THE BEST ATTRACTION IN MAURITIUS.
This unique attraction was the highlight of my visit to Mauritius and it will definitely be the talking point of any holiday to this beautiful island. The Walking with Lions experience is based in Casela Nature Park. At the park you can do a traditional jeep safari tour, however, I would recommend taking the opportunity to do this once in a lifetime walk.
The adventure begins with an initial briefing session which includes info about the lions, safety procedures whilst in the lion reserve and an introduction to your lion handler. Once complete your group will then be taken into the lion reserve where you will be greeted by two impressive lions who are only metres away from you. The only thing between you and them is the wooden stick you are given on entry.
By Quadtripplea (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
The group will then walk around the wild reserve with the lions for just under an hour. The handler will stop periodically first to demonstrate the ability of the lions to climb trees – this was very surprising and remarkable to witness close up. The handler will also find a nice spot for you to individually take photos with the lions. At this point you will be directed right next to the lions and are able to stoke the jungle cats.
Once the lions are more comfortable with the group you will literally be able to walk alongside them as they roam through the wilderness. This truly is a rare and exhilarating experience. The guide explains that the reason we are able to get so close and pet the lions is because they have been used to human interaction from such a young age.
A couple of things to bear in mind if you do decide to pursue this thrill seeking adventure is that once you are in the enclosure the time does go very quickly. So I would take every opportunity to get close to the lions. There were 10 people in our group and the ones who were hesitant didn’t really get the most out of the experience. Also, it is worth noting that the enclosure has got quite a rough terrain including a number of thorny bushes, so be sure to wear correct footwear and clothing.
After your time is up with the lions you are given a quick talk about the conservation programs for the lions. Post talk you are directed to the compulsory gift shop where you can buy a video of your experience and photos taken by the team at the park.
“IT IS GENUINELY AN EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE”
The price for this exclusive experience is a reasonable £90 per person if you choose to be part of the group, or if you want to have your own private walk the cost is £1,150 for a group up to 5 people. With the latter option, I presume individually you will get more time being close up with the lions and overall a more involved experience.
If you are heading to Mauritius, then I would say Walking with Lions is definitely the one attraction that you must visit – it is genuinely an experience that you will remember for the rest of your life.
mauritiusattractions.com
Article By: Gurpreet Singh
