Nice Kitty
When you visit Soccer City don’t count on seeing lions roam wild, unless you’re at a game park like the one I visited on Sunday in Sterkfontein. Northwest of my home in Jozi lies a vast plot of land where lions and cheetahs, and rhinos and springboks roam free — sometimes too close for comfort! It’s a thrill, and coming from the States I’d never been up close and personal with the likes of a cheetah, or black jaguar or any wild animal for that matter. So, when we arrived at the Lion and Rhino park early Sunday afternoon, I said a little prayer and prepared myself for an adventure.
Game parks make for a lovely day or overnight trip. At this one in particular there was a grill area, private pool and pub specializing in local brew. My friends and I took advantage of the option to rent a jeep and the eight of us packed into a spacious safari carivan for our tour. We cruised throught the hills and valleys until we reached the predator park where lions feed.
As we approached the pride, I felt like Indiana Jones! Beasting the wild and on a milder side enjoying the beauty and excitement of nature. If you’re planning a tour, I recommend arriving at the latest by noon. Feeding time began at 1 p.m. and if you can stomach it, it’s a thrill to see the animals get ready for chow time. Our driver and tour guide was awesome. He knew everything there was to know about the park animals and had the entire caravan laughing with his jokes. And he actually put me at ease when I thought for sure, we’d end up as a part of the menu. Whe we stopped to see the lions, I didn’t imagine us being so close. The big kitties were literally 10 feet away from our open caravan, and while usually I’m not easily frightened, I nearly ran for the hills when the pride of lions approached the car in front of us. There were no wires or barriers between us and them. I took a sigh of relief when the meal truck finally arrived because I could again watch them in action from a distance, rather than up close and personal. Still it was a thrill and we managed to make feeding time for the wild dogs, and cheetahs, too. 
What an amazing ride! We followed the park rangers from site to site, leaving our tracks in the red dust as we ventured the wild (well kind of wild, after all it was a controlled game park). We ran into a ‘mama’ rhino and her baby on our way back, and a fleet of zebras gathered around the water hole for a cool drink. My gang and I took the same cue. We’d packed a cooler filled with water and snacks, and ate and drank along the way. Once we finished our ride, we still weren’t ready to go– we heard that there would be a tiger show, and some sort of race between a human and a cheetah. So we decided to check it out for fun! We found both and couldn’t believe how fearless the trainers were next to the mammoth-sized cats. It was also endearing to witness the uncanny bond between the ‘ring master’ and the beast, because they really were pals. The big tiger hugged his trainer, and followed him along like his best side kick. I thought wow, if man and beast can see eye to eye, than surely there’s hope for all of human kind! Our last stop was the petting park, where we played with baby cubs for $R30.
I was wearing a straw hat, and one of the little sluggers hopped into my lap in an attempt to take it away. The cubs were so playful, and despite seeing the more vicious of the species moments earlier, I found it hard to believe that the little cubs would ever grow to be as big. All in all it was fun exploring the game park by foot and van. The next time I go, I’d like to set up for a barbeque, or a braii as South Africans say. Cheers to action packed weekends, and get this– we only decided to go on Saturday, the night before! Game parks are definitely a fun activity for anyone, families, groups of friends, even to experience it on your own. It’s a chance to explore the wild without totally being in the wild. Regardless of which one you choose, it’s a must see!
