Roughly two years ago, in February and March 2020 (pre-COVID-19), I had my first safari experience in Africa. I went on safari in Kruger National Park in South Africa as well as on the Serengeti in Tanzania. You can read more about my experience on the Serengeti in my Year 5 blog. During this trip, I first created my safari log, which includes all of the animals I’ve seen.
To showcase that travel, I thought I’d create a photo journal blog of all the animals I’d seen on safari. I’ve included my full safari log of animals; although, unfortunately, I do not have a photo for each one. Either I couldn’t quite capture the sighting in time or the animal was too far away to get a good photo.
1. Lion
Lion spotted in Serengeti National Park in March 2020. This photo was taken through binoculars.
2. Zebra
This zebra was spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
3. Hippo
No photo – spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
4. Crocodile
No photo – spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
5. Elephant
Elephants were abundant on our game drives in both national parks. Here is an elephant I spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
6. Antelope – Kudu + Impala
Antelope (both kudu and impala) were all over both Kruger and Serengeti. This photo was taken in Kruger in February 2020.
7. Giraffe
My favorite safari animal is a giraffe. These were spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
8. Vultures
No photo – spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020 and Serengeti National Park in March 2020.
9. Rhino
I spotted rhinos in Hlane Royal National Park in February 2020. You can read more about my experience crouching in the grass to hide from them in A Year Ago This Week: Remembering Maxwell and the Rhinos.
10. Owl
No photo – spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
11. Monkey
My least favorite animal is the monkey. I spotted these on a game drive in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
12. Turtle
No photo – spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
13. Jackal
A jackal is a slender long-legged wild dog that has a striking resemblance to my dog, Lily (a Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix). I spotted this animal on the Serengeti in March 2020.
14. Hyena
A hyena nursing her cub – spotted in Kruger National Park in February 2020.
15. Wildebeest
No photo – spotted in Serengeti National Park in March 2020.
16. Buffalo
This is a buffalo (specifically water buffalo) that I saw during our game drive on the Serengeti in March 2020.
Final Thoughts
If you plan to go on safari, I highly recommend keeping a safari log that includes all the animals you’ve seen and where you’ve seen them. For me, it helps me to remember what I’m still searching for (like a leopard and cheetah!) on future safaris as well as what I’ve seen that I just don’t have photos of.
A safari log can be a small notebook you keep with you during your travels or a list in the Notes app of your phone. Whatever works best for you! I would simply amend my list on my phone as soon as I’d see a new animal. When I’d forget at the moment, it was always easy to go back through photos to add what I had missed later.
Enjoy your safari!