Day 3: Thursday 5:53AM Serena Mivumo River Lodge

8AM yesterday, our hearty gang loaded into safari trucks with high spirits and packed lunches for a long and ambitious day. Simon, our driver/guide handled the Land Rover with skill and flair, leading the pack on a brisk, chilly run onto game rich plains. At first we see nothing, then animals everywhere. Encountering lilac breasted rollers and Giraffe nurseries with half a dozen little ones guarded by matrons, were special treats.

Then we hit the jackpot. Simon spotted a pride of lions
lounging under trees. With great skill he maneuvered our truck through and over brush to follow lion social interactions for an hour. He radioed the other trucks to join the fun.  

After a picnic lunch we drove around the lake to see great birds and hippos out of the water. Boats were waiting by the river to ferry us back to camp for more hippo and croc encounters along the way.

To top off a superb day, a family of elephants crossed the river in front of us,  trunks and tails splashing merrily. Babies wrapped their little trunk around mom’s neck and held on for the ride. Lodge personnel declared they had never seen elephants cross before, and our boatman, who is on the river every day, has only seen elephants cross four times in seven years. Lucky us. The elephants celebrated their passage by eating a bush.

We headed for cold beer.
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Serena Mivumo River Lodge and Huts

lilac Breasted Rollers © Susan Tryon

Giraffe nurseries with half a dozen little ones guarded by matrons.

Impala lunch and some lion social interactions

Lions getting a drink

African Fish Eagle

Hippo © Susan Tryon

Swimming Hippos 

Crocodile

Family of elephants crossed the river in front of us, trunks and tails splashing merrily. Babies wrapped their little trunk around mom’s neck and held on for the ride. 
Extremely rare to see according to our guides.

The elephants celebrated their passage by eating a bush.