Walking Safari

Examining a Termite Mound

Walking Safari

Lion Footprint

John and Michael

Making Friends at Davison Camp

Day 3 – Davison Camp.  Alan and Annette are departing this morning and Brian will drive them back to the park entrance, 2 ½ hours away. Our guides today are Charles and Honest and we are going on a walking safari in the company of Mary, Tom and Michael. Both guides are carrying rifles with Charles in the lead and Honest bringing up the rear.  It is warmer this morning and we follow single file behind Charles, stopping frequently to examine footprints, termite mounds and animal dung. We approach a herd of Cape buffalo grazing in the distance, a lone bull standing off to the side. Apparently, Cape buffalo are quite aggressive and both guides are cautious.  We get within a hundred meters of the herd when Charles motions for us to get down and gather closely around him.  The intent is to look like a single large unit, not individuals. With nothing to stabilize my zoom, I take many blurry photos until instructed to lead a slow retreat to behind a distant termite mound. Returning to the vehicle, we head back to camp, stopping to watch a jackal and families of wart hogs along side of the road.

Cape Buffalo

John is good at making friends and during this afternoons rest period, he instigates a game of cards in the lounge area, including Michael, the two girls and Claire’s younger brother. 

Sundowners at Hawange National Park

Wildebeests-Hawange National Park

17 year old Jade abandons her family and sits between John and me during our afternoon game drive. We are fortunate to see many giraffe as we follow the edge of the trees along side a large open plain. As 5:00 P.M. approaches, we drive out onto the plain to enjoy our late afternoon sundowners, gazing at herds of grazing wildebeests and families of giraffes browsing on the trees at the edge of the forest.

Giraffe in motion

Three Giraffes at Hawange National Park