Early morn chillaxin' on the Etosha Highveld...

It's an early morning start for safari-goers in Etosha. Once the rest camp gates swing open at 6 AM, you have 12 hours of light to track down as many critters as you can. Trust me. There won't be a shortage of animals to see and miles of dirt track to drive.

Look what the cat dragged in... Early bird on the trail catches this pride of groggy lions (Panthera leo) chillaxin' on the grasslands of Etosha.

I love this time of the day. Calm, cool air precedes hot, dusty conditions later in the day. The morning light is perfect for photographing animals.