I was never planning on going to Africa.
I was never planning on going on a Safari.
I was never planning to be face to face with a monkey, or hear the cries of a bushbaby, or see a cheetah sprinting at full speed.
But when my dad asked if I wanted to go on a safari with him, I couldn’t say no.
He asked a few years ago, when he heard a bunch of people from Alabama were going on a safari. The trip was just six weeks away, hardly enough time to plan for a big African safari, but it was exactly the trip we needed. So we bought our tickets and hit the road.
We had no idea what we were in for. I actually remember looking at my dad on the flight and giving him the “What the heck are we doing” look.
He just smiled back.
Touchdown in Kenya
Arriving in Nairobi was a whirlwind.
Almost as soon as we landed, we were off into the bush. Nairobi seemed like a fascinating city, but honestly, we didn’t get much time there. I was OK with it though. I went for the real jungle, not the concrete one.
On Day 1 of the safari, we geared up in our vented Columbia shirts, hopped in a sand-colored Land Rover, and began looking for wild animals.
This was it.
We were in search of some of the most magnificent animals on our planet. The kind I’d only seen behind cages in zoos or in the movies. Now we were about to be face to face with lions, water buffalo, elephants and more.
The Big 5
Our first goal was to see the Big 5: elephants, lions, water buffalo, hippos and giraffe.
As we roamed around the grasslands, I was shocked by how calm the experience was. Even though the grass was tall and some of the fiercest predators known to man could be a few feet away, I was so relaxed.
The entire safari was pretty relaxed. Every few days you find a new campsite where the guides pitch your tents and cook your meals. During the day you drive around in the Land Rover trying to spot as many animals as you can.
But the second you see an animal everything changes.
I’ll never forget the moment we saw a pride of lions off in the distance.
Excitement rushed through my body as our car slowly got closer...and closer… and closer, until we were just 15 feet away from a few female lions.
WOW.
We were so close we could smell them. We were also so close that I was worried about what would happen if they decided they were hungry, but our guides assured us we were fine. They mostly hung out, basking in the sun, although one did get up and come for a closer look, getting about 8 feet behind the back car in the caravan.
First of the big 5… check!
Over the next few days, we checked off the rest of the big 5 and so many more.
We saw 7 or 8 leopards, which are one of the rarest animals you can see.
We saw some cheetahs, my favorite sighting on the whole trip. They are so beautiful in the wild, it’s hard to describe. Their bodies are elegant and perfectly designed. Their coats are so unique. I don’t know how to tell you how much I loved it.
We saw gazelle and zebra, and all kinds of beautiful birds.
We heard bushbabies (a nocturnal animal that sound just like a crying baby in the middle of the night… it’s just as creepy as it sounds).
And we saw monkeys.
Actually, I saw one monkey closer than anyone else.
The closest encounter
One night I was in my tent washing up for dinner after a long day in the bush. My dad was in another tent, and he usually came to mine to walk me to our meals. When I heard the tent unzipping, I assumed it was my dad. I started chatting to him when I turned around.
It was not my dad.
Instead of my dad, a tiny monkey grabbing at everything he could reach through the tiny opening in the tent zipper!
The moment I screamed our Safari guides came running over and scared it away, using slingshots to shoot at it with local nuts they’d collected at the campsite.
Our guides had warned us this happens sometimes, and they told us to make sure our zippers were closed from the inside, but I’d forgotten. Monkeys are smart and too curious for their own good, and occasionally make their way into a tent looking for some food.
Intimidating when they’re invading, but so darn cute! Now it’s one of my best travel stories.
For the rest of the trip, I just soaked it all in. I was not sure when I’d be back in this idyllic land, so I made sure to appreciate every second. Nothing quite compares to that Safari. Not only was I able to see all the animals I’d always dreamed of seeing and some I’d never even heard of (bush babies?), but I was also able to recharge and reconnect with my father in a way I hadn’t been able to in a long time. It was exactly what I needed, and I recommend it to anyone who’s ever had even the slightest desire to go on a Safari.
Just remember to keep your tent zipped up!