Kent in the Lion's Den!

Kent in the Lion's Den!

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

7th Post - Walk with the Lions and back to Johannesburg

It's a beautiful drive from Kapama northwest into the more tropical zone of Tzaneen and then up onto the Highveld near Polokwane. We stayed at the Protea Hotel Ranch Resort / Nature Conservancy.
Monday afternoon we visited the animals they raise and rescue. We got to pet young cheetahs and they just purred like kittens! The white Kalahari Lions were the most beautiful - wow!
But of course the highlight was the next morning when we got to walk with the lions! We got to walk with three tan ones and one white one. These are not tame lions - they are just accustomed to walking with people, but we had to follow strict guidelines from the rangers!
Back in Johannesburg, we visited a small pre-school at the edge of a shanty town. We brought them some school supplies and learned about this very worthwhile project.

Ruth in front of some of the lush vegetation of the Protea Ranch Hotel

Pool area at our hotel

Scenic view from our hotel

Twila loves the cheetahs!

Cindy enjoys petting them as well.

This cheetah decided to lick my head!

Two Kalahari lions and a more normal brown one

The young cubs watch us interact with the big boys.

The lions can jump!

The big white male Kalahari Lion is spectacular!

He doesn't seem quite as excited to see us as we are to see him!

Ahhhhhh


And then out into the bush to walk with the lions! The lions noticed a big antelope (eland) and the female took off on the hunt! The rangers had quite the time getting her back, but it just showed we were really in the bush and these are not 'tame' lions!

Gaylene walks with the lion.

Cindy gets to pose with one of the male lions.

The white lion is beautiful but to skittish for us to walk with or pose with.

Two at once!

Lest you think they are always well-behaved!

Oooooh! Vaughn, be careful!!

Just a morning stroll with my hand on a lion's back!

Then we transitioned to the pre-school, "Build the Future."
A very appropriate name.

The kids crowd in tightly to see Vaughn's pictures on her IPad.

They love seeing their own photos.

Teacher Elizabeth is thrilled with all the school supplies.

Gaylene could happily stay here with the kids.

Chloe gives a photography lesson.

Our group with teachers Elizabeth and Eva, and Penny, who organized the visit.

Farewell African sunset on our last evening in South Africa.
Tomorrow we fly north to Livingstone, Zambia for 3 nights, where we will visit Victoria Falls and do an Elephant Safari in Botswana.

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