This blog uses affiliate links. If you’d like to purchase a recommended product, please use the link to support this blog. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, it simply allows me to continue creating these posts. Thank you so much for your love and support!
How to see 40+ lions and the Big Five in the Maasai Mara, Kenya - Africa
When we were in Kenya, we stayed at the Tangulia Lodge in the Maasai Mara and were able to see over 40 lions and the Big Five! See how we did it in our latest post from Africa!
How to find 40+ lions and the Big Five while on safari in the Maasai Mara
Africa was the trip of a lifetime! Seeing all the animals roaming in their natural habitats was so much better than watching animals at a zoo. We found 40+ lions, the Big Five, and more in the Maasai Mara! Here’s how we did it…
Scroll down to watch our video of our trip to the Maasai Mara!
All pictures were taken by us! See our camera gear here: African Safari Packing Essentials
Lion cub found in the Maasai Mara
Where to stay in the Maasai Mara and find the best guides!
We stayed at the Tangulia Mara Camp where we had the best guides to find all the animals we were dying to see! Benjamin and David greeted us at the airport as soon as we landed on the dirt airstrip and were with us on every game drive after that! They were knowledgable about the animals and their behaviors, knowing where to find them or look for them at any point of the day. I still don’t know how they spotted a leopard from miles away! pun intended.
Leopard in the tree
Our guides were so patient and would go out with us for hours. There was only one other couple staying at the camp while we were there, so we lucked out and had a private car all to ourselves! This is a huge benefit when you find an animal you’re interested in and can sit and watch for hours… like we did with the lions and leopard.
Hyena up close!
We’d usually start out early around 6:30a/7a to see the most action from the animals waking up. Breakfast was packed in the car, so we’d make a stop at some point, which one of the other guides called it going to Starbucks! Haha!
Lioness and her cubs
We’d see lions in prides and sometimes on their own, usually a lioness with the cubs. If we drove around after the sun was fairly high in the sky, we’d find lions together taking a cat nap after their morning breakfast.
A lion we woke up from a nap!
Animals to find in the Maasai Mara and the Big Five!
We found the Big Five while we were on our safaris, which were originally called this because they were the most difficult and dangerous animals to hunt on foot! We weren’t here to hunt, obviously, just observe. The Big Five include the African elephant, lion, leopard, rhinoceros, and Cape buffalo.
Scroll down to watch our video of our trip to the Maasai Mara!
Leopard in the tree
There were many other animals to see, including:
Oryx
Spotted hyena
Topi antelope
Thomson Gazelle
Banded mongoose
Maasai sheep
Maasai giraffe
Hippo
Cheetahs
Wildebeest - THOUSANDS of them!
Baboons
Crocodiles
Zebras
Warthogs - they call them Pumbas!
Cheetahs in the Maasai Mara
Our guides were telling us how there are 5 cheetahs that travel together and are rare to see but are considered celebrities if you see them. About an hour later someone spotted them, and we had to find them! We saw a bunch of other safari vehicles and knew there they were. The cheetahs walked right around our vehicle and would call to one another if one of them were out of sight. We were SO CLOSE to them, it was unbelievable.
Tangulia Mara Camp Accommodations
The camp was beautiful, overlooking a saltwater lake from a saltwater spring. There was a river behind it but they aren’t connected. Animals often came through for drink from the waterhole, so it was nice to sit in our room or up at the lodge just to watch them come and go.
Tangulia Mara Camp
We had room 1 at the very end of the camp, which was closest to the water and a great place to watch for animals.
They called the area near our room Hippo Highway because the hippos would come up at night to eat the grass! Sometimes they make odd noises that sounded like evil laughs! Kinda creepy at 2am but also very exciting.
Just watching the giraffes from our room in my Lion King socks.
Meals and Food in the Maasai Mara
Meals were provided in the lodge and the food was wonderful! Dishes would come family style, and they would keep coming even when you thought you had enough! Meals included dishes such as chicken, pork, vegetarian lasagna, avocado salad, green salad, fruit salad, delicious bread with an assortment of spreads, and always ended with dessert!
Sundowner - Doa
We enjoyed having a sundowner, a drink around happy hour as the sun would set. I tried a Doa which had vodka and lemon juice with a sugar rim, both refreshing and sweet!
Watch our video of our trip to the Maasai Mara:
Overall, we loved our visit to the Maasai Mara! We saw the most animals on our safaris and had amazing guides. I’m glad we spent more time there than our first 2 stops in Saruni.
Warthog - Locals call them pumbas which means Dumb in Swahili!
To book a trip of a lifetime like this, I highly recommend using the travel agency, Scott Dunn! To speak to a safari expert at Scott Dunn, call 858-523-9000 or visit scottdunn.com/us and tell them Kathleen and Josh Cregg sent you. This is not a sponsored post, all thoughts and considerations are my own.
If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:
See more Africa posts here:
Experiencing Saruni Samburu and Seeing the Northern 5 in Kenya - Africa
We saw the Northern Five and tons of other animals while on safari in Northern Kenya! Also, see our amazing accommodations at the best lodge in Northern Kenya, Saruni Samburu, making this the trip of a lifetime to Africa. What to wear and packing tips also included!
Our experience at Saruni Samburu was unbelievable! Yes, I know I say this often but I mean it! From the room to the food to the guides, our stay was absolutely perfect and we were sad to leave. We even got up close and personal with the Northern Five native to Northern Kenya!
See my packing list of things you can purchase on Amazon here: Amazon African Safari Packing List
Scroll down later in the post to watch our video of our trip to Saruni Samburu!
Reticulated Giraffe seen while on safari with Saruni Samburu
How to Get to Samburu, Kenya
We stopped in Nairobi and took a smaller plane to Samburu for about an hour's flight. They did weigh our luggage but you give them your bags over a counter so you can kinda hide a camera if you’re worried about the 33 lb weight limit. The coolest part was sitting behind the pilots and landing on a dirt runway!
Our guide met us there and took us to the Saruni Rhino where we spent a few days but the drive from the air strip was about 30-45 minutes from Saruni Samburu.
See more on our trip to Saruni Rhino and how we got up close and personal with a baby rhino here: Rhino Tracking at the Saruni Rhino
Guest Rooms at Saruni Samburu
Guest Room Bed at Saruni Samburu
I wish we had more time to spend in the room! WHO SAYS THAT?! Well, when you have a room with a second floor and a lovely living room overlooking Kenya, why wouldn’t you?!
As we walked into our room, which was not a suite, this is their standard room, we were blown away by the size of the room and the balcony attached to it!
Panorama of our room
View from our room
We then discovered we had another room upstairs! This room was also large in size set up like a living room, complete with a dining table.
Our living room attached to our bedroom
The bathroom was huge and had a bidet next to the toilet. Not only was there a shower inside the bathroom, but there was also a shower outside overlooking the conservation. I did take a shower outside one morning while watching elephants at the waterhole.
Safari Time at Saruni Samburu
How do safaris work?
We weren’t sure exactly what to expect for our safaris, but we were very happy with our experience. Everyday you’ll head out in the morning or afternoon for a safari. Depending on what you see and how great your guide is, you’ll drive around for 5-8 hours which sounds crazy but goes by real quick! Our car was completely open and had panels that came down in case it rained.
Elephant Crossing
What should you wear on a safari?
I read a ton of blogs telling me what to pack and that I needed to purchase $100 safari shirts… Let me tell you, I was just fine in my Gap t-shirt and leggings. We did treat our clothes with permethrin, a bug repellent for your clothes. In the morning and late afternoon, I made sure to have a sweatshirt but there were also blankets in the car. Unless you are getting out of the vehicle, which you aren’t supposed to, there’s no reason not to where something comfortable that you can sit in for long periods of time.
Traffic in the conservancy
Our Safari Experience
Joseph was our guide for the time we were at Saruni Samburu as well as Saruni Rhino. Since he is from the local village, he knew the area (and animals) very well and was phenomenal at finding animals far away. Joseph understood various animal behaviors and explained their actions, teaching us fun facts about each animal.
Scroll down later in the post to watch our video of our trip to Saruni Samburu!
Reticulated Giraffe having Breakfast
Here are some of the animals we saw over the course of 3 days:
Impalas - we even saw a newborn, birthed seconds before we arrived
Batiat foxes 🦊
Beisa Oryx (part of the Northern Five, more on that below)
Leopards - mama and cubs
Egyptian geese 🦆
Lions 🦁
Elephants
Dik-diks - little antelopes about a foot tall
Rock hyraxes
Wilds dogs - very rare
Somali ostrich (part of the Northern Five, more on that below)
Dwarf mongoose
Fotery guinea fowl
Gerenuk
Grant’s Gazelles
Grevy’s Zebras 🦓 (part of the Northern Five, more on that below)
Nile crocodile 🐊
Cheetah
Reticulated Giraffes (part of the Northern Five, more on that below)
Warthogs - Even our guide called them pumbaas (which means dumb in Swahili)! Since they have such a short term memory, they are known to walk by a lion and walk back to the same spot 5 minutes later, forgetting they had passed it.
Eastern yellow-billed hornbill - AKA the flying banana or Zazu from the Lion King
Baboons
Monkeys
Cheetah stalking antelope
We went out in the early morning and late afternoon covering all basis to see as many animals as possible. Every day we saw something different and right when one day couldn’t possibly top the day before, it did! Depending on how long we were going out, we either ate before or after the safari, or they packed us breakfast or lunch.
Can you spot the leopard? pun intended
The topography was very dry and looked like the elephant graveyard in the Lion King. There is a river about an hour away and the closer you get, the more animals you see! Keep your eyes peeled and be patient. Sometimes just sitting and watching the animals for a while is fun to observe their behaviors. You never know what they might do!
Baby baboon by the river
Elephant at the water hole at night
One of our nights, we even went out for a night drive. I was nervous going into the dark at night at first and wondered what animals we’d see but there were so many we came across:
Porcupine
Owl 🦉
Hawk
Hare
Jackal
Male and female Ostriches
Striped hyena - very shy, very rare
Family of Elephants
The Northern Five in Kenya
We were lucky to find the Kenyan Northern Five including the Somali Ostrich, Gerenuk, Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, and the Reticulated Giraffe!
Here we go…
1. Somali Ostrich
The Somlai Ostrich differs from most ostriches with a bluish color on their neck and legs, instead of a pink color. The males were beautiful with black and white feathers, while the females had grayish brown feathers.
2. Gerenuk
As part of the antelope family, Gerenuks are also known as giraffe gazelles, appropriately named with their long necks and slender limbs. They’ll even stand erect on their hind legs to reach higher branches. I loved the pattern in their ears!
Gerenuk - Kenyan Northern Five
3. Grevy’s Zebra
In comparison to other zebras, Grevy’s unique characteristics include their taller height, large ears, narrower stripes, and white bellies with no stripes. with their stripes being closer together and thinner, it is easier for them to make a good escape and to hide from predators. Foals are born with brown and white striping which darken as they grow older.
Family of Grevy’s Zebras
4. Beisa Oryx
Also known as the East African Oryx, they are recognized by their long horns and striped markings. Yeah, even though they eat grass, I wouldn’t mess with those horns!
Beisa Oryx
5. Reticulated Giraffe
Also known as the Somali Giraffe and most commonly seen in zoos. Their beautiful coats consists of large, polygonal, liver-colored spots outlined by bright-white lines.
Reticulated Giraffe
Our camera gear used to grab these gorgeous photos:
Watch our video of our trip to Saruni Samburu:
Food at Saruni Samburu
The owner of the Saruni franchise is Italian and all food was also Italian with a Kenyan flair. There were always 3 courses for every meal and we never left feeling hungry! Dessert was always a must! Alcohol was included which we typically had wine and beer. There was a beverage menu with more options that you could pay for.
The Grounds at Saruni Samburu
There were 2 gorgeous infinity pools within a short walking distance fo our room. Although they weren’t heated, it was nice to take a dip then sit and enjoy the view.
The main lodge was a nice place to hang out as well. Sometimes before or after a meal we’d hang out and have a drink by the bonfire, or just lounge on the big couches and enjoy the view.
Wifi was only available near the main lodge and it wasn’t very good. Don’t count on working from there, but a few social media posts will go through… eventually.
Activities to do while at Saruni Samburu
Massages
Our room came with a complimentary massage for 30 mins for one person. After lugging around our heavy bags through airports, I was ready for a back and neck massage!
Bush Walk
We walked around the outskirts of our lodge with our guide and a ranger, and came across a pack of wild dogs! Apparently they are very rare to see. I thought they were hyenas at first, I just loved their big ears!
Wild Dogs - Rare sight!
Star Gazing
At night there was practically no light pollution leaving a sky full of stars! We were able to see the Milky Way and on Josh’s Sony A7, he was able to capture the Milky Way!
Milky Way seen from the balcony of our room
We had a wonderful stay at Saruni Samburu and highly recommend it to anyone booking a future trip to Africa. We booked through Scott Dunn to get the best service and bang for our buck! Please tell them we sent you!
Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.
If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:
Other posts from Africa (see all Africa posts here)
A gorilla pushed us out of the way while Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda!
Our gorilla trek in Rwanda was amazing! Read all about our adventure and how Josh was pushed by a silverback during our visit! Plus, see our guide to everything you need to know about gorilla trekking including what to pack, what to wear, and helpful tips.
To kick off our trip to Africa, our first excursion was a trip into the jungles of Rwanda to visit the gorillas! When we booked our trip, I was most excited for this portion of the trip and I was not disappointed. We got so close, we could touch them… well one of them pushed Josh (see full story and video below)! To see them live in their natural habitat was so much better than seeing them behind bars at a zoo! Here’s everything you need to know when venturing on a gorilla trek and helpful packing tips (see the end of the post).
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Getting There and Gorilla Family Assignment
Planning in advance: We booked our trip through the travel agency, Scott Dunn, about 15 months in advance and it is $1500 per person to go trekking. Save your money, it’s totally worth it!
Day of Adventure: We started our morning bright and early at the Virunga Lodge with a 5:30a wakeup and 6am breakfast. By 6:30a we were in the car and on our way to the base camp to get our gorilla family assignment. Bring a copy of your passport or make sure the hotel/lodge can make a copy for you. You need this for the rangers.
There was an option of an easy, medium, or hard hike and we requested an easy to medium hike. There are 16 families in the Virunga Mountains - Volcanoes National Park and 10 families are visited once per day by 8 people max for one hour. Our driver/guide helped arrange which family we would see and introduced us to the ranger that we would be with for the day. We met with our group and our ranger gave the details of our gorilla family and laid out how our adventure would play out. We lucked out and only had a group of 6 people, which was better to see and gather around the gorillas.
At basecamp getting our gorilla family assignment
We were assigned Titus the silverback and his gorilla family. A group of gorillas is called a band or a troop, or the less common is a “whoop” of gorillas. I like whoop the best so that’s what I’m going with… Within the whoop there were 3 other Silverbacks in which two of them were Titus’ children who were known as the troublemakers.
We learned a lot about the dynamic and behaviors of gorillas. Most whoops have one silverback since their competitive nature for females keep them separated to their own family. Silverbacks keep many females in their groups but don’t like other males doing the “jiggy jiggy” (as our guide put it) with their females. Once male children reach a certain maturity they may run off from the group with one of the females to start their own family or they meet a female from another family.
After we had our briefing, we all jumped in our cars and drove about 30 minutes to our stop closest to where the gorilla family was located.
Hiking to the Gorillas
We parked in a lot amongst some rural farms. We hired a porter there to help carry our bag while we were trekking through the jungle. It was worth the $10 USD for the porter to carry our bag with cameras and water. He would even help me climb up and down areas that were harder to climb. I’m fairly fit but can be very clumsy, so I was happy with having a helping hand.
The jungle front was a few miles away at a slight incline. We were given some walking sticks carved with intricate gorilla designs and set out on our trek to find the gorillas.
Hand carved hiking sticks
We had heard some stories from others at the lodge saying it took 3 hours to hike and find the gorillas the day before, so we were prepared to hike for anywhere from an hour to 3 hours.
Rwanda Rural Farm
We walked about an hour through a farm (in the sun) along a trail up to the gate that led into the jungle. Our ranger told us the family had climbed into the crater and that if we sit and wait, hopefully they’ll come out closer to us. We just sat at the jungle front looking over the valley. After, about 45-60 minutes the gorillas climbed out of the crater and were “close.” We didn’t know what “close” meant but we were excited and entered through the gate to the jungle. Literally, there was a gate to the jungle with a man guarding it.
Gate to the jungle and GORILLAS!
Trekking and Finding the Gorillas
After about 15 minutes, we met with the trackers that were following the family and we were instructed to leave our bags and walking sticks as they are threatening to the gorillas. We took a few steps and instantly saw a sleeping silverback and female right next to him, which we were probably 15 feet from!
We kept walking and found another gorilla enjoying some lunch. We watched him eat for about 5 minutes and couldn’t believe he was right in front of us. We moved on and could hear some gorillas grunting in the bushes but couldn’t see them very well.
Close up with the gorillas
We eventually found Titus, the main silverback of the whoop, and took a picture with him.
Picture with Titus the silverback gorilla
Now this is where it gets crazy. Titus decided he wanted to move but were all in his way. The ranger separated our group to get out of his way but there wasn’t a lot of room to move. Titus then pushed Josh out of the way (gently not forcefully), and leapt onto some trees taking them down so he could go on his way! It was intense and awesome all at the same time!
We moved on and found a few others eating and a 3 month old baby with the craziest hair (or fur). He was so cute, he just wanted to check out what was going on and while people were interrupting his meal.
Gorilla family with 3 month old baby gorilla
As we were walking along, one of the silverbacks was on the move. Again, the rangers tried to move us out of the way and as he pulled me back, I was basically leaning against the hill and Titus came right between Josh and I! He stopped and took a look at Josh, then wandered off. It was exciting, exhilarating, intimidating, and terrifying - all at the same time!
We carried on and came upon a few more gorillas eating and climbing around. At this point, it had been an hour and our time was up. We met back up with the trackers and our porter, reloaded our bags and made our way back to the car.
3 month old baby gorilla hanging on
Once we returned, there was a man selling hand carved walking sticks and little gorilla figurines. I have a collection of animal figurines from around the world and this souvenir was the perfect addition to my collection to commemorate our wonderful day with the gorillas!
my souvenir Gorilla Figurine
What to Pack and Bring on your Gorilla Trek
You don’t need to bring too much on your trip because you don’t want to carry too many things and most of them won’t be necessary. Plus we were limited to 33 pounds for our smaller flights.
See my packing list of things you can purchase on Amazon here: Amazon African Safari Packing List
What to Wear while Gorilla Trekking
Everything I researched before we left suggested to wear layers which wasn’t helpful because what kind of layers? How many layers are really necessary? I now have those answers! In the morning it is chilly. I wore a short-sleeved t-shirt, a long-sleeved cotton pullover that was treated with bug repellant, along with my lightweight rain jacket on top and it was a perfect temperature. Josh runs a little warmer so he had one of his long sleeved safari Columbia shirts on and was fine. As we started walking and the sun rose a little higher, I peeled off the rain jacket. Wear more neutral colors to blend in and not scare the gorillas away. Do not wear camouflage, it’s illegal.
You’ll want to bring gardening gloves and wear a long sleeved shirt so you don’t get sliced by the branches or long grass like needles. You’ll want to wear good hiking shoes as the jungle floor can be slippery, muddy, thorny, etc. I brought my hat and left it in the car since we were going to be under the jungle canopy most of the time.
Packing List for Gorilla Trekking:
T-shirt
Long sleeved shirt - not too heavy, I recommend the Exofficio bug repellant pullover
Rain Jacket - lightweight and packs into a little pouch
Hiking Pants - convertible ones are great if its really hot
Garden Gloves - just to protect your hands, nothing fancy
Hiking shoes - high tops are better for your ankle but not necessary
Gaiters - so fire ants don’t climb up your pants (our lodge provided them - check with your accommodations beforehand)
Sunglasses
Water - we brought 4 bottles for the 2 of us
Snacks & lunch
Copy of your passport for the rangers
Camera Gear
Sony a7rii with a 70-300mm lens on it to get close shots
Sony 6500 with a 10-18mm lens for wider shots
We are obsessed with the DJI Osmo Pocket Camera that has a stabilizing gimbal for amazing 4K footage, panorama shots, and the ability to track what you are shooting! It’s replacing our GoPro. This captured Josh being pushed by a gorilla as Josh was falling and the gorilla was jumping!
Before you leave your lodge/hotel/camp:
Apply bug repellent - Ultrathon is a lotion and lasts 12 hours
Apply sunscreen to your face and chest - ThinkSport is our fave
Pack snacks, water, and a lunch - our lodge provided sandwiches and fruit, we packed those along with some granola bars. You never know how long you’ll be out there!
When you return from your Gorilla Adventure:
Return your gaiters
Give the lodge your hiking boots to clean them - they can be muddy or dusty
Give the lodge your clothes to wash
Take a shower, relax and look at your pictures
Where to Stay in Rwanda - Virunga Lodge
We fell in love with the Virunga Lodge instantly and didn’t want to leave! Located at the top of a mountain, our room (also called a banda) was huge, decorated with vibrant colors, and had spectacular views. The staff was amazing, waiting on you hand and foot. The meals were incredible and included a great variety of food. The rooms didn’t have Wifi but the main lodge did.
Full review on the Virunga Lodge coming soon!
If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:
More posts here:
Rhino Trekking in Kenya, Africa and Lodging with Saruni Rhino
Rhinos are rare to find in Africa and the best way to see them is by foot! The Saruni Rhino will give you the best experience both in lodging, food, and getting up close with the rhinos. Where to stay and go in Kenya, Africa.
When we were researching where to stay in Kenya, our travel agent from Scott Dunn highly recommended staying at Saruni Rhino and I’m so glad she did. I didn’t realize how the Rhino is hunted for it’s horn and poaching is a severe problem. These magnificent creatures look like dinosaurs and are so exhilarating to see in person.
Scroll down later in the post to watch our video of our trip to Saruni Rhino!
Is there something behind me?
Where to Stay in Kenya
The Saruni Rhino is an intimate place to stay! There are only 3 rooms (also called Bandas) available, and with the location right along the river bed, you are sure to see animals visit the waterhole at all times during the day or at night. There is even a light by the waterhole at night to see who is visiting while you’re eating dinner in the main lodge.
Our Banda had a bed on a swing out front, which was perfect to relax and watch the animals approach the waterhole.
Tracking the Rhino in Kenya, Africa
Rhinos would look like rocks with eyes - Moseku the Rhino
Our guide would take us out in the morning or afternoon to go Rhino trekking. The rangers in the conservatory would keep an eye on where the Rhinos are located, knowing their habits and behaviors after years of observation. We’d hop in the car and drive about 30 minutes to the Sera Conservatory front gate, then typically another 30 minutes to the rhinos.
After we’d meet up with the ranger trackers, we’d hop out of the car and walk with them by foot to see the rhino. Typically we would stay pretty far away so that the rhino wouldn’t feel threatened and charge at us. The rhinos seemed more scared of us anyway and would run away if they heard us coming too close. We first found Moseku, a 7-10 year old rhino.
Rhinos can hear and smell very well, but they can’t see very far. Our guide would see which way the wind was blowing by kicking up dirt to see which way it would blow so we could make sure that the rhino(s) couldn’t smell us. As we would get closer, we’d tread carefully and as quietly as possible, which can be very hard when walking on gravel and branches.
Baby Rhino at 3 years old
Our guides would find the rhinos by sound, following footprints, or finding their poop! We walked around for an hour one morning and barely saw a rhino through the bushes. We were lucky enough to find the baby named Lojipu, the 3 year old “baby” rhino. His mother left him after he was a few days old, so the rangers bottle fed him and are hoping to release him back into the wild. He was very playful and acted almost like a dog running around. We weren’t allowed to touch him, but it took everything in me not to run up and hug him.
Scroll down to watch our video of Lojipu!
Watch our video of our trip to Saruni Rhino:
What to Pack, Wear and Bring for Rhino Trekking
You never know when you’ll run into elephants,
What to Wear
Since you might be sitting in a vehicle for a while, wear something comfortable. I wore a t-shirt (sprayed with permethrin), bug repellent pants, hiking shoes, a hat, and brought a fleece sweater for the cool mornings and evenings. I am not an outdoorsy girl by any means, and would rather be in a dress and flip flops.
If I had skin showing I wore bug repellent, and I didn’t get one bite! Bugs love to bite me wherever we go and I was deathly afraid I was going to be eaten alive in Africa. I used Ultrathon insect repellent and it worked so well! We sprayed our clothes with Permethrin which lasts for about 7 washes. Some of our clothes were already treated and brands like Exofficio will last for up to 70 washes!
Safari Essentials:
Don’t forget to bring these with you:
Camera - have batteries and extra memory cards on hand just in case
Binoculars
Water (your guide might already have some)
Sunscreen
Bug repellent
Hat
Snack - granola bars are easy to bring with you
I highly recommend this excursion if you’re on your way to Africa! Don’t miss out! We booked our trip with Scott Dunn, tell them you were recommended by Kathleen at the Sweetest Escapes!
If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:
See more of our fabulous trips here:
Things to do in Norway: Reindeer Rides
We met real reindeer when we went to Norway! We were paraded around in a sled through the snow! See more of our unbelievable experience on the blog!
Reindeer in Norway
What to do in Tromso, Norway: Reindeer Rides
One of our favorite adventures in Norway was a reindeer sleigh ride!
We booked our entire trip through Off the Map Travel, and they set everything up for us from hotels to activities and getting to and from everything. It was really nice that we didn't have to figure out how to get from the airport or how to get to this random place in the middle of Norway.
Reindeer in Tromso, Norway
REINDEER SLEIGH RIDES
Here's how our day went:
From our hotel, we walked over to the Radisson Blu and got on a small bus of about 14 people to the Tromso Lapland. It was a 20-minute drive to the Sami lavvu where we changed into a winter suit and gloves that they provided so our stuff didn’t get wet! BTW, see our guide as to what to pack for a trip like this: Packing Essentials and Check List for your next Snow Adventure
We jumped back on the bus and drove another 20 mins to the reindeer!
After a small hike uphill, the reindeer were waiting for us by our sleighs. I leaped to them (literally, I was that excited)! Of course, I had to pet them and take tons of pictures, which I'm sure they loved me invading their personal space. It's what I do best. ;-)
Soon after, we were all seated and ready for take off.
Reindeer Rides in Norway
The reindeer don't run quite as fast as the sled dogs, it's a slower paced, more peaceful ride. We did a large lap around the trees through the snow. We were all bundled up so it wasn't too cold! It was nice to take in the sites and experience Norway in such a special way.
White reindeer in Norway
This was a once in a lifetime experience. Not only did we have a reindeer ride, but we also learned of the native Sami culture. The reindeer ride consisted of about 7 or 8 reindeer pulling individual sleds. They are connected buy ropes and then all sleds are connected one by one.
At first, the guide was leading the reindeer up and around the hill and then hopped on the sled and away we went. Our ride lasted about 40 mins total and was very peaceful trekking through the freshly powdered snow.
FEEDING REINDEER
Feeding Reindeer
After our ride, they tied the reindeer in a more open area, where we were able to feed them! Most of the time they would knock the food out of my hands and almost force me out of the way with their antlers to eat the remains from the snowy ground. I did get to pet them, their fur is coarse and some of them even had fur fuzz on their antlers!
We then moved locations to a traditional Sami Lavvu (it looks like a teepee) where we had reindeer stew for lunch while being told stories of their culture along and even a joik (Sami song) was sung for us.
It wasn't quite reindeer leading Santa's sleigh, but still had an enjoyable time!
Related Post: We slept in a teepee in the snow! See why in: Where to Stay in Norway
Don’t forget to pack these guys:
If you liked this post please share it on your favorite social media site using the Share button below because we’d love to get the word out! Feel free to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board:
More Norway Posts:
10 Things You Must Do in Sydney, Australia
Here are 10 things you MUST see and do in Sydney, Australia! Quick Sydney Guide | Where to go in Sydney | What to do in Sydney #sydney #australia #animals
We had a BLAST in Sydney, Australia! See what made our Top 10 list of things to do!
This blog uses affiliate links. If you’d like to purchase a recommended product, please use the link to support this blog. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, it simply allows me to continue creating these posts. Thank you so much for your love and support!
1. Take a Tour of the Opera House
As an iconic staple to the city, We were excited to see this gorgeous building and learn the history behind it. Up close you can see the shaped tiles that are shell like making a chevron type pattern across the roof. The inside is just as stunning, as there are several venues within the house. The 2 largest concert hall is the largest and has the largest organ with over 10,000 pipes!
You can even book the tour through Google: CLICK HERE TO GET TICKETS
2. Get up close and personal with the Animals at Featherdale Wildlife Park
I love animals and this was probably my favorite day in Sydney. You can get up close and personal with the animals - touch them, hold them, feed them. The ever so adorable Archer, the koala, is best-loved as he is the popular koala in the sanctuary. I even had my Mom paint him from a picture I took because I needed to see him everyday. Also, there are kangaroos that are just hanging out and they'll let you pet them!
Make a day out of it and book the Blue Mountain and Wildlife Tour - More info here - they’ll even pick you up and drop you off!
3. Take a Beachwalk Along the Australian Coast
We did the 5 mile hike along the coast from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach. Along the way, we walked through the Tamarama and Bronte beaches. It was a beautiful walk on a summer day! This wasn't an easy hike, there were steep inclines, stairs and sun. Lots of sun. The sun was more intense than California sun and even after re-applying sunscreen a few times, we burned. It hurt. I recommend hats and something to cover your shoulders if you go in January!
4. Sydney Harbor Bridge
It's especially stunning at New Years with fireworks shooting off of it, but you can also do a bridge climb during the day. Or, you can get on a ferry and go under it, or even walk across it. The possibilities are just endless. The bridge is located directly across from the Opera House.
You have to check it out on New Years Eve!
5. Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
We walked through the aquarium and after scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, it felt like we had seen a lot of these fish before. However, they do have unique creatures that are hard to find in the deep blue and were glad to see them here (love the platypus). If you have kids (or act like a big kid like me) there are interactive pools where you can touch sea cucumbers and starfish. Also, the high point were the underground glass tunnels where fish and sharks swim around you on all sides and it feels like you're underwater with them.
6. Visit the Blue Mountains and Scenic World
Check out what makes the blue mountains blue and hear the tale of the sisters trapped in the rock formation in this Aboriginal legend. My favorite part was visiting Sceneic World and taking a gondola over the beautiful Eucalyptus forest! We had a blast with our tour that picked us up from the hotel and took us to the mountains, Scenic World and the Wildlife Park to visit the animals up close and personal!
Book your tickets here for the BEST tour on Viator: Blue Mountain and Wildlife Day Tour
7. Visit the Taronga Zoo and Take in the Views!
The zoo is built into a hill, leaving you with breath taking views of Sydney and lots of fun animals to visit!
8. Visit Olympic Park
The park was built to host the Summer Olympics in 2000. They had the torch, the Olympic Cauldron that looks like a spaceship which was where the flame was lit the duration of the games, markers that noted how high someone jumped, who won each sport, and name of everyone who participated.
9. Find the Speakeasy, the Baxter Inn
It was a little challenging to find but worth it when we got there. You have to head down a nondescript alley on Clarence Street and walk through an unmarked door on your right, down a dark staircase to the basement level. The dim lighting and waiters outfits felt like we had walked into another dimension. They had 360 different whiskeys from around the globe and make their own apple juice for their fine crafted cocktail!
10. Play in Luna Park
We came back cleaned up and took the ferry over to Luna Park, a carnival like amusement park with a scary entrance and did a couple of rides, but the highlight was playing on the slides in the fun house. Josh and I raced for at least 30 minutes. We were definitely the biggest kids there!
Buy tickets ahead of time here through Google Maps: Luna Park Tickets
I think it goes without saying, HAVE SOME ICE CREAM!
Messina Ice Cream is my favorite!
Gelato from Gelatissimo is sooo good!
If you enjoyed this post, please share with your friends and family and pin one of these to your favorite Pinterest board!
More Australia Posts:
Little Fairy Penguins Parade in Melbourne, Australia
We watched the parade of little fairy penguins waddle in at the end of the day and return to their burrows! See why you can’t miss this cute event! | Things to do in Australia | Where to go and What to do in Melbourne, Australia #Melbourne #australia #penguins
Penguin Parade
This blog uses affiliate links. If you’d like to purchase a recommended product, please use the link to support this blog. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, it simply allows me to continue creating these posts. Thank you so much for your love and support!
Address: 1019 Ventnor Rd, Summerlands VIC 3922, Australia
Booked through Viator: Phillip Island Penguin Parade Evening Tour
One of my favorite days in Australia, we observed the Little Fairy Penguins return from fish hunting all day and returning to their burrows to feed their families. These little penguins are the cutest penguins I had EVER seen! They are smaller than most penguins, standing just about a foot tall with beautiful slate-blue coloring. The Australians call them Fairy Penguins, but New Zealand calls them Little Penguins, therefore I am calling them Little Fairy Penguins!
Sunset over Philllip Island, Melbourne, Australia
BOOKING THE TOUR
We booked our Penguin Parade tour through Viator: Phillip Island Little Penguin Parade Evening Tour to see the fairy penguins (it was about $100 per person)! Although we booked it the night before, we should have booked further in advance!
A bus picked us up near Finders Street Station in Melbourne (just down the street from our hotel) and the drive was just about 2 hours through the countryside outback! Our driver/guide was informative and kept us entertained for the duration of the ride, I just couldn't wait to see these little penguins!
FIRST STOP: PHILLIP ISLAND
We stopped at the Phillip Island visitor Center where they had a cafeteria and a gift shop. We grabbed a bite and walked around the grounds where there was a large rock in the water that looked like a little island that was full of barking sea lion.
We boarded the bus again and were on our way to the Penguin Parade. As we were driving our guide spotted wildlife and we saw our first wallaby in the wild!
FIRST WALLABY SIGHTING IN THE WILD!
HAD TO TAKE A WALLABY SELFIE!
PENGUIN PARADE ARRIVAL
We arrived in the parking lot and saw these cute signs warning to look under your car. Apparently, some of the penguins lose their way, ending up in the parking lot, hiding under cars. When you go, be careful, and triple check under your car before you leave!
We walked into their visitors center where they had another cafeteria and a gift shop. The tour came with a coupon for a free drink so we redeemed our coupon - the cafeteria had sodas and light snacks. I ran into the gift shop and had to get a magnet for our collection on our fridge!
SEATING FOR THE PENGUIN PARADE
Finally, it was time to get our spot for the parade! There were little pathways built to lead to the bleachers and among the path were some of the burrows of the penguins as well as more wild Wallaby!
The viewing section was set up almost like a football stadium where bleachers were set up facing the ocean, with paths for the penguins to come between.
WAITING FOR THE PENGUINS TO ARRIVE FROM OUR PENGUIN PLUS VIEWING SECTION
We opted for their upgrade option, the Penguin Plus Viewing Platform. Here, we had a closer observation point, accompanied by a wildlife ranger who helped provide information as the penguins were approaching. The area is limited to 150 people and the penguins come so close.
We got a spot early on to make sure we were a close a possible.
THE PENGUIN PARADE
THE FIRST FEW START THE PARADE, MAKING THEIR WAY BACK HOME TO THEIR BURROW
After we waited a little while, we started to hear them before we could even see them! As they started to emerge out of the water, you could hear them to call to their families and the baby penguins came out of their burrows to meet their parent (and EAT).
Interestingly enough, the penguins would start to run for the shore in groups. Some would head to shore and make their way home, while others played it safe and would head back into the water in fear a larger bird such as a hawk, would swoop down and grab them.
What you're hearing is the sound of thousands of fairy penguins coming in from hunting all day, returning to their nests nearby.
We were told not to take pictures, but I had to document the moment. Too many people don't understand how to turn off their flash, therefore ruining the experience for everyone. There were some other tourists in front of us that kept taking pictures and they kept getting yelled at. They ask not to take pictures because the flash can hurt the penguins eyes, leaving them almost blind, unable to find their burrow.
HUNDREDS OF PENGUINS COME BACK LOOKING FOR THEIR FAMILIES
Before we knew it, hundreds of penguins started to flood in, waddling around!
As we started to walk back along the path the penguins were directly below on the trail next to us. Here, we saw them up closely admiring their cuteness!
It was hard to leave, but finally got on the bus to head back (we did check to make sure there weren't any little penguins under the bus first). We loved these penguins and were so glad we experienced their nightly parade!
If you liked this post, please pin it to your favorite Pinterest board:
Malibu Wine Safari - Things to do in Los Angeles, California
Wine tasting safari in Malibu? Yup, it exists. Check out our unusual LA excursion visiting and feeding animals with wine tasting in between at Malibu Wine Safari! Things to do in Los Angeles | Best things to do in LA #losangeles #winetasting #wine
Malibu Wine Safari – Malibu, California
Location: Malibu Wines | Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 32111 Mulholland Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
Website: https://www.lasafaris.com/#home
Hidden in the hills of Malibu are miraculous creatures that you wouldn't expect to run into, especially while wine tasting!
Stanley the giraffe!
For my best friend's birthday, we decided to go on a safari, a wine safari that is! After all, it IS her birthday, so wine not! Haha. The price of the ticket was $65 but we had a special deal on Groupon. The jeeps held about 9 people so it was perfect for our group of 8. There are also bigger jeeps for transporting larger parties.
Malibu Wine Safaris is part of Malibu Wines and just up the street in a parking lot on the right. We checked in and were picked up in a jeep safari vehicle and ventured through the 1,000 acres of Saddle Rock Ranch.
ANIMALS AT MALIBU WINES
The safari started by rolling through the property among the vineyards and getting acquainted with the animals. We were able to get up close and personal with them! Not only did we pet the animals but we also fed them! Animals included zebras, camels, alpacas, bison, water buffalo, yaks, and even Stanley the Giraffe!
Our guide was awesome! He let us take tons of pictures and showed us how to feed the animals or care for them with a sweet pet. We fed most of them carrots and boy were they excited to see us! An alpaca smelled my hair and I touched a Zebra, I couldn't believe it.
Look at the baby zebra!
Baby Zebra at Malibu Wines Safaris
We spent a lot of time with Stanley the giraffe! He loves lettuce and is not afraid to invade your personal space to get it! His tongue is rough and slimy as expected. He fur is coarse, but he has the best eyelashes you’ve ever seen! Fun fact: Stanley is named after Marvel’s Stan Lee!
Isn’t he the cutest?!
WINE TASTING AT MALIBU WINES
We tried their 6 different wines (mainly Saddlerock wines) in 2 locations across the ranch and even gallivanted through the vineyard.
Chardonnay and vineyards
My favorites were the Sauvignon Blanc and the Sangiovese, Alexander Valley (but I would also never say no to Rose bubbles). At the second tasting location there was a cheese pairing along with the wine and they had a really good gouda.
The grounds were gorgeous and had many different setups for weddings and events. If I hadn't already planned my wedding at the time, this place would have been a candidate!
Afterwards, we celebrated my friend’s birthday and enjoyed more wine at Malibu Wines where they have a lovely outdoor area with picnic tables and tasting bars. On weekends, they even have live music! Malibu Wines does not serve food but there is usually a food truck around. I recommend bringing your own food (don’t forget cookies or cupcakes)!
UPDATE: Malibu Wines tasting room burned down in the 2018 fires and haven’t reopened yet! But they do have another tasting room in West Hills: Malibu Wine and Beer Garden
Malibu Wines is the perfect place for any occasion: Birthday parties, Bachelorette parties, bridal showers, brunch, and friends gatherings.
If you liked this post, please share this with your friends and pin this to your favorite Pinterest Board.
Malibu Wine Safaris Review - Los Angeles
Want more info on LA, California? Try these posts:
The Seychelles was one of the most relaxing and beautiful islands we’ve ever been to! Where to stay in the Seychelles? You must stay at the Hilton Northolme Resort and Spa and get a pool villa! See why this was the best hotel in the Seychelles!