Walking With Lions Day Tour
The Walking with Lions Experience tour is an interactive and educational tour. By teaching people about lions and their natural behavior we are able to create a greater awareness of the importance of their conservation. The tour starts with a 30 minute introductory talk by the reserves lion expert who is involved in the well-being of the lions. He is also actively involved in the relocation process ensuring the lions are placed in suitable game reserves like the Kruger for example.
The talk is really captivating as he touches on all aspects of lion behavior, their bleak future in South Africa and the ethics and policies of the reserve. After the talk you will get to walk in the African bush with 2 of the younger lions for about an hour. You will get to observe how finely tuned the lions instincts can be and how they accept you as one of their pride. After the lion walking we will spend an hour with the cubs where you observe them being fed and doing what cubs do…play. The ranger has developed a strong bond with the older breeding lions and is really special to see how they respond to him.
How your involvement helps the lions of South Africa
The walking with lions is an active conservation program where you can contribute to the future of the African Lion population which has been on a rapid decline in the past 20 years. By supporting the conservancy you will be aiding the ethically sound program whereby the offspring of the captive-bred lions can be released back into the wild. The conservancy only has 4 adult lions and 6 cubs. As the cubs reach maturity they are released into the wild. The conservancy is heavily focused on conservation and they focus on stage 1 and 2 of the conservation project which entails breeding and raising of the cubs.
Is the Walking with Lions Experience safe?
The walking with lions is only done with the younger lions that have not yet reached maturity. So they are not looking at challenging you for dominancy as with the older lions. Lions are also highly social animals and will accept us as part of their pride. They do not see us as prey. Which is a good thing as a lion as highly tuned instincts. A lions behavioral patterns are very predictable.
On your walk, the ranger will explain to you the rules associated with the lion walk and the safety precautions to be followed. Although the first few minutes can be quite daunting. Who wouldn’t be? It’s not every day you get to walk next to the notorious South African lion. But after few minutes you will be lost in the majestic wonder of these incredible felines as they engage in the age old lion swagger of the bush.
Our tours begin and end in Johannesburg or Pretoria
Pick up time is 06H00 from your hotel. You will be met by your guide who will be with you for the duration of your walking with lions tour. We also have an afternoon experience starting at 12pm.
The drive through to the park takes about 1.5 hours with a small stop on the way.
Once we get to the lion concession, we will have a cup of coffee and muffins. The head lion keeper who looks after the well-being of the lions will gather us round for a 30 minute talk on the lions, their behaviours, their names and there histories.
We will then introduce you to the lions who will be longing to accompany you on your walk in the bush with them. The walk is about 2km and takes about an hour depending on what the lions see or even try to hunt. The walk is limited to 1 hour and is only done once a day. Limited to 8 people. We do not want to stress the lions out with too much human interaction.
Once the walk is complete we take you on a tour of the lion concession where you will get to meet the breeding lions and any other rescued animals that may be there at the time. If you are thee on the right day, we may even get to observe the feeding of the lions.
The final part of the Walking with Lions Experience tour is spent interacting with the young cubs for about 45 minutes.
We finish the Walking with Lions Experience tour with lunch at the reserve before heading back to the hotel. Back by 12pm.
INCLUDED
- Return transfers Johannesburg to the elephant concession return
- All lion walking permits and fees
- Basic first aid kit
- Qualified travel guide
- water and hot beverages
- 1 hour walk with the lions in their natural environment
- 45 minute cub interaction
- Tour of the lion concession as well as various other animals
- Local Taxes
- Lunch
NOT INCLUDED
- Flights and airport taxes
- Items of a personal nature
- Tips for guides
- Lunch but can be arranged at your own cost
- Visas for South Africa
- Health requirements (if any)
- Optional but highly recommended travel and medical insurance
- Meals & drinks not specified
- Walk with 3 young lions in the African Bush
- Your tour guide is a lion
- You will accompanied on your lion walking day tour with an expert lion handler
- Can be experienced in half a day
- Pick up from any place within Johannesburg at no extra cost
- Walking with lions in south africa
