When we visited in September, there appeared to be a convention of Lions around Lower Sabie Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park. Whether you were following the river in an easterly or westerly direction from camp, you would have been very unlucky not to encounter at least one pride of lions within the first 4 kilometers of your drive.
Mating pair of lions on the bank of the Sabie River
Lioness on a sand bank in the Sabie River (photo by Joubert)
Lions lazing on the rocks at Lubyelubye
Lions lazing on the rocks at Lubyelubye
Lion cub at Lubyelubye (photo by Joubert)
Lion cub at Lubyelubye
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Lioness on a sand bank in the Sabie River
Two male lions, one considerable older than the other, sharing a rock that overlooks the Sabie River
Lioness on a sand bank in the Sabie River
Big male lion staking his claim to a sandbank on the Sabie River
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Pride of lions on a sandbank near Lower Sabie
Mating pair of lions on the bank of the Sabie River
On one occasion we even saw two lions right in front of camp while we were taking an afternoon stroll on the lawns! They spooked a herd of fleet-footed impala, alerting us to their presence as well.
Male and female lion walking the river bed in front of Lower Sabie Rest Camp
Male and female lion walking the river bed in front of Lower Sabie Rest Camp
Finding Lions in Kruger is not always this easy. With the dry season now coming to an end, surface water is hard to come by, and the lions take advantage of this by ambushing herbivores coming to slake their thirst from the Sabie. We also found lions in other parts of the park while we were driving around, and in all instances they were close to or at a water source, lying in wait.
Lazy young lion on a hot day, just north of Crocodile Bridge
A pair of young lions waiting near Mac’s Pan for passing herds
A pair of young lions waiting near Mac’s Pan for passing herds
Lone male resting near Lower Sabie
DeWetsWild 
Lion is very dangerous animal
That it is, yes!
Lions have perfected the art of absolute relaxation. I suppose that unlike their prey they don’t always need to be on high alert and so can indulge in luxurious resting.
It’s a lifestyle I think I could grow accustomed to as well! 😀
Cute kitties!! 😉
Only when seen from faaaaaaar away!
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Fabulous lion sightings, Dries. So many different poses and scenes. Beautiful!
Sometimes they’re the perfect models, other times they’re quite impossible to work with! 🙂
Baie interessant soos altyd
Dankie, Tina!
I love the cats!!! I love to hear their deep breaths as they pass you by. Thank you for sharing all of these images!!
We’re glad they were so willing to show themselves to us so that we could do the same in turn!
An entire post of cats ❤️❤️❤️ What a wonderful way to start my day!! My favourite is the one towards the end lazing on his back. What a trip this must have been to be practically tripping over them at every turn!
They’re such magnificent creatures and I can’t think that anyone would tire of seeing them – even flat on their backs!
I enjoy visiting your site and the photos of wildlife. Where I live, about the wildest thing we see is a fox (usually around 3 am) and some common feathered friends. Lions? No. So this post is great and that they sort of appear on spec. Like they’re saying, “Here you are human, eat your heart out.”
They’re not always as obliging with showing themselves, Ted, but when they do it’s always a thrill!
Thanks for visiting with us!
Julle was baie gelukkig…pragtige foto’s, Dries!
Baie dankie, Dina. Ja, ons was regtig bevoorregd.
Toe my Amerikaanse skoonseun in 2008 in Kruger was, het een enkele mannetjiesleeu uit die grasse opgestaan, laaank uitgerek en weer gaan lê – tot dusver, sy enigste ontmoeting met Koning Leeu. Ag, hy was so opgewonde…
Hulle bly maar imposante diere en mens kan verstaan dat so n ontmoeting n blywende indruk maak!
Julle het behoorlik baie leeus gesien.
Ons was baie gelukkig op hierdie besoek in September, Toortsie.
Ons was ook in Sept daar en was net so gelukkig! 😁
Die Wildtuin het regtig iets vir elke seisoen! Einde van winter en begin lente is beslis die tyd om te gaan as jy hope roofdiere wil sien, maar vir my hou die vroeg somer die meeste bekoring in wanneer dit wemel van die baba rooibokkies.
Ons wil ‘n slag in die somer gaan wanneer alles groen is.
Julle sal nie spyt wees nie, toortsie – dis warm maar o so mooi!
They are king (and queen), but they have their troubles too.
Absolutely, Beth – they don’t have an easy life at all.
You have lived the average visitor’s dream 🙂 I remember a trip to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park that was similar: we saw lions and cheetah daily for ten days. Yet, on a different trip we saw neither hair not hide of either!
We’ve had a few of those trips too, Anne, where it seemed the predators all packed up and emigrated. Availability of water and the denseness of the vegetation can make or break your trip if you are only chasing lions, leopards and cheetahs – luckily we enjoy everything nature shows us.
Wonderful shots, Dries. It must be so exciting to see these lions up close, but not too close. 😃
Few things so thrilling as having the King of the Jungle pass within a few feet of you, Sylvia. They’re truly magnificent creatures.
I was thinking the same as HJ. You saw lions in front of your camp while you walked around on the lawns? Was your car close by to duck for cover? This sounds scary!
Happily Kruger Park’s camps are safely surrounded by high electric fences, Lois, so we were perfectly safe.
Whew! I just breathed a sigh of relief!
It is all relative I suppose – truth be told I feel much, much, much safer among the predators of the bush than I do among the two-legged predators of the cities!
good point, Dries.
You talk of the lions as casually as looking at little pet dos in the park here! My G-d, these big cats are natural killers and can easily harm you! You’re so used to see them it’s no problem at all, I figure… 🙂
I don’t think seeing lions, leopards and cheetahs can ever become less exciting, H.J!