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Safari Adventures

Safari Adventures

Safari Adventures
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Safari Adventures is the only of its kind on the island of Mauritius, to offer a unique once in a lifetime experience of Walking with Lions and big cat encounters.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Does not meet animal welfare guidelines
Tripadvisor does not provide bookings for this experience because it does not meet our animal welfare guidelines.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles519 reviews
Excellent
377
Very good
83
Average
27
Poor
12
Terrible
20

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Marine N
4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
We had booked 4 days in advance to walk with the lions. We arrived in Casela 1 hour before the appointment, upon arriving, the lady told us that we had finally booked for the safari with the lions (they did not understand our request when booking by telephone). Furthermore, she told us to go take the bus that would take us to the safari, except there was no bus, and then we were told to run to the safari, which was at the other end. from the park, except that timing-wise it was impossible to arrive on time.
We requested a refund for the entry and safari, and returned. So we lost 1 day of vacation, and 60€ for a taxi!!!
Place to avoid, no correct information explained, it really looks like a tourist trap!! don't waste your time.
Google
Written September 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ian B
Essex, UK225 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
Had a little stroll today with ZaZa and Zimbo, a couple of beautiful and well looked after lions. Angel, our guide, was excellent. Very knowledgeable and a great sense of humour. We were able to walk with them, stroke them and get some great photo opportunities . The entire staff team with us were amazing and ensured our safety throughout, due to their thorough and extensive experience with the lions. A fantastic experience which we would totally recommend.
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your ROAR-some review! We will be sure to pass it along to Angel
Written June 15, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Andrew Currie
Toronto, Canada309 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2015 • Couples
I came away from Safari Adventures’ Walk with Lions Encounter with decidedly mixed feelings.

I thought I had read somewhere on the TripAdvisor forums for Mauritius that the animals were doped up so as not to attack visitors; while the pair of lions we walked with were indeed uncharacteristically lethargic, I can’t say whether or not this is true. What I can say is that I was more than a bit troubled by the very visible wounds on these otherwise majestic creatures—and looking at my photos again makes me regret doing the encounter in the first place.

The whole walk is orchestrated into a series of photo opps—and the park employees seemed all too happy to capture photos and video of their star attractions with very apparent (albeit treated) cuts and abrasions. I asked one of the trainers about their condition; his shrugged-off reply: “Maybe they had an itch and rubbed too hard against a fence…”

I’ve no idea if it’s abuse, neglect, or some combination of both, but these animals just didn’t seem healthy to me. Lions are, of course, not at all indigenous to Mauritius. If seeing them roam free in their native habitat is what you’re looking for you won’t find that here; for the sake of the these poor animals I recommend spending your money somewhere else.
Written October 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ConieT1980
Cork, Ireland10 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2014 • Couples
My wife and I visited the Casela Nature & Leisure Park to do the Walking with Lions tour on a recent trip to Mauritius. I must admit I had some reservations about going to Casela for a few reasons, mainly due to the fact that I thought they would have spaced out lions under sedation for the walk and I also wasn’t sure what happened to the lions after they matured and grew too large to do the walks but we decided to check it out and see. Our guide Jim, who was excellent assured us during the safety briefing that the lions weren’t sedated or drugged and that they weren’t tame or trained. He also told us that the lions that grow too large to do the walks are moved to the Big Cat Drive Thru area with the other mature lions.

After the safety briefing the lions were brought out and they seemed happy and healthy and not at all drugged, we were in a group of 10 – 12 people with 5 handlers including Jim. The group walked at the lions pace and anytime the lions stopped the group stopped so it was good to see the lions weren't forced to "perform" and the walk was dictated by them.

Although my wife and I enjoyed the walking with the lions and being within a few feet of these amazing animals we left Casela feeling deflated. We paid the park entrance fee and paid for Walking with the Lions but 10 minutes after we had completed the walk we left as what we saw of the rest of the park was pretty depressing (similar to a zoo), even in the areas where there are no renovations on-going. We didn’t do the Lions & Cheetah Interaction, Big Cat Drive Thru or the Quad & Buggy as the entrance fee and walking with lions was expensive enough!! These activities could have changed our views on the park but we felt we had paid out enough money already.

Casela does seem very much like a business with no emphasis on conservation that I’m aware of (correct me if I’m wrong). However, our guide Jim was very informative and if you are taking part in the walking with the Lions you will be given various information on lions. I don’t know what happens when the number of lions grows too large or they have too many males in the Drive Thru area but I sincerely hope it has nothing to do with selling/trading them for “hunting” as if this is the case I really really regret my visit to Casela, maybe if a manager from Casela is reading this he/she could let me know. Thanks.
Written September 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

echard
Norfolk, VA40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
On my last trip to Mauritius I was able to make it to Casela Park and "Walk with the lions" through Safari Adventures. It was by far one of the coolest things that I have ever done. After a briefing from the guide, who used to have a game reserve in Zimbabwe and is super knowledgeable, we were able to walk right next to the lions. I even got to touch/pet the lions. They gave us multiple photo ops along the walk, so definitely bring your camera. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who visits Mauritius.

website:
http://safari-adventures-mauritius.com/
Written April 17, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

22kitty_kat
London, UK137 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2011
Maybe I did get my hopes up to high. Of course this is a commercial enterprise, lions were only brought to Mauritius/Casela as a tourist attraction. There is no conservation project behind it and I could not help some alarm bells going off when a question regarding what happens to the lions after they turn 2 and stop walking was left unanswered..

Yes, you do get to take your photos and pet the lion while one of the carers is distracting it with a piece of meat. The whole thing felt staged and fake. There is very little observing lions play (we opted for lion cubs with this in mind) or doing their own thing, instead they are ushered by their carers from one photospot to another.

As much as I was looking forward to this walk (especially after seeing footage of my cousins one done in Africa and reading all the raving reviews) I was left bitterly disapointed afterwards.

Of course, I realize it is not natural for lions to be leisurely interacting with humans, but still I expected more of a natural walk (the dog?) like experience, as opposed to this:

Arrive at the Casela entrance (having booked your visit in advance), wait a good 10min until the driver arrives and drops your group over at the back of the park where the lions live
Wait in front of the lion cub enclosure, while everyone fills out a form, than wait some more (not sure what for)
Your guide takes you on a 5 min walk to get behind the lion enclosure.
Wait for the lion cubs to come out with their carer and 2 photographers (disappointment no 1 - there were only two from the pack of 5 or 6 cubs coming along)
Group is mixed Eng/French, however with a French majority being favoured. What was translated were some trivia facts and a rather unpleasant bit about how the lions come to 'respect' the sticks we are holding*
We walked for 2-3min and stopped by the first photostand, with everyone in the group one by one having their photos taken
(tip: swap your cameras with someone else in the group and have them take your photos while you're taking theirs and save yourself the cost of the 'professional' photos - they aren't at all better, our shots were quite awful!)
Then a (very) short stroll, and another photo point - this routine was repeated at 4 different rocks/trees and we were turned back.
Walking back (without the stops) took only a few minutes.

The cold juicy drinks offered by our guide at the end were a very nice touch and much appreciated, however a complete lack of 'what happens next' apart from "you can now buy your photos and dvd's" ruined the impression. We even went to the little 'shop' to see the photos. Not even there did we get any indication of where we should go next (the lions and cheetahs are at a far end of the park behind closed gates).

Initially I wanted to do the cheetah interaction as well but after such a disappointing 'walk' we really only wanted out..
We saw a couple go into the cheetah enclosure and the experience seemed not only better value but also more rewarding. They were playing with the youngsters, petting them, got their photos taken and since they were the only ones there they probably got more time with the cats then we did on our 'walk'!

* If the carer is threatened by one of the cats the cat gets beaten with the stick until it backs up
Written June 6, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear kitty Kat Having read through your review of your lion encounter here with us in Mauritius I am shocked to see you had such a bad time. I would just like to put the record straight on a few of your quieries. The park is like many other parks around the world, they do not supply guides unless you have specifically requested one, therefore finding your way around the park is up to the individual alone. There are maps in many positions around the gardens to show you where you are and then it is up to you to choose what you want to do and when. You obviously booked the lion walk and found your way to the bus that brings you to the lions. We are not actually at the back of the park but positioned very nicely under the Rempart mountain and in the middle of the drive through Safari area.The form you were asked to fill out and wait whilst the others filled out in your group is an indemnity form. Your guide then took you away from the area to a quiet area where he then explained the safety procedure to you. After which 2 lions then joined you. We take 2 lions on our walks as we have found that you (the client) feel more comfortable with 2 rather than 4 or 5 running around. All our walks can be conducted in both French or English. Perhaps you feel that French was favoured because maybe the French clients asked more questions? The fact you had a stick with you was told to you during your safety talk and it was not a "trivia" piece of information but very important. All walking with lions operations also equipt their clients with sticks, this is not for beating them it is part of the training process as was explained to you during your safety talk! With regard to the photos, everyone is more than welcome to take their own photographs or swop cameras with others like you did. The point of us selling the photos afterwards is purely because our cameramen are in the perfect position to take the photos. Being familiar with the lions they know when and how from the body language of the animals how to get the better shot. Our walks take between 45 mins to 1 hour in duration so perhaps you were having a nice time that you seemed to back before you knew it. After your walk I'm glad you enjoyed the juice and your certificate. As to what happens next, well as I explained earlier its like any other park when your activity is over you then move onto your next chosen activity or area. I am bitterly upset that you feel the need to write about the carers (handlers) beating the lions with a stick if they threaten them - never in the 4 years we have been open has a lion ever threatened a handler. Our staff take great pride in their job and love the animals they work with. The handlers all go through rigerous training and are chosen specifically for their devotion to the animals. What happens to them when they turn 2 years old well if you had asked in the office we could have shown you our newest project, our 15 acre drive through section for the lions to move into. We will be opening this up in September 2011.
Written July 16, 2011
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

kalisana55
London, UK21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2012 • Family
On 12th April 2012 my daughter and I went for the walking with lion experience. The experience we had was a surreal. It was just fantastic and I felt I was one with the lions.
The park contains various other animals eg Zebra,Parrots,fishes,trees eg tamararind.vegetation is green and jungle like and they also have a nice cafe and shop for gifts.
You must wear a good pair of shoes or trainers and no sunglasses,backpacks or pouches on hips or bottled water in the walk! You will be asked to leave these items behind and pick them later. Firstly,you'll be allowed in a high deck area for observing the lions and tigers at play and you can take some photos. They take a movie and photos on the walk with lions later and you'll be well advised to buy these and not waste your time looking at lions through your own lens! A small fee to pay but it is definitely worth it leave this to the experts. We did take a few photos anyway and thought time would be best spent in close contact and enjoy the experience.
Briefing then takes place and the rangers who are fantastic and explain the rules to us. The two lionesses one named Jumanji were then escorted into the jungle area where we walked very close behind the lionesses for over an hour so you should allow atleast 2-3 hours on the site to soak in the atmosphere and sights. The experience was outstanding as we observed lionesses walking,running,playing,jumping onto trees and eating in such close proximity with us. Excellent video and photos that we took home are now beautiful memories. Rangers were excellent,very professional and took great care of us allowing us to get close and touch the lionesses in their own surroundings. Rangers had a very close bond with the lionesses and I felt lionesses were very well looked after in a jungle environment .Later,we were treated to a nice ice cold drink and question and answer session with the rangers which we also enjoyed. There are height and age restrictions so just check prior to booking if you have young children as they may not be allowed.
I was so fascinated,I booked a experience with the tigers as well and enjoyed a photo shoot with tigers for a few minutes. I would recommend this fabulous experience to any one.
Written April 15, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ajay K
Hyderabad, India10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2011 • Couples
The walk with white Lion "Mulati" and White tiger "Bhageera" was unique. The instuctors were cool and fun loving people who made the experience wonderful. Its the best place we had been on the island.
Written December 4, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laura O
Oakham, UK44 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2017 • Couples
This was a stunning experience of which we thoroughly enjoyed and will never forget. The park itself was great with lots to do. We had booked tickets online for the previous day, but we felt unwell, we contacted the park and they were more than happy to amend our visiting day at no extra charge.

When it came to the walk with the lions experience there were a few sets of couples, and a large group that came with a lot of large video equipment/tripods/video stabilising kit, when asked by our guide they elaborated that they were recording for Chinese television. (Seriously, they had cue cards and everything 😳). Obviously this was very off putting for the rest of us who wanted to experience the lions up close and not looking through the obligatory 21st-century lens!
The guide instructed all of us that bags and big equipment will be left behind, I was more than happy to have my rucksack locked away, but more happy that this larger group were only allowed to take a GoPro, and one smaller video recorder, the rest of us had phones and cameras.

Once walking with the lions the larger group, inevitably, became a hinderance. Constantly trying to be the closest, and at the front. However, although annoying, I felt this was not detrimental to our experience as the guides did a fantastic job of giving everyone a fair chance of walking along side the two 5 Years old female lions and opportunities to stroke them. They were both lively, and to be honest not interested in us in the slightest, it was fabulous to see them playing and chasing one another around the wooded area we were in. It felt so natural and relaxed.

At the end of the experience you will have all your own personal photos taken while on the walk, then the option of buying the professional ones. Worth the money as you get all the photos and videos from the entire walk, including those of our new tv star friends 😳, but more importantly for me, this price also included photos from going inside the cub enclosure afterwards, at no extra cost. So I also got to spend 15 minutes playing with the three 8 month old white lions. Amazing!!! They, obviously because of their age, were much more boisterous and unpredictable, highly recommended.
Written January 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kalpesh J
Ahmedabad12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Couples
Lion walk is the hallmark of this park which will give you most thrilling and life time experience - Must do activity. It might look costly (3750 MR) but believe me it's worth more than that. Make ensure to book in advance at least 3-4 days especially the morning one at 9.15 which will be beneficial to you in two ways : 1) In morning it will be cool atmosphere so lions will be much comfortable and you can enjoy interaction and take photos with utmost ease; 2) You can best utilize your time as if you could finish your park visit by 1 PM then you can also go for Chamarel (Seven Colored Earth, Chamarel Waterfall and Chamarel Corner) as this will be closed by 5 PM.

Tip: If you are going in couple than you can easily take pictures and videos on your phone and SLR and even if you are single then you can always ask to your fellow as it will be in always group of 10 visitors. So, I suggest that do not spend extra bucks for photos and videos.
Written April 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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