Sharing a campsite with lions (Botswana, Zimbabwe, September-October 2021)

[ElenaH]

Sharing a campsite with lions.

Botswana, Zimbabwe.  19.09.2021-10.10.2021.

 

 

Firstly, I'd like to thank to all Safari Talkers, especially @JPS, @ice, @Illi and other film-makers who inspired me to make again the videos. 

It was also my first time when I make a voice-over by myself. I didn't want to put some "speech-to-voice" automatic and spoke myself to give it a personal note. Sorry, for my horrible accent, English is not my mother tongue. But well.. it is a personal note ;-)

 

I'll start from the end and post a link to my video as a teaser.

 

 

 

 

 

[gatoratlarge]

Wow!  Not so sure I would have been able to share a campsite with lions ---they seemed extremely comfortable...no fear at all!

[Wildship]

Awesome.

[wilddog]

what a fantastic video and voice over.

A wondeful experince and a wonderful job, @ElenaH

 

The lion roaring beside your tent, sent shivers down my spine, even as I lie in bed in my UK hotel room, safe and sound.

Thanks for sharing it .

 

Good to hear you got help and encouragement from other members here. 

 

 

 

[Seniortraveller]

Scary!!!

[ElenaH]

12 hours ago, gatoratlarge said:

Wow!  Not so sure I would have been able to share a campsite with lions ---they seemed extremely comfortable...no fear at all!

ohh.. actually we didn't have any choice.. they were there and we had a booking  ;-).  but they have never come during the day.

[ElenaH]

6 hours ago, Wildship said:

Awesome.

thank you!

[ElenaH]

1 hour ago, wilddog said:

what a fantastic video and voice over.

thank you, @wilddog, I'm very glad you like it!

[ElenaH]

49 minutes ago, Seniortraveller said:

Scary!!!

oh, yes, it was! ;-)

[Kitsafari]

wow awesome. much as I enjoyed watching it in the safety of my home thousand of miles from that campsite, i'm not sure I would be brave enough to stay at that campsite. i'd probably be sleeping in the car instead.

 

were the lions there every night or was it that just that evening?

 

oh and i forgot to add - we enjoyed the swift flights of the owls as well! they looked like barn owls but we're not too sure. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by Kitsafari

[ForWildlife]

You probably didn't get much sleep that night

They look very comfortable, and no sign of aggression.

[ElenaH]

4 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

were the lions there every night or was it that just that evening?

unfortunately the lions visited our campsite every night as we were staying there (4 nights) THat is also why I was able to make that video  - I had the footage. There was another campsite near by and there were no tourists so, the lions were staying there during the day. And often to the question: did you see something? We just answered: there are lions on MPA-2. And self-drivers just drove to the campsite, like if they were visiting old friends. ;-) During the nights the lions were visiting all three campsites: MPA1-, MPA-2 and the two overflows. 

5 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

they looked like barn owls but we're not too sure. 

yes, I have a better picture and  I identified them as Barn Owls! You are very good! You were able to identify even from the video! It's not easy! 

There was also a resident Bateleur. I was able to come veery close to the bird (about 2m) he was just sitting and looking at me. Perhaps, thinking: what a stupid animal!  

One can see often raptors on the camping ground. People drop bread, mice come to have it and raptors come to have mice ;-)

Thank you for watching @Kitsafari!

[ElenaH]

4 hours ago, ForWildlife said:

You probably didn't get much sleep that night

yes, you are right and after some nights you are very tired ;-)  The other nights we made a kind of "barricade" around our tent. THe lions were not. aggressive but very curious, especially the females. The males were thinking only about one thing ;-). like the grooms after the wedding. 

And yes, they respected us during the day and didn't show at all we respected them during the night and were staying in the tent all the time and then in the car. We've never met each other on foot actually.

[michael-ibk]

Wow, scary and awesome, a really thrilling safari experience. I remember the lions roaring just like that allnight next to our tent in Chitake - definitely could not sleep then. Really enjoyed the video, well done!

[ElenaH]

13 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Really enjoyed the video, well done!

thank you, Michael! :-) very appreciated!

Oh! There are special lions in Chitake! We booked Chitake for September and I am alerady thinking how can I escape to the Kavinga camp near by....  They are not so peaceful like in Mabua... and they are 22 of them! of not 24! 

[Biko]

@AtheneThis teaser is a true teaser! Wonderful, and woow, what a night. Or even better: four nights. I like your voice-over. And the shot of the male lion after breakfast with his paw touching his belly is one of a kind.

Did the pictures of the lions at the shower come from a trail camera?

[Athene]

Sorry @Biko

The teaser is from@ElenaH

[Whyone?]

Great stuff @ElenaH ..... you'll do just fine at Mana!

[Biko]

sorry @ElenaH, my apologies, your teaser is great!

[janzin]

Wow wow wow! Amazing. I absolutely would have slept in the car every night!  You are quite brave!

 

And the video is fantastic, so well put together. I noticed the Barn Owl too   Love the commentary.

 

[Towlersonsafari]

wonderful if spine tingling stuff @ElenaHthe roaring lion with the night sky is very evocative 

[Africalover]

I’ve have seen your video on a FB group, great. Me my wife are staying at MPA1 in Oct.

I think we might have the same experience, But you never know. Unfortunately lions in Mabuasehube is less afraid of humans. They sometimes all so walk in to campsites during daytime 😏, one has to have to be very vigilant.
Thanks for sharing.

[ElenaH]

On 4/11/2022 at 12:17 PM, Biko said:

Did the pictures of the lions at the shower come from a trail camera?

of course, I used a trail camera! Do you remember how a male lion comes closer to check it? 

thank you, @Biko!

[Zim Girl]

Great video @ElenaH, would have loved to have been at that campsite.  What make is your trailcam?  The quality is very good.

[ElenaH]

20 hours ago, janzin said:

I absolutely would have slept in the car every night!

to be honest, I would also sleep in the car!   

But my partner is another story... He was always saying: "oh, I love Mabua! I love it here! Don't be afraid! The lions will not come into the tent!"

I hope, the lions know about that ;-) 

On the other hand they will not fit into such small tent, that's true.