Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park General Information

[Mel]

Good luck for your bookings too, nan And shout if you want help

[nan]

Good luck for your bookings too, nan And shout if you want help

need a lot of luck and good waves
just want Grootkolk and Urikaruus and KK
I already/only have KTC MM and TR
thank you Mel

[Mel]

I already/only have KTC MM and TR

Don't we all

[Mel]

Okay... seeing that nan and Lis only got 11 sleeps left before they head off to the Kgalagadi, I might want to get to writing my annual report on what's going on in the park.

On a positive note:

Although we haven't stayed overnight at Twee Rivieren, I am happy to report that one visible improvement is that workers started to put up a wooden privacy shield between
the terraced (aka FA2/4A) units.

At Nossob, we stayed in a CH2, no. 5C to be exact and learned that they put in new beds and bedside tables as well as a suitcase rest. Also the showerhead was fixed and
new shower doors have been fitted. They finally open to the inside instead of flooding the bathroom floor after a shower Those units were also equipped with an A/C.
The dof bit however is, that the B units - those in the middle that don't have a bedroom window - don't seem to be so lucky with the A/C. And those units in particular
could have done with it, but I couldn't see the exhaust unit for them, so I assume there is no A/C.

Campers reported that the new ablution, or rather the showers at Nossob were useless and already falling apart again I went to the loo when we were on the way
to Grootkolk and thought the ablution / shower block looked quite nice but the fitted mirrors are going to be in a state soon. They sport a wooden frame but there is a
narrow gap between the frame and the mirror that soon will be filled with pieces of fluff from cleaning and will look unsightly

At Grootkolk there is still only unit 1 that's got the electrical fridge... Apparently there is only one electrician for the whole park and he's so busy with "emergencies" that
he doesn't have the time to get the other units done as well...

Kielie is still on the gas fridges, but they have always worked well up there in the dunes, IMO. What I really don't like is the way the new marble kitchen tables were fitted.
Before you were able to sit decently at the (then wooden) table from three sides. Now you can basically only sit in a row with two people and one at the head of the table
and it'll be rather tight

[Mel]

And now you gotta be really strong nan...

Lijersdraai waterhole has collapsed. There is no more ground water and the rangers will have to find water and drill an new borehole. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case
since already April (that I didn't learn in the park but from talking to a fellow KTP nutter the other day). "Funnily" enough, there is enough water to maintain the flush toilets at
the picnic site.

That will make you even more angry, when you know that also Kannaguass and Union's End struggled with water big time. At Kannaguass there was hardly any water in during the
whole week were were up in Grootkolk. The problem there seems to be the way the solar panel that drives the pump faces the sun only from around early afternoon. So, if the
wildebeests or elands visit, it's just not enough to keep water for the "dark" hours.

The problem at Union's End seems to be that the pump feeds the toilets at the picnic site first and only if there is an overflow of the tanks, it'll send water to the waterhole.

I find this a totally unacceptable situation since the park is meant to protect the animals and not to convenience the visitors. But these days everything is about commerce,
it appears. Am chewing on an according letter to the Nossob section ranger, cc the park manager and maybe even the general arid parks' manager.

On the other hand, there is some ground water at Geinab which is meant to be closed

Dikbaardskolk was also dry when we drove past. Again, a waterhole with a picnic site... Food for thought

At Melkvlei there is obviously some building activity scheduled. There was a pile of stones and what seemed to be a new tank.

[Mel]

The roads were in an awful state, but that is to be expected when going during school holidays... We found the lower dune road the most hideous road.
And all the way up north from Polentswa doesn't seem to receive any TLC from the grader. The posh Polentswa Lodge visitors don't venture that way, so
no need to grade

[nan]

thank you Mel

for the positive ones

at Nossob I rented CH4, RF4, RF2 (still occupied to change with another camp) is what I found
hope the CH4 (2 rooms with aircon... normally) will be a little bit in better form

At TR we will have a FA2/4A, so it will be nice, in January they put the braai in another place, I hope nearer

At Grootkolk I hope to have No 1... for electricity

more than one year they work at Kielie... not finished yet
they change the table at Kielie, why

[Mel]

Animal wise it was a different trip again. As it actually always is This time we saw quite a few bat eared foxes, 18 different individuals.
The best spots with good close ups seems to be in the riverbed just before you go up to Uri and also when you come down again to the other side.
Also, Charlie Fax has moved out of the camp to there. Hence Cape fox and BEF with max. 500 metres from each other. Charlie is still regularly
seen in the camp though and when she is around will tell you about the caracals and leopards that come to the waterhole

Corinne and Hanri are also still on their respective home turfs somewhere between Kamqua and Gemsbokplein. I strongly suspect them to be
denning again. Corinne possibly already, Hanri might be soon Fancy is regularly seen around Auchterlonie / Gemsbokplein.

We also saw five cheetahs up at Union's End on the 5th and Caster was seen on the 11th October at Geinab, so I guess she takes her kids around
before kicking them out for good. Don't think it's Gina because the last sightings of her were with only three cubs which makes me think, she
lost one. Spoke to Matthew about it and he shares my sentiments.

Cat sighting generally were good. If you were at the right place at the right time. Unless they had a kill, they didn't really hang out. It was just
too cold, so they spent most of their time in the dunes. That should change soon once it's getting warmer. Even the lion infested Grootkolk had
only one visit of the male. The family never showed, although we found the two pretty grown male cubs from last year just up the road. On their
own. They are actually a bit young to be cast off already, but since there are new cubs their fate seems to be sealed. Not sure if they are going
to make it this early if they don't have any more support from their mums. Never saw the new cubs though. Apparently they are not tiny anymore
but still small and cuddly

Owl sightings were pretty good. Great spotted eagle owl is back at Montrose. Then there are scopsies right at Rooikop (Nossob). You must check
the tree to your right when facing the waterhole. Also some great spotted eagle owls on the Marie loop. We saw them on the right hand side
when you enter from the south, about a third of the length into the loop. Barn owl and spotted eagle owl at Grootkolk. Giant eagle owl still at
Nossob and also at Uri. Pearl spotties close to Urikaruus, but since I never saw them myself I'm not sure about the exact location. The giant
eagle owl from just outside of Twee seems to have been gone though. No sign of it and we checked every time we drove by. Some more owls
19 km and 22 km north of Auchterlonie. One of them must be giant eagle owls with little ones. Again, I haven't seen those but asked for the
location to relay it here.

Meerkats all over the place and close to the road too

And a real specialty: banded mongoose close to Geinab. Saw them on the southern side of it on several days

[Mel]

Yes, new braai stands at Twee... but the same range as before, I'm afraid

[nan]

for the negative :

Lijesdraai but Safran seems to not know the state of the waterhole... or to much work

Kannaguas and Union End what a shame, and they will have enough water for all the new people coming for the new units

why, but why they demolished the windmills
glad there not to much people at Union End, if already there is water only for the toilet

oh my goodness, maybe all the waterholes will be soon closed