To say that I was excited to drive into the Park was an understatement. While I was waiting in the queue to get my permit, I wanted to bounce up and down. And then I was getting in and out of my car to open and close the gate into the Park.
Finally!! Wow!
Again, I just had to take a moment and appreciate the fact that I was in KTP!
I saw a few Springbokkies just beyond the gate. I stopped to enjoy my first animals in KTP.
The queue of cars behind me passed me and I was able to enjoy and savour my first minutes in the Park at my own pace.
It was wonderful driving to waterholes with names that I had only heard about.
There were some clouds in the east, but I did get a pretty sunrise.
I saw more Springbokkies, my first Gemsbok and Blue Wildebeest. The birds were stunning. I will forever be enchanted by the amazing Social Weaver nests.
I saw my first Kori Bustard, a Gabar Goshawk and the first of many Pale Chanting Goshawks.
At Leeudril waterhole there were some Ostriches.
I drove to the lookout point near Rooiputs. Once again the scenery took my breath away.
I am keeping a journal of my travels – thoughts, emotions, blessings, feelings, sightings, everything. One of the notes I made was about the contrasting colours and the effect it had on me. The red dunes. The white sand of the road. The yellow of the grass. The green of the Camel Thorn Leaves. The brown of the Sociable Weavers’ nests. The colours and the contrast will forever be the lasting first impression of KTP.
I saw more Blue Wildebeest and Gemsbok – along with Springbok, these three antelope species were the most numerous during the day. There was also a large herd of Springbok. I did not realise at that stage that I would see many, many Black-backed Jackals during the rest of the trip!
Once again I had to stop to admire the stunning architecture and scenery.
During the first part of my drive most animals were relaxed, but as it warmed up some seemed in a bit more of a hurry to get where they were going.
It took me about two hours to reach Kij Kij waterhole, a spot that now rates high on my list of favourites. There were more Blue Wildebeest and finally some Gemsbok close enough for photos. One was having a drink.
But the best sighting at Kij Kij was my second and third lifer birds of the trip. A flock of Namaqua Sandgrouse came for a drink. There were one or two Burchell’s Sandgrouse as well. I absolutely loved their melodious calls of the Namaqua Sandgrouse. And I was taken by surprise at how quickly they could fly! I was completely enamoured by these chubby little guys, and they would bring a smile to my face every time I saw them.
Between Kij Kij and Melkvlei Picnic area there was more breath-taking scenery. I may sound like a stuck record, but I just could not get enough of the beautiful red dunes.
There were two sleepy Black-backed Jackals in the Nossob Riverbed. A Kori Bustard was on its morning stroll. 
A little Red-necked Falcon was lifer #3 for the trip.
My day was made when I got to the Melkvlei Waterhole. A pair of hyenas were having a swim.
Spotted Hyenas are my second favourite mammal on the planet, and I was just so happy to see these guys!
They walked towards the dunes, but as I parked my car I could hear them call. A wonderful sound.
Between Melkvlei and Jan se Draai there were more of the wonderful sightings I had already had that morning. Gemsbok, Springbok, Jackals and birds. I really enjoyed seeing a Bokmakierie, the only one of the trip. There were more Ostriches, Gemsbokkies and Kori Bustards. I liked this one strolling along the road.
Ground squirrels were huddled together at Gunong waterhole.
At Jan se Draai waterhole there was a huge herd of Gemsbok. I counted more than 30. I had already seen a lot of Gemsbok that morning and could understand the origin of the Park’s previous name.
One of my favourite sights of the trip was any animal on top of a dune. And I had many, many opportunities to photograph these scenes!
The road between Jan se Draai and Dikbaard’s Kolk was a little quiet, but every now and then I had wonderful sightings. Two of these sightings included a Black-chested Snake Eagle and some Red Hartebeest..
Dikbaard’s Kolk Picnic site was a wonderful place to stop for a leg stretch and a snack. There were a couple of other people having braais and picnics. There were lots of birds around – Cape Starlings, Fork-tailed Drongos and Acacia Pied Barbets.
My fourth lifer bird of the trip was a pair of Lark-like Buntings.
There were also some Sociable Weavers. A few came close to where I was having my snack and I could hear their individual call for the first time. There and then I renamed these cute little ones to “Squeaky Toys” because they sounded exactly like the squeaky toys you would give your dog!
A Yellow Mongoose family was sniffing around the picnic tables.
I spend a relaxing 30 minutes or so at the picnic site before continuing north. I had to stop for another beautiful tree.
There was quite a bit of activity at the Dikbaard’s Kolk waterhole. Another bird lifer in the form of a small flock of Grey-backed Sparrowlarks (just too far for much more than a record shot).
This photo with three species in one frame is one of my favourites.
The rest of the road was rather quiet compared to the morning. But I did get two more lifers. The bird lifer was a little Fawn-coloured Lark.
But the lifer of the day wasn’t a bird. (and it wasn’t a plane.) It was a snake. I have always wanted to see a Mole snake, and I could not believe it when I saw one slithering across the road!
I missed out on a herping outing near Johannesburg the previous weekend where a baby Mole snake was the find of the day, so to find this gorgeous creature was so exciting. I sat and watching him for a bit, a huge smile on my face.
After that the road, which had been really great up that point became seriously corrugated. Sightings also dried up. There were some birds, and a couple of antelope in the distance.
I did not mind the quiet time – I could focus on finding the best speed to navigate the extreme corrugation. And I could also reflect on my first experiences in this Park I had wanted to visit for so long. It was awesome. The arid landscape was truly spectacular and I was hopelessly in love with its beauty.
Everyone always talks about Kruger’s size, but there is a vastness to KTP that not even Kruger can match. I thought this photo reflected that vastness nicely.
I had expected a lot of my first drive, and so far I had not been disappointed.
A Black-chested Snake Eagle flew over Kasper’s Draai waterhole and a small herd of Gemsbok was milling about.
At Marie’s Draai turn off I saw a small herd of Tsessebes. And then I was in front of the Nossob camp gate.
I drove through the gate, excited to be in this camp that I only knew from the waterhole that we see on the webcam.
It had been an absolutely fabulous drive from Twee Rivieren to Nossob, and I was excited to see what my three nights at Nossob would deliver.