Heart-stopping moment as lion visits family's campsite in Botswana

A family on safari in Botswana captured the heart-stopping moment a lion strolled into their campsite.

In the video, a lion can be seen calmly walking into the campsite, sniffing around the family’s dinner table, then making its way out. Meanwhile, the family sits perfectly still just a few feet away.

While a close encounter with wildlife was likely at the nature reserve in Kgalagadi, the family didn’t expect to get so close to a big cat, which should serve as a warning.

"Lions come into the camps unannounced and in total silence as it happened to us," the recorder of the video said. "If anyone panics and runs or makes sudden movements, the chances are high that they may be attacked."

Watch the moment in the video at the top of this article.