Kalahari Safaris
Welcome to Kalahari Safaris Desert Explorers.
Feel free to post any comments or questions you may have.
Till later
Pieter
Welcome to Kalahari Safaris Desert Explorers.
Feel free to post any comments or questions you may have.
Till later
Pieter
January 11th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Wow! Pieter Hanekom took us around the Augrabies Falls and Kgalagadi Transfrontier parks in May 2007. 100% perfect service from Pieter, who clearly loves the area dearly, knows it intimately, and can answer any and every question about the place, people, flora, fauna, food, culture, weather, history… He even understood our British sense of humour! He’s got the keenest eyes, and gave us brilliant opportunities for hundreds of excellent photos - he’s a keen photographer himself. If you’re going to the Kgalagadi, you must go with Pieter!
January 14th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Had a fantastic 5 daytrip in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, September 2007 with Pieter and Hess. So many highlights of the tour…. Meercats, Bat eared foxes mating in front of us, Leopard and her cub with a kill, four young lions walkng right past the vehicle on the night game drive from Twee Rivieren, listening to lions roaring during the night, seeing 36 lions in 5 days! Two adult male lions visiting the camp waterhole at night, and the excitement of the children watching them too, hopefully the sight will encourage the next generation to protect our wildlife. The beautiful colours of the desert, the sunshine, and so much more. Can’t wait to return one day soon!
January 15th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Pieter Hannekom knows and respects the Kalahari and the animals who live there. And that’s why anyone who wants to visit the Kgalagadi Transfontierpark should consider to book a trip with Kalahari Safaris Desert Explorers.Thanks to Pieter who is a excellent animal spotter, I finally did see my favourite meercats from very close.
January 15th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
After reading all your reports about your tours with Pieter makes me want to return back.
I have worked with SANParks for 7 years and three of them in Kgalagadi where i have met Pieter. I have taken some of his guests out and even sit in for dinner. This is where i have realised that Pieter does have a pasion for what he does and he does it very well and all his guests are very happy with the tours they have done with his company.
I am a accredited trainer for Field Guides in South Africa and have trained many people,having this knowledge it was such a pleasure meeting a guide who has such a broad knowledge and still have a passion for working with guests and about the area he works in.
Keep it up Pieter, well done!!!
January 16th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Went on tour with Pieter for 4 days in the Kgalagadi in Jan 2008…it was just great. Saw a cheetha hunting a springbok exclusively thanks to Pieter knoledge of animals’ behavours, who made sure we were in the right spot to watch the scene!! Saw leopards and lions too…very lucky trip!
For the rest, great tours, Pieter is flexible and above all knows EVERYTHING on the Kahalari… definitely go with him if you want to visit Kalahari!
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I had the pleasure to tour the kalahari with andre in may 2006. absolutely great. gorgeous pictures, grant sighting of lion , loads of animals in general, very nice time also at augrabies, the green kalahari and a very friendly tour guide. hope to be back one day.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:53 am
the kalahari is an incredible place - very different from other parks. It looks different with the lovely red sand dunes, the animals are different eg. lions are more ‘fit’ than Kruger’s lions - simply because the distances they travel to follow prey are greater.
I think the biggest ‘magic’ of the Kalahari is the fact that you can drive for a full day and sometimes not meet ONE OTHER CAR…
And the policy of ‘minimum human interference’ gives you animals that are 100% natural. Only the best genes are allowed to survive… A sick cheetah will not be treated by rangers. Nature decided it was not good enough to pass on it’s genes, so only your fittest and strongest animals will survive. Can you believe that the Kalahari animals you see are the 20% that survived this process of Natural Selection? The rest are dead - ever heard of MR. Charles Darwin?
Guests from Europe always ask: why are there not more roads in Kgalagadi? And they get upset when they are informed that the more roads that are used the more you interfere with the delicate eco-system. (maybe this is why there are no animals left in Europe?)
February 1st, 2008 at 6:10 am
It’s really great to tour with Kalahari Safaris - small groups (better photo’s!) and good food.
It’s interesting to learn about the local dishes! Sometimes we ate ‘home-made bread’ prepared on the fire…mmmmm… (lots of sweet stuff on it - not for the health-freaks!)
And I think we go through a lot of trouble (and money!) to reach the Kgalagadi - it really is far away from the normal tourist route… So to do a trip and get good service, good information (LOTS of it!) is really worth the while.
And just to sit in the car and enjoy this unspoit eco-system…
Pieter once mentioned the Kalahari is like a lady: sometimes she is quiet when it is a dry time, sometimes she is full of fun when the promise of good rains are in the air, sometimes she is in her ‘party dress’ when the flowers are giving a colourfull display after good rains, sometimes she smiles secretly when the Springboks are jumping with joy when the females’ tummies are bulging with new life…
We had our two children with us, and they truly have become little Kalahari Bushmen…
Hope to come back soon!!
February 10th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
We were a party of 4 and did a 5-day Kalahari safari with Pieter in April 2007. I had done many safaris elsewhere but it was first time in Africa for my friends. We all enjoyed very much. The Kalahari offers a different safari experience with its rolling dunes (they’re not totally dry and harbour some vegetation), numerous herds of gemsboks, many birds of prey, and few tourists. Our highlight: an angry wildebeest chasing after two hyenas. Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around! Before the trip, my friends thought “what are we going to do during those 5 days?†At the end of the trip they regretted for not staying one more day. Pieter was very knowledgeable of the Kalahari, professional and respectful. There was no logistical glitch.
My recommendations: stay at least 4 nights. Stay in the more private lodges. They are not that more expensive but are really worth it. April was perfect weather. In a safari area you don’t know, a guide is so valuable. And Pieter is a good one.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
A wonderful trip/safari in December 2007, exploring the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park with Kalahari Tours and Safaris and Pieter Heinkom as guide extraordinare!
I had wanted for several years to get into the Park – and Pieter’s safari was all that I had hoped that it would be - and more! We would not have seen all the sightings of lions, cheetahs, and giraffes nor learned as much about the trees, birds (and other flying objects), plants and Kalahari ecosystem – without Pieter’s keen eyes and knowledge.
I treasure my memory and photographs of a pair of lions padding along the sand, returning from – we thought - an early morning hunt – and the beautiful light and colors of the Kaglagadi! I cannot recommend a tour/safari with Kalahari Tours and with Pieter highly enough – and hope to do another soon!
J. Gordon
February 5th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Wow this sounds incredible, this sounds like something my fiancée and myself would love to do cant wait to tell him about it maybe for our next holiday