A Whirlwind Day of Wildlife
- Digital Rabbit
- Apr 4
- 2 min read
Expedition days aboard the Silver Wind were full, but nothing quite prepared us for the pace at Phinda Mountain Lodge. The phone rang at 5:30 AM sharp—a polite but firm reminder that the wild doesn’t wait. Bleary-eyed, we made our way to the dining room for a quick caffeine fix and a bite before climbing into our safari vehicle with our expert guide and eagle-eyed scout.
By 9:30 AM, we were back—dusty, exhilarated, and ready for a proper breakfast. There’s something magical about homemade waffles and local honey when they follow sightings of creatures straight out of National Geographic.
The next stop on the day’s itinerary was lunch at 1:00 PM, but I opted out. The call of a deep bath and a horizontal moment was far too alluring. Afternoon tea rolled around at 3:30, and although it felt like it came too soon, I managed to nibble a few sweets and savories before we were off again—back into the bush for round two.
The sun dipped low as we returned around 7:00 PM, just in time for dinner. But I’ll be honest—bed was the real draw. With another 5:30 AM wake-up on the horizon, I’m writing this half-asleep, the sounds of the African night just outside my window.
And what a day it was.
We saw so much—too much to fully capture right now—but here’s a quick look at a few highlights:
A lioness with her cub, tender and fierce
A juvenile crocodile enjoying a small creek
Cheetahs on the move, two brothers and a friend
A leopard hiding in the brush
Towering elephants
Wildebeest in small, strolling herds
Giraffes, graceful and hungry
A zebra with her adorable foal
Nyala and impala grazing on the lush grasslands
And everywhere—birds, butterflies, insects, mushrooms, and interesting arthropods
These are just a few of the photos—I haven’t had time to sift through them all.
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