• Northern deserts (Aug 2014)

    Northern deserts 2014

    Click on the map to see a higher resolution

  • Within the park, there is only one permanent waterhole (artificial) so all the wildlife is concentrated there. We saw only bull elephants though as all the family herds were gone to the Boteti. We also managed to catch a glimpse of a male lion as the night was falling. We spent a night at the KSL South camp which is all right but not great.

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan 

    Nxai pan artificial waterhole 

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

     Skittish birds

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    5 big boys 

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

     Natural frame

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    Playful wildebeests

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan 

    Burchell's sandgrouses

    Nxai Pan NP: the actual pan

    Secretary bird


    your comment
  • From the  Makgadikgadi we went straight into Nxai Pan NP. Now the road to get to the actual pan was once again a nightmare, most probably the worst we had over the whole trip...

    It was overcast the whole day, so the pictures are not great but they should give you an idea of what you can expect to find out there.

     

    We first stopped at Baines Baobads for breakfast.

    Nxai pan NP

    Nxai pan NP

    Nxai pan NP

    Nxai pan NP

    Dry salt pan along the way


    your comment
  • We came out of the Kalahari via the Matswere gate and proceeded to Rapkos to fill up the car. This is a very small town and if you plan to get some groceries there, expect to be disappointed.

    From there, we wept a night at Khumaga Tiann's Camp located along the Boteti. before crossing the river into the Makgadikgadi NP  The camp was new when we were there and it was really nice. 

    During the dry season, all the animals move to the river banks, the only place where water is still available. We thus decided not to go deep in the park towards the salt pans, but to drive North along the river.

    The roads are very sandy but without any big difficulty.

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    On the banks of the Boteti river

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    White backed vulture nesting in an Ilala palm tree

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    Sandpiper but which one??

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    Blacksmith plover

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    African jacana

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    Slender mongoose

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    Monitor lizard...

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    ...Hunting for frogs...

    Makgadikgadi NP and Boteti River

    ...Got one!!!!

     

    Coming out of the park via the North is hell of a mission! The road is really bad, deep sand with corrugations and bumps all the way, be prepared to gat shaken!!


    your comment
  • So after we finished our trip in Namibia we crossed over to Botswana and after a night in Ghanzi at Thakadu camp site (quite nice by the way) we headed out early morning to Xade and Central Kalahari NP.

    We spent 3 nights there, first at Piper Pan #1, then Passarge Pan #3 and finally at Sunday Pan #3.

    Piper Pan camp was very nice and just a 2min drive away from the artifical waterhole. We didn't see much there but lion walked past during the night, roaring very close to camp.

    Passarge Camp was also good but I would recommend campsite #2 that has a view on the Passarge valley.

    Sunday camp was also good and close to the artificial pan as well.

     

    We didn't see a lot of people there and felt quite remote for the whole stay. The roads are far better that I anticipated with only a few passages of deep sand but really easy to negotiate. However, I bet the area is difficult to access as soon as it starts raining judging but the deep tyre tracks in the dry mud...

     

    Wildlife wise, we saw plentiful of gemsboks, springboks, zebras, wildebeests and hell of a lot koraans and especially the lori bustards. We saw lions only once and from a distance and no other predator, so a bit disappointed by that, but overall it was a very nice experience!!

    Around Piper pan

    Towards Passarge valley

    Springbok

    Central Kalahari NP

    Kalahari classic (Gemsbok)

    Central Kalahari NP

    Central Kalahari NP

    Central Kalahari NP

    Central Kalahari NP

    Ground squirrel

    Central Kalahari NP

    Northern black korhaan

    There were so many of them, with male calling all the time. Must has been the breeding season...

    Central Kalahari NP

    Gemsbok family

    Central Kalahari NP

    Yellow mongoose

    These ones lie in burrows they sometimes share with ground squirrels

    Central Kalahari NP

    Central Kalahari NP

    Rock agamas

    Central Kalahari NP

    Acacia erioloba in full bloom

    Central Kalahari NP

    Very young springbok hiding in the dry grass

     


    1 comment
  • Central Kalahari NP 2/2

    Central Kalahari NP 2/2

    Swallow tailed bee-eaters at Sunday Pan

    Central Kalahari NP 2/2

    African red-eyed bulbul

    Central Kalahari NP 2/2

    Central Kalahari NP 2/2

    Ground squirrel (again)

    Central Kalahari NP 2/2

    Central Kalahari NP 2/2

    Black backed jackal


    your comment


    Follow this section's article RSS flux
    Follow this section's comments RSS flux