Game Reserves, Johannesburg

The Lion Park, situated just north of Johannesburg, 40 minutes from Melville, and only 20 minutes from the Sandton CBD, is not a game park, nor it a zoo, though it has elements of both.

The park is home to approximately 80 lions including a pride of rare white lions as well as to a pride of magnificently handsome Namibian lions with dark manes and visitors can drive by and view them all, or take a guided tour with a presumably knowledgeable guide.

Sundays, at noon, is the most popular time to visit, because this when the lions are fed. Our guide advises us that lions have very slow digestive systems and only need to eat once a week. This is apparently not strictly true as lions in the wild will usually feed more often in times of plenty. Feeding time affords visitors a very close up view of these animals. One is constantly reminded that these are dangerous animals, and their loud roars, presumably of contentment as they’ve just been fed, strike fear into hearts supposedly protected by the wire separating the visitor from the king of the beasts. We watch as the lion chases a lioness away from the food. Presumably she was unduly cheeky because the other lioness is allowed to feed while the males are still busy. The cubs have to wait. It might not be the open plains of Africa, but the hierarchy remains intact. There is a slight traffic jam on Sundays at noon at the enclosure, and parking is at a premium on Sundays, but on other days it is easy to navigate the park.

The 8 kilometre long guided drive takes one past the herds of impala, blesbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, springbok (South Africa’s national animal), zebra, and round the enclosures where herons, egrets, cheetahs and hyenas are kept. The hyenas stink. I hope to hear one laugh, but the tourists are obviously not amusing. They turn their backs on us in disgust. At each stop the guide explains the peculiarities of the various animals. Wildebeest herds can survive without water for a month, and blesbok for two months. Springbok never run, they only jump, and typically will jump three metres forward with each bound when they are fleeing. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals, with a speed of about 100 kilometres an hour. One is not likely to outrun a lion either as their speed is 35 kilometres an hour. Cheetahs are not true members of the cat family because their claws cannot retract, and because of this weakness they cannot take big prey, typically living on a diet of large birds. They’re apparently particularly fond of chicken.

There are also night drives. I wonder if this would increase one’s chances of seeing the incredibly shy wild dogs, which are mainly nocturnal. I have never seen wild dogs and would love to see a pack.

Back at Cub World, behind the reception area, restaurant and curio shop, there is an opportunity to see jackals and wild dogs, ostriches and giraffe, and to play with the young lion cubs. I take the guide’s advice not to touch any part of the cub except its body. Some of the playful cubs swipe at visitors jeans requiring the intervention of the watchful guide to ensure that no damage is done. Visitors are advised that these cubs have been rejected by their mothers and their only hope for survival is with the human intervention which places them in this position. However, a game ranger at one of the big parks advises me that the reality is economic. Lions which are used to humans and will allow them to wander around them fetch much, much higher prices than real wild lions and hence the habituation to humans. The latter does actually make more sense to me.

The highlight of the visit for me, however, had nothing to do with the king of the beasts, or his offspring. It was the opportunity to feed Purdy and Gambit, the two giraffes who live at the park. Purdy, at seven years old, and Gambit, at eight, are really beautiful. As they curl their black tongues delicately into proffered hands to pick up the dietary balanced pellets it is easy to love these huge, graceful animals. The guide informs us they can actually kill a lion with their kick, although in the wild they are often prey for a pride of lions.

The Lion Park restaurant offers a buffet braai (barbeque) on a Sunday and public holidays, as well as an a la carte menu.

This is a wonderful outing for both local and international visitors, providing one with an opportunity to interact, up close and personally, with nature for just a while. Moments of African wildlife tranquillity just minutes away from Africa’s most cosmopolitan city.

The Lion Park is open throughout the year from 08h30 to 17h00 (later in summer).

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If you’ve been on a Safari and were not lucky to see the wild cats, Lion Park is a good alternative. Not really a game reserve, but far more than a zoo. Here, a conservation program for south african lions is run. The park is divided into two areas: One, where animals live a a small, caged area – and another, larger one where the adult lions live. The latter one can only be visited with your own car. There, you drive through different lion enclosures and watch the lions doing their favourite pasttime: Sleeping. In another enclosure,well separated from the lions, you can see more peaceful animals like ostriches, impalas and zebras. The caged area is somewhat like a petting zoo. OK, some of the wild cats are caged here, but you have the chance to touch and feed giraffes like big goats. Perhaps the biggest attraction is playing with the lion cubs. But here again, their favourite pasttime is sleeping (lions sleep up to 20 hours a day!), so the baby lions are not in the mood for playing. Students, many of them being exchange students, work here on a voluntary base and assist you while you are in the cage with the lion cubs. Here’s also your chance to ask everything you wanted to know about lions.

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If you do not have the time to head to a game reserve - why not visit the Lion Park in the West of Johannesburg. Here you can do a short game drive, seeiing lion and a few antelopes, zebras and giraffe. Also the part gives the opportunity to "cuddle" baby lions - surely the closest you will get to lions!

The Lion Park offers terrific close-up views and other experiences with lions, as well as rare white lions. Other animals in the Park include cheetahs, brown hyenas, striped hyenas, spotted hyenas, wild dogs and jackals. Superb filmimg oppurtunities are slod possible.

WARNING: Do NOT under any circumstances leave your vehicle. A few years ago, tourists decided to get out of the car to have a picture taken with them patting a lion. WELL, they never got that picture!!

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My 2nd photo safari was at the Mabula Private Game Reserve, a 12000 hectares of malaria-free reserve which is home to abundance of wildlife including the world famous Big Five (except leopards) and many variety of bird life.

My group and I stayed at the Mabula Game Lodge

At the Mabula Private Game Reserve, I saw more game and wildlife including water buffaloes, African elephants, white rhinos, male lions, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, kudu, springboks, impalas, wildebeest, crocodile, warthogs, birds, and other small mammals I cannot name.

I had a fantastic time during my photo safari as I got to see many wild game and wildlife, beautiful rich colorful scenery and contrasting landscapes, as I sat on an open Land rover vehicle.

Words cannot express my excitement and enjoyment during this wonderful memorable time.

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I went on my first photo safari at the Entabeni Game Reserve, which is a 10,000 hectares private reserve situated in the Limpoppo Province in northern South Africa between Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. The Entabeni Reserve is very popular for safari trips because visitors can see big game and wide variety of birds and antelope species.

My group and I stayed at the Entabeni Wildside Camp. We went on a morning game drive (started at 7.00 am) and managed to see some lions, giraffes, warthogs, zebras, wildebeests, and antelope species such as the Kudu, impalas, and springbok.

I had a great time there. I saw beautiful scenery and vegetation, bushveld, unspoilt ravines and wooded hillsides, and grassland surrounded by mountains.

I stayed in a "Tent", a luxury tent on wooden decks with uniquely painted ensuite bathroom.

I ate a wonderful BBQ buffet dinner by a camp fire, saw hundreds of twinkling stars in the huge dark-velvet skies, slept to the sound of nature, woke up freezing and showered under thatched-hut roof, later climbing onto a huge Game Drive Jeep at 7.00 am half-asleep, and got absolutely excited at seeing wild animals.

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I recently went away on Safari to a place called the Heia Safari Lodge.

In my opinion if you are looking for a relaxing weekend away , this is one of many places to go to. Its very close to JNB more or less about a half hours drive.

The thing that I liked most about this place is that the Zebra`s , Giraffe`s ,Springboks and other animals roams free all around you. Everybody just minding there own business. They got a nice buffet section and the food is quiet nice offering a large variety.

Well I happen to go here for a second time , in July 2005 a year after my last visit. Well the 1st time I did`nt get to see much of the big five but yet saw alot of other animals. This time around I really enjoyed my time there. The game drive was very nice as I got a real closeup to the White Rhino`s , Buffalo`s and many other animals. Honestly I really enjoy the 1h30 min game drive.

This is one place that I definitely want to return to. They just completed building a Dam Wall which took 4 years to build and they getting ready to create the dam close to the lodge. They clearing some tree`s and so forth before they can flood the area. I`m looking forward to the new look in the future and defintely coming back.

Be sure to checkout my Travelogue to get more insight on my trip here.

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I guess this was another Safari and a whole new experience. I can`t say the safari was bad as there was alot of animals to see , unfortunately we could`nt get close enough to some animals but I guess you can `t always predict it will be all good. I`ve been on better but I won`t judge this place as I really enjoyed my time here. The guide we had was very good and made my time time there very enjoyable. There is also these preditor camps with Lions , Cheetahs and Wild Dogs. I guess the Wild Dogs was the best there in my opinon as it was interesting to see how they were playing all running and chasing each other around our safari van.

We also went to the cub world here. This was nothing like the cub world at the Lion Park. They had a mix between lions and bengal tigers but these cubs were very naughty ,twice this one cub bit this one ladies jersey and tried to bite another one`s bag. Even the tigers got involved trying to bite people. They are very playful I must and one must just becareful especially with your young kids.

I also went to the Wondercaves there which I thought was very nice. Our guide once again was very nice and informative. Just a note to those who is going to do the Wondercace just to wear comfortable shoes as there is alot of stairs to climb down going into the cave and even more getting out and the stairs are at a 45 degree angle. Its also very slippery in the cave as our guide said that the cave is still 85% alive so just be careful when walking around in the cave.

There is other activites to do there but I guess I didn`t have enough time.

It cost us R200 pp for the Game Drive ,including the cub world and the wondercave which I thought was very reasonable. The game drive is about 2hrs or so but in my words this is definitelty I nice outting for the day.

You can checkout my travelogue for more pictures.