Blog: There Are No Lions Here Sir!

Look, let’s be honest here, hitting Botswana’s mighty parks without a Lion sighting feels somewhat empty so you can imagine our disappointment when the ranger at Khutse’s Scout Camp informed us on our arrival that the Lions have left the park and are now hunting cattle in the surrounding adjoining areas.

We did not want to hear that, so we badgered him by asking a few times to which he finally responded somewhat irritated, “Sir, I already told you are few times, there are no Lions in the park currently.” Well, that was that for us, we got humbled and proceeded on to our campsite at Khutse Pans determined to make the most of our stay with what plains game we would encounter during our stay but, to be made somewhat exciting with excessive amounts of whiskey, red meat and campfire banter every night.

Next morning we headed out on a 4-hour game drive to Molose Pan entertained by what seemed to be the same Gemsbok and the same few Springbok following us all the way there, not for what we came here!

 Molose Pan was almost dried up and barren with a bit of spoor here and there in the muddy parts. As any burly wild man would need to do, I took a stroll around the other side of the Pan to find the ideal spot to pee and while executing my need, I stared down at the spoor around my feet and there it was, massive in size and lots of fresh Lion tracks. A few metres away was a dense shaded bush and my mind went there straight away.

I felt the blood rush to my head in pure panic and I put it away and zipped up even though the stream was still solid and flowing, I did not care I just had to retreat back to the vehicle to at least get a solid man-made structure between me and what was possibly eyeing me from the bush a few metres away.

After I got over the embarrassment of wetting my pants and after blood pressures calmed down in all of us, we decided there and then to make the 3-to-4-hour trip back to our campsite in Khutse Pan, pack up and trek back another 3 to 4 hours to rather camp at Molose Pan.

Long story short as we arrived back to Molose Pan and the scene of my embarrassment, there they were, a pride of around 12 Lions. Two massive coalition brutes surrounded by a few adult females and a few teenagers and even some cubs. It was truly a stunning and magnificent sighting that only Africa can provide. Everything about that moment was perfect, from how hard we worked and what we endured to make this exact moment happen, to the colour pantone around us to the perfect African vista in front of us and, to the infamous tawny colour and dangerous demeanour of these Apex Predators a few metres away from us. It all came together for us. The climax of these experiences where the deafening roars of this same pride so close to our campsite a few hours later as the sun was setting. Botswana delivered once again.

So, I guess the crux of this story is that whenever you are Overlanding and Camping in Wild Africa, anybody saying to you, “there are no Lions (or any other predators) here Sir,” be weary and vigilant because one thing is for sure, Wild Africa always “throws you a curved ball”.

“There are no lions here sir” – yeah right mister, try a pride of around 12!

Keep safe by staying alert, always!

Harry Nicolaides

Wild Camper Wannabe