Pictures from our trip to South Africa

Joel and I took a trip to South Africa a couple weeks ago during our October break. We spent 4 days at a small private lodge/game reserve. We paid for the "all inclusive" package that included room/board and 2 game drives a day. One was a "Big 5" (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo) which we went to a bigger neighboring reserve to do, and one was actually a walk or drive around the lodge we were staying at. It was all wonderful.

The drives meant some early mornings- for the Big 5 drives we had to get up at or before 5. Surprisingly, the sun was mostly already up by then, so we didn't really get to see spectacular sunrises, but, the animals were definitely active that early. The evening game drives started around 4, and lasted until after sunset (around 7), which was very cool too. I have to say I enjoyed 8:30 bedtimes, 5am wake up times and 10-12noon nap times. :)

Anyway, there are loads of pictures... here they are:

Monkeys and guinea fowl early in the morning at our lodge

Sunrise over the edge of the lodge

A monkey doing something with his breakfast

Elan or Nyala- I just can't remember!

Cheetah!

Female waterbuck

Lioness

Lion

Elephants!

Wildebeest

Black rhino

Buffalo after sunset

Right before they got spooked by something and charged at/around our vehicle. Scariest moment of the whole trip BY FAR.

Kudu

Cheetah hunting (same ones as in the previous pictures- a mom and three female cubs)

More elephants

Elephants nurse for about 2 years similar to humans- which is fine. I mean, I'm ok with that. Elephant gestation though? 22 MONTHS!!!

Buffalo

Bird on a buffalo

Baby buffalo

Lion

He was looking for his female who wandered off...

Warthogs "mowing the lawn" at our lodge while we sit unawares reading by the pool

See, he had no idea...

White rhino right in front of our lodge

Guinea fowl- they have beautiful blue heads

Used to be a wildebeest. This is what happens when the lions from next door come to visit.

Monkey with baby- so cute!

Cheetah boys that lived on our reserve...

Giraffes- all on our reserve...

Zebra

Rhinos cooling off

Wildebeest

Cheetah mamma and her cubs

Peek-a-boo!

Male Nyala I think.

Lioness- a very rare white lion.

With her sister who is not white- but who is thought to be able to give birth to white lions, unlike the white lion herself.

Natural cooling system. :)

Hippo at sunset

White lion stalking buffalo

Buffalo somewhat aware of lions being around...

Buffalo charging the lions chasing them away