A moment that was initially filled with awe and excitement quickly unravelled into a scene of panic at the Mhondoro Safari Lodge in the Waterberg region of Limpopo.

Guests experienced heart-stopping tension when a male lion in heat unexpectedly charged towards them, as seen in a viral video shared across social media platforms, including TikTok.

The dramatic episode unfolded as the lion, engaged in mating rituals with a lioness right in front of the lodge, perceived the guests' movements as a potential threat to its mate.

As visitors disembarked from a nearby safari vehicle, the lion sprang into action, charging directly towards the lodge with fierce determination.

The safari lodge summarised the event in a TikTok post, cautioning others, “Don’t mess with a mating male lion 🦁.

"This lion was mating with a female right in front of the lodge, and as the guests got off the vehicle at the elevated lodge deck, the lion took this as a threat to its female and charged straight towards the lodge!

"Luckily, it was only a mock charge, and it came marching straight back to his female.” Thankfully, the lion's actions did not result in any injuries, leaving guests with harrowing tales of the close encounter.