Today was my birthday! Our morning game drive started at 7 AM and ended close to noon. We had so many animal sightings – impalas, waterbucks, zebras, hyenas, warthogs, birds, elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, and best of all, a lioness and her cubs!
Zebras
Impalas
Spotted Hyenas
Common Warthog
Giraffes
Helmeted Guineafowl
Lioness and cubs
Hippo
Elephant
African Buffalo
About mid-way through our drive, we stopped for refreshments, and some inquisitive birds stopped to visit (probably hoping for handouts).
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Burchell’s Starling
We returned to the lodge for lunch and had a few hours to relax and enjoy afternoon tea before the late afternoon game drive, where we spotted birds, lechwes, hippos and elephants.
Saddle-billed Stork
Hippo
Lechwes
African Fish Eagle
Elephant
The drive ended with a surprise sundowner (an African happy hour). We enjoyed drinks and appetizers while watching a beautiful African sunset out in the bush.
Our day ended with dinner at the lodge, and there was another surprise after dinner- a birthday party complete with a cake presented by clapping and singing lodge staff, a gift, and a card signed by all of my fellow travelers – all arranged secretly by our tour director! It was so kind and thoughtful – a great end to a great day!
Happy Birthday!
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