How do I even begin to capture the last few days? It’s been a whirlwind of wildlife, adventure, and pure magic. After leaving our peaceful bush camp, we made our way to a hippo reserve—and what a start to the day that was!
We were loaded into very questionable wooden canoes—the kind that sit low in the water, leak just enough to you need to constantly bail, and immediately remind you that hippos kill more people than lions. Just to add a little international flavor, the river crossing actually took us into Burkina Faso(technically another country ticked off the list!).
Up the river, we spotted the hippos—big, lazy, and mostly submerged, but with the occasional burst of activity as the younger ones played around. My binoculars absolutely earned their spot in my bag for this one, letting me see the details even from a distance.
Fun fact: Hippos can’t swim. Instead, they run along the riverbed, holding their breath and jumping off the bottom to the surface. Kind of like an overweight deadly ballerina.
But the real magic began later that day when Paul somehow pulled off an extremely long and difficult day of driving and got us to Mole National Park—giving us two nights in what turned out to be safari heaven.
The campgrounds were almost luxurious by overland standards—flat grass, functioning showers, and toilets that worked. No ants, no dust storms, and no random midnight encounters with oversized insects. Just peace, simplicity, and excitement about what lay ahead. Though there were the baboons waiting for us to go out…
The next morning, it was safari time. I found myself in a wonderfully old-school Range Rover, complete with eight seats mounted on top. It felt like something out of a 1970s nature documentary, and I was here for it.
At first, it met my low expectations. A few antelopes here, some birds there, a warthog or two. But then—elephants.
Not just elephants off in the distance—we’re talking 20 meters away, close enough to hear them breathe and watch their ears flap in slow motion. At one point, we even had to back away slowly because one decided we were a little too interesting and got within 10 meters! I’ve been told it’s incredibly rare to get this close to elephants on foot in the wild, and now I understand why. It was exhilarating, humbling, and completely unforgettable.
Words might fail to fully capture the safari experience, I can safely say it was magical.
The day was already perfect, but we couldn’t stop there. Our group, now bonded by shared awe, immediately agreed to book a night safari with the same guide.
But before that things took an interesting turn during the day. With us all gone the baboons came and investigated our campsite. We had a dozen of them running around running amuck. I found it amusing until one snuck into my tent and nicked off with my laundry bag! Hilarity ensued as I, shirtless, bolted off into the forest after it, swearing up a storm. (See previous post for photos)
From hippos to elephants, the past few days have been the kind of adventure you dream about when you sign up for something as wild as overlanding. And the best part? We’re still just getting started.
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