Overview
Tree Climbing Lion Tracking; This is one of the most amazing safari activities in the savannah wilderness. It is an eye-catching incidence of the king of the jungle relaxing in the tree branches. In the whole world, only Uganda and Tanzania have the privilege of hosting these unique lions. Almost all savannah parks host lions, but the tree climbers are scarce and inhabit special areas. Frequently, one can spot them enjoying their leisure on tree branches after a successful hunt.
Where to find Tree Climbing Lions
Tree climbing lions can be viewed from Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Ishasha sector and Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania.
Lake Manyara National Park – Tanzania
In Tanzania, Lake Manyara National Park is famous for being an epic centre for tree-climbing lions. This park is located in the Great Rift Valley in Northern Tanzania. It is also part of the Northern tourist circuit and offers an incredible wildlife safari experience.
These lions usually climb trees like acacia, sycamore and candelabras to observe their prey, avoid insect bites and escape the intense heat on the ground.
Besides Lake Manyara National Park, visitors can see tree-climbing lions in Tarangire National Park, also located in the Northern part of the country. Interestingly, the lions in this park have mastered the art of delicate balancing atop trees with their prey still intact.
Queen Elizabeth National Park – Uganda
The Ishasha sector in the Southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park hosts incredible tree-climbing lions. This is the only destination that can guarantee an encounter with the tree-climbing lions. Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most famous park, accommodating the most number of lions in the wild. During a game drive, one can encounter an entire pride relaxing in a single tree branch.
Why do these lions climb trees?
In a normal situation, one would expect to find lions laying under trees for shade and to observe their prey. However, there is a unique category of lions that is known for climbing trees and it is only found in East Africa. These tree climbing skills are regarded as a behavioral adaptation which they have mastered and are able to pass them on to their young ones.
There are three major reasons as to why these lions climb trees;
- To avoid irritations by insects and bugs on the ground
- Escaping from the intense heat on the ground (basking on the tree branches gives them access to the cool breeze)
- To observe their prey usually the grazing wildlife
Conclusion
Visiting these incredible creatures will definitely spice up your African Safari. Make your booking with Early Trails Expedition today and get an experience of a life time. Kindly contact us if you would like to make any inquiries, our reservations team is always ready to give you a timely response.