No. There was no way I was doing a night drive safari. Not a chance.
On our extended honeymoon, I’d already faced down many fears. I’d stood atop crumbling temple ruins at Angkor Wat in defiance of my fear of heights. We’d spent a night locked in a train car en route to Cape Town, an act of sleepless bravery that flew in the face of my former claustrophobia. I’d been eating strange food in strange lands for months.
Much as I adore animals, I wasn’t sure I had it in me to also conquer my general nervousness about the night – and the night in wild southern Africa in particular. I threatened to stay home, nestled safely in our bright little bungalow, and wait for the morning’s light.
If I had stayed in, I would never have seen firsthand what lions do at night.
At night, the lions of Kruger National Park in South Africa congregate. As darkness descends, they head for the tarred roads, which retain the heat of the day long after sunset. Darkness is the domain of these lions, and they are only reluctantly stirred from their early evening repose on the road.
What else do they do? They hunt! At night, female lionesses work together to bring down a gazelle, a zebra or occasionally even larger prey. But the male, an imposingly shaggy-maned and battle-scarred fellow, will demand to eat first. The sounds of their dinnertime discussion on this matter are spine-tingling, hair-raising, primeval.
Looking at and listening to these lions, I lost all sense of the passage of time. Hours slipped by like minutes. I was riveted to the scenes unfolding before my eyes, with one ear cocked to take in the knowledge presented by our expert guide. In no time at all, I’d completely forgotten that I’d ever been afraid.
Watching lions at night is utterly fascinating; a privilege and a delight. This experience, I will never forget!
Looking back, a nighttime safari seems like such a silly thing to be anxious about. Yet at the time, I was hand-wringingly anxious about the very prospect. This was not the first nor the last time Kent convinced me to do something that I thought was beyond me. And I’m so glad he did!
Want to see more of this amazing animal adventure? Here are more photos from our night drive and other Kruger National Park adventures! Want to learn more about lions and where to look for them? Consider this before you travel.