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

This lioness was using the bridge outside Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park as her own personal catwalk, settling down to give her adoring fans some close up views of her beauty – and I was lucky to get a front-row seat!

Lioness on her way to the bridge at Lower Sabie

Lioness on her way to the bridge at Lower Sabie

Weighing up her options

The Queen of Lower Sabie

The Queen of Lower Sabie

Lioness on the bridge with her adoring fans

Lioness on the bridge at Lower Sabie

But lions aren’t always such show-offs – sometimes they like to keep their distance, and other times they lie hidden in plain sight…

Lions in the grass next to the Crocodile River

Well-hidden Lion