With a dusk drive under our belts, we were ready to take on the dawn. Wake up call at 05:30, followed by 06:00 coffee and pastries had us fueled. Surrounded by the rising sunlight, brisk air, and steam rising from the river, we stared in awe. With the elephants in the river, zebra on the banks, and impala jumping for joy we continued our search – and for what you ask, can you spot it?

Stunning and sleek. Beautiful and bold. A leopard lying in the grass, gnawing on the remains of an impala leg. Without any meat left, the leopard cracked bones in search of the marrow within. Anna decided this was her favorite animal so far!

It was difficult to leave such a creature, but it was time for our breakfast. Unsuspecting, we arrived to a private bush breakfast. To Brian’s delight, this was no cold-camping oatmeal situation. There were mimosas, fresh fruit with granola and honey, croissants with jam and butter, and freshly cooked eggs with sautéed onions, mushrooms and beans. Not to mention the sausage and springbok. Needless to say, we needed a shady spot to rest and digest.

We returned to our rooms for a little downtime. Brian napped with a fully belly. Anna enjoyed our outdoor sitting area, reading and keeping an eye on the elephants close by.

A lighter lunch was welcome as our stomachs were still quite full. With most of his blood in his stomach, Brian took a solid L in cards. No mercy from Anna. She channeled her inner leopard.

Next up, a few snacks and our evening game drive. Our guide told us to hang on for “Ferrari Safari,” as Lion cubs were our mission. They had been spotted earlier in the day, but they stayed hidden from us. We did find the pride though. We would have to find the cubs another day. We did find an elusive rhino as the sun was setting. To protect these animals from being killed by poachers for their horns, the remaining rhinos have had their horns removed by anti-poaching teams. They tranquilize the animal with a dart and remove the horn before it wakes back up.

Selfies and sunrise photos were taken before, during, and after golden hour. On our way back to camp, we nearly ran into 2 hippos along the road. Then came across a small herd of elephants that apparently don’t love head lights. We sped past them to avoid going to head to head with their tusks.

We had dinner and drinks with a few other honeymooners who showed us pictures of the lion cubs we missed. Luckily we have a few more days to continue our search. Anna may have a new favorite animal if we find them, while Brian hopes to find the cubs big daddy and hear him roar.