Throwback Thursday: 22 July 2021

Good day,

Well, today we are going back to 12 September 2013 when we visited The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. We got up just after 4:00am that morning and we left around 5:00am. It was about a 3 hour drive to the park from Upington. I did not know the road and I remember that it was very dark and cold that morning. We were so excited about our visit to the park that it felt like we were driving forever.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife preserve and conservation area in southern Africa . The park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and comprises two adjoining national parks:

Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa
Gemsbok National Park in Botswana

The total area of the park is 38,000 square kilometers (15,000 sq mi). Approximately three-quarters of the park lies in Botswana and one-quarter in South Africa. Kgalagadi means “place of thirst.” In December 2015, media reports claimed that rights for gas-fracking in more than half of the Botswana portion of the park had been sold.The Botswana government later refuted these reports.

The park is located largely within the southern Kalahari Desert. The terrain consists of red sand dunes, sparse vegetation, occasional trees, and the dry riverbeds of the Nossob and Auob Rivers. The rivers are said to flow only about once per century. However, water flows underground and provides life for grass and Camelthorn trees growing in the river beds. The rivers may flow briefly after large thunderstorms.

The park has abundant, varied wildlife. It is home to large mammalian predators such as Lions, Cheetahs, African Leopards, and Hyenas. Migratory herds of large herbivores such as Blue wildebeest, Springbok, Eland, and Red Hartebeest also live and move seasonally within the park, providing sustenance for the predators. More than 200 species of bird can be found in the park, including Vultures and raptors such as Eagles, Buzzards, and Secretary birds.