Kikuyu Africa - Southern African Safaris: Transfrontier? Indeed!

Kikuyu Africa - Southern African Safaris: Transfrontier? Indeed!: "So in my last Blog a couple of weeks ago, I was about to embark on a much-awaited trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier park. So did it live u..."

Transfrontier? Indeed!

So in my last Blog a couple of weeks ago, I was about to embark on a much-awaited trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier park. So did it live up to everything I had hoped? Well I will leave that for you to decide…..

The remoteness of this place hits you the minute you leave Upington, it’s 270 odd kilometers of, well nothing, until you reach Twee Rivieren on the border of the park. From there it a further 180km to Nossob and 160km to Mata Mata and once there it’s just you and the bush. It took us a good 12 Hours from Pretoria to reach the border of the park, approximately 1120 km’s and then a minimum of 4-5 hours to Nossob and I tell you what….it’s certainly worth the effort.

The park itself is fascinating as it really is based around the two ancient riverbed systems, the Nossob and the Auob. Ancient as these rivers only ever flow around once every 100 years, the last being in the 60’s. The game is plentiful along the riverbeds and as such it is where you are most likely to pick up your predators and other life. We spent 4 nights situated at Nossob Camp and were most certainly not alone, the local lion pride kept us up most nights with their roars echoing off the emptiness (Don’t ask me how it just happens). They proved to be elusive during the day but who can blame them after their performance every evening and temperatures in the late 30’s each day. Mild for these parts but thankfully so.  Back to the park, water is pumped through a series of boreholes and keeps species such as Blue Wildebeest alive that otherwise would most likely not be here. The park is now fenced and stops the game following natural migratory paths which would take them to greener pastures when the dry winter kicks in.  Between the river systems lies what often feels like endless rolling dunes. These dunes are vegetated but when travelling through them the reduction in game numbers is clear. I was still however very surprised to find a pride of recently fed lions exactly half way between the rivers one afternoon, roughly 25km’s each way. I suppose for lions that isn’t very far at all.

It is difficult to describe and all the pictures I had previously seen of the park did not prepare me for it. The contract between the dunes and the riverbeds is like black and white, it really is a stunningly beautiful landscape. As a budding photographer I wish I could spend years in a place like this to get the ultimate picture of a predator against the magnificent red dune background, thrown in with some golden light of course… one such as Lee Slabberts mesmerizing shot here of a leopard on the dunes…..one can only dream. (http://www.capturedexperiences.com Round 3 animal behavior)

So how was the game viewing? In 6 nights we managed to notch up a few on the belt but make no bones about it, we worked for our quarry.  8 separate sightings of Lion, 2 Cheetah, a Caracal (my first) who was feeding on a bat eared fox, 3 sightings of Bat Eared fox (Alive), Leopard, Spotted Hyena, Gemsbok, Wildebeest, Giraffe, Springbok, Ostrich, Ground Squirrels and the list goes on. I was disappointed not to pick up Pygmy falcon but scored booted eagle, a beautiful Great Spotted Cuckoo and the arrival of thousands of Abdims stalks was fascinating to witness (and I mean thousands).

The highlight for me was seeing the condition of the game especially the lions. In the Greater Kruger National Park the lions sadly carry TB, a domestic cattle disease brought in from Europe in the early 1900’s. They are constantly under pressure for territory and controlling prides as weakening condition allows other males to push in before their time. In the Kalagadi one gets the feeling that prides roam a much greater area and there is less conflict, coupled with the lack of disease and you get probably the most stunning lions I have every seen. The black mained boys are truly gorgeous.  The Caracal is also up there for me as it is my first confirmed sighting, but what did it for me here was the landscape and the remoteness. There is nothing quite like the feeling that you are in the middle of nowhere….did anyone actually hear us scream?

The Heat of the Kgalagadi!

It is with great excitement that I write this post. I am but 4 sleeps away from a week long trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier park. Yes I sound like a school boy again but that is how I feel. The last time I was in the area I was on the Botswana side of the park, a good 5 years back. I have been wanting to return ever since and now it is finally here.

For those of you not familiar with the park it is a vast area Kalahari desert area which spans across the borders of 3 countries. South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Although the Namibian side is not part of the park there are no fences to speak of so in reality it is. So what has got me so excited for this trip, well a couple of things spring immediately to mind, the oppressive heat at this time of year is however not one of them.

1. The desert life - This National Park is so different from what most of us are used to, this is not Kruger or Serengeti. You will not find your large pachyderms such as elephant and the grazing White Rhino. Instead they are replaced by a volume of predators second to none. From the largest Lions in the world to the tough Honey Badger this really is a predator paradise. Other predator highlights include, Cape Fox, Bat Eared Fox, Caracal, Brown and Spotted Hyena, Cheetah, and our every friendly Surricats to name but a few. And don't forget Predators on the wing, many a morning can be spent watching Lanner Falcons and Goshawks hunting Sand Grouse and other of the smaller bird varieties.
2. Photography - The landscape, The Game (as mentioned above)  and lighting all combine to make this one of the best places on earth for photography. In Winter the dust is kicked up to further enhance the mood. The night-scapes offer some of the worlds clearest skies so as an al-round photographic destination it is magnificent.
3. Wilderness - There are few places left in the world that you can truly say are wilderness. Kgalagadi Transfrontier borders on this definition. The Botswanan side is right up there but the South African side is more commercial and therefore more populated. This dos not take away from the simple fact that by car, the closest decent medical facility is roughly 6 hours away. At Nossob camp there is no phone reception, no landline phone and you cannot even pick up a radio signal. This to me says wilderness in every respect.

So wish me well in my endeavors to capture this remarkable place and in seeking my solitude in the wilderness. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with you.