Now is the time to stay put, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reminisce about our favorite travel memories. Our team sorted through photos and videos from past Africa travels to bring you their most memorable wildlife moments.

LOVE BIRDS IN TANZANIA

We came across two Red-billed hornbill’s perched on a branch in Tarangire National Park. The male had a flower in his mouth, and was hopping up the branch towards his lady, and he actually handed (or should we say “beaked” it to it to her…. No… in this case “billed” it to her!)  It was the sweetest thing I’ve seen in nature!

– Susan Neva

OVER THE OKAVANGO DELTA

Capturing hippos swimming in the Okavango Delta from a helicopter above, was one of my most thrilling experiences! It was my first time in a helicopter, and to be in such a special environment, with the doors off, was spectacular!  To look down and see elephants the size of my finger nail, and the trails created by elephant and hippo as they meander through the delta, was awe-inspiring!

– Susan Neva

DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT IN ZIMBABWE

One travel memory I love to share is how safari really helps you slow down and disconnect to reconnect. I was in Hwange, Zimbabwe, and had a couple of hours of downtime in between game drives. With no phone, internet, or TV I found myself pacing around the room trying to decide what I was going do. Should I take a nap? Read a book? Try and write? I finally settled down in my gorgeous room on the couch in front of the sliding glass windows to write and saw this yellow-billed hornbill checking me out through the window. It was like, he was watching me on TV! At that moment, I put down my notebook and opened my eyes to the beautiful land in front of me. I spent the next hour watching buffalo at the watering hole, the birds around my deck, and the little mice playing under the tree next to my room.
– Liz Loftus

A BABY ELEPHANT SNOOZE IN KENYA

My most memorable wildlife moment starts at Asilia’s Naboisho Camp, an area that extends off Kenya‘s Maasai Mara. That morning, I woke up at 5 am and set out on a walking safari: just me, my guide Roelof, and Roelof ‘s rifle. We head straight into the bush from camp and come upon a family of elephants. We want to get closer, but we don’t want them to feel threatened by our presence, so we take shelter in a bush and wait. The next thing I know, the family is right in front of us, including a baby who’s just months old. Without warning, the baby stumbles to the ground and drifts off into a peaceful slumber while the rest of its family browses nearby trees. I could see every breath the baby took as its little belly raised each time. It was a wild yet pure and tender moment. After about 15 minutes, the family decides to move on in search of more food. One of the older elephants nudges the baby to wake up, but the baby refuses and doses off back to sleep. After several tries, the baby finally gives in and gets up to join the rest of the family as they slowly march off into the wilderness.
– Becca Fritz

CAT EYES IN BOTSWANA

Years ago, I was heading to Africa for the first time – alone. Having never travelled internationally by myself before and with this being my first safari, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. What I was sure of, was that I was one of the luckiest people I knew. I did my best to hide my nervousness as I began my journey. I finally made it out to the bush and what I soon realized was that traveling alone is actually an incredibly unique experience and one I would glady repeat! Because you are alone, you become even more interested in the stories of the people you meet along the way – rather than having a side conversation with a friend as you might find yourself doing otherwise. I met some wonderful women on that trip that I still keep in touch with years later. We ended up in the middle of the Okavango together, drifting past papyrus reeds in our mokoro, dodging hippos from our speedboat and tracking cats from our safari vehicle. Being my first safari, I was excited by everything. Even the impala, or “MacDonalds of de bush” as my guide Lazi lovingly referred to them. The sighting that has forever imprinted itself in my memory since that first trip though, was a majestic leopard we luckily spotted, lounging on a log that was near the ground and shockingly close to us. Leopards have the most mezmerizing eyes. I’ve been in love ever since.