The regal female Leopard Legadima overseeing her territory. Photo by Claire Tinsley

When on safari, the “Big-5″ are on the top of everyone’s list of animals to see, and it is true that lions, leopards, buffalo, elephants and rhinos are extraordinary creatures to observe in the wild. Seeing a majestic elephant bath itself in mud or a lion greeting its pride is a magical moment that will make any journey into the bush unforgettable.

Yet, there are so many animals to see, many equally as exciting or unique as any of the Big 5, that you may be surprised to find yourself at the end of your safari with a new and unexpected favorite! With that in mind, here are five more animals to look out for while on your game drives.

Photo by Claire Tinsley

Two animals to reevaluate and pay more attention to on a safari are the hyena and the giraffe. Giraffes are simply regal. Watching them walk across the savannah as the sun sets is like taking a deep breath during yoga; it centers, calms and keeps you present. Giraffes are most closely related to the camel (you can see the resemblance if you look closely at their faces) and are among the only animals that walk by moving both legs on one side of their bodies at the same time. In order to drink water, Giraffes must spread their front legs very far apart (like they are attempting to do the splits) to get their faces close enough to the water.

Giraffes at Dusk. Photo by Claire Tinsley

Hyenas may seem like an odd animal to highlight. In fact the majority of people claim to dislike hyenas (perhaps because of their poor casting in Disney’s The Lion King!) In reality, these inquisitive creatures are fascinating to watch, especially when their young come up to your vehicle and start sniffing and chewing on the tires. Don’t worry, they aren’t trying to give you a flat tire; rather, this is how they experience and learn about the world. If you knew everything about your house, and then someone came and parked a car on your front lawn, you would probably go investigate it too! Hyenas are immensely playful animals and among the most social species. You may see the young scuffle around their den, but they are quick to stand at attention if their mother calls, as the Spotted Hyena is a female-dominated species. Hyenas are generally thought to be scavengers, and while they are indeed opportunistic animals and wouldn’t pass up trying to steal a good meal from another species, they kill as much as 95% of the food they eat. After making the kill Hyenas often make a laughing sound, to signal the rest of their family members that “dinner is ready.” However, this call may also bring in “unwanted” dinner guests, such as lions, to the table.

Three young inquisitive Hyena pups. Photo by Claire Tinsley

Be sure to be on the look out for the Red Lechwe. If you mention wanting to see one to a guide, you might get a surprised look, but this will be because they are in fact quite common. Part of the antelope species, they stand out due to their hind legs. Lechwe, which eat aquatic plants, are found in marshy areas and have evolved to use the knee-deep water as protection from predators. Their hind legs are considerably larger than their front legs and all four are covered in a water-repellant substance which allows them to run quite fast in knee-deep water. This, more often than not, keeps them safe from land-dwelling predators, such as lions and leopards (although crocodiles still have the upper hand). Seeing them run through a flood plain is a wonderful photo-op, so make sure to have your cameras ready!

A Red Lechwe. Photo by Claire Tinsley

And don’t overlook the smaller animals out there. Crimson Breasted Shrikes are small but striking birds with a white wing stripe and florescent red underbellies. They have a distinctive chirp, which will alert you that they’re near, but it’s the bright red in a land of browns and tans that will catch your eye. Look for them in drier thorn-bush areas, thickets and acacia scrubs.

A Crimson Breasted Shrike. Photo by Claire Tinsley

Chameleons are small and fast, but not as hard to spot as you might think, particularly at night. Their ability to change color is well known, but this is not done to match their background as commonly believed. Rather the color changes are used both to communicate and to regulate body temperature. When you come back from a game drive after dark, it can be hard to carry on looking for the bigger animals because all you have to locate them with is the reflective color of their eyes. Chameleons, which you would think would be infinitely harder to find, actually reflect light with their entire body! When a spotlight hits them, their whole body is the color of pearl, for the first couple of moments at least. This occurs because Chameleons have multiple layers of chromatophores, the top layer has red or yellow pigments and the bottom layers have blue or white pigment. At night the Chameleon shrinks these cells to preserve heat, which makes the blue and white cells more prevalent, and easier to catch in a spot light. You are most likely to see them in trees or bushes where they hope to spend a safe night hidden from predators. They vary greatly in length – from 2.5 cm to 50 cm – so be sure to keep your eyes peeled and get ready to impress your whole group by spotting a chameleon, at night, while driving 30 mph! Just don’t expect to get a picture of this phenomenon; it probably won’t come out very well!

Come experience the African wild with us! Learn more about our African Safari trip here.

Ivan Small first became interested in Vietnam during a family trip in 1993. Fascinated with the social and cultural transformations that have accompanied the rapid pace of capitalist transformation, Ivan has continued to be professionally and academically involved with Vietnam over a twenty-year period.  Ivan will receive his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and Southeast Asian studies in May 2012 from Cornell University. As a Fulbright-Hays fellow and visiting research scholar at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City from 2007 to 2008, Ivan conducted extensive research on the social dynamics of migration and remittance economies.

 ***

Group Photo, Hue
Photo courtesy of Ivan Small

Over two activity filled weeks, our Smithsonian study tour followed a route parallel to the one historically traversed by the Vietnamese people from north to south. After three days visiting the ancient capital of Hanoi and the sublime islands of Halong Bay in the north, our group flew south to Danang, into the heart of what was once the Champa Kingdom in central Vietnam. The landscape, cuisine, and climate were dramatically different than what we had experienced in the wintery north. After a relaxed afternoon at our charming beach side hotel, the group enjoyed a delicious seafood buffet dinner over high spirits and animated conversations. The following morning we started out early – our bus driver awaited with fresh incense on the front bumper to protect the voyagers from malicious spirits that might cause a traffic accident. We began with a visit to the Cham relics museum, displaying artifacts of the lost Cham civilization carefully collected and curated by French archaeologists during the colonial period.

Cham statue at Danang Cham Museum
Photo courtesy of Ivan Small

Afterwards, the travelers clamored for more adventure and so we decided to detour along the scenic shoreline to find the source of a towering Buddhist statue visible from a distance. Winding along the seaside cliffs, the bus arrived at a majestic Buddhist temple complex, replete with holy bodhisattvas, ringing gongs and burning incense. Visiting pilgrims meandered through the courtyards, behind the temple wispy clouds hovered over mountaintops and before the Goddess of Mercy’s gaze a blue ocean horizon stretched out for miles.

Buddhist Temple, Danang
Photo courtesy of Ivan Small

We would continue on that day to visit the ancient town of Hoi An, once a thriving seaport in the 17^th Century frequented by merchants and traders from across East and South Asia. Many of the wooden houses and even bridges from that era built in Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese architectural styles remain. Wandering along the pedestrian streets of the town, our travelers discovered a variety of material and culinary wonders, from a busy fresh produce market to local restaurants selling regional food specialties such as the delicate white rose dumpling. Later we would partake in a cooking class, learning about and using a variety of fresh local ingredients, waiting in savory anticipation as our food cooked and sizzled before us, and finally partaking in the delicious fruits of our labor. Afterwards folks strolled in smaller groups through the lively streets of the town, transformed at night by colorful lanterns and playful children, before returning to the hotel to retire for a good night’s sleep in preparation for the next day’s adventure.

Night Lanterns, Hoi An
Photo Courtesy of Ivan Small

Although not yet the midway point of the trip – many interesting historical, cultural, and geographical sites lay ahead including the grand old imperial city of Hue, the laid back Mekong River Delta town of Can Tho, and bustling Ho Chi Minh City – this midpoint of travel in central Vietnam impresses upon my senses as a memorable moment in our Smithsonian journey together. It was a brief pause where delicious food, beautiful scenery, rich history, lively traveler camaraderie and curious anticipation for what lay ahead came together quite magically. As a study leader, to share with and live vicariously through others experiencing and discovering Vietnam for the first time is one of the greatest rewards.

River boat trip, Can Tho
Photo courtesy of Ivan Small

—

“Trip to Da Nang”
Poem written by Smithsonian Traveler Marsha A. Temlock  after traveling with her husband on the January 2013 “Discovering Vietnam” program

The road that rims the mountain
Precipitous and blind.
Below the verdant valleys
awake with morning glory.
Purple, white bauhinia
above the peaks of trees
Distant in the sunlight
Sway gently in the breeze.

Mountains veiled in fog,
Rice paddies, streams and bogs,
A peasant thins rice seedlings.
A child squats in mud.

Floating markets
Flower markets
Ancestral altars
Emperors Temples
Sampans eye the shore.

Lanterns gleam
Incense furls
Cables crimp
Steam swirls
A rice paper sky.

Monks chant
Bells chime
Silk spins
Girls stitch
Fingers fine as pins

Babies rock in hammocks
Grandpa sips snake tea,
Grandma fixes pho,
Girls in red neckerchiefs
Bow heads to Uncle Ho.

Napping cyclists
Speeding bicyclists
Couples clutched on Dreams.
Sleeping dragon
Spanning dragon
Bridging old and new.

Honk, honk
Make way, make way
Bodhisattva on the hill
Statuesque and calm
She’ll reveal what we feel
Visiting Da Nang.

Lotus sown in mud
Blooms fragrant in the morn.
Vietnam is a country,
Vietnam is not a war*

*  “Vietnam is a country, not a war.” Le Van Bang, Former Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States.

 ***

To learn more about our Discovering Vietnam trip click here

Grant Nel holds a degree in Zoology and has worked in the African wild for more than two decades. A highly respected professional guide and conservationist in the region, he is the former CEO of The Selinda Reserve and sits on the boards of two local environmental organizations.

Grant recently led a group of Smithsonian Journeys travelers on a safari adventure across four different countries.

***

In the epic drama played in the theatre that is Africa, the elephant surely has the lead role.  This gentle giant with its lazy gait, quiet demeanour, inherent intelligence, and subdued power was certainly the central character for our Smithsonian safari where Act I was staged under the mist of Victoria Falls, Act II was played out across the floodplains of the Chobe River, and the Finale was encompassed by the giant amphitheatre of the Zambezi escarpment.  The supporting cast of lion, rhino, buffalo and leopard, along with all the extras (kudu, zebra, sable, giraffe et al) all performed admirably, but as always, the elephant stole the limelight. In no other place does this iconic animal give a better performance than in Botswana’s Chobe National Park. Home to one of the largest single populations of elephant in Africa, this reserve provided us with some captivating elephant viewing. There is a certain thrilling trepidation that floods the senses when one has their first close encounter with the world’s largest land mammal. For us there was no exception.

Photo courtesy of Grant Nel

The Opening Scene – Gamedrive:
Very soon after entering Chobe National Park, we are treated to a wildlife bonanza that fills the stage that is the Chobe floodplain; buffalo and elephant dot the landscape and we scarcely know where to point our binoculars. As we descend the Ochre Ridge towards the river, we notice a small herd of elephants following their own dusty trail to water; a trail created over many decades by many thousands of serving platter sized feet. The dry season is reaching its height and the Chobe River is the only place for many a mile where wildlife can quench the incessant thirst that is the trademark of the Kalahari wilderness. A small, maybe year old, baby elephant gambols alongside its mother and aunty. Still suckling, it is perhaps not yet aware how important this journey is; for now it remains a chance to frolic in the cool waters and splash mud about with gay abandon. Our vehicle reaches the banks of the river and we stop constantly to watch a parade of animals: warthogs are wallowing, a sable antelope weighs up the risk of stealing a quick drink, impala and baboons share a feast under a monkey orange tree and above us on the ridge, more and more elephants gather in anticipation of water.

Photo courtesy of Grant Nel

Scene II – The ‘Encounter’:

To our right we are watching a bevy of elephants slapping on mud with an enthusiasm that can only be described as pure joy. It has our undivided attention and amusement. A muted shuffling noise to the left interrupts the scene and we swing our heads around to see a small family of elephants heading down the river bank directly towards us. Their mission is to get to water and it appears that nothing will stop them. If it weren’t for the inquiring trunk tips pointed in our direction it would seem that they don’t know we exist. The herd splits and passes front and back of our 4×4 so close we can see every eyelash and the cracks on their toenails – exhilarating! One inquisitive young male is not so blasé and decides he wants a closer look at the vehicle occupants. He gets within trunk range and gives us “The Stare”. The chocolate brown eye that he surveys us with is intoxicating and there seems to be a message passing from one intelligent being to another – a silent one, because a pin dropping right now would be cacophonous.

Photo courtesy of Grant Nel

The Closing Scene – Sunset boat cruise:
Our boat cruise is filled with a myriad of encounters with creatures both large and small. A monitor lizard scavenges a Fish Eagle’s scraps; white-fronted bee-eaters hawk insects above our heads; hippos splash, cavort and yawn at our passing; buffaloes graze chest deep in the water; a giant crocodile basks in the late afternoon sun; and always, ever present, are elephants. They are drinking, feeding, bathing, trumpeting, rumbling, suckling, walking, and sparring. They carry out their daily existence without the least concern of our camera clicking and exclamations of wonder. It feels like it cannot possibly get better, until we turn a corner to reveal a scene that probably qualifies as a religious experience. The Sun, now a bright orange orb hanging low in the sky, provides a backdrop to a gathering of buffalo and elephants that must number in the hundreds. Their silhouettes are haloed by the ethereal light reflected in the mirror-like river. Our voices drop to that respectful whisper reserved for a great cathedral and no-one can wrench their eyes away. Sunset in Africa is a relatively quick affair, and I cannot help but think that it is a perfectly timed curtain fall to an astounding performance. Tomorrow the curtain will rise again, and although the script may change, the drama will remain the same.

***

To learn more about our African Safari trip click here

September 2012

Don Wilson is Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and was director of the Smithsonian’s Biodiversity Programs for ten years. A distinguished mammalogist and an internationally recognized authority on bats, his work has taken him around the world conducting field work and research. He has led tours for Smithsonian Journeys to most of the world’s greatest natural history destinations from Antarctica to Africa.  Read his field notes from the trip below:

***

An African Safari is one of the most exciting adventures offered by Smithsonian Journeys. I lead them regularly, but never get tired or bored. Every trip offers new and exciting views of animals, interesting people, and something to look forward to every single day. This September’s journey was no exception.

Photo courtesy of Don Wilson

We had a very nice, compatible group of about 20 people, and by our final stop at Royal Zambezi Lodge in Zambia, we were getting very good at identifying mammals and birds, and were becoming more comfortable with seeing large animals such as elephants and hippos up close and personal. Normally we do this from the safety and comfort of our safari vehicles, but we have the opportunity to do both walking and canoeing safaris at Royal Zambezi, and we had already had some exciting encounters with some elephants.

Photo courtesy of Don Wilson

On our final day, a familiar elephant with a recognizable tear in one ear showed up to wish us good-bye. As we were getting our coffee from the deck where we enjoyed our alfresco meals, the elephant drew closer and closer. Finally it was so close it could scoop the fallen leaves and nuts from the rain gutters on the lodge building. A few folks were still trying to get down to breakfast, and they had to delay their approach until the elephant, a young but quite large bull, had  enjoyed his fill.

Photo courtesy of Don Wilson

***

To read more about our African Safari trip click here

John Sweets is Professor Emeritus of History, specializing in the Vichy France era, the French Resistance, and occupied France. He has taught 19th and 20th century European history at the University of Kansas, University College, Dublin (Ireland), The School of International Studies (Fort Bragg, NC), and at the Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon (France).

John led a group of Smithsonian travelers this September on a journey of France Through the Ages.

***

This morning, after finishing a nice breakfast at our hotel, we walk to the center of the old city at Sarlat, a beehive of activity, enticing aromas, and the bright colors of the Saturday market.  Since Sarlat offers a regional market for this part of the Perigord, scores of farmers display fruit, vegetables, wine, and local specialties such as foie gras, sausages, bread, baked goods, and cheese.  Artists, flea market vendors and producers of handmade goods also come to the city to sell their products, attracting hundreds of customers from the surrounding area.  Our travelers wander amongst the stalls, and many of them purchase the fixings for a nice picnic lunch to have at Rocamadour, the first destination for the day’s bus ride.

The Rocamadour Chapel settled within the rock face. Photos courtesy of John Sweets

In route to Rocamadour the sky suddenly brightens and the temperature rises to provide perfect conditions for our visit of the spectacular medieval pilgrimage sight hewn out of the side of a cliff high above the Alzou, a small tributary of the Dordogne that through the ages has carved out a steep canyon whose walls rise more than 400 feet above the river.  After a quick photo stop to allow the travelers an overview of the sight, the bus driver lets us out at the top of the canyon, from which we begin our descent, along a 19^th-century trail marking the fourteen stages of the cross for a visit of the Chapel of Notre Dame, built into the cliff at the sight of the discovery of Saint Amadour’s body in the 12^th century.  Francoise, our guide and tour leader, explains the significance of Rocamadour as an important pilgrimage sight and points out the wall paintings and the handle of the Sword of Roland which sticks out of the cliff above the entry to the Chapel.  Then we are left on our own to discover the famous Black Virgin of Rocamadour and the beautiful stained glass windows of the Chapel.  Some of the travelers who did not bring a picnic lunch from Sarlat enjoy a delicious omelet filled with morel mushrooms, served with French fries, a large green salad, and slices of bread from possibly the world’s largest loaf of bread (see photo).

Beautiful stained glass at Chapel Rocamadour. Photo courtesy of John Sweets

An impressively large loaf of bread found around lunch time in the Rocamadour village. Photo courtesy of John Sweets

Driving back toward the Dordogne valley, we seek out the Dordogne River whose meanderings we follow to one of France’s most beautiful villages, La Rocque Gageac. This village was once home to cliff dwellers who built their homes high above the Dordogne, remains of which can still be seen.  We have a wonderful view of the village that follows the curve of the Dordogne from the shallow-draft gabarre, the traditional boat of the region, which takes us on a lovely and restful river cruise, round-trip from La Rocque Gageac to the Chateau de Castelnaud. Returning to Sarlat by bus, we have time for another photo stop below the Chateau de Beynac, once ruled over by Eleanor of Aquitaine and her beloved son, Richard the Lionhearted.

Former cliff dwellings of troglodytes embedded in the cliffs in Dordogne. Photo courtesy of John Sweets

A beautiful view of the Dordogne River Valley.  Photo courtesy of John Sweets

Chateau de Beynac was owned by Eleanor of Aquitaine and her favorite son, Richard the Lionhearted.  Photo courtesy of John Sweets

It has been a full day already, and we return to Sarlat just in time for dinner at Le Regent, an excellent restaurant situated on the central square in front of the Hotel de Ville, where we sample foie gras and confit de canard, served with pommes a la sarladaise, the local potato specialty.  Entering the restaurant, the travelers had been astonished by the large crowd gathering in the central square.  However, they soon discover that this is one of the dates designated for celebration of the French patrimony- a day when many towns open historical landmarks, otherwise not open to the public.  The town was beautifully decorated for the evening with candles everywhere, colorful light shows illuminating the walls, story-tellers and actors performed on stage in front of the Hotel de Ville and along narrow streets, women dressed in Renaissance clothing, leaned out their windows to shout insults to one another.  The evening was concluded with a harp concert at the local Church.  With this wonderful, and completely unanticipated surprise, the travelers made their way back to the Hotel for sleep before an early morning start to their next day’s destination in the Loire Valley.

The celebration of French Patrimony forms in a busy market place. Photo courtesy of John Sweets

The Cathedral of St. Sacerdos in Sarlat from behind.  Photo courtesy of John Sweets

***

Read more about upcoming departures of our France Through the Ages tour here.