As something on one side of a safari vehicle held tourists’ rapt attention, a lion snuck behind the parked vehicle. It came face-to-face with a safari guide, who locked eyes with the huge cat. A photographer facing the vehicle caught the whole thing on film.
The original video is from Everseen Africa, a luxury safari company. But before you watch the full version, you have to watch the shorter version. That way, the context the longer video provides will feel even more satisfying.
In a viral clip, you see several tourists in a parked, open safari vehicle looking in the direction of the person taking the video, but you can’t see what they’re looking at. A lion casually walks behind the vehicle, somehow not attracting anyone’s attention.
When the lion gets to the front of the vehicle, where someone who appears to be a guide is sitting in a very exposed seat, it stops and stares at the man. The guide is fiddling with his camera and glancing the same way as everyone else until he feels the hot stare of Africa’s top predator and swivels his head toward it.
The guide and the lion lock eyes, and the guide grabs the handle of his chair, which is the only sign he’s likely terrified. After an excruciating moment, the lion moves on, and we’re left with so many questions.
Watch the short version of the moment a lion sneaks up on a safari group here:
Mind blowing, right? Now, watch the longer version of the video shared by Everseen Africa on Instagram. Set to intense music, this time, you also get to see what everyone’s staring at in the foreground.
Watch it here:
Who’s up for a safari? Mad props to that man for not panicking (we panicked for him).
