Drinking Glen Grant Whisky with Lions in Africa

I never drink whisky and when I do, it’s normally mixed with coke. I never hang out with lions and when I do, I don’t normally drink whisky. Especially not Glen Grant single malt Scotch whisky.

Ok, let me back track a bit and briefly tell you how we ended up drinking whisky with lions in Africa. The past few days my colleague Zeena and I have enjoyed a blissful adventure uncovering the secrets of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. You guessed it – we’re on a safari in the Kruger ! Our final stop, after an incredible time at nDzuti, was Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp. Having visited both these camps beforehand we knew what was in store for us. The quick-witted Shangaan trackers Isaac and Enoch made a few dry comments when we arrived and had us in hysterics with their random comments throughout most of our trip.

Our main aim was to see the Ross Pride of lions. We heard that the two dominant males, the Good and the Bad, had disappeared. While tracking the Ross pride we managed to see zebra, giraffe, warthog, tawny eagle, hippo, elephant calf and a giant eagle-owl. Spotting wildlife roaming free in the reserve is always breathtaking experience.

Our 3 hour morning walk at Africa on Foot saw us confronting a matriarch elephant and two lone giraffe. When we weren’t spotting game, we were eating and drinking. After 3 hearty meals a day I managed to split my jeans. Luckily this was on the last day. That’s the beauty of going on safari – it’s more than just game viewing. It’s an experience.

So, back to the whisky and the lions. How did this happen? Well, suffice to say, after much searching we eventually found the Ross Pride of lions. We were not leaving until we found our pride!

Here’s what went down. On our last night Brett, Zeena, Dave (videographer) and the infectious Kevin (ranger) went on a private game drive in search of the Ross Pride. The two dominant males, the Good and the Bad, appear to have moved up into the northern territories and they have not been sighted around camp.

The sub-adult males are trying to “lead” the pride. We needed to see this for ourselves. It was vital that we pack a bottle of Brett’s finest whisky. Finding the Ross Pride is always a memorable occasion – and so is drinking Glen Grant. We held on tightly to the bottle, shimmied into the game vehicle and went on a mission.

30 mins later we spotted our lions. There they were – 2 females, 2 males and 3 cubs. One of the males, who seemed quite dominant, appeared to be quite anxious and defensive – much like any teenager would be. As the sun set and night fell, the lions became a bit more relaxed.For over an hour we observed the Ross Pride’s behaviour. We sat among them, listened to their breathing, their sighing and their stomachs grumbling. With bronze stars dotted in the night sky serving as the backdrop to the Ross Pride, it created quite an awe-inspiring moment. Out came the whisky. First one dram, then another and another !

What a way to end our safari.

I wonder how many people have drunk Glen Grant whisky with lions in Africa?