Nothing but breathing the air of a safari and actually walking through it can communicate the indescribable sensation. No one can return from lion safaris unchanged. Tawny lions will forever prowl in the tourists’ memory, and great herds throng their imagination because of their roar that tends to scar anything around or near them, their nature of climbing, running very fast, and their short life span of 10 years for males and 15 years for females.
Here are some tips for viewing lions:
Catnaps: Lions rest for long periods of time. Males sleep for over 20 hours, while females sleep for 18 hours a day. They do this because they use a lot of energy during hunting and need to sleep to preserve more energy for the next hunt. You can spot these slumbering lions on tree branches, where they gain all the fresh air they need and distance from the biting bugs on the ground that could make their sleep uncomfortable. This behavior is mostly seen in female climbing lions who take a nap with their cubs on tree branches, while the males hide in tall grasses on the ground.
Tracks made by big cats: Tour guides usually study different animal species and can identify if a certain big cat passed in a particular place and give the name to tourists. Be alert when you go for a lion safari, as you can also see footprints on muddy or sandy paths in the national park of your choice and ask your tour guide to identify them as a lion, leopard, elephant, or another animal.
Audio clues: It’s advisable to keep your ears alert when you’re in an area where the tour guide expects lions to be. The chirping of birds and whooping of monkeys can alert you to the presence of lions. The nearby animals, such as zebras and antelopes, might run away quickly. Birds and monkeys may also make a distinct sound when they sense danger. Always be on the lookout for these signs.
Africa is one of the continents where most tourists go for lion safaris in national parks like:
- Kruger National Park in the South, which hosts a variety of carnivores, herbivores, reptiles, primates, and birds. The entry fee for this park is 440 ZAR (USD 26.50) per adult per day and 220 ZAR (USD 13.20) per child per day for international visitors. South African residents pay R110 per adult per day and R55 per child per day. SADC Nationals with a passport pay R220 per adult per day and R110 per child per day. Accommodations include Kruger Gate Hotel, Nsala Wilderness Camp, Letaba Rest Camp, Olifants Rest Camp, Balule Satellite Camp, Roodewal Bush Lodge, and many others.
- Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, known for hosting a large number of lions. The park is also filled with leopards, rhinos, zebras, crocodiles, snakes, giraffes, mostly seen in dry seasons when the park has less vegetation and near water points when they relax in groups and drink water. Activities done at the park include game drives, nature walks, lion tracking, and many others. The entry fee is 35 USD in the high season and 30 USD in the low season, while children aged between 5-15 years are charged 10 USD. Accommodations include African Safari South Serengeti Ndutu, Siringit Serengeti Camp, Nyikani Camp, Serengeti Savanna Camp, and many others.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park is found in Uganda, known for its climbing lions, mostly in the Ishasha region. It’s also the habitat for primates like chimpanzees, and many tourists visit the park for chimpanzee trekking, monkeys, baboons, and other animals. The best way to reach the park is either by road transport, using the Kampala-Mbarara route or Fort Portal route, or air transport. Accommodations at the park include Kingfisher Lodge, Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, Irungu Forest Safari Lodge, and many others. The entry fee is USD 40 for foreigners and USD 30 for foreign residents of Uganda, with UGX 20,000 for East African Community citizens.
Lion safaris are affordable, catering to every budget, ranging from humble to moderate and luxury. The doors are widely open for you; come and visit the blissful lion safari in any country of your choice. Remember, a man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.