“Good Morning Madam” I heard through the canvas tent. “Yes, morning sir…thank you” I checked my clock at it was 5:15am on the dot. Time to get up have a little food and head out into the bush! I was so excited to share the safari experience with this group. All of them were eager to see what we would come across and I knew they had no idea how amazing it would be.

As soon as we entered the park we could see the bright pink sun coming up over the horizon…breath taking…

the game drive was nothing short of incredible! We did end up with a flat tire, but it my opinion that only added to the awesomeness of it all. When we stopped to change the tire we quickly had a sweet little visitor…a giraffe decided to mosey across the dry riverbed and see what the heck there was to see. She was so cute! She would come close enough just to get a sniff, stick her neck waaaay out and then turn and go back. just 2 min later she would gracefully make her way back and give us another sniff. We all decided she was watching us just as inquisitively as we were watching her. Once the tire was fixed ( after help from Lynn and our driver) we all were on our way again! We didn’t let the fact that the jack didn’t work and we had to make one with a big piece of a dead tree slow us down.

A ways down the road we stopped for a little tea and cookies. As we jumped down off the jeep we saw that we were surrounded by about 13 giraffes of all sizes and ages. Again we felt we were the ones being watched. We all took advantage and got some incredible pictures. Either before or after the tire ordeal we were lucky enough to see an entire family of elephants grazing on trees. We watched them for a long time. Along the way we also saw bison AND a leopard!! We also got to see all the other creatures that are abundant here…impala, bush bucks, puku, kudu, birds and others. What an incredible morning drive!!!

Now  it was time for a little safari life R &R. Ahhhh lay by the pool nap in your tent maybe even have a beer! It was after 12 or 5 o’clock somewhere right!?!? We were set for a night drive that would leave at 4. 3:30 was tea time and then we would be off again 🙂  I shared with Dena that every safari is different even in the same park. I have come to realize that each drive has a special jewel. You just have to be willing to find it and patient enough to wait for it.

Our driver Kennedy was ready and waiting so with our cooler box in hand we set back off. I had told him earlier in the day that lions were a priority! He typically works at the other end if the park so he knew a spot near where he usually works that we “might” find them. He warned us that is was kind of far and that he was going to drive fast so we would make it before sunset. We cruised  through the park across the gravel road at rocket speed. The jeep sliding back and forth with its back end wagging like a slow tail.  Before long it was obvious we were in a different part of the park. The landscape looked different…almost like a vineyard. Rolling hills and Lots of trees. Kennedy was busy tracking…it was obvious because of the way we would drive and then stop and then turn and then drive and then look and then drive again. Sure enough we left the main path and began driving into the bush off the beaten path. There in the tress were 3 female lions walking along all together. They were beautiful. The sun was almost setting so the light was incredible…we sat in fear and in joy watching them sit together and watch us. We took many pictures and just took in the excitement of it all.

The remainder  of the night drive was good, but paled in comparison to the lion sighting. We stopped for our sunset toast and a few pictures. We were lucky enough to catch sight of a hyena. We saw a huge baobob tree and some other night time animals.  When the drive was over we all knew it had been a very special first day in Zambia!

I slept like a dead tree ( which was great because I have been exhausted!) another 5am wake up call was on the horizon so after dinner and some great conversation we shut things down 🙂