On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Kabecoo
Baboons and giraffes were never seen alone. We would stumble upon troops of baboons in the morning, traveling toward water. Clusters of giraffes, heads and necks only, would be poking above the trees. Giraffes handled the upper side of the “browse lines,” the part of a tree can safely grow because it is too low for the giraffe and too high for the impala or buffalo.
Giraffes seemed somewhat wary of us. Usually the baboons never were. Our guide would stop the vehicle and after a few moments the baboons went on about their daily tasks as if we weren’t there.
The father of a young baboon, patiently waiting for us to leave.
One morning we came upon a troop of what appeared to be over a hundred baboons headed to water.
Beautiful colors.
Sometimes it’s easier catching a ride.
They towered over us, spending all day eating the newest upper growth. We saw them “necking,” when two males have a battle of neck strength to determine dominance. Mostly they were gentle grazers.
A young giraffe already heading out with the oxpeckers.
They were often the last animal we saw at night, usually from far away.
There were rarely clouds at sunset while we were there. Still, the spread of orange across the sky was stunning. I took way too many sunset photos but only one with someone blocking the sun.
Baud
Very cool.
raven
Sweet!
satby
Looks like a wonderful trip! Sunset with giraffe would be in a big frame on my wall.
SiubhanDuinne
I’m with Satby, I’d want to see that giraffe silhouetted against the setting sun every day. Gorgeous photo. Also love the adorable little baboon catching a ride on mom’s back.
Brookso
Wonderful photos, reminds me a lot about how gorgeous nature can be. I’ve been backpacking for last 5 or 6 years with my survival gear and saw lots and lots of wild animals and views, but something is magical about seing same scenery from another country!
MazeDancer
What a remarkable trip you must have had. Great photos.
eclare
Love that last photo!
Betty
Giraffes are so elegant.
Steve in the ATL
Giraffes are my favorite. Just awesome.
Baboons, on the other hand…not so much. I once saw one grab a woman’s purse and dump it out, smashing her iPhone and scattering her belongings, to get a small chocolate bar she had in it. Aggressive and mean. He could have just asked for the chocolate, right?
Tdjr
We were at Chobe years ago. On a rover on the road back from the park, we came across 2 wild dogs who’d been separated from the rest of the pack, running down the side of the road. They let out a cry I’d never heard on a national geographic special. It chilled the soul! Awesome experience!
SkyBluePink
Magnificent animals-
Wonderful photos-
BigJimSlade
There’s an old Far Side where a flying saucer is swooping down towards earth’s surface and dumps a bunch of giraffes onto the planet. After seeing giraffes for myself in the wild, my god, they are so strange (and wonderful), I became convinced that Larson got it right.
Great pictures!