The Savuti region of  Chobe National Park is a very long way from Maun on roads that go from hard pan to deep sand in the time it takes to look away. The Savuti has been made famous by films such as “Eternal Enemies” about the relationship between the lions and hyenas – the hyenas don’t fare well – and by the brutal drying out of the Savuti Channel in 1982 which led to the deaths of so many creatures. Water has come and gone here for centuries, right now there is a minimal amount. Animals concentrate at whatever water they can find.

We stopped for a break beneath an enormous baobab and chatted with a couple of guys who were doing the same. They mentioned lion near a waterhole – no big surprise – and we took an afternoon drive to the site. Considering we only had one night in Savuti and we don’t know the region very well, we were happy to have some advice.

There was a very large thorn bush near the waterhole and some shade there, so we parked and waited. We did not drive around the waterhole looking for the lion. But to our credit, we also did not leave the truck to fetch a snack or take a pee. Good thing. Not 30 feet from the truck, the lions were piled atop each other under the thorn bush we parked next to. How do 12 lion fit under a bush? When they begin to roust and stretch and drink, it was a parade of lion of varying sizes. And aren’t these cubs the cutest? They pestered the adults no end. Kids.

Many safari vehicles came and went, pleasing their guests with this exceptional sighting. We enjoyed our (safe) view. That night in the sandy camp overlooking the dry Savuti Channel, the male lions roared all night long and in the morning we went out and found them directly behind camp. This time we needed no advice on where the lion were keeping themselves – they made so much noise they kept us awake. Again we were joined by other rigs, full of early morning happy safari-goers. Including us.