New Year’s Game Walk in Uganda, Africa
Walking in the bush in African national parks is usually not permitted. Simply, the list of animals that can kill you is just too long. Normally park visitors must stay in their vehicles at all times or else risk high fines, expulsion from the park and death, yeah, a lion might eat you.
So when walking safari’s were allowed at Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda, Africa with an armed ranger, we jumped at the chance.
Some of our group got up early for the morning game walk. Others did not make it after the New’s Year celebrations.
Impalas ran away from us in early the dawn light –
– and we saw a baby warthog! So cute.
Wart hogs run with their tails up so if there are any other wart hogs behind, they can follow the tail in front of them.
Dug out tunnels like this are where wart hogs sleep at night.
Our guide could guess right away that this skeleton of a wart hog died of old age or maybe sickness, but not attacked or a struggle. Otherwise, it would have been ripped to shreds.
This mud hole was deceivingly wet still. We walked into it to get a closer look at some tracks until we started sinking in. Our guide was reading the landscape and told us how over time this mud hole would keep getting bigger and bigger as animals continued to seek reprieve in it. Eventually it will start holding more water and become a place of refuge during the hot afternoons while an animal might be moving from point A to B in search of food.
A short while later we saw this dust patch where zebras roll. Eventually over time the depression will become bigger and bigger and hold more and more water creating another mud pit and the cycle continues.
This is hippo poo and our guide asked us if it was male or female poo. None of knew and she said it was easy to tell this was a male because he used his tail to spread it around and mark his territory. This would serve as a sign to any other males that they better not enter his turf. A female hippo would have just pooed in one pile.
We spotted these weird looking animals as we had been split into two groups.
The shiest of all African antelopes, this was as close as we could get to these elands, whom promptly moved away from us.
Nicely painted curio shop with the classic black and white painted stripes to resemble zebras.
Skulls of animals by ranger station.
Here comes John to get us and take us for an eight hour ride to our next camp.
If you have the chance to get out of your vehicle and go on a guided walk in Africa, do it. If you are fortunate enough to see some nice game and other wildlife, count yourself lucky they did not run away from you. We did this walking safari on New Years Day 2015. I could not have thought of a better way to start the New Year than to walk with some wildlife in Africa.
* * *
For more information:
Previous Post
Next Post
A great way to bring in the New Year! More than interesting about the wallowing holes and I bet no one knew about the hippo pooh. The two of you seem to be having a fantastic trip!
Your telling me! What a way to bring in the New Year. The hippo poo has proved to be a very interesting fact for people. Who knew! The trip is going superior thanks!
Wow. Great pics. Is it wrong that the wart hog baby has mutten chops like Max?
Wart hogs are thrown into what’s called The Ugly 5 – but I love em! Especially the babies!!! They are so cute!!!! It doesn’t show it in these photos, but at the younger age, that hair along their spine will stand up like a big mo-hawk! I love it!!!
What a wonderful and exciting closeup look into Lake Mburo National Park. The pictures of all the animals and the information about them was enlightening, I have a new appreciation for Wart Hogs and I enjoy how they run with their tails up they look so graceful and elegant!
Thank you for allowing us to have a closeup experience of African wildlife with you!
Wart hogs we found were one of the most entertaining animals. to watch. They are usually moving, grazing, get easily startled or not, and forget quickly. The way they prance around with those tiny hooves is hilarious! 🙂
News Year in Genesis is what I think. ( Creation) It is like you are walking in a “living book.” We look to little at the living Genesis that is right in front of us. Thanks for the
reminder!
Yes, it was a new day and a new year. Ernest Hemingway said, “I never knew of a morning in Africa that I woke up and was not happy.”
walking in the park is offering your life