Majestic Lions of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
During our latest trip to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in April we had the most incredible lion encounter ever resulting in my BEST lion image of all time!
Before we get to that encounter, let me tell you about a special lion sighting about 8 days earlier. We entered the gate at Twee Rivieren just after opening time and less that 5km’s from the gate we noticed a few cars pulled to the side of the road.
I eagerly scanned the ridge line to our left, and that is when I saw a beautiful lioness get up and walk along the ridge line. I knew that the image was going to be noisy due to the high ISO as there was no light yet, but who can resist taking images of a wild Kgalagadi lion! As she walked further I noticed a head pop up - it was a beautiful male. They were a mating pair!
I was hoping that he was still active as mating is exhausting business (up to 50 times a day for a period of 4-5 days), when, right on cue, he stood up and looked out of the riverbed just as the golden rays of light broke the horizon bathing the ridge line in that glorious golden light - MAGIC!
A few days later we we driving towards the famous Kij Kij waterhole when around 3 km’s past Leeudril waterhole my wife spotted a lioness on the West side of the road. She was on a MISSION moving really quickly which made me instinctively guess that she was on her way to the waterhole that we had just passed.
I said to my wife that I was going to turn around and head towards Leeudril - she knows my gut instinct and simply said "I roll where you roll”. I executed my 3 point turn with loads of WIDE eyes from the passengers of the other cars parked along the road, I could just imagine them thinking “where are you going, are you crazy?”
When arriving at the waterhole there was a single car there with an elderly gentleman who was watching a pair of Lanner Falcons in the tree next to the waterhole. I rolled my window down and mentioned the lioness and told him to get ready for what could be a potentially awesome sighting.
I am not sure that he believed me as the lioness was still km’s away and when I reversed he quickly asked me where I was going - I smiled and just said that I was positioning myself in the best spot that will ensure no long grass restricts my view of the waterhole.
We waited and waited, but as soon as I heard the birds alarm calling I smiled and turned to my wife saying “here she comes!”
She popped out of the long grass and started drinking - she made DIRECT eye contact with us - it felt like our souls made a connection that morning.
After drinking for a few minutes, an Abdim’s stork flew too close and she looked up and stared at it as if to say “how dare you do that, did you forget that I am king of the jungle?”.
This gave me the briefest of moments to capture what I believe is my best lion image to date - look at those eyes and powerful limbs!!
After drinking for around 5 minutes, she walked towards us before contact calling the 2 male lions that were resting to the East of us - I had goosebumps and turning to my wife we just shook our heads in disbelief and ever so thankful for being able to witness such beauty!
The countdown continues till our next trip in Oct - bring it on!
Till next time…