Top Menu

Tag Archives | Antelope Park

Elephants’ Training & Riding

Training & Riding Elephants, Antelope Park, near Gweru, Zimbabwe, Africa

Training & Riding Elephants, Antelope Park, near Gweru, Zimbabwe, Africa

Having already spent 85 USD per person on the lion walk the day before and being happy that the sun was out, we felt like what the heck, let’s splurge again! Elephant training was on the agenda, for only 20 USD. This included elephants performing all kinds of tricks (lifting their legs, kneeling down, kicking a ball) and putting up with us. Hopefully they did not mind us sitting on their legs, on top of them, grabbing their trunk, touching their rough skin and taking photos as if there is no tomorrow. The only thing that irritated us was that one foot of each elephant was tied down with a chain. What looked like a precaution still felt funny. Continue Reading →

Walking with Lions

Walking with Lions, Antelope Park, near Gweru, Zimbabwe, Africa

Walking with Lions, Antelope Park, near Gweru, Zimbabwe, Africa

Antelope Park, a game reserve with a resort-like touch, offers something very, very unique: a “Walk with Lions”! Expecting cubs, as promoted on the website, we were rather surprised to find two large lionesses lying in the grass. The trainers introduced them as 20 months old cubs (!) A bit embarrassed by their slackness the trainers explained, “They had just been fed and are a bit lazy“. Trying to make the lions rise, they pocked them with wooden sticks, which only triggered repeated yawning, revealing a set of mighty teeth. With the powerful fangs clearly visible, we certainly did not mind the big cats being lazy and sleepy! Continue Reading →