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!”
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.”
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.”
A one-day Johannesburg safari at Lion Park and Lesedi Cultural Village, with a 4x4 game drive, hyena spotting, and five-tribe homesteads.
Private Cape Town cheetah encounter plus Cape Winelands wine tasting, scenic drives, and lunch options, with hotel pickup and drop-off.
“Loved the full tour from start to finish, especially being so close to the Cheetahs and actually stroking one. We were not rushed at any stage and Oscar was very knowledgeable about South Africa in general and the area. Thoroughly recommend if you like both ani animals and wine”
Lion Park in an open safari vehicle with guided game drive and lion education in North West, South Africa.
“It was wonderful. We had a full day before our flight so checked out of our hotel and did the lion park safari. We thoroughly enjoyed our experiences.”
Private Cape Winelands day trip: feed giraffes, meet cheetahs, then taste wines near Stellenbosch with hotel pickup and a scenic drive.
“Excellent excursion. The work that both sanctuaries do is wonderful! The giraffe encounter was lovely and great to interact with these amazing animals! Very informative and fun to see many native smaller animals that we weren’t able to Read more”
Drakenstein Lion Park in the Cape Winelands lets you support rescued lions with ethical, non-intrusive viewing on 60 acres for $10.
“Seeing the lions, unfortunately it was difficult to see all of them as they were at the back of their compounds or sleeping in the bushes. Wonderful to see the great job Drakenstein are doing rescuing these magnificent animals from such cruel places.”
Johannesburg day tour to Lesedi Cultural Village and the Lion Park, with lunch and guided culture plus big cats and giraffes.
“Despite a late start, due to some sort of car issue by the tour company, we managed to have a great time without rushing. The cultural center was a lot of fun and interactive, and the Lion Park tour was incredible. The guide was friendly and helpful, but I sometimes had trouble understanding him. He should probably also get his car serviced, and the tires checked… But again, overall, a great way to see two major attractions in one day.”
The mountain, the parks, the coast and the cities — and the best of each.
