In March 2025, I decided to fulfill a lifelong dream: a safari trip deep in the heart of African wilderness. I joined a small group of adventurers headed to the Tsavo Reserve in Kenya—one of the most renowned regions for its dense and unpredictable wildlife.
We arrived on the first day and were greeted by breathtaking natural beauty: vast forests, the sounds of wild animals, and the earthy scent of damp soil unlike anything I had ever experienced. We were a small group accompanied by an experienced local guide, and everything seemed under control—or so we thought.
On the third day, we set out for a short morning walk at dawn, when animals are most active. We left the vehicle about a kilometer away and walked quietly in a single line, following the trail of a group of giraffes. The air was calm until the guide suddenly stopped and raised his hand with a firm signal for silence.
We all looked in the direction he pointed—and saw something unforgettable: a massive lion standing on a dirt mound, staring straight at us. It felt like time stopped. Two lionesses were approaching silently from the right, as if coordinating a hunt… and we were the prey.
In a heartbeat, the guide shouted firmly, “Run to the big tree!” and pointed to a tree roughly a hundred meters away. We ran with every ounce of strength we had—no turning back, no talking, just running. I could hear my breathing above everything, and heavy footsteps behind me—either from the lion or my companions running for their lives.
Then came the roar—terrifyingly close. I glanced back for a split second—a fatal mistake—and saw the lion closing in at incredible speed. I climbed the tree in a way I still can’t explain. Somehow, adrenaline made me do what I never thought possible. Fortunately, the lion didn’t follow us up, but it circled the tree, growling now and then, as we clung to the branches, frozen with fear.
It took over two hours for the emergency team to arrive after the guide triggered the distress signal from his emergency beacon. They were the longest two hours of my life. When we finally came down, I was shaking, my heart still pounding like war drums. None of us were harmed, but we came out of that experience changed.
From that moment on, my perspective on life shifted. I realized that nature is not just beauty—it is a terrifying, untamed force. And the worst feeling a human can ever face… is knowing that something sees you not as a person—but as prey.
