Mole National Park, March 31-April 2

Just southwest of Tamale (read: a 4-hour bus ride down a terrible dirt road) is Mole NP. It's one of the few parks on the continent in which you can view wild animals on foot. A few of the bolder elephants have been known to enter the hotel grounds unannounced! We spent two days here in order to take full advantage of the guided hike and a viewing deck overlooking two popular watering holes -- not to mention our air-conditioned room, the pool, and a few cold beers. Because it is the dry season in Ghana, the animals regularly congregate around these holes. In these photos: elephants in and out of one of the watering holes, monkey, warthog, and a monkey and the hazy evening sun.