Moment two cheetahs leap onto the roof of safari vehicle and pose inches from photographer [Video]

This is the breathtaking moment two cheetahs climbed onboard a safari vehicle in Kenya.

The video, filmed in Masai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya, was captured by a wildlife photographer in the park which runs along the Tanzanian border.

Paul Mahagi, 40, spent 20 minutes filming the cheetahs while trying to remain calm.

The world’s fastest land animals took a breather on top of Paul Mahagi’s Land Cruiser in Masai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya

The footage shows the cheetahs sauntering over the vehicle which they later used as a platform to see their surroundings

In the footage the pair of cheetahs can be seen striding towards the Land Cruiser carrying Mr Mahagi.

One of the big cats then climbs onto the roof of the vehicle and begins to gaze across the Kenyan plains.

Mr Mahagi. responded nervously say: ‘Oh God, that’s a big cat!’ 

The second cat joined its friend soon afterwards. After a brief moment sizing up Mr Mahagi, the second cheetah also began to look at its surroundings. 

After the first cheetah decided to use the safari vehicle as a viewing platform, a second then joined it

Mr Mahagi said of the footage: ‘Here is a view from inside our Land Cruiser, looking out through the roof opening.’

The Masai Mara reserve has one of the largest populations of big cats and elephants in Africa.

The population of cheetahs in Africa is currently around 7,000 – less than half the total on the continent 30 years ago.