Driving out of camp first thing in the morning is always filled with excitement. You are setting out on an endeavour to discover what activity has unfolded during the course of the evening, armed with a hot water bottle, a fluffy fleece blanket and adrenaline to keep you warm on a chilly winter’s morning.
Before you know it you are in the company of the full complement of the Kambula Pride and the two Ndzhenga Males feasting on a wildebeest on the Londolozi airstrip. There are few better ways to start off your day out in the African Bushveld.
As they were finishing up the last remains of the feast, we watched a few youngsters playing around and having a whale of time, before the entire contingent set off towards a nearby waterhole for a drink. Presenting us with a fantastic view of so many lions surrounding a waterhole quenching their thirst.
After this, the aerial views of them moving through the thickets back towards the airstrip were simply spectacular.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
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Wow incredible encounter right on the air strip! Are you using drones now?
Thank so much, Mark. It was an amazing encounter. Yes, we have been using them for quite some time.
Thanks for the wonderful video of the Kambula Pride and the two Ndzhenga Males. It’s very impressive to see so many lions in one spot and also being able to watch them from above. It’s amazing how well the lions (and other predators as well) are doing at Londolozi.
Being a guide and / or tracker in such an area must be just wonderful.
Thank you so much, Christa. We were fortunate to see this many lions together out in the open. It is wonderful to be able to work in such a remarkable place.
Sean, great video of the lions. I really enjoyed the overhead shots.
Thank you so much, William.
How amazing that must have been to see the entire Kambula pride with the Ndhzenga males at the airstrip. To view a couple of lions is thrilling, but 20 – unbelievable! I found the aerial footage fascinating because it gives a different perspective and also I like the giant shadows the animals provide. Now I’m hoping to see video of the wild dog puppies around their den. They should be old enough to venture out for meal and playtime.
It was such an awesome sighting and we were fortunate to see that many lions out in the open.
Yes, there will hopefully be an update on the wild dogs soon.
random question…is the only way into Londolozi by air?
There are a number of ways guests can arrive. First, is to fly in directly to the Londolozi airstrip (either on a private charter or with Federal Air or Airlink). Secondly, one can fly into Skukuza and then get a transfer to Londolozi in a game drive vehicle with us, or get an external transfer company to bring you round. Thirdly, guests can drive themselves in. So I guess it is up to you as to which you would prefer to do and which makes the most sense given where you are travelling from.
Thank you Sean!!! I’m a bit nervous in small crafts but it wouldn’t keep me from visiting…was just curious 😉
The Planes that fly into the Londolozi airstrip could be classified as small aircrafts but the ones that fly into Skukuza are Embraer jets so they are bigger.
Sean, This sighting is truly epic! We loved the drone shots too. We guess there couldn’t be any flights that morning!!! 🤣
Thank you so much, Michael. Haha, yes would. have been a tricky landing with all the lions on the airstrip. Thankfully, the lions had moved on before any planes were expected to land.
How fantastic to see the Kambula Pride and the two Ndhzenga Males eating and drinking. On the airstrip it is open so we can see them clearly. The air photo’s are absolutely gorgeous, seeing them move from above give a whole new prospective.
We were spoilt with the sighting, being able to see them eat, drink and then move off like that back across the airstrip was amazing.
What a spectacular view Sean, your videos are always an amazing surprise and nothing to be given for granted. I’ve recently read a report on the dwindling lion populations in several areas of Africa, this video shows the best of best instead. Great, it does always good to see animals and nature thriving!
Thank you so much, Francesca. It really was an amazing sighting.
Thanks Sean for a great video. Have there ever been any instances where a plane hasn’t been able to land on the airstrip due to animals on it?
If a plane is coming in to land, the air martial will normally shoo whatever animals are nearby away. But there have been a few situations where the plane has to do a fly by because an animal has run out onto the airstrip when the plane is on its approach.
When lions or other animals are sleeping or relaxing on the airstrip and a plane is due how do you clear it to ensure a safe landing?
Typically the planes only come in after 09h00 and before 15h00. So typically the lions would have moved off of the airstrip to seek out some shade to rest in as it might be getting rather warm on the airstrip. But on the odd occasion that they are still on the airstrip they are gently shooed off by the air martial in a vehicle.
This is incredible Sean! To be able to view them at the airstrip and subsequently water hole was amazing enough, but the arial shots were simply stunning!
Random question, and I apologize if I missed something; I haven’t seen any posts lately regarding the Skorro male lion. Is there an update I missed? Please advise when you have a moment! Thank you!
Thanks so much, Paul. It was such an awesome sighting of all of these lions.
Regarding the Skorro Male, I think he was last seen in the Manyelethi Game Reserve, so quite a bit further north from here. I think he realised that there was too much pressure from all the other lions around and moved on.
Thanks for that update Sean! I was hoping he would connect with the Tsalala female, but she seems to have worked that out on her own without him. Wishing him the best, as I very much enjoyed his plucky rascality!!
A lot of people were hoping for that. The Tsalala Female has now shifted slightly further west as well, where this a little less lion heat.
I always love any drone footage. It’s so fun to imagine myself as a bird, soaring through the sky and enjoying a different perspective. The Kambula pride looks well.
Any aerial footage is always amazing to watch. The Kambula Pride is certainly doing very well.