Travellers share the last moments of tour guide eaten alive by lion after brave final act
Wildlife tourism remains a major draw across southern Africa, where guided walking safaris are marketed as close-up experiences in protected game areas. In Zambia, travelers have now shared what happened during a June 20 walking excursion near Livingstone, where tour guide Lameck Mvula was killed by a lion after intervening as guests tried to get back to a vehicle. Officials and witnesses have confirmed that the attack happened during an organized tour.
What happened during the safari
Zambian police said the attack happened on June 20 near the Maramba Cultural Bridge area in Livingstone, a tourism hub near Victoria Falls. Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga stated that Lameck Mvula, 43, was leading a group of six tourists on a walking safari when a lion charged from nearby bush. He said two female tourists were injured and taken for treatment.
Travelers who later described the scene said Mvula acted as the lion approached the group. According to those witness accounts, he tried to divert the animal and give the tourists time to move away. Police confirmed he was killed at the scene during that intervention.
Officials also stated that wildlife officers responded after the attack. Hamoonga said officers shot and killed the lion after it mauled Mvula. The confirmed group size was six tourists, and police did not release further personal details about the injured visitors.
What is confirmed locally in Livingstone
Livingstone is one of Zambia’s best-known tourism centers because of its proximity to Victoria Falls and safari operators in the surrounding area. What is confirmed is that the incident took place during a guided activity outside a vehicle, and that local police and wildlife authorities responded on the same day, June 20. Two tourists were reported injured, according to police.
What is not yet fully clear is the national background of all six travelers or the full medical status of the two injured tourists. Authorities have not released a full public incident report with those details. Officials also have not publicly identified the specific tour company connected to the walking safari.
The local effect is immediate for a destination that depends heavily on safari traffic. Livingstone regularly receives international visitors for game drives, river trips, and guided bush walks, but no broader suspension of safari tourism in the area had been publicly announced at the time officials commented.
Why incidents like this remain a risk
Walking safaris are designed to put visitors on foot in wildlife habitat, which changes the level of exposure compared with enclosed vehicle tours. Police statements in this case confirmed the group was on a walking safari when the lion attacked, making the format of the excursion a central fact in understanding what happened. Officials have not said that any rule violation caused the incident.
Wildlife encounters in Zambia and neighboring safari destinations can become dangerous even with trained guides present. In this case, the confirmed facts are limited to the lion’s sudden charge, the guide’s response, the injuries to two tourists, and the killing of the lion by wildlife officers. Authorities have not released additional findings on the animal’s condition or behavior before the attack.
For travelers, the practical takeaway is narrow and factual. Guided walking safaris remain part of the tourism offer in places like Livingstone, but this case shows that risks can escalate in seconds even on organized outings. As of the latest official statements, the confirmed record remains centered on the June 20 attack, the death of guide Lameck Mvula, and the injuries sustained by two members of the six-person group.
