Vacation With Giraffes
When I was a kid my family would never take vacations. Most of the time we would just stay home, but when my dad came back from Nam he brought back a souvenir and that’s how my parents got their first giraffe. They named him Oskar, and the most fascinating thing is that they could communicate with one another. But one day they were attacked by poachers, and despite putting up a fight they didn’t make it. That’s how I discovered the power of Giraffe Knee-Gels
These giraffes are enormous! How cool is it that we could actually go on a trip with them? They’re so tall. I hope this photo gallery was informative and enjoyable for you to read. Stay tuned for more awe-inspiring pieces like these!
Although it is tempting to interpret giraffe-inspired embroidery as a kind of totem or symbol for safari outings, for the citizens of Tanzania, giraffes are not merely part of their background scenery. They may share much of the same physical and environmental space with the animals, but they have also developed notions of these creatures that extend far beyond the basics.
There are many different places to visit while on vacation, but one of the more exotic places is Kenya. As well as having beautiful beaches, some of the most extravagant resorts and phenomenal food, Kenya is famous for its giraffes. In fact, there are nine national parks in Kenya every one trying to outdo the other by showing off how many giraffes they have.
Dian Fossey, the pioneer of today’s study of the Mountain Gorilla, supposedly would go to Rwanda on vacation. Somehow I doubt that she was relaxing by the pool at her resort with a mai tai. Perhaps she might be making modifications to a jeep or researching/photographing mountain gorillas, but I’m guessing that it was mostly not leisurely pursuits. I do believe there is a middle ground between hanging out with mountain gorillas and lazing about on a beach with a drink in hand.
Vacation With Giraffes
As an animal lover, I’ve been all over the world to have cool, up-close experiences with the animal kingdom.
I’ve been on African safaris in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe to see the “big five” (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo). I’ve cruised down the Amazon in Peru to see colorful frogs, Pink River dolphin and piranhas. I’ve even snorkeled with whale sharks off the coast of Cancun, Mexico.
And there are places you can stay around the world where wild animals are right there with you at the hotel.
Here are five resorts that are special for having animals right on property.
Watch elephants stroll through a safari lodge in Zambia
In the safari region in South Luangwa in Zambia, there are a lot of game, like giraffe, hippos, buffalo and crocodiles, many of which you’ll see in a safari jeep on a game drive. But at Mfuwe Lodge, you can see these animals right on property, as it is located on the banks of two lagoons from which they drink.
From October to December, guests get a special treat: Families of wild elephants walk through the lodge’s triple-height, vaulted lobby and reception area, lured by a wild mango tree on the lodge grounds (to get to the fruit, the elephants must go through the lobby).
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“When the wild mango fruit is in full season, the elephants come several times a day,” Andy Hogg, founder of The Bushcamp Company, a safari operator, tells CNBC Make It. “There’s usually an early morning visit, presumably to get anything that has fallen overnight. Then throughout the day, other single elephants, or sometimes groups, will stop by to see if there’s anything new to snack on.”
The elephants have been coming since the 1990s, according to Hogg. You can’t touch them or use flash photography but you can stay at a safe distance to watch, usually behind the reception desk.
Get wolf kisses at a farmhouse in Norway
Most people go to Norway to catch the Northern Lights or to take a cruise through the breathtaking fjords. Many people also go for the wolves.
In Polar Park, a park within a forest near the town of Narvik where people go to see the Northern Lights, local wolves are born and bred in large enclosures and socialized. When you visit, the domesticated wolves will be brought out with a guide and trainer (a wolf whisperer, so to speak) for guests to pet. They’ll even “kiss” you by licking your face.
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Book a stay at Wolf Lodge, which is a contemporary farmhouse with floor-to-ceiling windows set within the sprawling wolf enclosure within the park. Wolves surround the lodge, so you can sit inside by the fireplace and watch them. If the guide is around, he will allow a wolf inside to greet you.
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Breakfast with giraffes at a manor in Kenya
On the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, the historic, 1932-built Giraffe Manor sits on 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of forest. In the ’70s the manor was the home of Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville, who were giraffe preservationists who bought the place to provide sanctuary for the creatures. In 1984, it became a hotel.
What makes Giraffe Manor special are the 14 giraffes that visit the Manor in the mornings and afternoon tea (around 4 p.m.) to sniff out snacks and greet guests.
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The giraffes come to the windows of the manor in the mornings while the guests are having breakfast. At this time, a giraffe will poke its entire head and neck inside a window (even on the top floors since they are so tall), eat special pellets (provided by the resort) out of guests hands and even lick their faces. This is repeated at afternoon tea for mid-afternoon snacks.
The giraffes roam freely around the hotel during the day time and there is no other hotel in the world that offers a giraffe experience like this, according to Giraffe Manor.
Hang with sloths at a rain forest resort in Costa Rica
Native to South America and Central America, sloths are exotic mammals known for their slow movements, and they spend most of their time hugging trees in tropical rain forests.
When you stay at Nayara in Las Fortuna, Costa Rica, you can see them right from your villa’s porch or window.