If you are looking for a fun and educational family outing near Harare, you might want to consider visiting Lion Park and Snake World. These two attractions are located just 45 minutes from the city centre and offer a chance to see and learn about some of the most fascinating animals in Zimbabwe.
Lion Park
Lion Park is a wildlife sanctuary that was established in 1968 by the Bristow family for orphaned animals. The park is home to 23 lions, including rare white lions, as well as other animals such as pigs, crocodiles, tortoises, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, and wildebeest.
Lion park has an interactive learning centre where visitors can learn about the evolution, behavior, and conservation of the cat family, with the help of songs, games, and visual aids. Two animal welfare organizations, AWARE and SPANA, that aim to raise awareness and appreciation for all animals, run the centre.
Image: Lion Park Harare
Visitors can also go on a guided tour around the enclosures to see the lions and other animals up close and even feed some of them, such as Tommy, a Galapagos tortoise who is one of the oldest residents of the park. For a more adventurous experience, visitors can drive through the game park to see the animals that roam freely in their natural habitat and enjoy the scenic views of the grasslands, trees, and balancing rocks.
The park also offers other recreational activities, such as viewing Bushman paintings and ancient grain storage bins and horse riding at very affordable rates.
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Snake World
Snake World is a separate attraction down the road from Lion Park and is part of the Lion Park ticket. It is a place where visitors can learn more about reptiles, especially Zimbabwe’s common snakes.
The attraction has over 30 species of snakes that can be viewed safely in glass aquariums, ranging from the harmless grass snake to the deadly black mamba, python, boomslang, spitting cobra, and Gabon viper. Visitors can also see other reptiles, such as crocodiles, monitor lizards, and chameleons, and even handle some of them, such as the cute little chameleons.
A Day Out at Lion Park and Snake World [Image: Noku Travels]
The tour guides at Snake World will teach visitors about the various types of venom, reptile behavior, and most importantly, the importance of conserving these unique animals that are essential to human health. They will also debunk some of the myths and rumours that cause people to fear and harm these creatures.
Lion Park and Snake World are two attractions that offer a great opportunity to see and learn about some of the most amazing animals in Zimbabwe. They are also a great way to support the conservation and welfare of these animals and to have a fun and memorable day out with the whole family. If you are planning to visit Harare, make sure to add these attractions to your itinerary.
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References
- Lion Park And Snake World – Tracks 4 Africa
- Lion Park and Snake World Visit – My Guide Zimbabwe
- Lion Park Harare
