For most first-time visitors, the moment the plane’s wheels touch down at the Londolozi Airstrip is unforgettable. But for one lucky group of guests, that moment was made extraordinary. Before the planes door even opened, they were being watched by a pride of lions lounging on the airstrip.
The moment a Cessna Caravan landed on the airstrip, it captivated a pride of lions nearby.
We were heading up to the airstrip to welcome some new guests staying in Pioneer Camp when we found the Msuthlu Pride resting on the apron (the parking area for the plane). One of the best parts about the wild is that you often see animals where you least expect them to be, and this day was no different.
With the heat of the midday sun glaring down on the tarmac, a pride of lions is the last thing you’d expect to see resting out in the open on hot asphalt. But as we approached, there they were resting in all their glory.
These cute faces glanced over to an approaching game drive vehicle. When an arriving guest’s plane is on approach, we make sure to be ready and waiting with big smiles. These young lions certainly made those smiles even bigger.
Trackers Joy and Equaliser with Guide Kate waiting for the plane to land.
One of the older lionesses gets up and moves closer to her pride, grooming and removing ticks from her ears.
With much effort from the air marshal and the Land Rovers, we tried to usher the lions off the strip, but they did not budge. I immediately thought this would make for some incredible content and an opportunity to capture truly unique images of these magnificent cats. I parked my vehicle at different angles to get interesting photographs of the lions sprawled across the tarmac.
Behind the scenes of the images taken in this blog. Kate Tennick snapped this image of me and the pride near the airstrip.
The Msuthlu Pride resting on the apron, typically the area where planes park to allow the passengers to disembark, was very comfortable for most of the day.
The younger members of the pride enjoyed some downtime, and others took in the views of the open plain, often dotted with herds of impala and wildebeest.
A young male lion yawns, exposing his teeth, before getting up to snuggle up next to his mother.
The next moment was even more fascinating. Watching the lions quickly get up and react to the loud noise of the aircraft, the smell of jet fuel, and the movement of humans walking off the plane with pure delight. They hardly hesitated and knew that safety in the thickets was a better option than staying near the loud commotion.
After warning the guests and pilots that there were numerous lions nearby, we carefully manoeuvred the Land Rovers to separate the lions from the guests. Safely, we then transferred the guests from the plane to the vehicles and headed off towards Pioneer Camp, after spending ten minutes with this very “special welcome party”.
Travelling to Londolozi, especially as a first-time visitor, is always filled with excitement. But I don’t think these particular guests could believe their eyes when their plane’s tyres touched down, and they were welcomed not only by my tracker and me, but by eleven lions.
What a fantastic experience! How much I would have loved being there! Well, it’s a human- animal encounter in the same environment and a reciprocate faith ….
Not surprising that Nick & Joy as well as Kate and Equaliser provided a unique experience for their guests!
On our first ever landing on the strip, the plane was forced to circle around as a herd of elephants was crossing. (We actually thought it was staged but soon learned better.)
Hello Nick!
What a wonderful story! I would have loved it! 🦁❤️
What a fantastic welcome by eleven lions!!
Thank you for sharing!
Great story Nick and what a special experience for those lucky guests! Hope to ride with you and Joy again when we return in July!
Terrific account of the most fabulous way to begin your safari – a welcome party beyond the norm and unrepeatable! I’m guessing the Msuthlus were tired after a night of hunting (perhaps), and found the end of the airstrip a warm and comfortable place to rest as well as keep an eye on the grazing animals in the distance. I found it surprising that once the plane was approaching the apron, the engine noise didn’t send them off to the bush immediately. Curiosity perhaps?!
I would love to be greeted by lions on the tarmac
How exciting for those guests! I’ve experienced a mixed herd of impala and wildebeest on an airstrip but never 11 predators! I’m sure those guests fell in love with Londolozi before they even landed!
What a wonderful experience for your guests, how lucky they were.
What an unforgettable first impression—and to think it only gets better from there!
Hi Nick, that was a fantastic welcoming for the guest. I am sure they enjoyed every minute of it. Lions are furious animals and I am sure it was quite tricky to get the guests into the Land Rovers without the lions noticing them embarking from the plane.
Hey, Nick, so absolutely cool!!! to be greeted by a pride of lions on your airstrip.
Could you please ask them to do the same for me on Saturday 4. April? (only joking, but would still be fantastic).
Exactly what one needs after an eleven hour flight to Jo’burg and another 2 hours to Londolozi.
Looking forward to meeting those guys on the airstrip.