There is no doubt that the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is one of South Africa’s premier wildlife photography destinations, known especially for it’s high percentage of predator sightings and large variety of raptor species. A bit of careful planning, however, can turn an ordinary trip to the Kgalagadi into an extremely productive one! In this post I will discuss seasons and animal behaviour specifically.
Which season is best for photography in the Kgalagadi?
Like most desert systems, the Kgalagadi is a place of extremities. In mid-winter the temperature drops way below 0°C at night and in mid-summer it becomes an oven as the mercury pushes close to 50°C. Temperatures alone may therefore influence your decision when you are planning your next trip. For photographers, however, it’s often got more to do with scenery.
The Kgalagadi receives most of its rain between October and February in the form of massive thunderstorms. These generally cause a spectacular flush of green grass and yellow flowers, but knowing exactly when this will happen is anyone’s guess. In mid-winter (June/July) the veld is generally dry and dull, and although you have clear blue skies on most days, the scenes can quickly become monotonous and ‘boring’ without any clouds or colour.
For this reason I prefer October/November. Sure, it’s already hot, but chances are that you will be treated to some spectacular thunder and lightning storms, which generally don’t last very long at all. This means you get the best of both worlds: sunshine and dramatic cloud formations. These storms have a tendency to build up on the horizon late afternoon and often give you more than enough time to take some lightning photographs.
Be warned, though – these storms can be severe, bringing heavy downpours of 100mm or more in a night, often with winds that have the capacity to flatten tents!
Animal behaviour
Understanding how animals think and behave can greatly increase your chances of seeing them and snapping that perfect photograph! For instance, in the Kgalagadi specifically, first-time visitors tend to search predominantly in the riverbeds rather than on the dunes and calcrete ridges. Mean while this is actually one of the areas favoured by predators. They use it as a vantage point when they rest or hunt, giving themselves a great view over the dry riverbeds, which in turn attracts most of the prey species such as springbok, gemsbok and blue wildebeest. So tip number one is: Know where to look! Don’t only scan the riverbeds, but also cover the dunes and ridges.
It’s also worth learning a bit about the animals’ drinking behaviour. Large carnivores such as lions and leopards often drink at dawn and dusk.
Therefore it’s worthwhile to leave camp as early as possible to give yourself a chance of finding them at the waterholes.
Shy species like brown hyaenas drink even earlier in the mornings, and therefore, if you want to give yourself a chance to see one, it’s best to park at the camp waterhole before the gate opens at dawn. Certain species, like secretary birds, lapped-faced vultures and other large raptors prefer to drink in the middle of the day.
Cubitje Quap near Nossob can be particularly rewarding for these species around 12pm! Sandgrouse tend to gather at the waterholes between 7 and 10am, depending on the time of the year. Tip number two: Timing is everything!
When I visit the park, I often spend just as much time photographing in camp than out of it. The animals and birds in camp have become extremely habituated and tend to have very predicable routines when it comes to foraging, basking and drinking at birdbaths.
Yellow mongooses and ground squirrels are particularly relaxed and I highly recommend spending an afternoon flat on your stomach with these little critters. It’s not only the photographs that will astonish you, but also their behaviour!
Where there’s water in camp, there are birds. Find a spot where you can make yourself comfortable and wait for them to come to you. Violet-eared waxbills, red-headed finches, white-browed sparrow-weavers and sociable weavers are all very common. You might have to walk around a bit to get shots of southern white-faced scops-owls or crimson-breasted shrikes. Nossob and Mata-Mata are great for these respectively!
So, the third and last tip is: Make the most of camp-photography!
In conclusion, the Kgalagadi has a massive reputation as a photography destination, but can so easily be a disappointment if you don’t plan well. My hope is therefore that everyone who reads this, and especially first-time Kgalagadi visitors, will be able to get a little bit more out of this iconic Transfrontier Park when you visit it next.
Happy photography!
Villiers Steyn
Villiers’ Links:
- Website: Vision Photo
This post was originally syndicated from
Site : Photo-Africa.
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Tags: Kalahari, Kgalagadi, syndicated
