Lions in the sunset - Mozambique

Early afternoon in May, on the savannah in Mozambique:

Cornelia: What’s there, in the end of the savannah?
The guide: It’s probably a warthog.
C: Are you sure?
G: Yes, there are many of them out here.
C: ?
G: Let me take a look in the binoculars. No, you are right, Cornelia. It’s not a warthog. It’s a lion! It’s actually two male lions!

*

And now, this is how an early afternoon in Mozambique started. We were travelling through the woods of the Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. What was this afternoon going to bring us? We were watching beautiful wildlife from our open car, and we could get close to hundreds of wild animals. The two guides were taking good care of us, and we could lean back and enjoy the trip - and the experience.
The guide stopped the car in the middle of the savannah, and we stepped down on the ground. We had a chance to listen to the silence. The sun set on the horizon, and the sky turned red, pink, purple. We were standing together, watching the sunset, with a glass of gin and tonic in our hands.
Then the conversation between Cornelia and the guide took place, and in a minute, we all were aware of the two lions. The two wild animals were a beautiful sight. They were playing, climbing over each other, rolling on the ground. At the same time, they were watching us – not threatening, just clearly interested. Then they were coming closer to us. Carefully. We were sitting all quiet in the car. Maybe a bit scared. But mostly fascinated.

It was dark, we were sitting in an open car, far away from other people, watching two male lions 30 meters away. Not an everyday experience!

Silence. Beautiful wildlife. Lions in the sunset. An experience of a lifetime.