South Africa · LION & WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS
This is the shortlist to send a friend: 15 lion & wildlife encounters tours worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Half-day Lion Park safari from Johannesburg with hotel pickup, a 2-hour predator drive, and time with white lions and more than 85 lions.
“Once in a lifetime experience. I got to see the e big 5 predators in their natural elements. The guides were great in explaining how they function.”
A half-day Cape Town tour that pairs Cheetah Outreach with Gordon’s Bay and Strand Beach, with hotel pickup, Wi-Fi, and bottled water.
“Excursion was very good. Just as advertised. Elvis our guide was great and driver Felix was very good. I’d definitely recommend excursion.”
Private Johannesburg combo tour for hominid history at Sterkfontein, then a close-up drive in Rhino and Lion Park, with Wi-Fi pickup.
“The description is spot on to what we received. We would certainly do this activity again. It was very interesting. Well worth doing.”
Half-day guided safari from Johannesburg with pickup and a close-up park drive featuring lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, and zebra.
“The worst tour company I’ve worked with. Solly only drove us to the park from our hotel, he was very full of himself. The guide that worked for the Lion safari park was great, he made our experience a little better. I would not recommend anyone booking with this company, but the Lion park is a nice place to visit with another tour company or driven by self. This tour company charges too much just to be driven to the park, you can take an Uber and get a better overall experience.”
A full-day Pretoria combo, Lion Park safari with white lions, then top government and Afrikaner history sites in the capital.
“It was a fun full day of Pretoria+Nature experience. Thabang is a friendly guide!”
Private Rhino and Lion Park safari plus Cradle of Humankind fossils at Sterkfontein Caves or Maropeng Museum, guided, 6 hours.
“Shane greeted us with a brand new car. He shared so much valuable information about our tour and about South Africa in general. He went out of his way to make sure we got the most out of our tour. Great value...Awesome tour!”
Private 5-hour Lion Park tour near Johannesburg or Pretoria with hotel pickup, an hour-long safari drive, and up-close white lions.
“Our driver was super knowledgeable of the area, providing all of the history and facts. He was so friendly and amazing driver too. The safari was incredible and will never forget it. We got up close and personal with a giraffe and saw a lot of aRead more”
Durban safari day with Tala 4x4 game drive, Natal Lion Park, and Phezulu. Water, pickup option, mobile ticket.
“The good - Driver Silas was polite, on time and a good driver (got a little lost, but got on track with minimal delay.) The mediocre - these parks have minimal animals - nothing like a real safari can offer. The bad - the description says water prRead more”
Half-day safari from Durban: Tala Game Reserve 4x4 wildlife plus Natal Lion Park lions and elephants, with city pickups and drop-offs.
“The trip itself was worth seeing. We saw many animals, and were able to get very close to some of them. Unfortunately, the weather put a damper on our plans (persistent, torrential rain). The guides made the most of it.”
Guided half-day trip from Johannesburg to Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre with pickup, snacks, and cheetah and wild dog conservation viewing.
“Seeing a King Cheeta A very rare phenomenon. Love the way the animals and birds are cared. Enjoyed the visit”
Half-day cheetah and wild dog visit with hotel pickup from Joburg or Pretoria, featuring breeding programs and a weekend cheetah run.
“Must see!! The cheetahs are so beautiful. Take the tour that has the cheetahs run, amazing to see their speed. Also the King Cheetahs are gorgeous.”
Half-day elephant sanctuary tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria with pickup, air-conditioned transport, and a 2-hour elephant encounter near Hartbeespoort Dam.
“Jason arrived promptly at my hotel to drive me to the sanctuary. He was very knowledgeable about the countryside. Upon arrival, the sanctuary personnel took me to meet and interact with the elephants. They took video and photos to capture these unforgettable moments!! When done, Jason was right there and took me back to the hotel!!!”
Small-group Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeespoort Dam tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria with pickup, expert commentary, and included entrance fees.
“This was a great experience! Anton was an awesome guide. I would recommend this tour and tour company to everyone!”
Half-day safari from Durban combining Tala Game Reserve and Natal Lion Park for lions, elephants, and a 2-hour wildlife drive.
“Very nice guide and everyone on the safari in general. The only downside was that the air conditioning in the bus was much too cold, so everyone was freezing.”
Full-day Durban safari: Tala Game Reserve 4x4 drive, Natal Lion Park elephants and lions, plus Phezulu Valley views and optional extras.
“Beautiful!! A lovely day with animals!😃🦛🦓🐗!!!!!!! Very attentive people!!!! Good service!! Our sugestión is to have more elephants!👍”
The mountain, the parks, the coast and the cities — and the best of each.
