I went on a safari cruise in East Africa, and it was an unexpected highlight of my 3-week trip

A view of an elephant near a fishing village.

Monica Humphries/Business Insider

• On a three-week trip to East Africa, I mainly experienced safaris by vehicle.
• One afternoon in Uganda, I swapped the safari truck for a boat.
• It was an unexpected highlight of the trip and offered new perspectives on animals.

Within an hour in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, I witnessed a giraffe's treacherous water crossing. Minutes later, I was a few feet away from a male lion with a shaggy mane.