The time was 4:45 am and the soft rapping on our tent door signaled that it was time to get up and prepare for our morning safari. “Good morning!” called our safari guide. “Good morning!”, we answered cheerfully. As we dressed in layers, preparing for the chilly 5:30 am departure in the open-air safari vehicle, a loud howl suddenly rang out across the quiet camp. My heart skipped a beat, and I froze in place, listening to the series of howls, shouts and growls reverberating through the canvas walls. I tiptoed to the cabin door and tentatively pulled it open, expecting to see…. what?? I had no idea. The noisemaker was invisible, but its sounds were loud in the clear, cool morning. The African sky was beginning to turn a soft pink hue as the sun slowly began its ascent from the easter. As suddenly as it started, the howling stopped, and an eerie silence hung over the camp. Our safari guide walked past our tent and looked up at me, still standing in my doorway. “Baboons!” He said gaily in answer to my unasked question.  “They are warning animals that a predator is nearby. Probably a cheetah or leopard is near the camp.” He stopped and we chatted briefly. Many impalas had recently given birth to their fawns in and around the perimeter of our camp, calling in the predatory cats in search of an easy meal. Just the night before a leopard had been spotted between the tent cabins, necessitating armed escorts to our tents after dinner. This was truly Africa!  Wild, beautiful, natural and untamed. I was madly in love!

 

I had been working hard for almost two years to get this private safari off the ground and finally, in October 2023, we were in Africa. I own a travel agency, Andaggio Destinations, and I was escorting a group of 14 friends and clients on this amazing adventure – a bucket list item for all of us. We began our journey in Nairobi, Kenya and spent three days on safari in the Maasai Mara. This area of Kenya borders the Serengeti in Tanzania, and the landscape was exactly what I expected to see, with red dirt and miles of flat savannah dotted by canopy trees and herds of wild animals. Safaris were held in the early morning and late afternoon, the times when the animals were most active.

 

The sheer number of animals was incredible, and we saw all the Big 5 over the course of our safari adventures. Elephants roamed gracefully, hugging their babies to them with their massive trunks. Zebras pranced and scampered across the savannah and no two had the same stripe patterns. Lions! Two males and three females lay basking in the shade of an acacia tree, rolling playfully in the soft sweet grass as their full bellies digested last night’s kill. Giraffe families emerged from clumps of trees, where they had been feeding on the delicate new leaves. They looked at our safari vehicle curiously as they parted and walked around us, then slowly, methodically, came together on the opposite side of our vehicle, resuming their journey to find more new leaves.  

 

Our guide explained that the animals travel in families and stay together as a unit for much of their lives. The concept was astounding to me. The value of family is recognized, even with a wild animal community dynamic. It’s a priceless lesson to all of us – family is important.

We flew from Nairobi to South Africa to spend the next 10 days exploring that diverse country. We toured Cape Town then moved to Kruger National Park for two nights, followed by Karongwe Game Preserve for another two nights. We experienced safaris in each area, but no safari was the same. We stayed in safari camps with beautiful bungalow accommodations and our final camp was comprised of canvas-walled cabins – beautifully appointed with ensuite bathrooms and king-size beds. Glamping! This camp, Chisomo Lodge in Karongwe, was the favorite of our entire group.

 

Being near so many wild creatures in their natural habitat and experiencing the interesting and beautiful cultures of the Kenyan and South African people, was very moving and I will be forever touched by the memories this trip created. Memories of watching the majestic sight of giraffes walking side by side, slowly swinging their tails and stopping to nibble on the treetops.   The funny, scampering warthog families ran to and fro across the open savannah, mom leading and the babies trotting playfully behind her. Hippos wallowing in the cool rivers, coming up for air with a loud series of snorts, mouths gaping wide and strings of muddy pond grass sliding off their wide, wet backs.  

 

Lions standing on a stack of rocks, surveying the area around them gave flashbacks to scenes in ‘The Lion King’ and I watched in a mixture of awe and respect as the giant male made his way gracefully down from his rock perch and walked around our safari vehicle curiously. I could have reached down and stroked his silky mane as he wandered past me. He moved into the nearby brush, and we lost sight of him, but his loud roars echoed through the thicket, keeping us apprised of his proximity.

 

My concerns about the potential hazards of traveling in Africa never materialized. Detriments such as food poisoning, bug bites, flies and mosquitos, and lack of safe drinking water. Everything was wonderfully managed, and our well-being and comfort were cared for in every city, country and National Park we entered.

 

Africa. Wild, untamed, raw and beautiful. I long to return to Africa and experience again the pink morning sky, filled with birdsong and animal sounds, feeling the cold, fresh air tingle my face in the open-air safari vehicles as we explore. I will be back, I have promised myself, and I will escort another wonderful group with me when I go, checking boxes from their bucket lists.