01 Apr Being on Animal Time: Five African Adventures
Once you encounter animals on safari— big-tusked elephants thrashing branches so close you can hear them mash the leaves, vultures swarming over the remains of some primordial fight the evening before, lions roaring 15 feet from your (open!) jeep—it’s just not easy to see them in the zoo anymore. And this isn’t simply because of the cages; there’s more to it. On safari, we watch wildlife on animal time. We cannot control when we will see them, or where they will be. There’s no guarantee: they do not exist for our entertainment. And they are dangerous. We’re humbled by the idea that humans are the inferior creatures in the wild, and inspired with a newfound respect for them. We question our place in the animal kingdom.
Tracking these amazing beasts, which live in rhythm with nature, requires patience and the ability to revel in the pulse-quickening notion that we are only guests in their home. Here are notes from five trips that have most piqued my animal interest.
Elephants in South Africa with Micato
© courtesy of Micato
“It’s one of those memories that forever sparkle for us: Rambling along on elephant back in the bush on a warm, bright African day in Shambala, accompanied by a clan of warthogs, trotting along with their tails held high, as if in salute to the fun of it all.
Before we meet up with the elephants, we spend a couple of unusually in-depth days in Cape Town and environs, then head to a real African revelation, the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve and its splendid Bush Lodge. Onward to the Shambala Private Game Reserve’s Zulu Camp and close encounters with our elephant hosts.
“Imagine getting up on the broad back of the planet’s largest land animal and moseying along, looking down fascinatingly at insouciant lions, etcetera. We’re in the midst of a very animal world here, but our elephant hosts are as warm and cordial as any creatures ever created.”
Cats in Botswana with Bushtracks
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courtesy of Bushtracks
“Botswana is one of the finest places in Africa for big cats, and the African summer, or Green Season, is one of the best times to spot them as calving antelope draw out these majestic predators. Encounter lion, leopard and cheetah and their prey while exploring diverse ecosystems ranging from the riverine forest of the Okavango Delta to the Kalahari Desert. Africa’s Green Season is best enjoyed from January to March, and offers a wealth of game sighting, plus vibrant landscapes and optimal lighting. It’s the perfect season for capturing your safari in photos: with clear light, colorful grasses in bloom, and mighty Victoria Falls awash in rainbows and flowing at its fullest.”
Gorillas in Rwanda With GeoEx
courtesy of GeoEx
“‘That African Switzerland,’ Negley Farson called Rwanda. At first blush, it might seem the famed foreign correspondent was getting a little carried away. But Switzerland and Rwanda, as dissimilar as they might appear, share a couple of important traits: both are peaceful (Rwanda only lately, to be sure), and both are home to some surpassingly beautiful landscapes, most especially of course, mountains.
“We gently track the world’s largest primate in Rwanda’s Parc National des Volcans explore Nyungwe Forest, looking for chimpanzees and black and white colobus monkeys. And we’ll visit Lake Kivu and Kigali, all the while getting an important look at Rwanda’s history and current affairs.”
Unique Species in Madagascar with Natural Habitat Adventures
© Greg Courter/Natural Habitat Adventures
“Madagascar is a world apart. Its forests are home to diademed sifakas, indri, aye-ayes, tenrecs, fossa, didiera, pachypodia and exotic chameleons. For even the best-traveled nature lover, Madagascar offers a kaleidoscope of discoveries. It’s no wonder WWF has chosen it as a priority place – more than 80 percent of the island’s rare and intriguing plants and animals exist nowhere else on earth. Look for ring-tailed lemurs, Parson’s chameleons and other intriguing animals you won’t find any place else. Marvel at whimsical baobab trees, shaped like squat bottles. Madagascar is a living time capsule: once part of a super-continent, Madagascar broke away from that landmass 100 million years ago and has since existed largely in biological isolation.”
Rare Birds in West Africa with Lindblad Expeditions
courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions
“Although you won’t see large animals on this journey, West African natural history is extremely interesting, with opportunities to discover a range of habitats along the way—marine, riverine, rain forest, and desert.
“This coast is spectacular for birders. In terms of the number of species spotted, The Gambia was off the charts on our last voyage. Over 100 species were spotted in a single day, including Caspian tern, osprey, giant kingfisher, and the stunning violet turaco. For the birders among us, this was a small piece of ornithological paradise. You’ll get a bird’s eye view yourself while strolling a rain forest canopy walkway in Ghana.”
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