Floating Over the Masai Mara

Who looks forward to getting up before dawn while on vacation? You would if you were about to go on a safari in a hot air balloon. Eight of us squeezed into a basket and waited for lift off in the darkness. Before I knew it, we were drifting over herds of animals in Kenya's Masai Mara and watching the sunrise. Though the wind was pushing us, I hardly felt any movement. It was very calm and serene. The sound of the occasional firing of the burners disrupted the silence. The hour journey took us over the Mara River where we could see hippos bathing. The "soft landing" was not as "soft" as I'd have liked as we were dragged a bit before tipping over, but I quickly forgot about it when I saw the champagne and breakfast being set up in the bush. Definitely an "Out of Africa" experience. A seat in the basket will set you back $400 per person, which is not a steal, but if you plan on experiencing this once in your lifetime, this is the place to do it. To reserve: http://www.governorscamp.com/property_activities_masai_mara_hot_air_ballooning.php

Tracking a Leopard

Believe it or not, you'll get bored after a day of seeing elephants, zebras and giraffes. You'll never get bored of tracking predators (lions, cheetahs, and leopards). We couldn't leave Botswana without finding a leopard. After a couple of hours tracking a leopard, we found it hidden among the bush stalking a baby elephant. We watched in silence. Within seconds, there was chaos. The birds signaled the elephants that a predator was near. The elephants trumpeted and a huge herd ran to protect its babies. A lone elephant bull came out of nowhere and chased the leopard away. It's a shame that our cameras were not fast enough to capture all the action, which lasted less than a minute. We caught up with the leopard and watched it hunt a guinea fowl. That couldn't have satisfied the leopard's appetite. The leopard was back on the hunt within minutes but unfortunately it was time for us to go. You always have to keep your eyes open as you never know what you're going to find on a safari. To book a safari: http://www.kwando.co.za/