We saw quite a few lionesses in our first few days out, but after six days, we'd seen male lions only from a great distance. (Though that was a pretty spectacular view. In the valley below the patio of the Tarangire Safari Lodge, a a pride of lions breakfasted on a zebra that they killed just before dawn, and then spent most of the morning sleeping it off while several groups - even herds - of elephants, zebras, and wildebeests passed within a hundred yards on their down to the river for a drink.) But as we were leaving the Serengeti, we found two lions - brothers, the guide said - sitting on a small hill above a watering hole. We came within 20-30 feet of them, and they woke up from their naps and yawned at us a bit, but they didn't seem to mind our presence at all.

Back to picture index Back to home page (Keep scrolling. There's a less regal lion below)

This one was definitely NOT the king of the beasts. It turns out that he had been, uh, sexually incapacitated in a fight with another lion, and he had a lioness in heat all over him. Here we see him expressing his displeasure to her. Back to picture index Back to home page