lion pride in the tall grass - play, hunt, fight

We were very lucky to catch this pride of lions in a moment of play. Later, a cub tested his hunting skills which led to infighting and hot tempers - on safari at Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya highlights: the take down 0:00 oppps! 0:15 Alpha's in a mood! 0:30 up to trouble? 0:40 cubs restless 1:22 get him! 1:40 playful 2:00 dig at hole 2:25 hang close to Alpha 2:38 double yawn! 2:47 sneaking up 3:10 goes for mom 4:00 play in tall grass 4:17 aunt strolls in 4:42 get her! 4:55 swat! 5:00 another joins 5:10 the fun auntie! 5:20 what's she doing? 5:48 mom chases guineafowl 5:58 others want to join 6:10 little girl left alone 6:34 score! 6:47 cub just got a feather! 7:00 cub's got it 7:14 others go for it 7:28 some get piece 7:32 Alpha lets son take it 7:40 prince trots off 7:50 others follow 8:06 hens run 8:23 we follow 8:30 fav son runs off 8:40 and enjoys his prize 9:03 chases others off 9:26 and back to prize 9:38 pride creeps closer 9:48 hoping for a bite 10:15 cubs look for scraps 10:51 lioness gets closer 11:48 fav son bogarts the hen 11:58 tiny cub complains to mom 12:06 tempers flare 12:21 Alpha comforts scared baby 12:25 lioness joins pride 12:47 The Peacemaker 13:03 peace is restored 13:25 almost... 13:32 protective mom 13:55 older cubs roll in 14:10 boo! 14:17 still mad 14:25 another teen joins 14:40 thieves! 14:50 moms reacts 14:54 cubs give them space 15:05 brat still munchin' 15:26 still not sharing 15:36 regroup and reassure 16:16 can't let it go...16:48 Tips from my trip: After a lot of research I booked a group tour with Tauck - Kenya & Tanzania: A Classic Safari tour. The itinerary is good for a first-time safari and gives you a taste of everything: Serengeti National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Oldupai Gorge, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and the Mount Kenya area, Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha - but to accommodate that, there is a lot of long driving. We stayed in some really great hotels, food was buffet style at breakfast and lunch, with a 3-course selection at dinner. Nice optional and included activities. We had a group of three jeeps with six people per jeep (bit of a tight fit, but the norm for group trips). If you like group tours, this is a good one, and it's a good company to facilitate a lot of moving parts. Not the best outfitted jeeps; for instance, other companies have warm ponchos and hot water bottles - we just had tiny, thin blankets - so bring a lot of layers so you can enjoy the cold mornings and nights. My suggestions: Get your own jeep. The shaky bits of my other 2018 video on safari are due to the guide not turning off the engine (because we are just checking boxes-taking quick pictures and leaving), or because other people in the jeep jumping around trying to get their shot - fair enough; and sometimes bumping into me - not cool, but that's group travel for ya. To avoid this, book your group trip with 5 other friends so your group gets your own jeep. Or if less than 6, pay extra for your own jeep. Getting one allows you to stay as long (or as short) as you want in a particular spot. And then there's more room to use a tripod which I couldn't do on this trip. In mixed group trips, the guides work hard to 'check boxes' so everyone sees as many animals as possible and you don't get much of a vote in what you do or see. So having your own jeep allows you to customize to your preferences. Next tip, don't buy 'safari clothes' - just bring a mix of layers. This 2018 trip was my first African safari and I couldn't believe all the people in full 'safari' outfits. Keep it simple - hiking tops and pants that wick moisture and keep you warm are perfect (and you can use them year-round, not just when you go on safari).