It’s a beautiful morning by the Kapamba river in South Luangwa NP, Zambia.

The sun isn’t up yet but it’s already quite hot. There’s a soft breeze that makes the heat more bearable, and there are some clouds on the horizon promising rain in the afternoon. The dawn chorus is in full swing. Doves, coucals, geese, bee eaters and a myriad other birds are calling incessantly. Antelope stop by to inspect the bush and then run away snorting like pigs. In the river, a hippo will come up for air occasionally, calling and breathing heavily. Small water movements sound pleasantly liquid.

The most beautiful aspect of this rich soundscape is the sense of open space. Sounds carry over long distances in the savanna, with only light obstruction and reflections caused by vegetation. If you pay attention, you can easily identify layers coming from different directions and distances. It’s a soundscape you can easily get immersed in, but there are endless little details to discover. Sit back in your hammock and take it all in.

Field recording by George Vlad