Safari at Kruger National Park

Today was a very early start – everyone gathered at 6:30 to apply sunscreen and bug spray, to grab water and a bug repellent bracelet, and to board our safari vehicles to make our way to Kruger National Park. The air in the morning had a slight chill, but that would soon become much warmer once the sun had been up for a few hours. We entered the park at Paul Kruger Gate (that's Paul Kruger in the monument below), and before we had even passed into the park proper, we were seeing groups of monkeys run past our vehicles!

 

 

 

 

Throughout the day we made sightings of three of the Big Five (we viewed rhinos, lions, and elephants oh my, but missed seeing any leopards or buffalo). We also came across hippos, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, kudus, two types of monkeys, a monitor lizard, some wildebeest and numerous species of birds. A baby elephant thoroughly entertained us by applying a mud bath in the traditional manner of stomping the mud, swishing the mud with his trunk, then spraying behind his ears and on his back. He finally decided this was too slow of a process and did some violent stomping before just flinging himself down in the mud and rolling around. Problem solving in nature in action!

 

 

 

 
The day also included stops for breakfast and lunch at locations within the park. An additional photo op stop atop a tall hill enabled students to walk in a small portion of the park and enjoy the scenic vista. It was a day of great memories, and we all have plenty of photos to share with our friends and families.