Two weeks ago we had the awesome privilege of visiting Mole National Park in northern Ghana over a long weekend. We took the trip with Barb and Roy, two other teachers from school, and a driver. After 9 hours of highways (with only one minor brake problem) and 3 hours of a bumpy dirt road, we arrived at the Mole Hotel overlooking a vast plain of trees and clearings and small bodies of water where wild animals gather at one of the only wildlife preserves in Ghana.
Early the next morning we took a walking safari down into the valley. Along the way we saw warthogs, bush bucks, and many different kinds of birds. But the highlight was definitely the elephants at the water hole! Our guide, who carried a gun, said we could keep getting closer until they (meaning the elephants) let us know to stop. So we did. If you’re wondering, an elephant’s sign to stop is a low thundering growl as he shakes his head from side to side. I kept thinking: they would never let you do anything like this in America...this is so dangerous...this is so awesome.
That afternoon, the grounds of the hotel were suddenly covered with monkeys - mostly baboons. They snatched food off people’s tables and hung out on the back porches. It was so incredible. We took a driving safari at dusk and saw a herd of female elephants with a baby and more varieties of bucks.
God is so powerful and creative and we feel humbled that he is allowing us these kinds of once-in-a-lifetime experiences while we are here.
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| Our driver, William |
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| No zoom - I was actually this close |
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| Ugly alien baby monkey! |
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| We were staying in D3. You can see this was the porch of D5. |