Walking Safari

One of the more interesting parts of our trip was our walking safaris.
I have to admit, I found them just a little un-nerving...
not actually frightening...
but I will admit there was always a thought looming in my mind that
danger could possibly lurk around every "corner" or bush!


The last thing a safari company wants is to lose one of its guests,
so they make walking safaris as safe as they can.
An armed scout leads the way, followed by a guide,
then a handful of guests and another guide at the rear.


You are instructed to quietly walk single file...
with additional instructions as to what to do if you encounter a lion, a leopard,
an elephant or a hippo.
The idea of running into any of those made me just a little nervous.
Luckily, the only one of those that we encountered were elephants...
and our scout saw them long before they perceived us as a threat.
We gave them wide berth and safely found our way out of their sight.


A walking safari gives you the opportunity to see all that you wouldn't see
in a vehicle....
animal tracks, insects, plants, dung, skeletons, etc.

A hippo tusk...


Elephant tracks...


Hippo tracks...


Lion dung...


hyena dung...


The guides are well versed in all these areas and are a wealth of information
about medicinal uses of plants and so much more.

This is also a great way to discover the birds of Africa.

the not-so-beautiful Ground Hornbill...


Grey Hornbill...


 and Vulture....


the Barred Owlet...
(right in the middle of the photo)


this little finch-like fellow...


Carmine Bee Eaters...


their colony in the cliffs of a riverbank...


Love Birds...


so adorable!


colorful...


Egyptian Goose...


Sacred Ibis (black and white - far right and left)...


Crowned Crane...


Hammercop...


The nest of the white-chested Sparrow Weaver


who builds a tree full of nests for his bride and allows her to choose which one
she wants to raise her brood in.
The others act as decoys for predators.


The African Fish Eagle... Zambia's national bird....



Then there are the creepy and crawlies....

chameleon...


scorpion..


Tomorrow will be my last Africa post.
I have 74 videos that I am compiling into something watchable, I hope.
I'll post some video footage tomorrow...
then it's back to life on the farm.

Comments

Louise Stopford said…
I tried to comment on yesterday's marvellous post but somehow doesn't seem to have got through. It was a wonderful post and made me feel quite emotional and humble when you look at the scale of nature. Your photo's are truly amazing. Thank you for sharing this incredible journey with us.
Wonderful photos -- those nests are so interesting!
Lynne said…
It is the one thing I love best about travel, visits far away . . .
The dfferences . . .
Of course one knows that before embarking on a new journey . . .
You Beverly have visualized it in every way . . .
This segment didn’t disappoint . . .

I too would have been a bit nervous on the walking tour . . .
But . . . it let you see, learn even more.
I was fascinated by the
White Chested Sparrow Weaver
and the many nests . . .
Thank you for bringing us along on your journey!
daisy g said…
Those nests are amazing! So glad you were able to capture so many beautiful birds. My teenage bird watcher will be captivated!

Jenny said…
I commented on the last post too but, i guess it didn't work. I love your pictures! Keep them coming. In the 1st pic of this post what are the guys holding?
littlemancat said…
I too tried to comment yesterday but couldn't. Ah, well. Wonderful! And know that I'd been the scaredy cat on the walking trail - lol!
Mary
jaz@octoberfarm said…
the sparrow weaver nests are too cool! were you tempted to shovel the dung? hehe!
Unknown said…
Absolutely gorgeous photos. Thank you for sharing. I’m relieved there were no surprises on your foot journey.
Anonymous said…
Oh, such interesting and unique creatures
on your walking adventure. You are very brave!
Simba
An American in Tokyo said…
I'm sad to hear that tomorrow will be your last Africa post!
I finally caught up to all of them!
Unfortunately, I read them from most recent to older posts, so please ignore some of my questions. They were answered when I read the previous posts! Sorry for that!

It is a dream of mine someday to go and do what you have done!
Thank you for giving me a taste of the wonderful-ness of Africa!