ARE LION ATTACKS COVERED BY TRIPTIME INSURANCE?

Under the Adventure Sports Coverage, Triptime covers a wildlife safari- which would include a lion attack. 

It’s coverage adventure writer, William Atkins almost needed. 

Ngorongoro to Serengeti National Park: 

Our excitement grew as we departed Ngorongoro’s tiny airfield in Tanzania on a plane ride to the land of the Maasai people, an ancient warrior-herder tribe that inhabits parts of both Kenya and Tanzania. After a short flight, we landed right in the middle of the Serengeti National Park where we were greeted by our guides for the next leg of our safari. Also, in attendance was a Maasai tribesman who was the son of the local chief. He came to welcome us to “serenget”, a Maasai word that means “the place where the land runs on forever”, and to invite us to visit his tribal village, which we gladly accepted. After a short snack and beverage at the airfield, we made our way to the tented camp where we would spend the next two nights.

The heat of the day causes everything to slow down on the open plains of east Africa. The animals seek out cool watering holes or shade trees to wait out the sun. One of our guides encouraged us to relax in the camp during the day because we would soon head out on a late afternoon game drive. Upon exiting the camp driveway, we immediately met up with a herd of cattle being moved along by a Maasai boy, no more than 12 years old. He was using a cane-like stick to prod and whack the lead cow up a path to the grassland below the hill for a late afternoon meal. I guess they start them young out here. I learned later that this was just part of the training boys receive on their way to manhood.

Unlike most of the protected conservation areas in Africa, in the Serengeti you are allowed to drive off the primary dirt roads and venture directly onto the plain’s grasslands with a licensed outfitter. Our customized Toyota Four-Runner veered onto the savannah looking for a pride of lions our guide, Gipto, had seen the day before. It wasn’t long before he spotted three lions worth observing. We parked within 50 feet of where they were milling about in the grass. He told us that the one male and two female lions were engaged in a courting ritual where the male would select his preferred mate for the night. It wasn’t long before the decision was made because all hell broke loose when the male unexpectedly lost his shit at one of the females. A roar like I had never heard startled me and caused Gipto to crank the engine in case we had to make a quick getaway.

And, it’s all on video:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=VcdbVGHKYHI%3Frel%3D0%26controls%3D0

 *This amazing footage was captured by William Atkin’s wife Betsy just after they went off-road in search of a lion pride. Three lions one male and two female. With the engine off, they sat in the truck with a 180-degree view of the proceedings. They were just swatting flies with their tails and laying around until all hell broke loose.

By: William Atkins, Triptime Insurance travel expert