Cliff Butlin, who works as a game guide for a private lodge in the Mjejane Game Reserve next to the Kruger National Park, found himself and his guests amidst a herd of stampeding buffalo after they were ambushed by lions.

Cliff had moved his game view vehicle closer to the buffalo mere minutes before the encounter happened. He took a video of the grazing buffalo, with no idea of what was about to happen next.

All of a sudden buffalo is seen running in every direction with lion roars being heard behind a bush next to the vehicle Cliff and his guests were sitting in.

The lions miss their initial target and the buffaloes run off into the distance unknowingly leaving behind a buffalo calf.

The calf initially stands, stunned about what just happened, right next to the game vehicle. The lions do not see him at first but when he starts to call for his mother, they make a quick u-turn.

Cliff is heard cautioning his guests “Sit very, very still” when he realises that the lions is coming back for the calf who is only a couple of metres away from them. Seconds later a lioness bursts out of the bush and pounces on the buffalo calf.

Cliff decided to move the vehicle further away after a nearby male lion was not happy with them being so close. He said that he was literally shaking after witnessing the events unfold.

“Nature at its best. 13 years of guiding and this is the reward” he said on Facebook.

He gave www.mobserver.co.za permission to use his video.

The video was taken on 21 March during a morning game drive at around 09:00.