15 of Our Favorite Photos from the Hunt’s Photo Safari

Hunt’s Photo Adventures is one of our newest partners. The group is planning its second photo safari after an unforgettable adventure this past February.

We’re celebrating with a look back at the stunning pictures our guests brought back from the first trip.

“I will never forget how the hair on the back of my neck stood up as I watched and heard this beautiful male lion in first light.” – Don Toothaker, photo leader

The journey began with a bush flight to the outskirts of the Eastern Serengeti Nature Refuge. Guest Lorraine Lurvey took this snapshot from the plane.

Thomson travelers will often stop by a school or local business to learn what life is like for children and in Tanzania.

There are over 1,000 species of bird in Tanzania. “We went knowing we would see a lot of big game, but completely underestimated the abundance of bird life to see and photograph,” Toothaker said.  “It was fantastic.”

February is the heart of the green season and one of the best times to see baby animals. Above, a hippo and its calf in Ngorongoro Crater. Toothaker called this moment one of the trip’s “family photo” highlights.

It’s called the green season because of the rainfall that turns the once dry, golden plains green and lush. Above, a storm moving through Ngorongoro Crater.

And a lush environment means plenty of food to sustain elephant herds. “We saw so many of these beautiful, graceful creatures,” Toothaker said. “I could not get enough of them.”

And plenty of leafy acacia trees for browsing giraffes.

“To see a full-grown giraffe stride so gracefully among trees was pretty cool. To watch them eat and then look at you OVER the top of a tree was even more cool!” – Don Toothaker

Families of vervet monkeys are another common sight among the trees throughout the country.

A far rarer sight: leopards, the most powerful of the big cats pound-for-pound. To find a leopard, try looking for a tail dangling down from the trees.

“My second bucket list image I wanted was a leopard, and our expert guides found us one on the first day in the southern Serengeti,” Toothaker said. “This leopard had just eaten and was slumbering in the safety of a tree. We caught the last good light thankfully.”

Above, an example of how a shot of the same scene can change within a matter of moments.

And below the trees, you’ll often find groups of animals cooling off in the shade. Above, two zebras with their heads on each other’s backs – a technique used to keep watch for predators while resting.

“Words cannot describe the feeling of comfort and calmness falling asleep in one of the wildest places on our planet. We were taken care of with great care and regard.” – Don Toothaker

“There is something wildly primal and exciting about watching a lion on the hunt. I could not take my eyes off her stealthy movements and her intense gaze.” – Don Toothaker