Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
June 2016
Preperations for the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park (KTP)
at the tri-border region Namibia, South Africa, Botswana
In Upington, the gate to the Kalahari, our Toyo received his 40‘000 km service. As this was a big service we had it done by the official Toyota representative within on day.
For safety sake we rather replaced the bearings of our off-road trailer a bit earlier at an off-road centre. Thus both vehicles were fit to tackle the challenging roads of the KTP.
Barbershop men only
Men hairdresser is not allowed to cut women hair in the barbershop. It took all our persuasion to get the hairdresser to cut Brigitte's hair. The price for the very short haircut was Rand 90, or Sfr. 6. Because in the shopping mall are other Hair Salons, the barber shop got only the authorization for men treatments.
Monate Lodge
13Km on the outskirts of Upington we camped at the Monate lodge in the midst of dozens of Springboks. The campground Eland Lodge in Upington is huge, but was totally abandoned. There our trailer would have been too unattended during our shopping trips.
Game Drives in the KTP
After a couple of very insisting calls Brigitte managed to book three nights at the apparently fully booked Twee Rivieren Camp.
We used this as start-up camp to travel to three other camps within a period of two weeks. Traveling into the KTP from Twee Rivieren requires a permit which has to be picked up at the gate and has to be returned before the gate closes at sunset. Permits that are not handed back by sunset result in a search campaign.
We started our game drive in the morning after the gates were opened in north-westerly direction towards Mata Mata. The sun was rising and lit up the plain. After a 20 km drive we discovered a lioness in the plain in front of us. She was busy dragging a part of her kill underneath a tree right next to us - to save it from other interested parties. A couple of jackals watched from a safe distance. They were interested in the leftovers of the oryx.
From the fringes of the pan a Brown Hyena made its appearance. Its target was the tree under which the lioness has retreated with her prey. Now it started to get very exciting. The hyena was five metres away from the tree when the lioness darted towards it and attacked. The hyena snarled at the lioness, but made a fast retreat.
It made another attempt from the other side of the tree fifteen minutes later but was driven back again by the attentive lioness.
24 hours later we visited the sleeping lioness underneath her tree again. Visibly satisfied she was lying next to the left overs of her prey.
On the way to Camp Nossob we found the carcass of a wildebeest. Jackals were feeding on it. 48 hours later little remained. Raptors, jackals and hyenas reduced it to a gnawed off skeleton.
Close lion encounters
We spend over two weeks in 4 different camps in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Nationalpark. From the camps drove out on gravel roads and sand tracks into the park. Our game drives added up to more than 1000 kilometres.
The Mabuasehube Area on the Botswana side is a paradise for adventurous and a challenge for self-caterers. The remote campsites are not fenced which helped us to a unique lion encounter on the Mpayathutlwa pan.
Thanks to our comprehensive equipment which allows us to go without long drops and primitive showers we were able to get a short-notice substitute camp site between the two - 600 metres apart - official ones. Our two neighbours had booked their sites a year in advance!
We’ve had breakfast on our wonderful campsite with breath-taking view onto the pan. I tried to find a slow puncture on the left rear Toyo tyre. Suddenly Brigitte warned me: „Lion behind you!“ and took shelter in the trailer. A gorgeous male lion was strolling calmly towards us. Distance approximately 20 metres. At 10 metres I looked the guy straight into the eyes with my lens and quickly retreated - very impressed - into the safety of the Toyo.
In the meantime Brigitte had lifted the lower entrance hatch and had let the top one down. She was not able to completely close it anymore and literally through a narrow gap looked the lion, which stood at the entrance and smelled her, into the eyes. The lion took the quality of our equipment to the test. He sniffed at and bit into a chair and even the sturdiness of our table was tested with a bite.
Then he brought his attention to Brigitte’s Crocs, which she had taken off before entering the trailer. These caught his interest. He snatched up one and lay on his side to take it for a gnaw test.
After about ten minutes he got up and left for the pan.
We stayed for three nights on this amazing campsite ever so often checking our backs. The lion did not return, but the following night we were visited by four spotted hyenas.
Special Immigration Conditions in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park (KTP)
As our South African tourist visa (3months) was about to expire we asked at the South African immigrations in the park which steps to take next. The officer explained that he would stamp off our visa before it expired. When leaving into the Botswana side of the park we would have to get an entry stamp and tourist visa from Botswana Immigrations. Until then we were allowed to travel the park without a visa.
For us a rather unconventional, but helpful solution which worked-out without any complications. We had to open the gate at the border ourselves and unfortunately there was no customs officer to check our goods.
Photos
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: June 2016
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 001 Oryx
Oryx in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 002 track to Nossob
Track from Twee Rivieren to Nossob.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 003 Springbok
Springbok herd
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 004
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 005
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 006 track to Mata mata
Track from Twee Rivieren to Mata Mata.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 007 Ostrich Family
Ostrich family
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 008
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 009
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 010 Blue Wildebeest
group of Blue Wildebeest
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 011
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 012
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 013 Cheetah
Cheetah looking for food.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 014
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 015 Kori Bustard
Kori Bustard
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 016 Black Backed Jackal
Black Backed Jackal
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 017 Black Backed Jackal with prey
hutig prey dinner
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 018 Lapped Faced Vulture
Lapped Faced Vulture
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 019 Bateleur Eagle
Bateleur Eagle
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 020
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 021 Spotted Hyaena
Spotted Hyena
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 022 track to Nossob
Track from Twee Rivieren to Nossob.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 023 Lion
Lioness in the Kgalagadi.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 024 group of lions
Lions in the sun...
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 025 Springok
grazing Springboks
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 026 Ground Squirrel
Ground Squirrel
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 027 Cheetah
elegant Cheetah
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 028 Cheetah hiddig in the gras
Cheetahs hiding in the gras.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 029 Secretary Bird
Secretary Bird
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 030 Ostrich family
Ostrich family
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 031 Caracal
Caracal
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 032 Red Wildebeest
Red Wildebeest
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 033 Giant Eagle Owl
Giant Eagle Owls
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 034
jackals live run
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 035 Kori Bustard
Kori Bustard
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 036 Lion
Lioness in the KTP
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 037 well camouflaged
well camouflaged
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 038 Secretary Bird
Secretary Bird
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 039
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 040 track to Mata Mata
Track from Twee Rivieren to Mata Mata.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 041 Lion goes for a prey
Lioness goes for a prey.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 042
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 043 Lion with her prey
Lioness with her prey.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 044 lion protecting her kill
Lioness protecting her kill.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 044 lion with her kill
Lioness with her kill.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 044 lion protecting her kill3
Lioness protecting her kill.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 046 lion and brown hyaena fight
Lioness and Brown Hyena are fighting.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 047 lion and brown hyaena fight
Lioness and Brown Hyena, who is going to win the fight?
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 048
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 049
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 050 Brown Hyaena
Brown Hyena, dangerous look.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 051 Brown Hzaena
Brown Hyena in company with jackal.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 052 Sprigbok
Plenty of Springboks.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 053 Brown Hyaena is looking for food
Brown Hyena is looking for food.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 054
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 055 Berrybush Farm Camping near Tsabong
Berrybush Farm Camping near Tsabong.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 056 sundowner feeling
Sundowner feeling...
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 057 camp fire
Relaxing campfire...
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 058 track from Tsabong to Mabasehube Game Reserve
Track from Tsabong to Mabuasehube East Gate.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 059
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 060 sandy track from Tsabong to Mabasehube Game Reserve
Track from Tsabong to Mabuasehube Game Reserve.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 061 Mpayathutlwa Pan im Mahuasehube Game Reserve
Mpayathutlwa Pan view.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 062 Mpayathutlwa Pan im Mahuasehube Game Reserve 062
Our camp at Mpayathutlwa Pan in the Mabuaseube Game Reserve.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 063
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 064 Mpayathutlwa Pan im Mahuasehube Game Reserve
Our camp at Mpayathutlwa Pan in the Mabuasehube Game Reserve.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 065 lion visit at our camp
Lion visit at our camp!
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 066 lion visit at our camp
Lion visit at our camp.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 067 lion visit at our camp
Lion visit at our camp in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 068 lion visit at our camp
Lion is testing our chair in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 069 lion visit at our camp
Lion is testing our table in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 070 lion visit at our camp
Lion is taking our shoes.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 071 lion visit at our camp
Lion is walking away with our shoe.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 072 lion visit at our camp
Lion is tasting the quality of our shoe.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 073 lion visit at our camp
Lion is chewing our shoe.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 074 lion visit at our camp
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 075 lion visit at our camp
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 076
Lion disappers in the Mpayathutlwa Pan.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 077
Track from Mabuasehube Pan to Lesholoago Pan.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 078
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 079
Food for predators.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 080
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 081
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 082 Red Hardebeest
Red Wildebeest.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 083
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 084 Meerkat
Meerkat
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 085
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 086 Ground Squirrel
Ground Squirrel
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 087 track to Lesholoago Pan
track to Lesholoago Pan
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 088
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 089
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 090
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 091 Cheetah is visitng our camp
Cheetah is visiting our camp.
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2016 06 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 092 camp fire
Campfire in the KTP.