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7. Kalaghadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa - 28 July to 3 August 2009
On Tuesday 28 July left Spitskop Nature Reserve and headed for the Kalaghadi Transfrontier Park. We were surprised to find it was a bitumen road all the way to the entrance gate, where we had to have our passports stamped out of South Africa because we would eventually exit the park into Namibia. On our first of 6 nights in the park we camped at Twee Rivieren (Twin Rivers) Campsite. There was a restaurant so we were able to have a celebratory dinner where I had Springbok Pie, but Brian's Pork Spareribs were sensational.
Wednesday we drove towards Nossob, where we camped for Wednesday and Thursday nights. The Nossob River only flows perhaps twice every 100 years but the road is alongside the riverbed most of the time and the wildlife likes the sweeter grass there. We saw Blue Wildebeest, Black-backed Jackal, Gemsbok, Springbok and birdlife as well - Secretary Birds, Kori Bustards Tawny Eagles, Goshawks, Ostrich and plenty of Sociable Weavers and their huge nests which apparently can house up to 300 birds, including chicks. But best of all we saw two Cheetahs some distance across the riverbed, but still close enough to watch through the camera lens and the binoculars. There was a fresh kill which we may have just missed, and the Cheetah were eating what looked like a young Gemsbok. We sat there for some time watching their behaviour as they fed, taking turns and chasing away the Black-backed Jackals which were coming quite close. Interestingly, Gemsbok that had probably scattered during the chase gradually came back, one young one reuniting with its mother, and they stood quite close and watched, obviously knowing there was no longer immediate danger from these Cheetahs.
Nossob Rest Camp was comfortable and friendly. We met two lovely couples from Johannesburg who were travelling together and we enjoyed chatting to them. One couple had an ingenious tent which inflated, and they had been camping in it since 1966. Their son has done a Capetown to Cairo trip and so they were interested to have our blog site.
Thursday we went for a game drive and saw similar game as well as Spotted Hyaena and Giraffe, and thoroughly enjoyed the landscape. We had wind and a thunderstorm during the evening, but more noise than rain. Heard lions during the night. Left Nossob on Friday for the drive across to Bitterpan, a 4x4 drive across sand dunes, very beautiful with stormclouds still around when we left.
Bitterpan Wilderness Camp is just that, with 4 Reed Camps (or chalets made of timber and reeds) overlooking a large salt pan, with wildlife occasionally wandering across. We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon with a short game drive before we met the others staying at the camp. A couple from Cape Town, a couple from Pretoria and two brothers from Fontainebleau, near Paris. So very enjoyable company for the evening around our unfenced accommodation, though the rooms and communal dining room are raised and enclosed by a low fence. Not so the braii area, where we had a huge fire and a communal braii and all ate together in the dining room. Wonderful company for the evening. During dinner, the ranger who lives in a tiny hut close by, blew his whistle which was to indicate that there were lions around the camp. He was shining his torch on a pride of about seven including lionesses and juveniles just outside his hut. So we all shone our torches as well and had a wonderful view of them as they walked around.
Saturday 1 August (one month since we left home on 1 July!) drove to Kalahari Tented Camp, which is canvas accommodation with ensuite bathroom and separate self-catering kitchen, and a little braii area overlooking the Auob River bed, this river only flowing approximately once every 11 years. Great spot, but absolutely freezing night, apparently -6 degrees we were told the following morning. Our tent was between the two South African couples whom we had met at Nossob, and also staying here was the Cape Town couple we met at Bitterpan. It was like meeting 'old friends!'
On our last day in the Kalaghadi we only had to get to Mata Mata Rest Camp, 2 km away, but we decided to go on a game drive first. We ended up spending the day 'stalking lions'. We were told by other game drivers where they had just been seen watering, and then lazing about at the top of the sand dune overlooking the waterhole. We could see them up on the dune, and took a few photos hoping they would come down to the water, but no luck. So we decided to drive to one of the braii areas along the road, and had a braii lunch, then back to wait for lions. We didn't see them come to the waterhole, but once again were close enough to watch and photograph them for a while. Great fun!!
Eventually made it to Mata Mata Rest Camp just in time to have a beer at sunset. Next to us was a couple from New Zealand, who were travelling around Southern Africa for three months. We enjoyed chatting and swapped blog sites.
We left the Kalaghadi Transfrontier Park on Monday 3 August, through the Namibia Border Post no problem, and drove on excellent gravel road heading for Hardap Dam Recreational Resort, hoping for 3 nights or so of relaxing and a catch up. Unfortunately the camping site at the dam didn't appeal. No view of the dam and a hot looking site surrounded by brick chalets. So set off to find something near Mariental, and found Koha Guest Farm, where our host could not do enough for us - great facilities, free firewood, lovely shady campsite overlooking the working farm which has vineyards, cropping and sheep. We had three very relaxing nights and now feel energised to set off for Windhoek and then on to Etosha National Park.
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