India, June 28 -- On safari, nothing is guaranteed. It doesn't matter if you're hoping to see a grizzly bear in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, a tiger in an Indian jungle, or a pride of lions in the plains of Africa-an experienced guide will never promise you a sighting. But that's not exactly the case in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest game reserve. Here, it's estimated there are 7.8 elephants per square mile (the park spans more than 5,600 square miles). In other words, of the approximately 415,000 wild elephants in Africa, about 45,000 roam within the park's boundaries.

So as I journeyed to the park for a few nights at Wilderness Linkwasha Camp, every single one of my "I just want to see an elephant" comments was met w...