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Yoliswa Dube recently in Victoria Falls
VHITHIKAZI, the lion I met at Masuwe Estate in Victoria Falls bolstered my mettle to a whole new level.

No leashes or collars but a natural African wildlife encounter which brought me close to her and other lions — Pendo, Phezulu and Fumani for an hour, somehow erased all my animal fears.

The “walking with lions” encounter is an opportunity to interact with the greatest predator of the African bush and a somewhat life changing experience. The lions are unrestrained and roam free as you join them on a walk through the African savanna on the banks of the Masuwe River.

It was a surreal feeling mingling with lions.

The safety talk before the walk is what scared the wits out of me. The guide, JJ did not mince his words in explaining that the lions were wild animals which didn’t know me.

“Before we begin walking with the lions, remember they aren’t your friends so don’t offend them. Take note of all the safety precautions and you’ll be fine.

“There’ll always be a handler close by with a gun to monitor the lions in case they decide to get too playful,” JJ said.

I was the only local person in a group of eight from different countries including Denmark, Sweden, Australia, United Kingdom and the United States.

For a fraction of a micro-second, I thought this was probably not a black person kind of adventure. Maybe there are some things that we leave for tourists to try, we natives know better than to get up close and personal with lions, I thought. On the contrary, it would be exciting to see more Zimbabweans enjoy their wildlife at such tourist destinations.

JJ constantly emphasised never to walk in front of the lion, to stay parallel to its hind legs and never to touch its tail. When the lion stops, you also stop, he said. When it decides to sit down, you kneel on one knee behind it, not on both knees or sit down as well but kneel on one knee, he reiterated.

Young lions view people accompanying them as older members of their pride which allows us to walk with them safely and naturally — with no leads or chains.

JJ explained that it was dangerous to be at the same level as the lion because this would tempt the lion to pounce on you to “play”.

“You’ll be served breakfast if you’re still alive after the walk,” he said with a stern look on his face. It was undoubtedly a bad joke.

The guide introduced us to the cats and gave us sticks for the walk to either distract the lions or gently reprimand them if they got too close. My walk began with Phezulu, whose handlers described as rather “stubborn”. It was a fast paced walk I had not anticipated. I quickly discovered that lions have a lot of stamina, even when they are just walking.

After a couple of minutes, I realised what an amazing walk this was, people fly over 16 hours to Zimbabwe to enjoy it. There was nothing to be afraid of after all.

The walk is all about watching and stroking the lion as well as building fond memories through the interaction. It’s an amazing confidence booster.

At the helm of the lion conservation programme is Lion Encounter, which operates one of the stages of the African Lion Rehabilitation and Release (Alert) into the Wild Programme. They provide guides and handlers who ensure your safety when you meet the lions. Lion Encounter is an active conservation programme that is passionate about ensuring a secure future for the African lion. The species has seen an 80 to 90 percent decline in the past 20 to 30 years. The programme re-introduces the offspring of captive-bred African lions back into the wild.

Walking lions is part of the first stage of the conservation programme. This requires that the lions be exposed to their natural environment and be provided with as many opportunities to learn and develop to as close to that of a wild lion as possible. They often come across wildlife and game while on their walks which allow them opportunities to practice hunting and stalking.

These lions are hand raised and born in captivity so are used to people, and are trained only to the point that it is safe for them to interact with people. They are not trained to sit or roll over; these cats are not pets. Fortunately, they are social animals that are very lazy and therefore it is likely there will be a chance for you to get close to them. The lions are taken into the bush for walks daily with or without guests. The walks are meant to get them used to their surroundings and allow them time to be in their natural environment which is crucial for their development throughout the conservation programme.

There are ample opportunities for pictures and videos with the lions. It was Vhithikazi who changed my perception of animals, a recollection which will last a lifetime. She was calm and while she is “queen” of the jungle, let me stroke her. The first animal I ever touched was a lion, thanks to Vhithikazi.

After the walk, pictures and videos, we returned to the reception for a hearty breakfast among the beautiful trees of the park. The walk costs $150 including return transfers from all accommodation facilities in Victoria Falls town, the presentation and safety talk, the lion walk, full English breakfast, bottled water, soft drinks, light snacks and beers. There are daily departures at 6.30AM, 10AM and 3.30PM.

Age and height restrictions apply. The minimum age is 15 years and those aged between 15 and 18 years must be accompanied by a guardian while the minimum height is 1,5metres. Lion Encounter has two operations on either side of the Victoria Falls border. You can visit Lion Encounter in either Victoria Falls or Livingstone town in Zambia.

I’m proud to say I survived the walk and got to enjoy the breakfast of victory.