On an African lion safari, there is nothing more exciting than that first glimpse of the massive cat in the bush. So where are the best places to see scenes like the one above?
The Five Best African Lion Safari Destinations
1. Masai Mara, Kenya - This national park consistently delivers magnificent lion sightings. If you visit this park on safari and don't see lion you can consider yourself unlucky. There are quite a few lion prides resident and the open, flat landscape makes them relatively easy to find.
2. Serengeti, Tanzania - If you take an African lion safari when the annual wildebeest migration hits the Serengeti plains, chances are that you are in for a lions spotting bonanza. They are very active at this time because of the oversupply of prey which they need to take advantage of before it disappears over the horizon to find better grazing.
3. Sabi Sands Reserve, South Africa - You are virtually guaranteed of seeing lion here. Why? Because the concessions in this reserve are privately owned which enables the safari companies to go off-road in their quest for the big cats. They also keep in contact by two way radio and so spread the net a lot wider than just one vehicle.
4. Etosha National Park, Namibia - Here the lions come to you if you wait long enough. Most of the camps in Etosha have waterholes with hides next to them where you can watch the animals come and go at your leisure.
And because there is such a lack of water these will often be the only places for miles around for the animals to get a drink. Wait long enough and you will see lion. Some people have seen them hunt around the waterholes too because all the other animals also have to eventually come down for a drink.
5. Kruger National Park, South Africa - You probably won't see lions here every day, but when you do see them there is a chance they may be doing something other than sleeping. The photograph of the lion protecting his giraffe meal by chasing off the thieving hyenas was taken by me here. The lions kept watch and gorged themselves on the giraffe for three days, chasing away anything else that came near.