Earlier this year, we fulfilled a big bucket-list experience: going on a safari. We’re very thankful to have been able to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
Our itinerary included four lodges in southern Africa.
We had expected to see some of the famous big animals, such as elephants and lions and zebras, and maybe some leopards and giraffes.
We were blown away, really stunned, by the number and variety of animals we had the good fortune to visit. This quantity of wildlife is by far the main reason we heartily recommend to anyone at all interested to try to go on safari. The experience of being little human guests in the home territory of so many remarkable animals revised our understanding of our world. Please, if time and resources allow, go try a safari!
This post is our overview NatGeo-style of the animals we had the good luck (backed by excellent knowledgeable guides) to spend time with. In subsequent posts, we’ll highlight a few notable animal experiences from our safari, as well as what a safari, as an activity, looks like.
Here goes:
Baboon
Baboons take refuge in the tops of palm trees at night. It’s a particularly safe spot to sleep, away from predators. However, a troop of baboons can poop and pee so much in the crown of a palm tree that the tree dies.
Birds
We’re not birders, but you can’t but enjoy the variety that shows up.
Here’s a bird condominium tree in the midst of wetlands of the Okavango Delta. All sorts of birds congregate here because it is a particularly safe location.
One notorious bird is the vulture. This group is watching some lions eat an elephant nearby. Once the lions, and then the hyenas, have finished with the carcass, this committee (as a group of waiting vultures is called) will get its turn.
Buffalo
Buffalo are the most ornery and aggressive of the big African animals. While most other animals will either ignore humans or, more likely, run away, buffalo can attack first and ask questions later. (Same with hippos.) Every time we came upon buffalo, they turned all their attention toward us. Our guides kept the vehicle at a considerable distance.
Cheetah
While lions hang out in prides, cheetahs are solitary. They like to sit atop termite mounds to scope out the neighborhood for dinner.
At Hwange, two brothers frequented the area near our lodge. One afternoon, the two brothers were happy to sit in the late sun — perfect for photos! — while we clicked and clicked.
Crocodile
Crocodiles were harder to spot. They spend their time in water. So the lesson is, don’t get too close to the water.
Elephant
We will celebrate the elephants in an upcoming post.
Giraffe
We saw lots of giraffes. No matter what situation, they were elegant and impressive.
On one misty morning, we came upon a few of them as they were munching on some trees. Typically, when they sense a game vehicle approaching, they tend to lope away. They don’t appear alarmed; they just prefer their own company. But this morning, they were relaxed and tolerant of our presence. One even lounged on the ground, which, we were told, was unusual, and a good sign.
Hippo
There were hippos in almost all the bodies of water we came upon, from little ponds that seemed to have room for only one hippo, to much bigger streams and lakes.
In the early days of our safari, all we saw were eyes and snouts poking up above the surface of the water.
But later, in Botswana, we saw large, rambunctious pods of hippos. They gave us a show of their immense tooth-filled mouths. Amazing amount of mouth real estate for herbivores.
Hippos spend their days in the cool water. In the night, they roam far and wide to graze. We had the good luck to spot one out for a daytime stroll.
Hyena
Hyenas are nocturnal. But one early morning, we encountered this one on a relaxed stroll back to his or her (it’s notoriously hard to distinguish hyena genders) sleeping spot after a busy night out.
Impala
There are a lot of impala in southern Africa. They are Africa’s most abundant medium-sized antelope. They are the primary prey species for leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, crocodiles, pythons, and martial eagles. No wonder they are attentive and skittish. But they are very good at reproducing, so that’s something!
These two young males are honing their technique.
Jackal
The jackals we saw always seemed to be hanging around, waiting for something to happen. Our preconception was they are unsavory scavengers, but it turns out that they are effective hunters in their own right. They won’t, however, pass up a meal provided by some other predator.
Kudu
We saw a lot of this kind of antelope. The males with their dramatic spiral horns were always impressive. The more diminutive females looked like they’re drizzled with icing.
Leopard
We met a few leopards, and they all were majestic.
In the first ten minutes of our safari experience — on the drive from a little local airport to our first lodge — this female was cooling off on the road.
At that same lodge, another female had just killed an impala and hoisted the carcass up into a tree for safer eating.
The morning after her kill, she relaxed atop a guard booth right next to our passing drive vehicle. At first, she looked like she wanted to jump in. That was an alert moment!
Lion
Lions will get their very own post!
Mongoose
Not part of the safari per se, but we met this band on the grounds of our hotel near Victoria Falls.
Monkey
As always, monkeys are on alert for any free food. Whether in a tree over a dining table…
…in a nearby tree, or…
…taking a moment to savor some apples nabbed from a side table.
Nyala
Another antelope species with big horns and amazing faces.
Ostrich
What extraordinarily bizarre creatures! Like something made up for a sci-fi movie: fluffy, puffy round body; snake-like neck; legs that make you know dinosaurs were not to be messed with.
And then you see them courting and showing off — who could have made that up?
Rhino
We have a story about tracking rhinos in a later post.
Snake
We don’t know anything about this little guy, but we had to film his efforts to get out of the lodge lobby. We wondered how many others were better at hiding in the lodge spaces.
Warthog
Warthogs are mostly herbivores. They have developed the behavior of kneeling to eat. Actually, they are leaning on their front wrists. Their short necks cannot comfortably reach short grass at ground level.
We were startled and charmed to find this trio on the lawn at our hotel near Victoria Falls. African lawn mowers.
Wild Dogs
We’ll give African Wild Dogs more attention in a future post.
Wildebeest
Some refer to wildebeests are “spare parts animals” because of the incongruous combination of heavy ox-like front end, spindly legs, shaggy beard, and a sloping back. But they are also known for their tight herd behavior and physical endurance.
Zebra
We saw a lot of zebra.
You’d think we’d get tired of them, they’re so numerous. But no, we couldn’t get enough. Just look at that face.
May 2026