Yes it would be a cool experience. Hunting Lion, tripping in them at close range! Fantastic.

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The closest I have been was ac"bad" lion half circle our unarmed camp in the Maasai Mara. He came from the East and circled our camp to go to the north west. The lionesses had made a kill maybe 800 metres away on a slight hill above us. As the "bad" lion circled just outside of fire and torch light, the weaker torches of the day, He grunted with each step of one of his front legs.

He was a "bad" lion as because treed one of the cooks for most of a day. Hungrily looking at him and trying to get him from below.

Some of the young ladies in the camp were frightened. I found it exciting and pure Africa. A grunting lion circling our camp. Lions roaring on the hill nearby throughout the night!

In this camp we had no vehicle at the time. Our minibus had had flat tyres. They used to borrow tyres from other your operators. Then the bus broke down. Another wascsent for. It had to ferry us in two or three groups. So when the lion circled all we had was a fire. No tents. No vehicle to shelter in. Good stuff.

No armed guard. We did have a Maasai guard with a spear. It was a rule when going to the toilet shed a couple of hundred metres away he had to be taken with. So we used to go in groups to save him walking continually.

I had a chat with him, he didn't speak much English. I asked him how close he had been to a lion, "This close", he says pointing to the tip of his spear! It was true, he had been hired after killing a lion with his spear attacking a child in his village. Reported in newspapers, it earned him a job as a camp guard. Of course Maasai hunt lions in groups. Lions are said to be frightened of the Maasai.

One of the advantages of these cheap and nasty tours is rawer experiences. Instead of 5 star luxury, swimming pools we got a Maasai with a spear and being temporarily stranded in the Mara.

This time was during the migration. The best places for viewing like the Mara River crossings are reserved for hordes of film crews. But we did see some. On the last day we did see a really lovely full maned WILD lion walking on the open grass plain down a hill, pass us and off. By himself. Fantastic. I should have slides somewhere. Hundreds of them.

The first morning in camp at dawn we visited the lion oride who were hiding in a thorn thicket. Resting after roaring and feasting over night. Lionesses and cubs seen. Hyaenas lurking nearby.

Funny the night before the staff were happy to sleep in tents. Even with lions present. In Ambroselli they would not sleep in tents and slept in the bus. The difference between lions coming possibly into camp versus elephants that DID come into camp every night, searching for food.

The Maasai guard looking towards the hill and lions roaring :

" SIMBA SINGS !!! "

Fantastic drama.