed.  When I awoke this morning at quarter past six, all I needed was a fleece over my sleeveless blouse.  It was still dark as I prepared a flask and some snacks for our drive.   Gate opening time is 07h00 and we were out by 07h25. The temperature was 12 degrees C and it was slightly overcast.  No wind!

Today was the day that our friends, Priscilla and Hilary, would join us for four days.   They would arrive later in the afternoon after spending the night at Kalahari Lodge just outside Twee Rivieren Gate.

There was once again a beautiful sunrise this morning.  We are not often up early enough to see the sun rise so I felt I had to make a digital memory.

Sunrise at Nossob

Like a Red Rubber Ball

The drive toward Marie se Gat and Kasper se Draai produced very little game and even fewer birds.   The road is corrugated and the landscape dry and monotonous so one can become a little bored and disappointed when there is not much but short scrub, scattered trees and dust to see.   I began to feel that the entire trip was a waste of time and that we should have stayed at the camp waterhole for the day!

This is what we did see.

A shy steenbok in the early morning light

Suddenly she became aware of something but there was nothing there that we could see.

But then, a Jackal came scurrying across the road and passed behind her and disappeared before I could snap a photo.

A bird I love to see in the park is the Kori Bustard. He really rules the desert. The kori is the heaviest flying bird in the world.

Kori bustard

It was nine o’clock when we reached Kasper se Gat. Kasper Sanderson once had a residence here and he dug the waterhole. The original farm called Kasper se Draai was 12862 ha.

There were a few cars parked there which is not unusual as people often park off and wait for the game to arrive.  And then I saw them!  I snapped a shot immediately and got myself in it too!

What a surprise

The lions were dominating the waterhole. 

Drinking together

That was a fine drink

They serve a lovely cocktail here

It’s a good life

Birds were twittering in the trees, desperate to get down for a drink but every time they tried a lion would try to catch them!  Some thirsty Gemsbok thought they’d keep their distance and wait their turn but one of the pride decided he was having none of that.

Uh Oh What’s going on here?

The Gemsbok decide that caution is the better part of valor

We spent two hours watching the wonderful antics of these seven lions.   Cars came and went and there was never a jostle for position.  Everybody was very respectful and considerate, making sure everybody got a good view of the pride.

I feel as if I have two tails

Let’s play tag

Catch me if you can

Lion Antics

Time to do some Yoga – Down Dog – uh, I mean cat.

From time to time the lions would disperse and lie down under different trees or wander off to explore then return to drink at the waterhole.  There was something entertaining happening all the time.  I have about 75 photographs – too many to post here!

One of the young males became curious about the spectators and decided to come and take a closer look at us.  My heart stopped when this guy came right up to my window.

So close! I pressed the up button of my window and Earl said, “Don’t be a scaredy cat!”

He then stepped back a little but stared right at me!

Hi, I’m Leo – You look good enough to eat!

I’m just a big pussy cat

Please may come into your car

While all the drama was being played out some brave sandgrouse calling excitedly came down to see if they could get a drink.

Namaqua Sandgrouse – Uh oh – Lions in residence – Let’s grab a drink and get out of here

Mr. Burchell’s Sandgrouse – Those Namaquas are sissies – the lions won’t hurt us

Mrs. Burchell – I’m not so sure, darling – please take me home!

After that exciting encounter, we returned to camp where the Earl cooked scrambled eggs for breakfast. We stayed in camp napping, doing chores and sorting out photographs and then went out again at 15h00.  We saw the usual suspects and then returned to camp and visited the hide while waiting for The Twins to arrive. 

A Jackal takes a drink while the Namaquas come to see what’s what..

Come along grouse – soak up some water in your feathers. I won’t bite you.

Cape Starlings like this waterhole too

It’s also a favourite haunt of the yellow canary

The kudu seemed a bit nervous

But soon settled down for a drink

You can never be too careful – check for predators Karen

The Earl kept an eye on the gate and saw the twins arrive at around 17h00.  

So we went to help them check in at reception and then to set up at camp.

Priscilla setting up the tent

Hilary getting essentials from the roof

Sun Set after a really good day

Cath cooked us all a delicious spaghetti bolognese for dinner and after a really lovely evening, we retired to bed at around 20h30.

Kgalagadi Adventure Twee Rivieren to Nossob

Wednesday 23 August 2023

The two Geckos – 81 and 109 have just returned to Twee Rivieren after eight days of no internet. We spent five nights at Nossob and three at Mata Mata. I will be posting about those days from today onwards.

At the Park Shops, I was able to buy a voucher costing R75 for 400mg of data. Each time you had to enter your username and password and it did not always work! Then when it did you could be cut off before you could send even one WhatsApp. Blogging was therefore out of the question.

Guest Blogger Cathy will also be adding a post soon.

It has come to my attention that if you read my blog on your phone some of the photographs are distoreted. Apologies for that. I don’t know how to solve this problem. It does not happen on a desktop or laptop.

Tuesday 15 August 2023 Off to Nossob

The temperature at half past six this morning was 1 degree C!  With great reluctance I threw off the duvet at quarter to seven and only because I had an urgent call of nature.  I donned my jeans, jersey and jacket and dashed to the ablutions.  On my return, I climbed right back under the duvet until it warmed up to 4 degrees C.    Packing up with freezing-cold hands is not easy.  I wore gloves but some chores required their removal. By 8 o’clock we were packed up with caravan hitched and after collecting our permit from reception we set off.  The plan was to get to Nossob as quickly as possible so we would only stop for very exciting sightings. I did, however, persuade the Earl to stop for one or two things.

Wildebeest with red dune in the background

Crowned Lapwings

The ever-present Jackal

Namaqua Sandgrouse

As we travelled the temperature rose and by the time we stopped at Melkvlei for breakfast at around 11 it was warm enough to shed the layers to shirt sleeves. 

We were expecting the road from Melkvlei to be corrugated and sandy but in fact, it was not too bad. However, we still managed to get a puncture!   This we only realized when we pulled into the next picnic site.  By now the temperature had risen to 30 degrees C.   At first, we thought we’d just pump it up and see if we could get to the garage at Nossob.  But the pressure did not hold for even five minutes so it was clear that the tyre would have to be changed immediately.   With the car packed to the hilt, it was not easy getting to the tools.  The fridge had to be moved and this meant the back seat had to be folded down.  Easy – once I’d cleared all the stuff occupying it!

Now, I am not a modern woman. In my day it was not done for a lady to change a tyre.  That’s what husbands were for.  However, I am a willing helper and will do whatever I can to help.  Just don’t let it be anything mechanical.  I was, however, trained quite well by my older brother to hold this and pass me that.  I was not popular, though, when I handed a certain tool the wrong way round to my sweating hubby under the car!  But it turns out that small fingers are good for undoing wheel nuts once they’ve been loosened!

While Alec and Earl did the hard stuff, and I had a break between obeying instructions I managed to take some photographs.

I am quite proud that my 79-year-old hubby can still get under a car!

A Cape Starling looks on

The sociable weavers wondered what was happening

The closer we got to Nossob the more game we began to see.  The herds of springbok, gemsbok and wildebeest were bigger than those we saw in the south.  We did not stop though, as we just wanted to get to camp and set up.

We arrived at around 15h00 and were assigned Number 3 and 4 Premium Sites.   Each has its own private ablution and outdoor kitchen.   What luxury and we’re here for five nights.

The Outdoor Kitchen

16 Augus 2023 Nossob to Marie se Draai

After packing coffee and snacks with the intention of coming back for breakfast we left camp at quarter to eight.  We went as far as Marie se Gat and then returned by 11 o’clock. 
The road in some parts is quite corrugated but this is the nature of Kgalagadi.  In years past they were far worse!

The usual birds – white-browed sparrow-weavers, sociable weavers, pale chanting goshawks put in an appearance but there was little else exciting.   We are surprised that we are not seeing more larks, and owls are conspicuous by their absence!

Kori Bustards are exactly where they should be – all over the Kgalagadi and we sometimes saw three or more together.  Some were far away and others closer, always walking and busy, stretching their heads backwards and forwards.  

Kori Bustard

At Marie se Gat a lovely big herd of wildebeest came down for a drink.   At first, they were nervous of something (perhaps us) and took their time coming to the fresh pond although they messed around in the muddy puddles. Marie se gat – Meaning Marie’s Hole has an interesting story. Marie’s husband, Henry Brink, was a borehole driller and was meant to do this particular borehole but he got drunk a little too often and was not able to work to his full potential. Marie got fed up with him so she drilled the hole herslef, hence the name. The site of this borehole is where the farm called Rooikop (Red Head or Hill) used to be.

An active herd of wildebeest

Enjoying a drink together

On our way back to camp we spotted a few birds

A White-backed Vulture

Marico Flycatcher

We returned at 9:30 and the Earl cooked us scrambled eggs for breakfast and then we decided to try the north road but as were about to go through someone coming in told us they had seen absolutely nothing so we decided to follow Alec to Marie se Gat again.  

At Marie se Gat it was the turn of the Gemsbok to drink.   Doves, sparrows and canaries were also having a party at the waterhole.

Yellow Canary

While watching the birds and the gemsbok, I noticed a shape that looked like an abandoned pair of boots. Then the Earl said, Can you see the jackal?

Spot the Jackal

Did you find him in the previous picture

A lovely shady tree

We arrived back at camp at around 1 and it was very hot.  After I’d done some laundry in a bucket and tidied the caravan we both decided to have a nap but after an hour were woken when the caravan started to rock and the door slammed shut.   The wind had picked up and there was a huge dust storm.  It went on for half an hour and then calmed down slightly.   It was a bit breezy at 4 when we went out again but at least the dust had settled.

We were only going to go as far as Rooikop Waterhole but there was nothing there so we carried on to Marie se Gat again.   Very little to see but these are the birds that captured our attention.

Canaries

Red-necked Falcon

Grey-headed Sparrow

Hoopoe

It was 5:30 when we arrived back at camp.   We went to the waterhole but all we saw were birds – fascinating how they come in waves, all arriving and leaving together and how the different species sometimes take turns and sometimes just share.

Nossob Waterhole

It gets more exciting tomorrow. Watch this space.

Kgalagadi Adventure – Twee Rivieren Part 2

Sunday 13 August 2023 – Day 2 at Twee Rivieren

Before I begin on today’s adventure let me tell the campers what the facilities are like here at Twee Rivieren.

There is a laundry with a functioning washing machine and dryer. You need to buy tokens from Reception at R21 each. There are also laundry basins for hand washing and there is a courtyard where you may hang your clothes.

The ablutions are clean and well-maintained if a little old-fashioned. The showers are hot and they work well.

There is also an adequate kitchen where you can do the washing up. It also has a microwave oven for the use of guests.

The park shop is okay. You can get some fresh veggies like cucumber and tomatoes, potatoes and onions but nothing special and supplies are limited. It is well stocked with nature field guides and books as well as camping equipment that you might need if you forgot to pack something. Of course, it is also full of touristy stuff.

Now to the good stuff!

We started the day with a light breakfast of cereal and yogurt and of course good strong coffee. A flask and nibbles were packed as we planned to have a snack stop at Auchterlonie Picnic Site.

The mornings and evenings are quite chilly but it warms up considerably during the day.

We followed the northern road on the west side passing Kielie Krankie to the Auchterlonie Picinic site and then across the Tierkop road to Kij Kij Waterhole. From there we drove south back to Twee Rivieren

This morning’s sunrise

Steenbok couple starting their day

A handsome gemsbok descends the mountain

There were lots of sociable weavers about

I think the pale chanting goshawk is the most common bird of prey in the park

The cutest sighting – ground squirrels catching the early morning sunrays

We were delighted to meet a Kalahari Robin

Gemsbok descended the dune path

We watched a drongo and shrike chase each other and call out bird swear words but we’re not sure who won. They settled down on separate perches as if nothing was amiss.

This Crimson-breasted Shrike wondered what he’d done to upset the drongo.

Fork-tailed Drongo looking ever so innocent after being very rude to Crimson Breasted Shrike

The white-browed sparrow-weaver decided not to get involved

View from one of the viewpoints

The Northern Black Korahaan was strutting about

One of the many Marico Flycatchers that we saw

The Common Fiscals of the Kgalagadi sport a white eye stripe

We were delighted to find a Short-toed Rock Thrush

Sally Steenbok running away from Simon again!

A handsome Yellow-billed Hornbill

Auchterlonie Picnic Site

There were a few opportunistic yellow mongooses begging for crumbs

Mr. Cape Sparrow kept an eye on the ladies

A Sobota Lark methinks

Mr. Northern Black Korhaan

Mrs. Northern Black Korhaan

Greater Kestrel

Another Wildebeest for my Oztrian friend, Erich

As we neared Kij Kij we spotted something large and orange. It was a sleeping lion with his back to us and we couldn’t see his head. However, a little further on we found two sleeping peacefully. Local gossip had it that there were several more including cubs but they were dozing somewhere out of sight.

The two cats we saw

Too nervous to drink in case they become prey

At another waterhole, we observed some ostriches having a chat.

Getting their necks in a twist while they hogged the waterhole

The gemsbok kept a respectful distance and waited his turn but the springbok simply made his way to slake his thirst

He was soon joined by the rest of the team and the ostriches being firm supporters of the Springboks looked on indulgently

If they can, I can, thought the Oryx

But the ostrich flapped his wings angrily and the bad boy scuttled away

During our last stretch back to camp we came across another two interesting mammals

Jack was on a mission but he turned to acknowledge us before scampering away

And soon after that a beautiful Red Hartebeest trotted by.

Kgalagdi Adventure – Twee Rivieren

Saturday 12 August 2023 Day 1 at Twee Rivieren

We left Monate at nine o’clock this morning.   It was once again a beautiful sunny morning with temperatures beginning at about 18 degrees C and rising to the early thirties by midday. 

It was a three-hour drive to Twee Rivieren and the closer we got to the park the more the landscape changed to typical Kalahari with its red dunes.

It was awesome to see Twee Rivieren again.  We were here last in 2018 and Cathy and Alec visited in 2019.

Once we had checked in at reception which was quick and efficient we made our way to the campsite and set up.  We chose sites next to each other that had shelters.   This time of the year TR can get quite windy and that means DUST.  We would be relatively sheltered and also close to the ablutions, laundry and kitchen.

Once we were settled we had some lunch and while everyone went to have a lie down I took a walk around the camp and visited the shop before coming back to read my book until 3 pm.

These are photos of some of the camp’s wildlife

Ground Squirrel

White-backed Mousebirds

At about 3:30 we took a short game drive.  The temperature was in the thirties and was very hot. 

Kori Bustard on our first day – not bad!

Members of our National Animal – The Springbok – welcomed us

It’s mating season for the steenboks “Come on Sally, Let’s get a room.” “No way Simon I’m not in the mood”

The South African section of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was called The Kalahari Gemsbok Park and of course, we saw quite a few members of that species.

These Guys were thirsty

Great to see this wildebeest – a favourite of my Oztrian friend, Erich

That was such a lovely sandbath!

Hi there – I’m Sammy Surricate – Have you seen my friends? Can’t find them anywhere!

I’m Gordon Ground Squirrel and No, I have not – mine are here somewhere.

Jacob Jackal is usually on a mission but when he caught sight of us he sat down and stared.

Pale Chanting Goshawk finds the top of sociable weaver condominium a perfect place to perch on

Our first Marico Flycatcher of the trip – and certainly not our last!

It was not a bad start to our Kgalagadi stay. The internet was down for a few hours and we could not refuel as the card machine was not working. Fortunately, we had enough to last for our short drive and when we returned they were back online. However, the internet is very slow and erratic and my blog posts will surely be affected by that.

Thanks to those who have made comments on WordPress, Facebook, and the groups I share links on. If I don’t reply it is all to do with trying to post while the internet is good and sometimes I just don’t get to reading all the comments.

Kgalagadi Adventure – Getting There Day 2

Friday 11 August 2023 Calvinia to Monate Caravan Park, Upington

The traffic noise was quite hectic last night and we all experienced some disturbed sleep.   The campsite would be fine if it weren’t for that little hiccup.  If the railways were functioning efficiently then there would be fewer trucks on the roads at all hours.  In years gone by this would have been an ideal overnight stop.

It was not too cold when we woke up but jeans and a fleece were required.  By 08:30 after a quick breakfast of cereal and a cup of coffee, we were packed up and ready to leave for Monate Campsite outside Upington.   By midday, the temperature had risen to 30 degrees C.

There were no more spectacular fields of flowers but instead, the stark yet beautiful Karoo landscape took over.   The colours of the Kalahari are muted – khaki, olive green, pinky mauve, and grey.  The land is flat with scattered scrub and the occasional tree.  Where there is water the landscape will suddenly come alive with brighter shades of green. As we neared the Kalahari there were patches of orange/red sandhills. 

Typical Karoo Mountains

Karoo Colours

Lovely to see lots of quiver trees

The quiver tree gets its name from the San people who used to hollow out the tubular branches of the tree to form quivers for their arrows. 

The Dry Karoo needs windmills to pump subterranean water

The only farm animals that we saw were the occasional flock of Dorper sheep.   A few springboks made an appearance and we saw a few mongooses. 

There were too many pied and black crows but we were pleased to see Pale Chanting Goshawk, kestrels, and the odd Jackal buzzard.  

As we travelled deeper into the Northern Cape we started to see sociable weaver nests.  

. The nests consist of separate chambers, each of which is occupied by a pair (sometimes with offspring) and used to roost and breed. The birds usually build their nests in acacia trees but telephone poles are used too.

We stopped in Kenhardt to refuel. Originally, we were not planning to have a meal there as we were sure there would not be anywhere suitable.  But Kenhardt turned out to be such a quaint town and it was like going back into the mid-twentieth century.  Oma Miemie’s Bakery caught Cathy’s attention and after refueling we doubled back and were able to park both caravans very comfortably.

What a gem this little restaurant is.  It was really like visiting Grandma’s house in 1960. Pies are their specialty and are baked on the premises. What a treat they are!  I had the Vegetarian which was filled with butternut and bell peppers.  The others had Lamb and Rosemary and we all had a delicious side salad of cucumber, tomato, carrot and avocado pear.  The pies are served with their homemade spekboom chutney – really good with just a little kick.  They also serve excellent coffee – an Americano for me, lattes for Alec and Cathy, and a cappuccino for the Earl.  We all agree that Oma Miemie’s is five-star! 

Bone-handle, silver cutlery, and fine china straight from Grandma’s house

A really delicious lunch

There are some lovely preserves, raw honey, home-baked fare, and other products on sale, and we all went away with some lovely treats to enjoy in the park.

Feeling refreshed and fortified we continued on for another hour and a half.  Driving through Upington which is quite a big Northern Cape town was quite hair-raising as there was a lot of traffic, school had just been let out and very few of the traffic lights were working!  It’s a good thing we did not wait to have lunch there!

Our campsite, Monate, is several kilometres outside Upington and is just lovely. We have plenty of shade, a neat little picnic table, a lovely braaiplek, and the birdlife is great.   A special bird to see in the park is the Northern Black Korhaan – well there were ten walking around the campsite when we arrived.  I have never seen so many in one place in my life before.  White-browed sparrow weavers have made their nests, as usual on the west side of the trees, and they were very vocal today.  We also spotted a crowned lapwing and some bulbuls. A ground squirrel and a yellow mongoose also made an appearance.

Two Geckos arriving at Monate

Our campsite

Some of the korhaans at the camp

Male Northern Black Korhaan

White-browed Sparrow Weaver

Ground Squirrel

Yellow Mongoose

Laughing Doves

Sunset at Monate

The Earl at the Braai

It was warm enough to strip off jeans and jerseys and change into shorts and t-shirts and although it got slightly cooler in the evening it was only necessary to don a fleece. 

Because we had eaten such a lovely lunch we were not very hungry at supper time. So we decided just to braai some boerewors, and a chop and chicken wing each and serve it with salad.

Load shedding started at 8 and by that time we had finished eating.  Everyone went off to do ablutions and get ready to bed while I finished washing up duty.  When I’d finished I walked toward the ablution block and noticed another caravan had arrived.  Lo and behold it was Gecko 36 – Shirly and her hubby whose name now escapes me.  They had driven here all the way from Pretoria!   We chatted for half an hour.  They are on their way to Namaqualand to see the flowers.  

As I write it is half past nine and it is still warm outdoors.  I think I might have packed too many winter clothes!

Tomorrow we are off to Twee Rivieren