That Time We Saw 23 Lions in One Hour ...

a selfie with 16 lions under the tree!

We saw lots o' lions all throughout our two weeks on safari in Tanzania, but the record for the most amazing lion experience in the shortest amount of time happened in the Central Serengeti where we encountered 23 lions in less than an hour!

We were driving in the Makoma Hills from Seronera  towards the Kati Kati Mobile Camp when all of a sudden we were stopped in our tracks by a road block of zebra and wildebeest. They lingered in the road and didn't move to the side as they normally do when a safari vehicle approaches. Hmmm, unusual ... what's up?

Then we noticed they were all looking towards our left. So we all looked towards our left.

First there were four!

There in a shady clearing under a tree sat four lions with a fresh zebra kill! And judging by the stunned looks on the faces of the zebras and wildebeest, the kill must have happened just moments before.

Then five.

We watched the spectacle for a few minutes and then we saw some movement in a nearby thicket. And lo and behold there were two more lions waiting patiently for their turn with the zebra.

We watching in amazement as the group helped themselves to a fresh zebra lunch. Finally the lions became tired of being observed by us and proceeded to drag the zebra carcass into the privacy of  the thicket. We moved on as well and continued on our journey to Kati Kati.

Make that six

Plus another 16 equals 22!

All of a sudden we came upon a carpet of lions sleeping under a tree right next to the road. We counted 16 in all! What?!? That makes 22 lions altogether! In less than an hour! That has got to be a record. But if it was, then it was a record that was about to be broken.

and one more in a tree!

We did finally get to Kati Kati that afternoon, but not before finding an unprecedented 23rd lion up in a tree!