Travellers Worldwide - Walk with Lions in Zimbabwe!

Going to Zimbabwe was absolutely amazing. I had never thought I would love a country that wasn't my home-country as much as this but it's true as they say: Africa has a way of getting to you.
I have often been asked what was so great about my trip and what the best part was, and to be honest; EVERYTHING! In my opinion, the worst thing about my stay at AP was that I felt we weren't allowed to do enough hard work. I miss being there so much almost every day, everything from waking up and going to bed hearing lions roar to mark their territory, to going out on a drive or a walk and seeing giraffes, zebras, wildebeests...
As I say to anyone who asks me about my experience and my trip: It can't really be explained, it has to be experienced to learn to enjoy the full meaning and impact a trip like that can have. Not only for you as a volunteer, but for the local communities, the animals... ALERT's program really benefits everyone.

This was a wonderful life changing experience! The staff were very accommodating, friendly and made the experience a pleasure. We would spend the day on lion walks in the beautiful African bush, learning about lion conservation, caring for them, assisting with feeding, cleaning enclosures, playing with the lions, etc. On certain days we would work within the community and visit the local schools and assist with teaching conservation. On other days we would go to the local orphanage, bring food and play with the children. The staff planned local events such as a ride on an ellie! We had to first clean out their enclosures, but it was all worth it. One day I went on a day safari to Botswana and viewed the amazing wildlife. Another time I took an overnight trip to a local game reserve did a private safari. Victoria Falls is another jaw dropping site, the beauty of the falls is difficult to describe in words. It is awesome is it to wake up everyday in a beautiful place surrounded by wildlife that can only be experienced in Africa. When I was there we stayed in a local camp ground because they were renovating the on site housing. The camp ground facilities were not grand, but sufficient and comfortable. If you are afraid of bugs, you may need to adjust. The baboons can be a bit aggressive, they may try to take food and belongings from you, but they can be shooed away! It is all part of the experience. I enjoyed every part of my trip and the other volunteers I met were such wonderful people. I have made friends from all over the world. I will be going back!

I had an absolutely amazing time on this project! I spent 3 weeks there and wish to go back ASAP!

On the average day, the lion handlers would take us out on a walk around the park with a couple of trio of lion cubs. We would watch them interact and roam around freely and experience their newly developing hunting skills. We would then go eat a delicious breakfast prepared for us in an outdoor kitchen by the river.

We would then have 2 work sessions broken up by lunch. For these, all of the volunteers would be broken into teams to do one of the following: feed the adults or cubs, clean enclosures, enclosure maintenence (making sure fences were all secure), enclosure building (since I left, they released an entire pride of adults into a massive enclosure that I helped build!), elephant training, an elephant ride around the park, cleaning the horse stables, horseback riding around the park, etc.

After our 2 work sessions and lunch, we would then have another walk around the park with another set of cubs. Afterwards, dinner while the sun set over the river, and free time to do anything we wanted! We often hung out by the river or played games/watched soccer in the volunteer lounge.

On some nights, we had the option of going on a night encounter, where we would go out in trucks to watch 4 of the "teenage" lions hunt at night. We saw some awesome zebra/wildebeest chases!

There was one day that we also got to spend the afternoon playing with kids at a local orphanage. The kids were so much fun and loved playing with my camera. We also spent another afternoon with a local family who were kind enough to make all of us a feast so we could taste more authentic Zimbabwean cuisine. Me and the other girls all helped cook over a fire, which was definitely new to me!

Overall, I had an amazing time, not just because of the lions, but also because of the people. The lion handlers were great fun and I still keep in touch with them through Facebook. I also made lifelong friends with the other volunteers, who were from a great mix of countries, cultures, and backgrounds. Everyone had an interesting story to tell!

I would highly reccommend this trip to anyone who is not just looking for a resort ad safari experience in Africa. This trip definitely costed less and is much more hands on and personal!