Looking for elephants

We’d arranged the evening before to take a walking “safari” with one of the park’s guides. Shawn, who is not feeling well, elects to forego the march in favor of a canoe trip later in the day. The rest of us are up at 6 a.m. for the 7 a.m. departure into the bush.

Jeanne and I learn that close-toed shoes are mandatory so each rent a pair of rubber Wellington boots for 1 cedi. Our guide, Abu, is wearing them, so I figure they must not be too cumbersome should we need to escape a charging elephant or baboon attack.

During our pre-walk briefing we’re told that groups in the previous three days have had good luck finding elephants. But we are reminded that the elephant is a private and rather peripatetic beast and could just as easily feel overexposed after three days in the public eye and steer clear of us. Abu assures us he will try to root them out.

It is a beautiful hike. We see a variety of antelope, including the Kob, bush bucks and water bucks. They are shy bunch and most are spotted at a fair distance, at least once in a dramatic, springing escape into the deeper brush.

We learn the sad story of the male Kob, which, if defeated in battle by another male, must then live alone and apart from the herd for the rest of its life. So bereft are they, we are told, they no longer even care about their own safety and will not run if approached. Sometime later we come upon just such a sad case. I point and chant “quitter” in hopes that tough love will be the difference. Sadly, it is not.

The hike takes us through fields of high grass, and then into open country that smells of the wild mint that is everywhere. We cross a few small creeks and follow the edge of a couple of drying watering holes. Along the way we see monkeys and more antelopes. We watch crowds of gray egrets move gracefully across the sky. And we see evidence of elephants, including footprints, but, alas, no actual elephants.

At one blind overlooking a favorite pachyderm bathing spot we sit in silence for 10 minutes in hopes that they will appear. Antelope can be seen bounding in the distance. Monkeys move about in loose groups in the trees. It is a striking scene, truly like something from National Geographic, but the big game refuse to cooperate.

(Picture: Our guide Abu finding elephant tracks, but no elephants)