Our First Safari Adventure

We had the exciting opportunity to travel to South Luangwa, Zambia to enjoy a game park and go on a self-drive safari. We went with my (Lily's) mom and sister while they were here visiting after Grayson's birth.

We stayed at a private home adjacent to the game park, so we were able to see many different animals from the comfort of our own home. The house was called Gille and Jake's, and it was really awesome. We would definitely recommend it to anyone heading to South Luangwa.

The house had its own pool and a natural lagoon (watering hole) right at the edge of the property. The lagoon afforded us the opportunity to see many animals right from the house as well as watch elephants cool themselves down in the afternoon. Wow! What an incredible experience to see in person. At one point, we had 16 elephants bathing in the water about 25-35 yards away from us! We also got super lucky and were able to experience a lion kill about two football fields away from our house. About 10:30 pm our first night at the house, the baboons started going crazy. Come to find out the next morning, some lions had taken down a buffalo that we had actually just seen not too long before we went to bed. So the next morning around 6:00 am, one of the night guards at the house took Joseph and Clare out in front of the house to point out 2 lionesses that where still near their kill keeping watch. We then got into our vehicle to check it out and we saw what was left of the buffalo as well as one lioness hanging out, It was a great way to start our first full day at the park!

We also had a really successful game drive, and we were able to see a lot of animals. We saw elephants, lions, African buffalo, monkeys, giraffe, zebra, kudu, puku, impala, hippos, crocodiles and much more! We were in the park from about 0700 to 1100, and the time just flew by. There were multiple times where we came around a corner and there was an animal, right there in front of us. So cool! We went back into the park in the afternoon from about 16:30-18;00 and we were able to see more lions then. It was so cool to watch them stalking their prey to make a kill. Unfortunately we didn't see a kill made, but it was a neat experience nonetheless.

Nana and her grandsons

The buffalo that the lions killed near our house

Elephants that were near the house when we returned from our morning game drive

Elephants coming up to the mud hole for an afternoon cool down

We were so close!!!

Clare and the Elephants

Mom and the Elephants

Grayson getting his turn too!

The large Baobab tree in the game park

Two lionness that were right in front of our vehicle

Clare captured this great picture of a momma and her baby!

A whole herd of buffalo crossing the road right in front of us

A whole group shot at the house we stayed at

We are so thankful that we were able to experience God's creation in this way. It was also super awesome to get to do it with family! We are looking forward to going back later this year when Joseph's parents come to visit!