The birds of Hwange (an ode to JRS)

While on safari in Hwange National Park, we saw many beautiful birds.

And of course impalas. Many impalas.  Seriously, impalas are everywhere.

But yet, they are still so beautiful.

Why, hello, zebra!

I've never paid so much attention to birds on a safari before.

Probably because I find them boring, I want to see an elephant...always!

But isn't he a stunner? A yellow billed hornbill.

(I blame my companion for all these bird photos, apparently we learned he loves to watch birds.)

What a beautiful animal.

One shot of this guy wasn't enough. Zimbabwe never disappoints.

Wildebeest coming to drink at the pan at The Hide.

Why, hello, wildebeest!  It's amazing how awesome and ugly they are at the same time.

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The Return to Hwange

I recently had the opportunity to return to the beyond wonderful Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

(How can you not love a place whose sunsets look like this?!)

I returned to The Hide, a wonderful safari lodge, tucked away in the middle of Zimbabwe and was treated to this sunset the following night.

Oh, be still my heart, how I love sunsets.

I was traveling with someone who was experiencing his first safari.  The moment of seeing something like these giraffes never grows old,
whether it's his first safari or mine, the number of which I've lost count.

Our safaris were marked with these beautiful female kudus, so gracefully when they run.

Hwange has these stunning zebras and it's easy to be lost in the memorizing nature of their stripes.

Love this Zebra's head markings.

What is it about giraffes drinking that is always so comical?! 

An elephant's skull--this thing was huge and a little creepy.

We had a full moon, visible even before the sun set!

Which boded well since we were also visiting Victoria Falls and I hoped we'd be able to experience the rare lunar rainbow!!

Remember this sign?  I laughed seeing it again--it brought back so many good memories
of my very first safari experience in the company of a wonderful friend.

(Oh! What luck I have to have such wonderful people with whom to experience this world!)

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Playing Around (an ode to the Elephants)

While visiting Mana Pools National Park in northern Zimbabwe, I met this fellow.

And boy was he hilarious!  He was rolling around in the mud, cooling off and just so endearing.

It's almost like he's showing a little attitude!

While readers of the blog know I have a love of elephants, it's impossible not to heart them when they just face plant in the mud and roll around oblivious to the world.

Here's a bit of cooling off at the Kanga Camp in Mana Pools:

A lot of elephants in Zimbabwe, while drinking, rock their front leg back and forth.

Kanga's beautiful elephants (listen to those birds!!)

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Oops....how did I forget this?

While working on this post on the elephants of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, 

I accidentally forgot to include this video.  I thought it was too lovely not to share:

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A Hwange safari parade...

On safari in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, I came across this lovely elephant parade.

Every safari reminds me of Zimbabwe's remarkable beauty.

Why, hello, you beautiful giraffe, you!

My heart is reserved for the elephants of Zimbabwe.

Love.

Baboons found an electric tower to hang out on.

This one kept sliding down instead of climbing down. 

Elephants drinking at the Ivory Lodge's pan.

Hwange graced us with a beautiful sunset.

Stunning, isn't it?

For some reason this phone booth really cracked me up.

So random, and so not the right era....

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The Ivory Lodge

After a lovely visit to Matopos, we visited the Ivory Lodge for a wonderful safari.

The cottages are cozy and built on stilts...so different from the last time I stayed somewhere with stilts!

I confess: I fell asleep here in the warmth of the sun.

The lodge's common area.

The Ivory Lodge is known for its frequent visitors: the Presidential herd.

Elephants and a giraffe seeking water at the lodge's pan during the dry season.

I love, love, love how giraffes drink.

Although I suspect I love baby elephants a lot more....

Hello, baby elephant!

Hello, giraffes!

One of the elephants scaring off baboons.

For more information on the Ivory Lodge.

For more information on protecting Hwange's Presidential Herd of elephants.

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