“Just stand there and don’t move,” our guide instructed us. I looked down at the line he drew in the dirt with his stick and wondered why three lions would choose to pay attention to such an artificial device. My dogs don’t listen to me, why on earth would a lion? My brain screamed danger as the gate opened and the two females and one male lion scampered up the path, like puppies let out into the yard to play. This wasn’t their first walk though and they ignored us completely as they entered the bush.
I’m naturally skeptical when it comes to animal experiences. I’m usually preoccupied with worry that the activities aren’t helpful to the animals and in the worst-case scenario that they may actually be harmful to them. I’ve been metaphorically bitten before and I’m definitely shy when it comes to planning a wildlife experience, which is why I was cautious when I arrived at the Ukutula Lion Park outside of Johannesburg, South Africa.
As I said, I’m a skeptical guy and I’m fairly sure most animal centers that include programs with tourists aren’t always done in the best interest of the animals. That being said, from everything I’ve seen and read, Ukutula seems to be a genuine research and breeding center. Their focus is on genetics and lions’ immunity to a variety of diseases, with the hope of helping the countrywide population. Ukutula runs a variety of programs to engage guests, from voluntourism opportunities to day visits. I was there for a day visit, to see the lion program in person and to walk with them in the wild.
Ukutula sits on 260 hectares, more than enough room for a few lions to roam around. The process is fairly straightforward. The lions, along with their ranger walk down a path with the tourists (me) and our guide following at a safe distance. The lions are free to do as they wish, wander around in the bush, do some hunting, whatever their lion hearts desire. At several points on the path the ranger feeds the beautiful creatures some raw meat; presumably so that the aforementioned tourists can get better photos.
More than once the lions turned around to stare at us, goodness knows what was going through their heads. I never felt in danger and even though the experience was a bit contrived I didn’t get the impression that the lions were unhappy or not actively engaged. I could be wrong of course, it’s happened before.
A visit to Ukutula though is about much more than just walking with lions. Following our stroll in the bush we had the opportunity to visit the nursery, a den of uncontrolled cuteness. The opportunity to cuddle a baby lion was remarkable and something I’ll never forget. What may seem odd though were the tigers kept at the breeding center.
Tigers of course aren’t native to Africa, and these were rescued from a private farm from an individual who was mistreating them. The rescued tigers have since had cubs and watching the lion and tiger babies play together in the nursery was an amazing sight to behold. Holding them wasn’t awful either.
Ukutula has a wide variety of cats at the center, including lynx and leopards, each there to aid in the education of others and to find ways to help the species better survive in the wild.
Overall I enjoyed my time at the sanctuary, although I’m still paranoid about the experience. I’m just so concerned about wildlife conservation that I approach everything with skepticism, and it’s no reflection at all on Ukutula. In fact, from all accounts they seem to be doing anything right. Located less than an hour from Johannesburg and Sun City, a visit there makes a perfect day trip, although for the real deal nothing of course beats a visit to one of the many nature reserves in South Africa.
Would you walk with lions in the bush?
This campaign is brought to you by the South African Tourism board and is supported and managed by iambassador. LandLopers.com maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site.
Somebody essentially lend a hand to make significantly posts I might state That is the very first time I frequented your web page and up to now I surprised with the research you made to create this particular put up amazing Excellent job
Simply desire to say your article is as surprising The clearness in your post is simply excellent and i could assume you are an expert on this subject Fine with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work
Your writing is like a breath of fresh air in the often stale world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging style set you apart from the crowd. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply
Your blog is a shining example of excellence in content creation. I’m continually impressed by the depth of your knowledge and the clarity of your writing. Thank you for all that you do.
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here The sketch is attractive your authored material stylish nonetheless you command get got an impatience over that you wish be delivering the following unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike
Your writing is like a breath of fresh air in the often stale world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging style set you apart from the crowd. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
Excellent blog here Also your website loads up very fast What web host are you using Can I get your affiliate link to your host I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
I loved as much as youll receive carried out right here The sketch is tasteful your authored material stylish nonetheless you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike
Thank you for the auspicious writeup It in fact was a amusement account it Look advanced to far added agreeable from you However how can we communicate
Ive read several just right stuff here Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting I wonder how a lot effort you place to create this kind of great informative website
Your blog is a constant source of inspiration for me. Your passion for your subject matter shines through in every post, and it’s clear that you genuinely care about making a positive impact on your readers.
Thanks I have just been looking for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the best Ive discovered till now However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain in regards to the supply
Your blog is a treasure trove of valuable insights and thought-provoking commentary. Your dedication to your craft is evident in every word you write. Keep up the fantastic work!
Your blog is a testament to your dedication to your craft. Your commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of your writing. Thank you for being such a positive influence in the online community.
Hello i think that i saw you visited my weblog so i came to Return the favore Im trying to find things to improve my web siteI suppose its ok to use some of your ideas
Your blog is a testament to your expertise and dedication to your craft. I’m constantly impressed by the depth of your knowledge and the clarity of your explanations. Keep up the amazing work!
My brother suggested I might like this blog He was totally right This post actually made my day You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info Thanks
Your writing is a true testament to your expertise and dedication to your craft. I’m continually impressed by the depth of your knowledge and the clarity of your explanations. Keep up the phenomenal work!
Somebody essentially lend a hand to make significantly posts I might state That is the very first time I frequented your web page and up to now I surprised with the research you made to create this particular put up amazing Excellent job
Your blog is a beacon of light in the often murky waters of online content. Your thoughtful analysis and insightful commentary never fail to leave a lasting impression. Keep up the amazing work!
My brother recommended I might like this web site He was totally right This post actually made my day You cannt imagine just how much time I had spent for this information Thanks
of course like your website but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome to inform the reality on the other hand I will certainly come back again
I just wanted to drop by and say how much I appreciate your blog. Your writing style is both engaging and informative, making it a pleasure to read. Looking forward to your future posts!
Your blog is a true hidden gem on the internet. Your thoughtful analysis and in-depth commentary set you apart from the crowd. Keep up the excellent work!
Your blog is a beacon of light in the often murky waters of online content. Your thoughtful analysis and insightful commentary never fail to leave a lasting impression. Keep up the amazing work!
Normally I do not read article on blogs however I would like to say that this writeup very forced me to try and do so Your writing style has been amazed me Thanks quite great post
Your writing has a way of resonating with me on a deep level. I appreciate the honesty and authenticity you bring to every post. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Nice blog here Also your site loads up fast What host are you using Can I get your affiliate link to your host I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
Wow amazing blog layout How long have you been blogging for you made blogging look easy The overall look of your web site is magnificent as well as the content
Simply wish to say your article is as amazing The clearness in your post is just nice and i could assume youre an expert on this subject Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep updated with forthcoming post Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here The sketch is tasteful your authored subject matter stylish nonetheless you command get got an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following unwell unquestionably come further formerly again as exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this hike
I simply could not go away your web site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info a person supply on your guests Is going to be back incessantly to investigate crosscheck new posts
Just wish to say your article is as surprising The clearness in your post is just cool and i could assume youre an expert on this subject Fine with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work
Your writing is like a breath of fresh air in the often stale world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging style set you apart from the crowd. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
Your blog is a testament to your dedication to your craft. Your commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of your writing. Thank you for being such a positive influence in the online community.
of course like your website but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome to inform the reality on the other hand I will certainly come back again
Hi my family member I want to say that this post is awesome nice written and come with approximately all significant infos I would like to peer extra posts like this
Somebody essentially help to make significantly articles Id state This is the first time I frequented your web page and up to now I surprised with the research you made to make this actual post incredible Fantastic job
Your blog is a testament to your dedication to your craft. Your commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of your writing. Thank you for being such a positive influence in the online community.
Hi Neat post Theres an issue together with your web site in internet explorer may test this IE still is the marketplace chief and a good component of people will pass over your fantastic writing due to this problem
I wanted to take a moment to commend you on the outstanding quality of your blog. Your dedication to excellence is evident in every aspect of your writing. Truly impressive!
Your ability to distill complex concepts into digestible nuggets of wisdom is truly remarkable. I always come away from your blog feeling enlightened and inspired. Keep up the phenomenal work!
Its like you read my mind You appear to know so much about this like you wrote the book in it or something I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a little bit but instead of that this is excellent blog A fantastic read Ill certainly be back
Your blog is a testament to your expertise and dedication to your craft. I’m constantly impressed by the depth of your knowledge and the clarity of your explanations. Keep up the amazing work!
What i do not understood is in truth how you are not actually a lot more smartlyliked than you may be now You are very intelligent You realize therefore significantly in the case of this topic produced me individually imagine it from numerous numerous angles Its like men and women dont seem to be fascinated until it is one thing to do with Woman gaga Your own stuffs nice All the time care for it up
I just could not depart your web site prior to suggesting that I really loved the usual info an individual supply in your visitors Is gonna be back regularly to check up on new posts
I just could not leave your web site before suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard information a person supply to your visitors Is gonna be again steadily in order to check up on new posts
of course like your website but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome to inform the reality on the other hand I will certainly come back again
Thank you for the auspicious writeup It in fact was a amusement account it Look advanced to far added agreeable from you However how can we communicate