Our camp site was in the South of Tarangere Park between the river & the lake. We had seen lions about a kilometre from our tent, 3 females, distance measured on GPS.
It was a good camp site with distant views across the bush. We watched Zebra, gazelle in the distance & once a small group of elephants.
We spent three good days there, travelling out each morning taking our needs for the day with us, returning to our camp for sundowners & a quick evening meal. Could never feel right about sitting around the fire for too long, just the two of us in the dark, there seemed to be always eyes that glowed from the surrounding bush when you flashed the spotting lamp around. Forget what you’ve heard about wild animals & fire, as soon as we got in the tent each night it was pandemonium out there! I’m sure they bought their own food to Bar-B-Q.
The morning that we were due to move on to Manyara we had decided to pack up camp early & game drive out of the park, about four hours drive to the gate.
Day dawns, unzip the bottom corner of the tent flap, nothing directly out side…..Unzip enough to poke a head out to check left & right still clear, check around the Landrover all OK! Climb out & fully check the area. Good! All clear!
The kettle boiled, flasks were filled & a breakfast of crackers & cheese were enjoyed….All the time I was uneasy about something but could not work out what it was!
The view had changed, but how?
Imagination?
We started to pack up the tent & our chattels.
Then suddenly we saw what was different!
That tree, two to four hundred metres away, didn’t have bushes around it yesterday….And….A…..Bush just stood up!!!
That bush looked like a lion…And….Was a lion!
There were three of them!
Slowly we took shelter in the Landrover.
Stand Off!
The lion laid down again…..We stayed in the Landrover!
The lions continued to lay……We stayed in the Landrover
Finally we decided this was going no where!
With Kath on watch from the landrover I packed up & stowed the rest of the camp, still with both eyes on the lions who completely ignored us.

Yea! OK! Perhaps they may have been six hundred metres away……….Or at even eight hundred they were still too damn close!

you both seem to be a kind of braveheart!
would love to have also such an experiences but not sure how to cope especially the last part of it where kath was watching the surroundings while you were packing
at one hand its great to survive on the other the survivor has to deal with all these legal things ....
excellent story which you wont forget for the rest of your lives!

Original von pippa
you both seem to be a kind of braveheart!

Hi Pippa

We don't see it quite like that
We know lions or elephants haven't read the same rule books as us....But we've a good idea what they'll do next....Unlike the car driver in front or behind us on the English motorway!!

I think it's more dangerous getting to the airport!

The brave part was trusting Kath to watch, early morn, without falling asleep!

Kipper -

I was in a similar situation about 10 years ago with a friend called Charles.
We were near the TZ boarder and I got out of the Landy to relieve myself - yes to have a pee!!
Suddenly I hear Charles knocking on the window pointing towards some open grass area -
To my left - perhaps around 15 to 20 meters away was a Leopard lying in the morning sun keeping a close eye on me... it was on the other side of a kopje and did not see it when I stopped.
I slowly froze doing what I was doing, slowly walked back to the Landy.....!!
Quickest pee on record!

You're a better man than I Nico.........Stopping in the middle of a pee !!!.......Respect!

Had to edit my English! :T :T
- Edited by kipper on 28.07.2007, 14:41 -

I did not mention the condition of my trousers.... ahahaha