Lion Safari Park

The park has been operating in different forms since 1966 and moved to its current location near Hartbeespoort Dam in 2016. The new site quadrupled the original footprint and gave the predators significantly larger camps, with the result that the experience now feels much closer to a small game reserve than a zoo.

The standard ticket gets you the self-drive route through the antelope and giraffe section, plus access to all four predator camps with the option of paying extra for hands-on interactions. Guided open-vehicle drives with a ranger are also available for visitors who don't want to bring their own car or who want better photographic positioning.

Predator interactions include a cheetah encounter (sitting next to a habituated cheetah for photographs and a hand on its shoulder), a cub interaction during cub season (typically July to October), and walks with sub-adult lions for guests over 16. The park is transparent that none of its lions will be released into the wild — they were either born in captivity or rescued — and contributes to wild dog conservation through coordinated breeding.

On-site there is a buffet restaurant overlooking the lion camp, a curio shop, conference facilities and an outdoor amphitheatre that hosts live music and food markets on selected weekends. Most visitors spend three to five hours including the drive, the predator camps and a meal.

Practical info: the park is open daily from 08:30 to 17:00 (last entry 16:00). Standard entry is around R350 per adult, R220 per child, with interactions priced separately. The Lion and Safari Park is 50 minutes from Sandton and combines well with the Maropeng visitor centre and the Sterkfontein Caves as a full-day Cradle of Humankind itinerary.