Before heading out on today’s adventure, we are advised to wear long trousers, closed shoes, neutral bush colors, and not have any dangly items such as belts or scarves hanging from us. Skirts and bright colors were not to be worn. Why you ask? Well, today we were going walking with lions in Zambia!
LION ENCOUNTER
Walking with lions is one of the optional activities that G Adventures offers on their Southern Africa Encompassed tour. It’s available on both sides of the Zambia and Zimbabwe border.
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Lion Encounter is an active conservation program that is passionate about ensuring a secure future for the African lion. The species has seen an 80-90% decline in the past 20-30 years and the Lion Encounter program is Africa’s first genuine program to ethically re-introduce the offspring of captive-bred African lions back into the world.
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The handlers at the Lion Encounter walk the lion cubs as part of the first stage of their conservation program. This required the young lions being exposed to their natural environment early on in their lives and provided with as many opportunities to learn and develop as close to that of a wild lion as possible. This means that they often come across wildlife and game whilst on their walks, and the walks allow them the opportunities to practice hunting and stalking. Occasionally the cubs will be successful and our guides said they have witnessed the cubs hunt and kill giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo, and impala while out walking.
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After learning about the conservation program we are given a safety briefing and bused out into the bush. We are each handed a wooden stick; the stick acts as a distraction in case any of the lion cubs make eye contact with you and direct their full attention your way. Our guide refers to this act as a ‘naughty look’.
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We walk up a dirt path, and as we turn the corner, there they are. Two beautiful, female cubs waiting to get their morning walk started!
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WALKING WITH LIONS
During our safety briefing, we are told that we are not guaranteed any contact between us and the lion cubs. The lions are hand raised and born in captivity so they are use to people, however they are trained only to the point that it is safe for them to be in the presence of us. Every effort is made to keep their upbringing (and their walks) as natural as possible.
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Throughout this hour-long experience, we are accompanied by guides and handlers to ensure everything runs smoothly. Our guide tells us that the young cubs view the accompanying people as older members of their pride which allows us to walk with them safely and naturally with no leads or chains. This is basically as close to the real deal as you can get!!!
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The lion cubs were adorably playful. I couldn’t help but notice how they had the exact same mannerisms and movements as Cookie (my cat back home in Australia)! I wanted to run up to them and *squishhhhh* them the way I do to him when I grab hold of him, only I probably definitely would have ended up as breakfast given this scenario.
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While walking behind the lion cubs, we each had the opportunity to go up and have a pat. As I increased my pace to catch up to one of them, I felt a sense of nervousness come over me. My hand slightly trembled as I leaned forward to pat the cubs back. Their bodies were so sleek and muscular, but so soft and inviting. I wanted to keep patting her, but at the same time, didn’t want to overstay my invite.
Both cubs seemed almost oblivious to us being there; as though they didn’t care that they had ten different sets of hands wanting to touch them. I guess this made approaching them somewhat less terrifying – if they were on edge from each move that we made, I’d definitely be less inclined to want to pat them in fear that they’d strike out at any given second.
Watching the two cubs interact with one another was simply too cute – they are such beautiful creatures and it’s a damn shame that some disgusting people in this world feel the need to trophy hunt them.
After a bout of playfulness, the cubs settle down. This can only mean one thing – photo opp time!
<insert jaws music here>
Look how beautiful she is! Seriously, I will say this many times throughout my Africa blog posts, but this was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I’m glad I forked out the money to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity and help support the Lion Encounter conservation program at the same time.
Before bidding the two cubs farewell, I take a few more photos of them being adorable. The open-mouth shot has quickly become my favorite photo I’ve ever taken!
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Again, beautiful photos. They are such mesmerizing animals, you are lucky to be able to get so close to them in their natural habitat.
Thank you Rebecca, they are very beautiful. It was a very special experience and I’m glad I have the photos to remember it by!
Greta photos Lynda, love reading your blog and after all your Africa posts, I think I’m going to take the plunge and book my trip there! Keep it up.
DOOOO ITTT! You will have NO regrets! Are you going to book with G Adventures, another tour provider or do your own thing?
That is such a cool experience. I have a photo with a cub but that was from Asia, the experience was nothing like this. This is more natural.
Hi Scott – I have a photo from Asia too holding a tiger cub, I know what you mean by the experience not being natural though. That one was brought in and put on my lap specifically for the photos, maybe for 10 seconds, then taken away for the next person. This one was definitely the way to go!
I have to do this. It would be a dream come true if I could.
DO IT!
Too cool! Another check off on that bucket list…petting lions? ummm…not so sure!
You’ve definitely got to do it at least once!
This is amazing! And i love how you captured the natural stance/mannerisms of the lions. If I had that experience I would’ve run to the lion in the 2nd photo and have given it a belly rub (and of course I’ll end up in its belly) hahaha. soo adorable! this experience is definitely high up in my wish list.
Hahaha, oh believe me, I wanted to! I’m a crazy cat lady but the thought of becoming their lunch may have slightly prevented me from running over haha.
This looks like so much fun! I would probably be really scared the entire time, but that seems like an adventure that I can’t miss out on. Beautiful pictures too!
Hannah Wasielewski recently posted…10 Reasons Brazil Should be Your Next Travel Destination
Was very scary, but you know it’s something you won’t find anywhere else so you just shove the fear aside. Thank you 🙂
What!? This is insane. I was posing for a photo with a real tiger when in Thailand, but we were told the tigers were drugged. How about these lions in Zambia? That must have been an amazing experience!
Agness recently posted…Visiting Düsseldorf On A Budget
Hi Agness! These lions were definitely not drugged, they’re extremely alert and ready to pounce on any other animals they see out on their daily walks. I’ve also had the tiger photo in Thailand, the two experiences can’t even be compared!
Wow, what a cool experience! I would love to do this and can’t wait to see some lions and other animals during our time in Africa this summer!
BTW, what keeps the lion cubs from running away?
Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats recently posted…Exploring Vietnam: A Hoi An Day Trip
So exciting that you’re heading to Africa! Where are you visiting and are you traveling with a tour company or independently?
Not sure what keeps them from running – they have been on these walks from almost birth with the same people that walk them three times a day, I know they say they don’t train them to where they listen to commands, but they train them just enough to be able to go on these walks with them but still have them hunt freely in the wild while on the walks.