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March 30, 2025 morning
A crash of rhinos, a herd of buffalo


Our morning game drive set out at 6:00 am, just as the sun was beginning to rise

Between our two alarm clocks and a lodge wake-up call, we were up at 5:00 this morning. Coffee, tea and continental breakfast were available at 5:30 am. Our morning game drive set out at 6:00 am, just as the sun was beginning to rise. It was sweatshirt weather.

Our game drive was supposed to end at 9:00 am, but Nevermind (our guide/driver) and Timba (our tracker) kept us out an extra half hour.

Here are the highlights of what we saw…


We immediately saw zebra, including a foal


More impala


Kudu


Vultures prefer sitting in dead trees, not because they are macabre, but because they don’t want wind rocking the branches


Vervet monkeys are annoying. They will steal everything from you, from your food to your cell phone to your sunglasses.


A crowned hornbill and warthogs (think of “Zazu” and “Pumbaa” from “The Lion King”)


Timba told us that becoming a tracker is a rigorous process. The assessors don’t want a tracker getting killed by a lion. Timba was able to look at these tracks (circled) and determine that they were made by a male leopard this morning, and he was walking slowly in stalking mode.


Timba and Nevermind spent much of the morning tracking a leopard’s footprints. Sadly, we were unable to spot it.


Animals are used to the safari trucks, and they sometimes just hang out in the middle of the road. Sometimes, we waited for them to move. Other times, Nevermind drove slowly forward until they got out of the way.


Another amazing sighting: we came across four rhinos sleeping in the middle of the road. As we parked and watched, they woke up and slowly wandered away. (A group of rhinos is called a “crash,” because they will crash through the underbrush.)


Once again, Nevermind and Timba set up a snack break. Pictured with Russell are (from left) Timba, Nevermind (at the truck), Marc, Georgina, Charlotte and Daniel


Goofing off during the snack break


Here’s why we were late getting back – we stumbled upon a gigantic herd of African buffalo at a watering hole


Once again, everyone fell in love with the baby


The male buffalo (facing us) has horns that look like a hat or crown. The female (facing left) has more traditional horns like a cow.


After we returned to the lodge, it was time for full breakfast! We will have lunch and afternoon tea before we set out again at 4:30 this afternoon.

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