SAFARI DAY 6 - DUMA TAU

May 8, 2019

We started out the morning with a leopard encounter, this one a different leopard than we had seen the first night. Leopards like to hang out in the tall grass and can go virtually undetected except for the tip of their tails, which rise above the grass just enough for the babies to see so they can follow their Mom. Anyway, our guide was told about the the sighting so we drove straight there and watched him. All the local jeeps congregate when there is a sighting and they constantly move their positions to get a better view for the guests so there is a lot of jockeying around. Eventually he wandered off into the bush and we moved along. Next up we visited the hippos and elephants at the watering hole they are known to frequent. The hippos just sit and stare at us and if they feel threatened at all, they tend to open their big mouths to show us their canines which are enormous - about 8 inches long. They are said to be the most dangerous animal in Africa as they can chase you on foot and kill you with their powerful mouths should you be stupid enough to get in the water. There were a few elephants there when we arrived, but they just kept filing in until there must have been 60-70 of them all around us, on both sides and across the watering hole. Our guide backed the jeep up into the trees and allowed us to get out of the truck and stretch our legs while he prepared a mini buffet of coffee/tea and biscuits. We sat there for at least an hour just observing and taking it all in. Back at camp that afternoon, the elephants got really active in front of our camp and specifically right next to Marc and Beth’s room! There were about 20 of them, some in the water playing and wrestling (we thought they are probably teenage boys), mamas and babies drinking and feeding on the grasses and trees lining the shoreline. At one point this one female elephant edged closer and closer to the deck on which we were all perched watching, to the point where she was a mere 3 feet away if she were to reach out with her trunk. That’s when we all scooted back a bit as she could potentially grab you with her trunk and drag you off and they would kill you most likely. Our afternoon drive was a bit of a bust, absolutely nothing new, no action. We are always greeted back at camp upon arrival with hot scented towels to wipe your hands and face, we have come to really appreciate that custom. Another nice dinner and off to bed by 8:30 as usual, as tomorrow we leave.