{"id":22311,"date":"2017-11-15T09:15:14","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T09:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/?p=22311"},"modified":"2017-12-21T17:58:47","modified_gmt":"2017-12-21T17:58:47","slug":"11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Awe-Inspiring Animal Photos to Make You Want to Safari"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i>Who doesn&#8217;t want to hang out with a cheetah? Or spot a red-eyed nocturnal tree frog? Our resident bloggers, Mike &amp; Anne Howard of HoneyTrek, share their most adorable, exhilarating, funny, and remarkable safari moments. Take note and get your camera ready, these animal photos will make you want to take your own safari as soon as possible!&nbsp;<\/i><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22315 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-HoneyTrek.com-8822.jpg\" alt=\"cheetah and cub\" width=\"875\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-HoneyTrek.com-8822.jpg 875w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-HoneyTrek.com-8822-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-HoneyTrek.com-8822-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 875px) 100vw, 875px\" \/><br \/>\nSeeing a cheetah on the hunt, dozens of vultures battling for lunch, and rhinos teaching their young to spar, these are moments in nature you won\u2019t want to miss. Africa is the first safari destination that comes to mind, and while this continent holds some of the largest and most majestic animals, wild things roam all the continents. Even Antarctica, as desolate as it may seem, showed us some of our best wildlife sightings. If you have a love of animals, these places and pics will make you want to don your khakis and binoculars.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>South Luangwa, Zambia<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22320\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22320\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/South-Luangua-HoneyTrek.com-5545-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"south luangwa hippos\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/South-Luangua-HoneyTrek.com-5545-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/South-Luangua-HoneyTrek.com-5545-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/South-Luangua-HoneyTrek.com-5545-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/South-Luangua-HoneyTrek.com-5545.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22320\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hippos wading in the Luangwa River and yawning in the late day sun. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Said to be one of the last great unspoilt swaths of wilderness left, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/South-Luangwa-National-Park-South-Luangwa-National-Park.d553248621532405072.Vacation-Attraction?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Luangwa<\/a> is a household name to the most avid wildlife enthusiasts. Known to be the birthplace of the African walking safari and a catalyst to change hunting to photographic safaris, it\u2019s a place where the animal kingdom reigns supreme. With the mighty Luangwa River having never been dammed, the plains flood in the rainy season, making it a hippo haven. Hippo-honking is the soundtrack of South Luangwa, and to see their large bodies lumber along the banks and their wide mouths munch the reeds is a sight to remember.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Galapagos, Ecuador<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22313\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22313\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22313\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Galapagos-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7431-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Marine iguanas\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Galapagos-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7431-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Galapagos-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7431-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Galapagos-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7431-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Galapagos-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7431.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22313\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marine iguanas turning a vibrant pink to attract their mates on Floreana Island. Photo by&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Not just home to rare and unusual animals like the giant tortoise and bluefooted booby, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Galapagos.d1371.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gal\u00e1pagos Islands<\/a> foster over 1,000 species that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. Go scuba diving with hammerheads, kayak to islands filled with penguins, and snorkel alongside the Galapagos marine iguanas \u2014 the only swimming iguanas in the world. Head to Isabela Island and its Calera Channel, you can get the chance to snorkel with these serpentine cuties.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Kruger, South Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22314\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22314\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22314\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Kruger-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-0862-1024x700.jpg\" alt=\"kruger lion cubs\" width=\"1024\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Kruger-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-0862-1024x700.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Kruger-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-0862-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Kruger-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-0862-768x525.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Kruger-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-0862.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22314\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A lioness tending her cubs in Sabi Sand, South Africa. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Kruger-National-Park.d6060247.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kruger National Park<\/a> not only boasts the \u201cBig Five\u201d (rhino, elephant, African buffalo, lion, and leopard) but also more large mammals than virtually any other park on the continent. Combine the rare opportunity of a DIY game drive with a classic luxury safari camp in the neighboring Sabi Sand Reserve for the best of both worlds. During our time with the safari pros at Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, our guide got wind of a lion pride feasting on a kill. With our pro team, we were able to creep up to the cats, including this lioness and her cute little cubs.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22312\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22312\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22312\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Antarctica-HoneyTrek.com-1362-1024x627.jpg\" alt=\"Antarctica penguins\" width=\"1024\" height=\"627\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Antarctica-HoneyTrek.com-1362-1024x627.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Antarctica-HoneyTrek.com-1362-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Antarctica-HoneyTrek.com-1362-768x470.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Antarctica-HoneyTrek.com-1362.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22312\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Penguins waddling along the glaciated Booth Island, Antarctica. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>At sea, you\u2019ll spot countless whales and seals, but on land &#8230; penguins run the show! With few humans or terrestrial predators, Antarctica is the playground for tens of thousands of Gentoo, Chinstraps, and Adelie penguins. Take an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Cruises?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">expedition ship<\/a> like Quark or One Ocean, and you\u2019ll stop for hikes along their turf. You should never approach a penguin, but if you kneel down, curious chicks will often waddle right up to you.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Maasai Mara, Kenya<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22316\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22316\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22316\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-Cheetah-HoneyTrek.com--1024x714.jpg\" alt=\"cheetah on roof\" width=\"1024\" height=\"714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-Cheetah-HoneyTrek.com--1024x714.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-Cheetah-HoneyTrek.com--300x209.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-Cheetah-HoneyTrek.com--768x535.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Masai-Mara-Cheetah-HoneyTrek.com-.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22316\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mike &amp; Anne Howard muster the bravery for a selfie with a wild cheetah. Photo by<a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Kenya\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Masai-Mara.d2412.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Maasai Mara<\/a> is perhaps the world\u2019s most famous safari destination and with good reason. The Big Five are on roll call year-round and the great wildebeest migration runs through its savanna every summer. We were on a game drive with our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Talek-Hotels-Mara-Leisure-Camp.h15174597.Hotel-Information?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mara Leisure Camp<\/a> guide, and we saw a cheetah pacing nearby. He warned us, the cheetah might just jump on our car for a better vantage point. Just as we chuckled in disbelief \u2014&nbsp;<em>pounce<\/em>! We had a cheetah on the ledge of our open-roof vehicle, standing inches from our heads! While this was slightly terrifying, the cheetah had no interest in critters like us and being in the company of the fastest mammal on earth was well worth the risk!<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Yasun\u00ed, Ecuador<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22322\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22322\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22322\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Yasuni_Jungles-8787-2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Amazon sloth\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Yasuni_Jungles-8787-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Yasuni_Jungles-8787-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Yasuni_Jungles-8787-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Yasuni_Jungles-8787-2.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22322\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sloth napping in a Java Cotton Tree in Yasun\u00ed National Park. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Yasuni-National-Park.d3000005958.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yasun\u00ed National Park<\/a> comprises less than 4,000 square miles of the Amazon Basin\u2019s 2.9 million, but its species density crushes the competition. Yasun\u00ed is one of the most bio-diverse places on Earth and where we saw pink river dolphins, manatees, macaws, troops of monkeys, and countless other species for the first time. One of our favorite sightings was a sloth hugging the trunk of a java cotton tree, dangling with red pods akin to Christmas ornaments.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Meru, Kenya<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22317\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22317\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22317\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Meru-IMG_0246.jpg\" alt=\"white rhinos sparring\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Meru-IMG_0246.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Meru-IMG_0246-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Meru-IMG_0246-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22317\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">White rhinos sparring at Meru Rhino Sanctuary. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Rhinos have been victim to some of the most devastating poaching; but thanks to places like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Meru.d6325452.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Meru<\/a> Rhino Sanctuary populations are on the rise. During a game drive across the 48-square-kilometer expanse, we spotted this white rhino teaching his son to spar. In a slow-motion battle, we saw the grace, skill, and sheer resilience of the rhino shine through.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Tortuguero, Costa Rica<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22321\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22321\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22321\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Tortuguero-Costa-Rica-HoneyTrek.com-9261-1024x640.jpg\" alt=\"red-eyed tree frog\" width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Tortuguero-Costa-Rica-HoneyTrek.com-9261-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Tortuguero-Costa-Rica-HoneyTrek.com-9261-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Tortuguero-Costa-Rica-HoneyTrek.com-9261-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Tortuguero-Costa-Rica-HoneyTrek.com-9261-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Tortuguero-Costa-Rica-HoneyTrek.com-9261.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22321\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A red-eyed tree frog hops from branch to branch in the jungle of Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Home to one of the largest sea turtle colonies in the world, the beaches of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Tortuguero.d6052919.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tortuguero<\/a> are filled with thousands of hawksbill, loggerhead, and green turtles from March until September. While turtles come and go over the course of seven months, rare birds, amphibians, and mammals are in abundance year round. In addition to toucans and spider monkeys, one of our favorite sightings was the fantastical red-eyed tree frog. They are nocturnal, so be sure to take a night hike with a knowledgeable guide, like those of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Caribbean-Coast-Hotels-Tortuga-Lodge-And-Gardens.h1844916.Hotel-Information?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tortuga Lodge<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Samburu, Kenya<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22319\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22319\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22319\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Samburu-HoneyTrek.com-1243-1024x637.jpg\" alt=\"Vultures fighting\" width=\"1024\" height=\"637\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Samburu-HoneyTrek.com-1243-1024x637.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Samburu-HoneyTrek.com-1243-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Samburu-HoneyTrek.com-1243-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Samburu-HoneyTrek.com-1243-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Samburu-HoneyTrek.com-1243.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22319\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vultures battle it out for lunch in Samburu, Kenya. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>A place of cinematic beauty and intense encounters, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Samburu.d6143945.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Samburu<\/a> was a film location for <em>Out of Africa<\/em> and <em>Born Free<\/em>. What might normally be an average safari sighting, like elephants bathing in the river or sparring Grant\u2019s gazelles, always escalated to a Darwinian drama in Samburu. Dozens of vultures ravaged this dead wildebeest \u2014 squawking, pecking, and dive bombing each other \u2014 while we watched the survival of the fittest play out before our eyes.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_22318\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22318\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Ngorongoro-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7504-1024x704.jpg\" alt=\"Ngorongoro Crater Lodge\" width=\"1024\" height=\"704\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Ngorongoro-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7504-1024x704.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Ngorongoro-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7504-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Ngorongoro-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7504-768x528.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Ngorongoro-Safari-HoneyTrek.com-7504.jpg 1027w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22318\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Elephant outside Anne &amp; Mike&#8217;s hotel room at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Ngorongoro-Conservation-Area-Hotels-Ngorongoro-Serena-Safari-Lodge.h903728.Hotel-Information?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ngorongoro Crater Lodge<\/a>. Photo by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.HoneyTrek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HoneyTrek.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Adjacent to the plains of the Serengeti, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/Ngorongoro-Conservation-Area.d6025766.Destination-Travel-Guides?mcicid=page.Inspire.Gnomads.mike-and-anne-howard.11-awe-inspiring-animal-photos-to-make-you-want-to-safari\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ngorongoro Crater<\/a> harbors some 25,000 large animals within the steep walls of an extinct volcano. We spent our days roaming the crater floor, spotting lions, zebra, hippos, and wildebeest right before their great migration (a must-see event each summer). Though even while relaxing in our hotel we felt like we were on safari \u2014 this elephant was munching the tree right outside our bedroom window!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our resident HoneyTrek bloggers, Mike &#038; Anne Howard, share their most adorable, exhilarating, funny, and remarkable safari moments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":22315,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[164],"tags":[205,900,186,845,86,441,101,982,407,844],"class_list":["post-22311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventure","tag-costa-rica","tag-kenya","tag-natural-park","tag-natural-wonders","tag-nature","tag-photography","tag-safari","tag-tanzania","tag-travel-inspiration","tag-wild-animals"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>11 Awe-Inspiring Animal Photos to Make You Want to Safari<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ever consider taking a safari? 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