| In all my years in Africa I never expected to have | | | | sufficient family, able to hunt and fend for |
| the privilege of walking with real lions in the bush. At | | | | themselves. |
| Victoria Falls the Lion Encounter allows you to do just | | | | On the walk the lions constantly stop and lie down |
| this. ALERT (African Lion & Environmental | | | | (cat nap time?), giving you ample opportunity to get |
| Research Trust) have a unique programme, where | | | | up close and personal, stroke them (I even pulled |
| lions are born and raised in captivity until a certain | | | | one's tail - VERY gently!) and the photographic |
| age, with the objective of eventually releasing them | | | | opportunities are amazing. One of the crew videos |
| into the wild in prides, to increase the dwindling lion | | | | the whole experience, which is then edited and you |
| population in Africa. In the meantime, these hand | | | | can buy the DVD at the end of the day to remind |
| reared wild lions give travellers the opportunity to | | | | you of this encounter for posterity. The crew that |
| enjoy a mindblowing, unique interaction with them in | | | | accompany you also take pictures with your own |
| natural habitat. It is, however, quite an unnerving | | | | camera so you can focus on the interaction with the |
| experience to set off into the bush with your guide | | | | lions, and are indeed encouraged to do so. |
| and suddenly be joined by a couple of lions bounding | | | | I have always loved cats and have been privileged on |
| along with you! Our feline walking companions were | | | | a couple of occasions to interact with Cheetahs (my |
| only 8 months old, but you should have seen the size | | | | personal favourites). I never expected to be able to |
| of their feet! | | | | walk with lions and this was a most unexpected |
| This remarkable venture enables people like you and | | | | pleasure. The best was that, at the end of the tour, |
| me to make physical contact with these fabulous big | | | | when our small group were enjoying beers and |
| cats at an early stage in their lives. A truly awesome | | | | snacks, the other tour group returned and two 14 |
| experience! Once the lions reach 18 months old, they | | | | month old lions bounded (literally) into camp and we |
| are transferred to a holding area of a minimum of | | | | were able to meet these bigger beasts as well. I am |
| 500 acres and left to their own devices. They learn | | | | now the proud owner of a picture most people will |
| how to hunt and are supplied with food "on the | | | | probably think is digitally rigged, but it is really, |
| hoof". They are also grouped into prides, so that | | | | genuinely me - touching a living, breathing lion! |
| ultimately they can be released into the wild as a self | | | | |