A group of safari tourists got far more wildlife than they bargained for when a massive hippo suddenly charged their boat in Botswana — forcing the driver to speed away as the animal thundered through the water behind them.
Heart-pounding footage captured by one of the passengers shows the enormous hippo repeatedly bursting out of the river as it races after the vessel.
The animal appears determined to close the gap, launching itself forward before disappearing beneath the surface and popping back up again as the stunned tourists make their escape.
Fortunately, the boat managed to outrun the powerful animal before anyone was hurt.
But the frightening encounter shows exactly why hippos have earned a reputation as one of Africa’s most dangerous animals.
Botswana is home to an estimated 4,000 hippos, and while the enormous mammals may look slow and lumbering, they can be shockingly fast — and fiercely territorial.
Adult hippos can weigh as much as 2.5 tons and have powerful jaws capable of causing catastrophic damage. They have even been known to bite wooden canoes in half and overturn small boats.
Despite their massive size, hippos can reportedly reach speeds of around 19 mph on land over short distances, easily outrunning a person.
They’re surprisingly nimble in the water, too.
Rather than swimming in the traditional sense, hippos often push themselves along the riverbed and can remain submerged for around five minutes at a time.
Some estimates blame hippos for as many as 500 human deaths every year across Africa.
And this isn’t the first terrifying safari encounter caught on camera in Botswana.
Last September, tourists traveling through Botswana’s famous Okavango Delta watched in horror as a six-ton bull elephant charged a group of safari boats.
Video from the incident showed the enormous animal racing through the reeds before using its trunk and body to overturn traditional dugout canoes.
Two couples were thrown into crocodile-infested water as the elephants — a group that reportedly included young calves — continued their attack.
In an especially frightening moment, another clip appeared to show the elephant using its trunk to force a woman underwater and keep her submerged for several seconds.
The animal eventually backed off, allowing the woman to get onto her knees as her husband rushed through the water to help her.
Miraculously, everyone survived.
For the tourists chased by the hippo, the latest encounter also ended without tragedy — but their relaxing river safari turned into a terrifying race for their lives in a matter of seconds.