南非狮子园坐落在约翰内斯堡西北郊的兰塞里亚地区,紧邻人类的摇篮遗址。这处保护区占地约600公顷,是近距离观察南非掠食动物的理想地点。从约翰内斯堡市区驱车前往大约需要45分钟,如果从兰塞里亚国际机场出发,距离仅有13公里左右。这里不仅生活着常见的非洲棕狮,更以保护稀有的白狮闻名。无论你选择在围栏内自驾还是乘坐敞篷游览车,都能感受到非洲草原之王带来的压迫感。比起国家公园,这里的环境更加紧凑,几乎能保证让你一眼看到那抹傲人的白色。即便你没时间跑肯尼亚或克鲁格,花上大半天来这里也能补全对非洲猛兽的想象。
狮子园内目前生活着超过80只狮子,其中最吸引目光的莫过于白狮。这种由于基因突变产生的颜色并非白化病,它们在阳光照射下呈现出一种圣洁的奶油色。园区将食肉动物和食草动物严格分隔。在掠食者区,除了标志性的狮子,还能看到濒危的非洲野狗、猎豹以及三种鬣狗。驱车经过这些区域时,你常能看到狮子成群地趴在树荫下躲避午后的高温。别看它们平时懒洋洋的,到了傍晚或者清晨,那一双双盯着车轮转动的眼睛会让你立刻意识到自己正身处食物链的顶端。由于园区采取半开放式管理,狮子的状态比普通动物园要野性得多,它们甚至会好奇地凑近车窗嗅闻。
如果狮子让你感到紧张,那么食草动物区则是另一种画风。这里有一处专门的长颈鹿喂食平台,你可以花几十兰特买一袋干草。当你伸出手时,这些大高个儿会垂下细长的脑袋,用长长的黑舌头卷走你手中的食物。这种近距离接触不需要任何安全顾虑。在辽阔的羚羊区,角马、斑马、黑斑羚和跳羚在荒原上自由奔跑。说实话,看这些动物在草地上悠闲地吃草,比盯着猛兽睡觉更有治愈感。这里没有铁笼的束缚,动物们的活动空间非常大。如果你是自驾进入,经常会遇到斑马或者大羚羊大摇大摆地横穿马路,你只能踩下刹车静静等它们通过。
游览狮子园主要有两种方式。对于租车自驾的游客,只需支付大约370兰特左右的入场费就能开着自家的车进入掠食动物区以外的场地。不过为了安全,进入狮子和野狗围栏必须选择园区的导览车或租用特定车辆。个人更推荐参加由专业向导带领的1小时或2小时驱车游猎。向导不仅更了解狮子的藏身之处,还会随时通过无线电确认动物的动态。向导讲解的信息量很大,他们会告诉你哪只狮子是首领,哪几只正在恋爱。这种互动感是自己盲目开车体验不到的。特别是周末和节假日,中午12点和下午3点会有喂食表演,那场面相当震撼,看着几十公斤的鲜肉被撕裂,才能明白非洲五霸的真正实力。
想要避开人潮并看到最活跃的动物,建议早上八点开园就准时到达。清晨的南非草原其实风挺大的,就算太阳出来了,体感温度可能也只有十几度,记得多带一件防风外套。这里的湿地餐厅提供正宗的南非烤肉和简餐,味道中规中矩,但胜在窗外就是大草原。园内的礼品店规模很大,能买到非常精致的非洲手工艺品和木雕。对于带小孩的家庭,餐厅旁边有一个巨大的儿童游乐场,可以让孩子在看狮子之余消耗体力。整个景区365天全年开放,无需提前很久预订,只要在出发前通过官网确认一下当天的喂食活动时间表即可。
狮子园不收纯入场费,费用按项目收取。如果你选择最基础的自驾游,成人票价通常在370兰特上下。由向导带领的1小时驱车游猎票价约为575兰特,2小时的项目则在700兰特以上。建议60岁以上老人携带身份证件,可以享受约六折的优惠。另外每名购票成人通常可以免费带一名12岁以下的儿童入园,这对家庭游客来说非常划算。
狮子园多年前已经取消了饱受争议的幼狮触摸体验,转向更加注重动物福利的教育和展示模式。目前游客无法直接抱或摸小狮子,但可以在特定的安全围栏外观察幼崽。虽然少了一点亲密接触,但这保护了动物的原始天性,也避免了成年狮子被遗弃的风险。想要互动的朋友可以尝试喂长颈鹿,那同样是一个难忘的瞬间。
一次完整的体验通常需要3到4个小时。这包括了1小时的驱车游猎,半小时的喂长颈鹿时间,以及在礼品店挑选纪念品的时间。如果你还想在湿地餐厅吃顿午饭或参加日落巡游,那么安排一个整天会更从容。建议至少在喂食表演开始前45分钟到达景区大厅,这样有充足的时间办理购票和排队登车。
只要严格遵守园方规定,自驾是非常安全的。最核心的一条铁律就是无论如何都不能打开车窗。狮子对静止或移动的封闭车辆没有攻击性,但一旦窗户打开或有人探出头,它们就会识别出人类的轮廓并可能发动攻击。曾有游客因违规开窗拍照引发意外,这血的教训值得所有自驾者警惕。进入掠食动物区时,一定要确保车门反锁,窗户严丝合缝。
Kimaya Naidu Beautiful day spent here. The guided tour was amazing. Got some beautiful videos and photos. Would highly recommend. Even better if you go in a group. Waiting time was really minimal. Got in free for a 1hr safari for my birthday (has to be on the exact date) 😁
Rumaanah Abrahams I recently went horse riding at the Lion and Safari Park, and it was an unforgettable experience! The park's picturesque landscape, with its rolling hills and stunning views, provided the perfect backdrop for a serene and enjoyable ride. The horses were well-trained and gentle, making the ride comfortable even for beginners. Our guide, Lawrence, was absolutely phenomenal. His enthusiasm and passion for nature were evident in every story he shared. Lawrence taught us things we never knew about the park's ecosystem and its inhabitants, making the ride not only enjoyable but also highly educational. His knowledge and love for the animals were truly inspiring, and his engaging manner made the entire experience even more special. Riding through the park allowed for a unique perspective on the animals in their natural habitat, adding an adventurous twist to the typical safari experience. I especially loved the feeling of being so close to nature, with the chance to see some incredible wildlife up close. Overall, the horse riding experience at the Lion and Safari Park was well-organized, safe, and immensely enjoyable. Thanks to Lawrence, it was also educational and deeply enriching. We would definitely book to go there again, and we highly recommend this activity to anyone looking to explore the park in a more intimate and adventurous way. Highly recommended!
Winter Vollgraaff My other half and I had an amazing day at Lion &Safari park. The staff was friendly and very helpful. The scenery is just beautiful, and seeing the animals was just wow. I'd definitely want to go again, and soon!
Dimakatso Kgosana We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. We checked in online and found the place easily. We loved the fact that we could drive around the enclosures as many times as we liked. We opted for a self drive which gave us an opportunity to really get up close to the lions. We also stayed to watch a feeding in one of the enclosures. We went all the way to the wild dogs enclosures but did not see much because they were napping. We took a walk around the reception area and had ice cream from the curing shop. We exited through the 5 domes and did a bit of shopping. I recommend this place for family outings, it's exciting
Nyan Nyan Absolutely amazing experience, coming as a tourist - this was such a great tour. You can self-drive through the park with different lion species 🦁 and you get to see other animals too, like giraffes 🦒 and wild dogs. You can also look at how they feed the lions - it was so interesting to see how the males choose which piece of meat they want to eat. At the end of the tour you can also buy souvenirs. Couldn't recommend more. 🦁