17 June Daan Viljoen to Kalahari Tented Camp
Earlybird is worried that we won't make it to the Mata Mata Border Post by its closing time at 3:30.
"What's the worst that can happen?" I say.. "If we don't make it we can check into a B&B" and I find one 14km from the border post which puts him in a better frame of mind!
Of course we do make it - with an hour to spare.
We check into tent 4 and 5. After unpacking we go for a short drive and find the usual gang.
Erich does not allow us to ignore the wildebeest
Jackal checking around before taking a drink
We get back by quarter to six and start the braai. It is chilly sitting outside but Wendy and I have knee rugs and warm jackets so we aren't too fussed. We sit in the kitchen to eat.
But when we go to bed it was freezing. We put two extra blankets on each bed but it takes ages to warm up. I find sleeping with my beanie on helps. If ever you go here in winter - take a hot water bottle!
Thursday 18 June 2015
We rise in freezing temperatures - when we get into the car at 7:30 we find the temperature to be -2 and it goes down to -5 as we drive toward the waterholes. Brrrr. We turn the aircon up to 24 and soon warm up. We welcome the sun streaming into the car too.
There is very little at each waterhole and we when we get to 13th we stop to watch the red-headed finches darting in and out of the water.
We are the only car there when we notice one reversing at speed toward us. He rolls down his window and gives me some good news. Another reversing vehicle is right behind him and has an excited look of anticipation on his face
Wow - we find ourselves in the prime position without any effort at all. "Here they came!" yells Wendy. And sure enough 4 adult females and 7 cubs appear and begin drinking right next to us. The cameras get clicking and it's difficult to choose the best results so here come a whole batch.
There is an overload of cuteness
They are all over the place
They all lap happily for a while and then the cubs begin to play. Soon the moms head in the opposite direction to which we are parked. We decide that we won't turn around to follow them. But just as we start the car Wendy says - they're coming back and they give us another half and hour's entertainment before heading toward the trees and over the ridge. The babies remain behind playing and climbing the tree until one of the moms has to come and demand they follow. It is so much fun.
We are chuffed with our first day and continue on. We stop for breakfast and Earl cooks scrambled eggs, bacon, banana and cheese. Our starter is banting muesli and yogurt. A chap from another group comes over to chat and see whether our brekkie is better than theirs. Of course it is! He tells us they'd seen the lions but also a leopard and cub at another waterhole - how had we missed that!! Wrong place at the wrong time. But nothing can spoil our wonderful lion morning.
To be continued
Aussies and Saffies in KTP*
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Aussies and Saffies in KTP*
Last edited by puppy on Thu Oct 01, 2015 7:35 am, edited 2 times in total.
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
We are chuffed with our first day and continue on. We stop for breakfast and Earl cooks scrambled eggs, bacon, banana and cheese. Our starter is banting muesli and yogurt. A chap from another group comes over to chat and see whether our brekkie is better than theirs. Of course it is! He tells us they'd seen the ion but also a leopard and cub at another waterhole - how had we missed that!! Wrong place at the wrong time.
Here are some more of the cuties we saw
We retrace our tracks, enjoy the creatures we see and arrive home at 3 ish.
African Harrier Hawk is always a pleasure to see
Yellow Mongoose
Erich and Wendy go to their tent to do a few things, I wash up the brekkie things and prepare for the evening meal before having a short rest.
Earl is sitting on the deck when he suddenly yells to me to run and fetch Wendy and Erich
Is it really worth the excitement?
But wait! There're two!
The bokkies are skittish
The springbok run when they see them then stand perfectly still watching them. A wildebeest some way away is also on high alert. after a few sips they head across the veld and we dash for the car to see where they come out. Other residents have seen the action too and are heading in the right direction to follow the lions. We find them and get some close up shots before heading back to camp.
Jan has seen us all dash off without our permits and comes to check up on us and to ask what we have seen.
Supper is chicken casserole and dessert peaches and yogurt. After tea we pack up and have an early night. It's off to Nossob tomorrow.
Here are some more of the cuties we saw
We retrace our tracks, enjoy the creatures we see and arrive home at 3 ish.
African Harrier Hawk is always a pleasure to see
Yellow Mongoose
Erich and Wendy go to their tent to do a few things, I wash up the brekkie things and prepare for the evening meal before having a short rest.
Earl is sitting on the deck when he suddenly yells to me to run and fetch Wendy and Erich
Is it really worth the excitement?
But wait! There're two!
The bokkies are skittish
The springbok run when they see them then stand perfectly still watching them. A wildebeest some way away is also on high alert. after a few sips they head across the veld and we dash for the car to see where they come out. Other residents have seen the action too and are heading in the right direction to follow the lions. We find them and get some close up shots before heading back to camp.
Jan has seen us all dash off without our permits and comes to check up on us and to ask what we have seen.
Supper is chicken casserole and dessert peaches and yogurt. After tea we pack up and have an early night. It's off to Nossob tomorrow.
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
Friday 19 June 2016
I wake at quarter to six and get up at quarter past – it is freezing! I wrap myself in a rug and go to the loo. My ablutions are quick and I get dressed under the blankets! Today I don a pair of thermal tights under my jeans. I can't feel the ends of my fingers even though I wrap them in a warm pair of gloves. Packing up is painful and takes twice as long as with warm hands!
The temperature registers at -2 in the car and goes down to -3. Thank Goodness for an effective air-con in the car and soon we warm up.
There are a few exciting spots the first being two African Wild Cats darting across the veld. Unfortunately the light is wrong and they are too quick for a photograph. But still it is a great sighting.
At 13th water hole we meet a couple we’d met the day before – George and Venetia. They say they’ve seen the cubs but they have now gone over the ridge – clearly following their mothers who must be ahead of them. We chat for a while then both cars move on. We find them stopped up ahead of us and as we draw nearer see what they have seen – three cheetahs moving swiftly through the bush high up on the ridge.
We guess they are on their way to Urikaruus water hole so hurry along to wait for them. After 20 minutes, Earlybird says – they’re not coming let’s go but then a land rover ahead of us turns around. His mate has gone up to the viewpoint and has radioed him that the cheetahs are coming. So we turn around too and – there they are – coming right for us!
He is centimeters from my eyeballs.
and touches the car as he passes by. He makes his way across the road passing right next to the passenger side of the car
We’ve been looking at a steenbok at the waterhole while we are waiting and the cheetahs spot her too. The one gives chase and she scoots off into the trees – we think the cheetah will return with breakfast for the others but she comes back empty handed.
We watch the cheetahs frolic and have fun for a while and then they move back over the road and over the ridge – but wow – what a sighting.
To Be Continued
I wake at quarter to six and get up at quarter past – it is freezing! I wrap myself in a rug and go to the loo. My ablutions are quick and I get dressed under the blankets! Today I don a pair of thermal tights under my jeans. I can't feel the ends of my fingers even though I wrap them in a warm pair of gloves. Packing up is painful and takes twice as long as with warm hands!
The temperature registers at -2 in the car and goes down to -3. Thank Goodness for an effective air-con in the car and soon we warm up.
There are a few exciting spots the first being two African Wild Cats darting across the veld. Unfortunately the light is wrong and they are too quick for a photograph. But still it is a great sighting.
At 13th water hole we meet a couple we’d met the day before – George and Venetia. They say they’ve seen the cubs but they have now gone over the ridge – clearly following their mothers who must be ahead of them. We chat for a while then both cars move on. We find them stopped up ahead of us and as we draw nearer see what they have seen – three cheetahs moving swiftly through the bush high up on the ridge.
We guess they are on their way to Urikaruus water hole so hurry along to wait for them. After 20 minutes, Earlybird says – they’re not coming let’s go but then a land rover ahead of us turns around. His mate has gone up to the viewpoint and has radioed him that the cheetahs are coming. So we turn around too and – there they are – coming right for us!
He is centimeters from my eyeballs.
and touches the car as he passes by. He makes his way across the road passing right next to the passenger side of the car
We’ve been looking at a steenbok at the waterhole while we are waiting and the cheetahs spot her too. The one gives chase and she scoots off into the trees – we think the cheetah will return with breakfast for the others but she comes back empty handed.
We watch the cheetahs frolic and have fun for a while and then they move back over the road and over the ridge – but wow – what a sighting.
To Be Continued
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
Continuing 19 June 2016
Next we find the three eagle owls in the tree. Here is one of them
We stop for breakfast at Kamqua before continuing our journey to Nossob
On the way we see some interesting birds and big herds of gemsbok at the waterholes.
We check into Chalet 8 just behind reception. It is quite warm now. We have a braai for supper and eat outdoors.
An adorable visitor trying to coerce us into giving her some of our pre-dinner nuts
The Master Chef
fter supper Earl takes the Schoffls to the waterhole and I stay behind and have a shower and catch up with my bookkeeping.
There is not much happening at the waterhole so they are soon back.
Next we find the three eagle owls in the tree. Here is one of them
We stop for breakfast at Kamqua before continuing our journey to Nossob
On the way we see some interesting birds and big herds of gemsbok at the waterholes.
We check into Chalet 8 just behind reception. It is quite warm now. We have a braai for supper and eat outdoors.
An adorable visitor trying to coerce us into giving her some of our pre-dinner nuts
The Master Chef
fter supper Earl takes the Schoffls to the waterhole and I stay behind and have a shower and catch up with my bookkeeping.
There is not much happening at the waterhole so they are soon back.
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
20 June 2015 to 22 June 2015
We spend the next three days at an unfenced wilderness camp - Gharagab. The last time we were there Earlybird was sick and confined to bed for the duration of our visit. On that occasion we had a variety of buck, lions, brown hyena and jackals visit daily. So I am looking forward to a similar experience this time. That is the mistake one makes in the bush - it is never the same from one visit to the next and this visit will prove.
Gharagab is a 160 km drive from Nossob, the last stretch being a 4x4 track so the trip takes several hours.
The track to Gharagab
The track to Gharagab
Here are some pictures of what we see on the way.
Kori Bustard
Fawn-coloured lark
Jackal
Burchell's Coucal
We arrive have Cabin 3 and 4. Both have lovely views of the waterhole.
We also have some close neighbours
Our home for three nights
Our Home for three nights
Red-headed finches are regular visitors
To Be Continued:
We spend the next three days at an unfenced wilderness camp - Gharagab. The last time we were there Earlybird was sick and confined to bed for the duration of our visit. On that occasion we had a variety of buck, lions, brown hyena and jackals visit daily. So I am looking forward to a similar experience this time. That is the mistake one makes in the bush - it is never the same from one visit to the next and this visit will prove.
Gharagab is a 160 km drive from Nossob, the last stretch being a 4x4 track so the trip takes several hours.
The track to Gharagab
The track to Gharagab
Here are some pictures of what we see on the way.
Kori Bustard
Fawn-coloured lark
Jackal
Burchell's Coucal
We arrive have Cabin 3 and 4. Both have lovely views of the waterhole.
We also have some close neighbours
Our home for three nights
Our Home for three nights
Red-headed finches are regular visitors
To Be Continued:
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
Garagab Continued
The sunsets are stunning.
And the braai master produces magnificent meals
The sociable weavers are not garden birds so the fact that they have become so tame is intriguing. I have never seen them as confiding as they are here at. Clearly they have worked out that titbits are easy to come by.
We have many feathered visitors
Crimson Breasted Shrike
Glossy Starlings
Yellow Canary
Black-chested Prinia
Red-eyed bulbul
The sunsets are stunning.
And the braai master produces magnificent meals
The sociable weavers are not garden birds so the fact that they have become so tame is intriguing. I have never seen them as confiding as they are here at. Clearly they have worked out that titbits are easy to come by.
We have many feathered visitors
Crimson Breasted Shrike
Glossy Starlings
Yellow Canary
Black-chested Prinia
Red-eyed bulbul
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
Garagab Continued
The deck is where we spend most of our time and there is always some sort of entertainment.
Red Hartebeest visit the waterhole
Jackals hang around after supper
One of Earlybird's better moon shots
The deck is where we spend most of our time and there is always some sort of entertainment.
Red Hartebeest visit the waterhole
Jackals hang around after supper
One of Earlybird's better moon shots
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
Garagab to Bitterpan
23 June 2015
I am late for school - again. I rush into the building and race toward where I think my classroom is but I can't seem to find it. I panic - the girls will be fretting, wondering where I am. They won't know what to do. Some will be crying - I dash across courtyard after courtyard searching for a familiar room but mine does not appear and there's a lion roaring really close by. He's getting closer - I must find my classroom!
A distant voice yells, "Lion! Lion! Get up there's a lion outside."
I wake up - it is just the same recurring dream - I am at Gharagab and finally a lion has come calling.
It is 5:15 and it is Earl who alerts me to the lion's roar. We listen but it does not come again. We check the water hole - no sign of them. Earl gets dressed and sits at the glass door, while I snuggle under the blankets a little longer. When it's light I get up. The Aussies have heard them too and Erich says he heard the first roars far off at 3 earlier this morning. While Earlybird is packing Dawid comes to show him the spoor of two lions going past our cabin - so they were here!
At 7:30 on the dot Earlybird has us in the car and off in search of the cats. We find spoor on the road and just near Dankbaar water hole, Eagle-eye Wendy calls, "what's that?" and there in the grass sit two beautiful young black-maned lions.
We are delighted that the lions are still in the area and that we found them!
Eagle Eye Wendy spots something again. "Are those ant hills or animals?" she says.
We scan with our binos and at first see nothing then they materialize - 7 very cute suricate a but quite a distance away. How did she spot them!
We are delighted with this lovely sighting and continue to enjoy the steenbok that appear quite often, red hartebeest in playful mood and gemsbok getting their morning exercise by racing across the veld.
It's a long trip over the desert dunes and much like a rollers coaster ride. We are delighted by the Disco 4's performance.
IMG_6918
We stop at all the waterholes but apart from some bird activity there is little to see.
At Nossob we have brunch at the picnic site.
Upon arrival at Bitterpan we see another CA Land Rover. Another couple arrive just after us - Dave and Jeanette from Hogsback. The land rover owner introduces himself as Lee and we chat for a whole. Later his wife Shannon joins us. The six of us braai together but Dave and Jeanette decide to do their own.
We have a delightful evening.
Sunset
Me. Earlybird, Erich, Wendy, Lee
23 June 2015
I am late for school - again. I rush into the building and race toward where I think my classroom is but I can't seem to find it. I panic - the girls will be fretting, wondering where I am. They won't know what to do. Some will be crying - I dash across courtyard after courtyard searching for a familiar room but mine does not appear and there's a lion roaring really close by. He's getting closer - I must find my classroom!
A distant voice yells, "Lion! Lion! Get up there's a lion outside."
I wake up - it is just the same recurring dream - I am at Gharagab and finally a lion has come calling.
It is 5:15 and it is Earl who alerts me to the lion's roar. We listen but it does not come again. We check the water hole - no sign of them. Earl gets dressed and sits at the glass door, while I snuggle under the blankets a little longer. When it's light I get up. The Aussies have heard them too and Erich says he heard the first roars far off at 3 earlier this morning. While Earlybird is packing Dawid comes to show him the spoor of two lions going past our cabin - so they were here!
At 7:30 on the dot Earlybird has us in the car and off in search of the cats. We find spoor on the road and just near Dankbaar water hole, Eagle-eye Wendy calls, "what's that?" and there in the grass sit two beautiful young black-maned lions.
We are delighted that the lions are still in the area and that we found them!
Eagle Eye Wendy spots something again. "Are those ant hills or animals?" she says.
We scan with our binos and at first see nothing then they materialize - 7 very cute suricate a but quite a distance away. How did she spot them!
We are delighted with this lovely sighting and continue to enjoy the steenbok that appear quite often, red hartebeest in playful mood and gemsbok getting their morning exercise by racing across the veld.
It's a long trip over the desert dunes and much like a rollers coaster ride. We are delighted by the Disco 4's performance.
IMG_6918
We stop at all the waterholes but apart from some bird activity there is little to see.
At Nossob we have brunch at the picnic site.
Upon arrival at Bitterpan we see another CA Land Rover. Another couple arrive just after us - Dave and Jeanette from Hogsback. The land rover owner introduces himself as Lee and we chat for a whole. Later his wife Shannon joins us. The six of us braai together but Dave and Jeanette decide to do their own.
We have a delightful evening.
Sunset
Me. Earlybird, Erich, Wendy, Lee
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
24 June 2015 Bitterpan
We hear lions this morning but none appear at the waterhole. We cook breakfast, chat to our neighbours and exchange details then leave for Twee Rivieren.
It is another roller coaster ride over the dunes and the scenery is great. We then take the dune road toward the Nossob - Twee Rivieren road but we have only a few sightings.
Affectionate jackals
Secretary Bird
Bokkies
We watched a flock of ostriches decend the dune
It is our grandson, Jay's eighteenth birthday today. We have had no internet or cell phone coms so are delighted to be able to ring him when we get to Twee Rivieren - the only camp where such luxuries are available
Doesn't Earlybird look cute with my pink iphone on his ear? The exciting news of Jay being selected for Western Province delights him. Watch out Shelly Beach - Here comes Jay!
We spend the afternoon relaxing and have a braai for dinner.
25 June 2015 Twee Rivieren
We set off early and are the first car in the queue. I tell Earlybird he is making a mistake choosing the Mata Mata road as it was very quiet in March and we had had all our good sightings on the Nossob road.
"The fact that we saw nothing yesterday," I said, "is because it was the wrong time of day."
I don't like travelling at 40 km/hr. It is too fast in a game reserve. As we whiz by I see something right on the side of the road and yell, "Stop - lion!"
Earlybird sees it at the same time a skids to a halt. We've almost passed a pride of 8. The two males are proudly watching their cubs while the moms cross over to the other side of the road.
We are the only car for half an hour - nobody else comes while we're there. We move on and alert several others as we pass them. It's fun to see their bored expressions change when they realise that good a sighting is coming up soon!
Lions are not the only exciting things to see in a game reserve. We are very excited at our next observation.
Close by there were these little cuties too
To be Continued
We hear lions this morning but none appear at the waterhole. We cook breakfast, chat to our neighbours and exchange details then leave for Twee Rivieren.
It is another roller coaster ride over the dunes and the scenery is great. We then take the dune road toward the Nossob - Twee Rivieren road but we have only a few sightings.
Affectionate jackals
Secretary Bird
Bokkies
We watched a flock of ostriches decend the dune
It is our grandson, Jay's eighteenth birthday today. We have had no internet or cell phone coms so are delighted to be able to ring him when we get to Twee Rivieren - the only camp where such luxuries are available
Doesn't Earlybird look cute with my pink iphone on his ear? The exciting news of Jay being selected for Western Province delights him. Watch out Shelly Beach - Here comes Jay!
We spend the afternoon relaxing and have a braai for dinner.
25 June 2015 Twee Rivieren
We set off early and are the first car in the queue. I tell Earlybird he is making a mistake choosing the Mata Mata road as it was very quiet in March and we had had all our good sightings on the Nossob road.
"The fact that we saw nothing yesterday," I said, "is because it was the wrong time of day."
I don't like travelling at 40 km/hr. It is too fast in a game reserve. As we whiz by I see something right on the side of the road and yell, "Stop - lion!"
Earlybird sees it at the same time a skids to a halt. We've almost passed a pride of 8. The two males are proudly watching their cubs while the moms cross over to the other side of the road.
We are the only car for half an hour - nobody else comes while we're there. We move on and alert several others as we pass them. It's fun to see their bored expressions change when they realise that good a sighting is coming up soon!
Lions are not the only exciting things to see in a game reserve. We are very excited at our next observation.
Close by there were these little cuties too
To be Continued
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com
- puppy
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:13 pm
- Country: South Africa
- Location: Struisbaai, Western Cape
- Contact:
Re: Aussies and Saffies in KTP
Continuing:-
I have to take back my words about this being the wrong road to take today - because in addition to our lions and other creatures we have three cheetah sightings
After we have breakfast at Kamqua picnic site we drive on a bit further toward Mata Mata and find some cars parked. They tell us we've missed three cheetahs trying to get lunch. Then we see them!
We follow them as they make their way through the bush
We think they may try to hunt again but instead they lie down under a tree and so we leave them in peace.
We travel a little further and spot yet another cheetah on the ridge
As we travel on Earlybird stops and says - Look at that gemsbok - We look and see his is standing stock still and staring up onto the dune ridge. We scan with our binoculars and after a few minutes I spot her.
She starts to move towards the springbok and gemsbok. They all move away and the springbok cross to the other side of the road.
Eventually we leave as all the animals are aware of her and she won't hunt today.
As we travel back to TR cars stop us to say they have seen the lions but when we get back to the spot they are no longer there. What a fabulous last day we have had.
Thank you all for following along
I have to take back my words about this being the wrong road to take today - because in addition to our lions and other creatures we have three cheetah sightings
After we have breakfast at Kamqua picnic site we drive on a bit further toward Mata Mata and find some cars parked. They tell us we've missed three cheetahs trying to get lunch. Then we see them!
We follow them as they make their way through the bush
We think they may try to hunt again but instead they lie down under a tree and so we leave them in peace.
We travel a little further and spot yet another cheetah on the ridge
As we travel on Earlybird stops and says - Look at that gemsbok - We look and see his is standing stock still and staring up onto the dune ridge. We scan with our binoculars and after a few minutes I spot her.
She starts to move towards the springbok and gemsbok. They all move away and the springbok cross to the other side of the road.
Eventually we leave as all the animals are aware of her and she won't hunt today.
As we travel back to TR cars stop us to say they have seen the lions but when we get back to the spot they are no longer there. What a fabulous last day we have had.
Thank you all for following along
https://puppy1952.wordpress.com