OurVacays Home Trips Guides Planning Packing List About ← all trips
Niagara Falls 2012

A Travel Diary

Niagara Falls 2012

The Falls & the safari — May 2012

49Photographs
4Days
4Places
Scroll to explore ↓

The Falls

A spring trip across the border to Niagara Falls, Ontario — the green wall of the Horseshoe Falls and the spray-rainbows below it, the Maid of the Mist, the tunnels behind the water, and the furious whirlpool rapids downriver. Then a drive-through day at the African Lion Safari, with zebras, giraffes, bison, a lion on the rocks, and a baboon on the car roof. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or open the map.

A spring trip across the border to Niagara Falls, Ontario, where the Horseshoe Falls come over the edge in a green wall and the spray throws up rainbows below. We rode the Maid of the Mist into the thunder, walked the tunnels cut right behind the water, and followed the furious whirlpool rapids downriver.

Then a change of pace entirely: a drive-through day at the African Lion Safari, with zebras and giraffes alongside the car, bison out in the fields, a lion up on the rocks — and a baboon that made itself right at home on the roof.

This trip ran 4 days, May 17–20, 2012. Along the way we spent time at African Lion Safari, The Whirlpool Rapids, The Falls, and Niagara by night. The gallery below tells it day by day, in 49 photographs.

Day 1

Thu 17 May

The Falls

The Falls
The FallsThe Horseshoe Falls thundering over the brink in a cloud of spray.
The Falls
The FallsThe American Falls across the gorge.
The Falls
The FallsA rainbow arcing through the mist below the falls.
The Falls
The FallsThe Maid of the Mist pushing toward the base of the Horseshoe.
The Falls
The FallsGreen water curling over the edge by the millions of gallons.
The Falls
The FallsBehind the falls, looking out through the rock.
The Falls
The FallsThe whole sweep of the Niagara gorge from above.

Day 2

Fri 18 May

The Falls

The Falls
The FallsSpray drifting up hundreds of feet into the sun.
The Falls
The FallsThe Horseshoe Falls thundering over the brink in a cloud of spray.
The Falls
The FallsThe American Falls across the gorge.

Day 3

Sat 19 May

The Falls · The Whirlpool Rapids · Niagara by night

The Falls
The FallsA rainbow arcing through the mist below the falls.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsThe Niagara whirlpool rapids, white and furious.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsClass-six water raging through the gorge.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsStanding waves crashing over the rocks.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsThe river boiling below the falls.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsRapids tearing past the rocky shore.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsGreen and white water as far as you could see.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsThe Niagara whirlpool rapids, white and furious.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsClass-six water raging through the gorge.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsStanding waves crashing over the rocks.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsThe river boiling below the falls.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsRapids tearing past the rocky shore.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsGreen and white water as far as you could see.
The Whirlpool Rapids
The Whirlpool RapidsThe Niagara whirlpool rapids, white and furious.
Niagara by night
Niagara by nightThe falls lit up in color after dark.
Niagara by night
Niagara by nightNiagara glowing blue and pink against the night.

Day 4

Sun 20 May

African Lion Safari

African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA zebra grazing in the open at the African Lion Safari.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariBears cooling off in the pond.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA lion stretched out on the rocks.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariOstriches stalking the savanna paddock.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA baboon making itself at home on a car roof.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariGiraffes towering over the tour buses.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariBison grazing the wide green fields.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA peacock in full display.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariDeer resting in the afternoon sun.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariLlamas wandering up to say hello.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA zebra grazing in the open at the African Lion Safari.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariBears cooling off in the pond.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA lion stretched out on the rocks.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariOstriches stalking the savanna paddock.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA baboon making itself at home on a car roof.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariGiraffes towering over the tour buses.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariBison grazing the wide green fields.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA peacock in full display.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariDeer resting in the afternoon sun.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariLlamas wandering up to say hello.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA zebra grazing in the open at the African Lion Safari.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariBears cooling off in the pond.
African Lion Safari
African Lion SafariA lion stretched out on the rocks.

Where we wandered