Have you ever gone on an African Safari?

No, but it’s definitely one of those things on the “bucket list”.

I have been to a couple of drive through exotic wildlife parks, which is as close as you can get without a plane ticket. Texas has a good climate for many African species. As early as the 1970’s as a part of conservation efforts folks began setting up wildlife refuges for endangered African wildlife. Many of these refuges were funded by tourism. I remember going to one called “Lion Country Safari” in Grand Prairie, Texas with my family when I was a teenager.

The park was a couple of hundred acres that sported several open habitats and had a road that wound through the wildlife area. When I say habitats, I’m talking about large open areas with particular geographic features, nothing at all like those little artificial animal condos that you see in a zoo. You were basically given a tape recorder with a timed narrative that told about the types of animals you were likely to see hanging out in the various areas (no guarantees as the critters were free ranging and essentially wild so they could roam wherever they want). Of course, you were admonished to keep your windows rolled up. Even though the large predators like lions might look docile they would have no problem having you as a mid-afternoon snack.

Anyway, it was pretty darned cool. However, I believe it was long since closed down because a jackass or two decided to try to feed the lions (and succeeded, but not in the way they intended).

I went to a similar park with my kids not too long ago. While it had a similar concept, it did not sport any dangerous animals. In fact, you were encouraged purchase food and hand feed the critters through the window. A totally different experience, More of a drive through petting zoo rather than a safari, but still fun.

No.It’s on my bucket list too.

Nope. And would never want to , neither. You’d have to go to Africa for that, and that justa in’t happening this lifetime.

@noelleptc Why would I?

Well I’ll be darned. It’s still there:

Lion Country Safari

@noelleptc Fair enough, but it breaks my 400 mile rule. And I’d have to get a passport then ride on an airplane and learn a new language and get shots and learn to drive from the right hand side and all that stuff. Such a hastle, but I hope anyone who takes the adventure really enjoys themselves.

Nah, but I’d like too. That would be pretty cool. As long as what went on in The Omen didn’t happen to me…

I have and it was one of my very favorite experiences. We went to Kenya with a group of physicians, so besides the safari, we also visited hospitals, an orphanage, and a Masai village. Some animals we saw very close like elephants, lions, baboons, and monkeys. Others were close enough to photograph, such as cheetahs, gazelles, giraffes, ostriches, hyenas, rhinos, hippos, flamingos, leopards, fish eagles (we call them bald eagles), zebras, Cape buffalo, crocodiles, gold crowned cranes (symbol of Kenya), dik-diks, and others I can’t recall at the moment. We stayed at simple 2 story hotels or cabins. you can go on safari and stay in tents, which I would have liked. It was really cool. The only rhino we ran into didn’t charge, but the driver turned our van around so he could leave quickly if necessary. The animals have gotten familiar with the little pop-up vans we traveled in. A lion ran along side the vehicle using it as a shield to get closer to the gazelles. Another time we parked about 6 feet from a lioness and her 3 cubs. It was a fantastic trip. Very educational too.

@noelleptc Maybe 20 years ago. I lose track of the years.