Introduction

South Africa is an obvious destination for the wildlife traveller. A mouth watering selection of birds combined with a wide diversity of sought after reptiles is more than enough to tempt the nature enthusiast. However, it’s the unrivalled mammal watching opportunities that really get my juices flowing. From the large, charismatic predators down to the obscure and elusive rodents, African mammals have fascinated me for as long as I care to remember.

Somehow my affinity for southern Africa extends way past the abundant wildlife. I don’t know if it’s the stunning scenery, the friendly people or outdoor safari lifestyle, but since my brief visit to Botswana in 2004, I have ached to set foot on the red African soil once again.

Sarah hadn’t visited the continent before so I was a little nervous she wouldn’t share my passion. I was wrong to worry as Sarah greatly enjoyed her time in Africa, not least because of the countless photographic opportunities it presented.

Some itinerary and travel details...

While our holiday in South Africa was a long time in the pipeline, the actual trip was booked very last minute. This was down to circumstances outside our control, and mostly due to Sarah’s job in local government looking uncertain because of the poor economic climate.

Accommodation in Kruger and the other key national parks fills up months in advance meaning limited choice was left for our eleventh-hour trip. For this reason we initially decided to restrict our travels to the Western Cape. This in itself would have been a noble idea and we could easily have spent two weeks exploring the countless reserves of the region, while taking in the odd winery and pelagic.

However, after a little research it soon became apparent that to see many of my target mammals in the wild, i.e. not captive in a game park, I would have to be extremely lucky (e.g. Cape Leopard) or I would have to make do with recent reintroductions (e.g. Lions in the Karoo), which themselves can be very elusive. Don’t get me wrong, the Western Cape is home to many fascinating mammals, some of which can be seen fairly easily in truly wild conditions. It’s just that on my second visit to Africa I really wanted to catch up with the big cats and a hyena or two.

A recent trip report on Birdforum.net had drawn my attention to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape. From its remote location in the Kalahari Desert down to the fantastic wildlife that lives there, everything about the place appealed to me. We quickly decided to add Kgalagadi to our itinerary although upon checking the available accommodation online it soon became apparent that this reserve is as popular as all the rest.

Thanks to some cancellations and with a little perseverance we were able to secure four consecutive nights in the Kgalagadi. They were in less than ideal parts of the park but beggars can’t be choosers! The rest of our itinerary fell quickly into place and we wasted no time booking the rest of the accommodation along our route.

We flew from London Heathrow to Cape Town direct using British Airways with no problems. Cheaper, non direct flights were considered but time was at a premium due to work commitments. With only an hour time difference between South Africa and the UK jetlag wasn’t a problem. In fact after a little sleep on the overnight flight I almost felt human when we arrived in Cape Town the next morning!

Carhire 3000 provided us with a clean, nearly new Hyundai ix35 4x4. Although somewhat underpowered and low spec, we were otherwise quite content with our choice of vehicle. It would have been possible to get away using a much cheaper saloon/sedan even in Kgalagadi. However, the high ground clearance was appreciated and no doubt afforded for better game viewing in areas of long grass (which after heavy rains was most of the Kalahari!). We would most certainly use Carhire 3000 again.

Driving around South Africa was an absolute pleasure. The roads were good and the standard of driving much better than the travel websites have you believe. In fact I see far more dangerous driving on the rural roads of Yorkshire!

Although petrol wasn’t cheap by any means, filling the tank was less expensive than in the UK. Fuel costs depleted most of our cash reserves and it’s worth noting that many fuel stations do not accept credit cards. Unlike in the UK, friendly garage attendants clean the windscreen and side windows while dispensing the fuel. On request they checked the oil and tire pressure too, and all for a small tip.

On the whole food was good and reasonably priced. We tended to eat out in most places and I enjoyed many an excellent steak or mixed grill. Even in the remote national parks the restaurants served decent food, although the choice was understandably limited. I don’t tend to drink much these days but I enjoyed a cold beer most nights. Sarah tells me the South Africans make a quality glass of wine!

While South Africa suffers from a reputation as a violent crime hotspot, it’s difficult to say just how much of this notoriety is deserved, or to what extent such crime is restricted to the big cities and large townships. What I can say is that we felt perfectly safe travelling around all the areas we visited. Sure, we didn’t leave valuables on display and we avoided driving through townships at night! However, apart from one fairly aggressive beggar in Lambert’s Bay (and the occasional Sanparks employee), we found most people to be exceptionally friendly and helpful.

Mammals were the main target of the trip, especially the species that I failed to see in Botswana. As mentioned above the big cats were top of my list, together with three species of hyena, Aardvark and Caracal. I also wanted to see Cape Porcupine, African Wildcat, Heaviside’s Dolphin, Meerkat, various rodents and about 100 other species! Obviously I didn’t expect to see everything but I was careful to plan an itinerary that at least gave me a chance at seeing some of them.

To my knowledge the time of year had little affect on the species we encountered, although the late rainy season in the Kalahari did make finding mammals a more difficult exercise. We were six months too early to see the Southern Right Whales migrate past Cape Town, although this is a great excuse for another visit.

Field herping is my other passion but Puff Adder, Cape Cobra and Cape Dwarf Chameleon were my only real targets. I really just wanted to see as many lizard, snake and tortoise species as possible although I was unsure how successful I would be due to the onset of the South African winter.

Fieldherping can be difficult in South Africa because you are restricted to the car in many national parks. This makes it impossible to search under rocks, logs etc, unless you limit yourself to camp sites and a few other designated areas. Local knowledge (knowing exactly where to look) is also paramount, especially outside protected areas. Fortunately I had this one covered, at least in the Cape Town area!

May in South Africa is not the most favourable time to see birds. A large number of summer breeders have long departed north, while many of the resident birds have moulted into dreary non-breeding plumage. With mating last thing on their minds, some species adopt a more elusive lifestyle and are more difficult to find.

That said, there were still some great birds to see, including an impressive selection of endemics. Iconic species such as Secretary Bird and African Penguin were high on my list, together with Pygmy Falcon, Cape Sugarbird, Bokmakierie and Crimson-breasted Shrike. None of these birds are difficult to find but all make great photographic subjects.

At this point I should mention that while I enjoy birding immensely, it’s fair to say I didn’t give the birds the attention they deserve on this trip. I would go further and admit (somewhat ashamedly) that many little brown jobs were almost ignored in areas where mammals and reptiles were a possibility. In South Africa this is most places! It goes with out saying that a trip concerned much more with birding would have recorded many more birds, especially one undertaken at a more favourable time of the year.

Part 1: Kalahari

Day 1 (May 8) - The adventure begins...

After a relatively smooth flight, we landed in Cape Town to find the city awakening to a day of glorious sunshine. As our plane taxied us towards the terminal building I added my first lifer in the form of Pied Crow, a much appreciated change from the usual House Sparrow or Feral Pigeon that normally frequent airports around the world.

We cleared customs with relative ease and collected our hire car with a minimal amount of fuss. Before long we were heading out of Cape Town to our first rendezvous site just north of the city. In light Sunday morning traffic we made good time adding common birds such as Sacred Ibis and Cape Gull to the trip list.

A service station gave us opportunity to freshen up, buy a road atlas, drinks etc. It was also the place we had arranged to meet friends who had kindly offered to lend us various things to make our trip even more enjoyable.

A vocal group of Blacksmith Plovers provided interest as they flitted around the margins of a nearby pond, while Cape Weavers contributed to the din from the adjacent reed bed. Across the road a hovering Rock Kestrel battled against the increasing wind, while a Cape Wagtail hunted for food scraps amongst the parked cars.

A couple of minutes later we were enjoying a much needed coffee with Trevor and Margaret Hardaker as we talked over our expectations for the weeks ahead. As we chatted, Margaret pointed out an African Spoonbill as it landed to join the plovers at the pond side.

I’m sure the name Hardaker will be instantly recognisable to any birder familiar with the South African birding scene. Not only is Trevor extremely well respected on everything from bird identification to wildlife photography, his understanding of herpetology and mammals is second to none. Margaret is also an excellent photographer with a great knowledge and passion for all things wildlife. Needless to say we benefited from a huge amount of advice on many aspects of our trip, and for this we are very grateful.

All too quickly it was time to make tracks but not before we loaded our car with various guide books, a snake-hook, a fridge, picnic equipment plus other items that the Hardakers were kind enough to lend us. After finalising our plans to meet Trevor and Margaret later in the holiday we hit the road and began our long drive north to Springbok.

As it was our first day in a new country Sarah and I were keen to find our accommodation before sunset. So with four or five hours driving ahead of us it was absolutely paramount that we made good time and kept stopping to a minimum. However, as any birder will testify, the first day in an unfamiliar land is a time when you need to stop and scrutinise every single bird, no matter how distant or familiar. With great difficulty we managed the first 100kms of the N7 stopping only once to admire a pair of South Africa’s national bird – the handsome Blue Crane.

Further down the road I couldn’t resist a leg stretch at a large pond where I noted Red-nobbed Coot, Little Rush-warbler, Reed Cormorant, Little Grebe and our first Egyptian Geese of the holiday.

A second stop at a smaller water body yielded a pair of Yellow-billed Duck, Grey Heron and a Great Egret.

To be honest the no stopping rule didn’t go down too well and before long we were parking up at the Clanwilliam Dam where we spent far too much time watching the tame birds around the picnic area.

Cape and Southern-masked Weavers posed for photographs, while a couple of Little Egrets fished in the rapids below.

A Fiscal Shrike delayed us even longer but eventually we dragged ourselves back to the car where the map made sobering reading. We quickly calculated that we had little chance of getting to our destination before dark unless I really put my foot down and made up some serious time. We could ill afford anymore stopping.

For the next couple of hours we whizzed passed the ever changing scenery ignoring countless birds of all shapes and sizes. Traffic was light and driving on the long straight roads was easy if not a little monotonous. At this point towns were few and far between and everyone knows that when driving in such environments (especially in an unfamiliar car) one should keep the fuel tank topped up at every opportunity. Well with Sarah fast asleep, I made the classic ‘school boy error’ and passed several fuel stations without filling up. It was only through luck that we reached the next town, and even then I had a small heart attack when the first garage we found was closed and in a state of disrepair. Thank God there was a newer fuel station just up the road! Lesson well and truly learnt we continued our journey to Springbok just in time for the late afternoon wildlife shift.

The first creature we saw was a bustard, most likely a Karoo Korhaan, but it’s hard to be sure at 140km/h!! Minutes later we saw our first mammal in the form of a couple of Rock Hyraxes. While I expected to bump into this creature somewhere on our trip, I was presently surprised to see them grazing at the roadside on our opening day.

Before long we spotted a Yellow Mongoose running along the roadside, and this was closely followed by a Small Grey Mongoose!

We eventually reached Springbok exhausted but with enough daylight left to find our accommodation at the Mountain View Guest House. After dumping our bags in the room, we ended the day with a much appreciated meal at the Springbok Lodge and Hotel.

Day 2 (May 9) - More driving...

I awoke from my slumber fully refreshed and soon found myself in the small garden outside our room with my binoculars in hand. A Malachite Sunbird flitted between the flowers overlooked by three very noisy African Red-eyed Bulbuls. A large tree housed several Laughing Doves, while an Orange River White-eye kept me amused until breakfast.

With another long drive ahead of us, we made a brief trip into Springbok for some food and drink supplies. Little Swifts and Pale-winged Starlings were added to the list along with Cape Bulbul and White-backed Mousebird.

An African Darter was spotted at the town pond as we headed back to the highway quickly followed by a distant bird of prey. On closer inspection the raptor turned out to be a magnificent Verreaux’s Eagle and it soon attracted the attention of two much smaller Jackal Buzzards. Although we had seen various raptors the day before, including two far-off Verreaux’s Eagles, this was the first view we were able to savour for any length of time.

The N14 road to Upington cut through scenery that at times resembled a lunar landscape, and the lack of other vehicles did nothing to dispel this notion. Numerous birds kept us occupied including our first wild Common Ostriches of the holiday, together with Lanner Falcons and Greater Kestrels.

Before long we came across the famous Sociable Weaver nests that burden many of the trees and telegraph poles of the Northern Cape. These huge, communal homes resemble thatched roofs and are often so large that they destroy the original host structure.

After refuelling in the settlement of Pofadder (named after one of my favourite snakes), we took a quick diversion taking the dirt road north out of town. At a much slower pace we were able to spot a couple of Steenbok that were watching us from a rocky outcrop above the road.

Birds seen included Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Dusky Sunbird and the dark form of Mountain Wheatear.

Back on the main highway we stopped for lunch at a small picnic site and were soon surrounded by hungry Sociable Weavers.

Once again on the road we made good time slowing down only once as we passed a Ludwig’s Bustard. Soon we reached the fertile lands of the Orange River where Black-headed Herons, Gabar Goshawk and the occasional Hamerkop kept me alert at the wheel.

We reached Upington late afternoon and easily found the Aan’t Kanaal Guest house which overlooked vineyards in the well-to-do part of town. The lush, well watered neighbourhood seemed popular with African Hoopoes, Cape Sparrows and various other birds which were a much appreciated distraction as we unloaded the car. On the recommendation of the guesthouse owner we dined at the Bi-low restaurant a short drive away. Despite the shocking name the food was absolutely delicious. It was then back to the guesthouse for an early night. Tomorrow we were going on a Kgalagadi adventure.

Day 3 (May 10) Kalahari

Spanning 3.6 million hectares, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park incorporates Kalahari wilderness reserves in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. While not true desert, the dune landscapes and dry riverbeds are home to some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife, including Cheetah, Lion and Leopard. However, before we reached the park we had another 260km to do!

Before leaving Upington we called at the huge Pick n’ Buy store where we stocked up on food supplies for the next couple of days. I also purchased a pair of rather fetching sandals from the shop next door. While loading the car, Brown-throated Martin and Hededa Ibis flew overhead.

The drive to Kgalagadi was actually very enjoyable with loads of wildlife to be seen. Both Slender Mongoose and South African Ground Squirrel narrowly avoided the wheels of our car while a couple of Springbok watched from the roadside scrub.

After a couple of hours the road left the grassland and we entered a more wooded landscape. A distant juvenile vulture was probably White-headed but unfortunately it flew out of site before I could reach my binoculars. African Grey Hornbill was also seen together with various raptors, Lilac-breasted Roller...

and Fork-tailed Drongo.

At one point of our journey I slowed down to let a 4x4 overtake. Moments later we came across a huge Puff Adder that had obviously just been run over by the other motorist. I was pretty gutted to say the least!

We eventually reached Kgalagadi around lunchtime and immediately registered at the plush Twee Rivieren visitor centre. After collecting our permit we filled up with fuel and deflated our tyres to the stipulated pressure. This last action made driving on the heavily corrugated roads much more tolerable but it also increased fuel consumption dramatically.

Rock Martins flew overhead as Sarah visited the store for a much needed icecream. Meanwhile I studied the park literature while keeping one eye on a nearby Familiar Chat. We had booked our first night in the Kalahari Tented Camp which according to our map was two and a half hour drive away. However, a guy we got talking to suggested we would need far longer if we intended to obey the strict 50km/h limit AND stop for wildlife. As the rules dictate that you have to reach camp by sunset or face a fine, we decided to it was time to make haste. With great anticipation we left the Twee Rivieren rest camp through huge gates and entered the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park proper.

Now I had been forewarned that quality wildlife sightings in the Kalahari can be few and far between, especially in the heat of the day. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised by our first few encounters. My two real target birds for this leg of the trip were Pygmy Falcon and Secretary Bird. Astonishingly these were the very first species we came across! Neither are particularly hard to find, but to see them both in quick succession was pretty mind blowing.

The road followed the dry riverbed which is where most of the game had congregated. Before long we were treated to singles of Springbok...

Gemsbok...

and Blue Wildebeest.

A Yellow Mongoose crossed in front of our car, while a handsome Tawny Eagle shared a camel thorn tree with a couple of Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters.

We did our best to make some progress but every km or so we had to stop to watch another creature. Pale Chanting Goshawk, Red Hartebeest...

Leopard Tortoise…

Crowned Plover, Black-chested Snake-eagle, Kori Bustard…

I was particularly taken by the Kori Bustard. Although we saw many in any given day, I never got over just how huge these birds really are in the flesh.

While you are prohibited to leave the car in the majority of Kgalagadi, there are several designated areas where you can use the toilet, eat lunch or stretch your legs. These areas are unfenced with nothing at all to prevent a Lion or Leopard joining you for a meal. It was at one such area that we stopped briefly and added Capped Wheatear to our list.

Back on the road time was running out. Stunning Crimson-breasted Shrikes, Lilac-breasted Rollers and Double-banded Coursers did their upmost to slow us down but it was vital we made the camp on time. Stopping once to inspect a road-killed Cape Cobra (my second target snake of the day found dead!), and maybe another 20-30 times, we arrived at the Kalahari Tented Camp with minutes to spare.

Several of the camps in Kgalagadi are termed ‘wilderness camps’ and like the picnic areas they have no perimeter fence to keep animals out. Kalahari Tented Camp is one such place and before long we were introducing ourselves to the camp guard. After handing in our permit for the night we were designated one of the tents overlooking the waterhole. For obvious reasons a curfew is in place and it is forbidden to wander around camp after dark.

Our accommodation was not strictly a tent, but a rather luxurious cabin constructed from sandbags with canvas sides and roof. It certainly exceeded my expectations and I think Sarah was pretty impressed as well. With a beer in hand I sat watching a herd of Springbok at the rather distant waterhole while a cheeky White-browed Sparrow-weaver eyedup my tube of Pringles from a nearby tree.

Darkness fell quickly and several Bibron’s Thick-toed Geckos emerged to hunt insects around the kitchen tent.

A Black-backed Jackal nervously approached the waterhole as various other nocturnal creatures emerged to serenade us with various barks and squeaks. After dinner I spent an hour or so sat in the dark, occasionally shining my spotlight into the dry riverbed below our cabin. Mostly I picked up jackals, including one particularly brazen individual only metres from where I was sitting.

Interestingly I also picked up eyeshine from a cat some distance away. It was impossible to pick up any more detail even with prolonged views through binoculars, although I’m certain it wasn’t a Lion or Leopard. Perhaps it was Caracal or Wildcat although I’ll never know for sure.

It was then time for bed, although I was far too excited to really sleep. Every strange sound had me running out of the door with the spotlight much to Sarah’s annoyance!

Day 4 (May 11) - Predators

After loading our car in the dark, we paused to watch the sun rise over the Kalahari. It was then time to quickly collect our permit and head out into the bush for our first morning game drive. I was sad to be leaving the camp site so soon without really experiencing the wilderness aspect. However, I guess we should count ourselves lucky to even get one night here considering how late we were with our booking.

We weren’t on the road long before we spotted something in the long grass. Closer inspection revealed a family group of Bat-eared Foxes hunting and playing in the morning sun.

Next we came across a sunbathing Black-backed Jackal although it quickly slunk out of view once it became aware of us.

Unlike yesterday we were able to really take our time minimising the chance of missing something in the grass. Due to a late and prolonged wet season, the national park was covered in exceptionally long grass which even covered the famous red dunes in most areas. This made spotting wildlife much more difficult which we began to realise as we continued our drive. Furthermore, because of all the rainfall water was not restricted to the usual waterholes along the riverbed. As a result the waterholes were not concentrating the wildlife as they normally do.

Still, even with the long grass there was still plenty of stuff to see. Of particular interest was a Pale Chanting Goshawk which was being mobbed by a Gabar Goshawk. These raptors are superficially similar in plumage but differ greatly in size, so a direct comparison was appreciated.

As we bumped down the dirt tracks we were constantly surrounded by interesting birds of various shapes and sizes - Common Ostrich, Kori Bustard, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Cape Glossy Starling, Secretary Bird, Crimson-breasted Shrike etc, etc.

Gemsbok, Springbok and Blue Wildebeest were also plentiful, mostly in herds of the same species. All this was great but what I really wanted was a sighting of one of the large predators.

We turned a corner to see several 4x4s parked up at various angles, while their occupants pointed long camera lenses at the long grass. Even with our limited safari experience we knew that a ‘traffic jam’ meant big cat! What’s more, from the reactions of the other observers, whatever it was, it was heading our way!

As Lions are the most commonly seen big cats in Kgalagadi I assumed this is what we were going to see. The big shape stalking through the grass confirmed this - that is until a spotty head appeared alongside Sarah’s side window! ‘Cheetah!’ I gasped, ‘and there’s another one!’ Amazingly the two Cheetahs were completely unfazed by crowd of spectators they had attracted and continued to follow the road for a couple of minutes before disappearing into the long grass.

Absolutely over the moon with our sighting we turned the car around and drove to the fenced Mata Mata Camp for some brunch. Knowing we would be spending our three remaining nights back at Twee Rivieren I thought we might as well explore this area while we had chance. The ranger at reception didn’t have any information on where to find the resident Southern White-faced Scops-owl so we tried to find it ourselves without success. Part of the reason we failed to find the owl was down to the many other distractions around camp.

Tame South African Ground Squirrels scampered around the accommodation cottages totally oblivious to the comings and goings of the cleaning staff.

The Yellow Mongooses were even more brazen, with one individual seeking me out for closer inspection.

Familiar Chat and Marico Flycatcher were added to the daylist...

... while Ground Agama and Karasburg Tree Skink provided my reptile fix for the morning at least.

Although we were happy enough in Mata Mata we knew the most interesting creatures can only be found outside the fence!Heading back towards Twee Rivieren we encountered the usual wildlife, although most creatures were seeking shade and difficult to view. Various birds were noted including Fawn-coloured Lark and Karoo Long-billed Lark, although a flyover White-backed Vulture was more impressive. All of a sudden we came across a huge Puff Adder sprawled across the road and this one was very much alive!

We watched it trying to get off the track although it was having some trouble climbing up the steep, sandy bank. I carefully positioned the car in such a way that any other vehicles would have to drive around us, limiting the chance of the snake becoming another road-kill.

Once the Puff Adder had gone we continued on our way stopping at various waterholes to observe the Namaqua Doves, Shaft-tailed Whydahs, Red-billed Queleas, Red-headed Finches and Scaly-feathered Finches that had come down to drink. If we waited long enough we would often see a Black-backed Jackal nervously approach, or more often witness a Lanner Falcon hunting the various smaller birds that had accumulated around the water.

After an hour or so of driving we came across another ‘jam’ centred on a group of trees where two Cheetahs were sat in the shade! These cats were different individuals to the pair we saw earlier and allowed for countless photo opportunities.

As if that wasn’t enough, our only Bateleur of the holiday soared overhead.

Once we had dragged ourselves away from the Cheetahs we continued on our way almost running over a probable Karoo Sand Snake as it shot across the track. We stopped briefly at the Monro waterhole where we came across an interesting bunting amongst the usual birds. It turned out to be a vagrant Cinnamon-breasted Bunting; a bird known for its nomadic nature and not usually found in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Mid afternoon we arrived at Twee Rivieren where we would be staying for the next three nights. Although it’s the biggest camp complete with restaurant, shop and many other facilities, the fact it is situated on the edge of the park means it makes a poor base for exploring the rest of Kgalagadi. Still, like I said earlier, beggars can’t be choosers!

While checking in at reception I enquired about the organised night drives. With so much nocturnal wildlife around, including Brown Hyena, it was very important to me that I booked on at least two drives. Showing no expression on her face the lady behind the desk told me the event was cancelled tonight although she didn’t really know why. Not worrying too much I booked our names down for the following two nights.

We then found our large cottage (there was only family size left when I booked) and unpacked the car. Although the accommodation was clean enough inside, I couldn’t help notice it had a strong musty smell. I also noticed a couple of droppings scattered around the main bedroom. Thinking no more about it Sarah and I headed back into the park for a late afternoon drive.

We choose the alternative road which follows a second dry riverbed, eventually arriving at Nossob. Unfortunately, due to road repairs we were only able to drive a fraction of the way for the duration of our stay.

Wildlife viewing was slow with the exception of a large rodent which quickly crossed the road in front of our car. Brant’s Whistling Rat was the most likely candidate although I couldn’t be sure as the view was distant.

As we made our way to camp we noticed several cars parked up ahead. This time I really hoped for something other than a Cheetah! We were in luck as everyone seemed to be looking into a large camel thorn. This could only mean one thing! A cheery girl in a Land Rover confirmed that a Leopard was sleeping in one of the higher branches although it could only be seen from certain parts of the road. Good manners by all ensured that we eventually enjoyed a view of the cat, although we were quick to offer our place to the next car after a couple of minutes.

We returned to camp on a high and celebrated with sundowners on our little patio, followed by a decent meal at the restaurant. We then hit our beds completely satisfied with our day in the African bush. As I turned out the light I wondered what our next new mammal species would be.

Minutes later a clear squeak came from the thatched roof above our heads, although I did my best to ignore it. There was another squeak followed by the sound of fluttering around the pitch black room. I turned on the light in time to see a fairly large bat flying around the rafters although it quickly disappeared again much to Sarah’s relief.

We turned off the light and the bat returned so we moved to the other bedroom. Savouring the silence I drifted off to sleep dreaming of squeaking noises and bats fluttering around my face. At one point I dreamt a moth landed on my face and a bat swooped down to eat it. I awoke with a start to find bats were actually flying around my face and it wasn’t a dream after all! As much as I love bats, to have them flying so close to my face while I tried to sleep was a little disconcerting. The thought of them pooping on our heads didn’t exactly add to the experience. Sarah and I spent the rest of the night with our heads under the sheets which must have worked as we both slept soundly until the morning.

Day 5 (May 12) In search of Meerkats

We left camp as soon as the gate opened along with a good number of other vehicles. To avoid the other traffic we decided to drive Nossob road as far as the road works. Unfortunately the Leopard was no longer in the tree so we continued along the road seeing a sunbathing jackal and common birds such as Yellow Canary and Tawny Eagle. A Pygmy Falcon posed for a photo.

I had received some advice stating that the Montrose Waterhole on the other road was a good place to look for Meerkats. With the long grass I was a little worried we would overlook this creature, and the camp sightings board seemed to confirm a dearth of recent sightings.

As we crossed the dunes heading to Montrose we picked up Southern Anteating Chats and a Northern Black Koraan. The latter bird was some distance from the road and quickly disappeared into the grass. Up the road we noted Steenbok along with the usual wildebeest, hartebeest, Springbok and Gemsbok.

In the distance we could see several vehicles which appeared to be parked up at the road side. Having seen both ‘spotty felines’ the previous day, what we really hoped for was the third big cat. We were in luck and moments later we were treated to suburb views of a pride of Lions lazing the day away under a tree. As one male fed on the remains of a wildebeest, the others anticipated their own turn at the carcass. After a while, the greedy male was chased off the kill, and the rest of the pride devoured what little was left.

After an hour watching lions we continued along the road reaching a part of the riverbed approximately 600metres north of Kamfersboom. The far bank was rumoured to be home to a pair of Spotted Hyena that were apparently rearing young. A very careful scan revealed the female hyena sunbathing on top of the ridge and after several minutes a couple of tiny cubs came into view. I was extremely happy to finally connect with this much overlooked predator and we spent a good while observing them.

A stop at the next waterhole turned into impromptu lunch of ‘breakfast rusks’ and milk. Although I’m pretty sure the former shares its chemical makeup with a house brick, the false chocolaty taste became strangely addictive after a day or two. In the heat of midday we watched a Lanner Falcon unsuccessfully take Scaley-feathered Finch much to the bemusement of a nearby Ground Squirrel.

Moving on we made very slow progress stopping every couple of minutes to scan likely looking areas for Meerkats. Whilst stopped briefly in an attempt to photo a Crimson-breasted Shrike, Sarah finally spotted a Meerkat crossing the track in front of the car. Quickly abandoning the shrike, we followed the Meerkat best we could from the confines of a vehicle and we were soon watching a small family group hunting along the dry riverbed.

Amazingly the clan contained two babies which were extremely good value to watch as they mimicked the adults every move.

Once the Meerkats had disappeared we continued on our drive more than satisfied with how the day was going. Things got even better when Sarah told me to turn the car around as she had seen a yellow snake in the top of a roadside tree! After the quickest three-point turn in human history, I soon confirmed what I had initially suspected – Sarah had found a beautiful Cape Cobra.

Furthermore, the snake looked like it had just raided a Sociable Weaver nest. Along with Puff Adder, this species was top of my ‘must see list’ and I was pretty happy to say the least.

By now it was time to return to Twee Rivieren to enquire if the evening night drive was still going ahead. This was a complete pain as we had to retrace our route wasting valuable exploration time only to be told by the same po-faced woman that the drive had again been cancelled. This time I was more assertive and refused to leave until I had an explanation. Apparently the guide was ‘stuck in Nossab’ and unable to get back in time. I was pretty angry but managed to remain polite, returning to the cottage for a cold drink.

My disappointment quickly evaporated when I found a huge Leopard Tortoise just outside our patio.

The resident Yellow Mongoose also put in an appearance further lifting my spirits.

Mid afternoon we headed back into the park, again taking the road towards Mata Mata. Good numbers of Red Hartebeest were spotted amongst the usual game, and a smart looking Brubru joined Kalahari Scrub-robin on the bird list. We also saw a trio of Cheetahs walking through the grass although views were brief.

My favourite sighting of the afternoon was of a couple of huge Verreaux’s Eagle Owls which were spotted in a thorn tree a couple of meters from road. Unfortunately they had there backs to us for most of the time, occasionally turning their heads to look our way.

By now huge black clouds stretched across the sky while forks of lightening flashed someway off in the distance. Torrential rain soon followed quickly turning the dry, sandy road into a temporary river.

Before returning to camp we came across a rather wet Northern Black Korhaan, possibly the same individual we had seen earlier.

Another fantastic day in Kgalagadi was ended with dinner in the restaurant, a few beers and an early night. This time we kept the light on while we slept as we didn’t fancy a repeat of the previous evenings bat antics. The plan worked well for the first few hours.

Day 6 (May 13) Creatures of the night

The day started very early when I was awoken by the familiar squeak of our resident bat. Fortunately it only did a couple of laps of the room before returning back to a dark hole in the thatched roof. Two hours later it re-emerged, only this time it seemed to get disorientated by the light, flying into walls, doors and almost into the bed! Sarah decided it was time to get up and quickly left the room shutting the door behind her. I was left with the deranged bat.

I decided to open the front door giving the poor animal an escape route and luckily, after a few more laps of the room, the bat left never to be seen again. Although I didn’t get chance to take a photo, I’m certain the species inhabiting our cottage was Egyptian Free-tailed Bat.

We left the camp at sunrise and spent another fabulous morning in Kgalagadi. The usual birds and mammals were out in force, including good numbers of Pygmy Falcons and Black-chested Snake-eagles. Pririt Batis was a new species for the bird list, and we managed our first decent look at some Burchell’s Sandgrouse. Views of the latter had previously been restricted to flying birds and surprisingly none had been seen at the waterholes until now.

The Spotted Hyenas were found sunbathing at the den site and this time the proud father was in attendance.

Further down the road two enormous male Lions were drinking from a waterhole. They then decided to cross the road walking directly in front of our vehicle, before disappearing over the dunes and out of sight.

After lunch we found some more Meerkats on the Nossob road along with good numbers of antelope and the usual raptors. It was then time to return back to camp for an update on the night drive situation. After the cancellation of the previous two night drives, we had nearly given up on the idea. As Sarah correctly pointed out, we had wasted a great deal of time slogging back to Twee Rivieren at inconvenient times of the day when we could have been exploring the further reaches of the park.

Despite our instincts telling us otherwise, we drove back to camp where I was relieved to find a different receptionist behind the desk. After making a couple of phone calls in Afrikaans, she told me that due to a lack of interest and possible bad weather an evening drive was looking unlikely. I’m afraid I lost my temper a little at this point, although I couldn’t really blame the poor lady for the rain storm that was looming. I was more frustrated at the complete shambles that seemed to surround the night drive booking process, and the fact we had wasted a lot of valuable time chasing an event that was clearly advertised as ‘nightly.’ Anyhow, the lady took pity on me and told me to return in an hour.

By now I really didn’t hold any hope but I duly returned to the reception building as requested dressed in warm clothes and armed with binoculars. The receptionist smiled, before telling me a truck was waiting for us outside the shop. We found our guide nervously smoking a cigarette alongside a huge safari truck that had clearly seen better days. He told us that this was his first ever night drive and for a moment I wondered if he was in fact a gardener or a security guard that had just been drafted in to keep us happy. If this was the case I couldn’t have cared less, for we were finally going to see Kgalagadi at night!

Still with plenty of daylight left we headed into the park just as everyone else was returning back to camp. Admiring the sunset, we made our way along the Nossob road before plugging in our spotlights which ran direct off the trucks battery. Lightening flashed somewhere in the distance and before long darkness fell on the Kalahari.

Immediately we started spotlighting, first picking up the familiar eyeshine of a Black-backed Jackal on the far side of the riverbed. Our second animal was a Cape Hare which conveniently stayed still long enough for me to rule out the similar Scrub Hare. I was relieved to find our guide was actually very good at his job, stopping quickly when instructed and allowing us ample time to identify everything.

Ignoring the plentiful game, Sarah soon found carnivore eyeshine in the top of a very distant tree. My gut feeling was Small-spotted Genet but frustratingly it was just too far away to be sure. Next we found a couple of very cute Bat-eared Fox cubs which chased each other around in circles. Nearby we startled a Springhare followed by another Cape Hare and then a handsome Cape Fox. I was particularly excited by the fox and it turned out to be the only one of the holiday.

At this point we both noticed the strength of our spotlight beams weakening which didn’t say much about the condition of the trucks battery! For this reason a distant small cat escaped identification and we didn’t pick up much else on the drive back to camp. Our guide stopped the truck briefly to point out a Spotted Eagle Owl perched on a road sign before trying for a nervous ten minutes to unlock the camp gates. Despite failing to see a Brown Hyena I was more than satisfied with the evenings wildlife haul. To my surprise our guide apologised unreservedly for the lack of big cat sightings and he looked completely shocked when I handed him a tip.

The evening finale came in the form of a spectacular Verreaux’s Eagle Owl which we found sat in the road on the drive back to the cottage. Predictably we had our last meal in the restaurant (where we were running out of menu options) and hit our bed exhausted but exhilarated.

Day 7 (May 14) - Kalahari to Karoo

A bat-less night gave us the rest we needed and we were able to vacate our accommodation in good time. Unfortunately we had a very long drive ahead of us and were unable to spend anymore time in Kgalagadi.

The road to Upington was mostly empty allowing us to make good time. I only stopped once to examine a fresh road-killed Rock Monitor which according to my two reptile field guides is not found in the area!

All too quickly we were back at the Pick n’ Pay in Upington restocking supplies and the first instalment of our adventure had come to an end. Next on the cards was a trip to the Karoo in search of Aardvarks and Aardwolves.