Fathala Wildlife Reserve

I only did the walk with lion tour. The lions were raised in captivity, and while I know some people may question the ethics, I didn’t see anything that made me worry about their wellbeing. They looked healthy and happy. Walking beside them and getting pictures was definitely a thrill.

The safari itself was nice, and the local woman guiding us shared lots of interesting information. The lion walk, though, was a really sad experience. They bring two lions over to the tourists for photos and videos, which might sound fun, but the lions seemed drugged to me. The guide kept bullying one of them to make it roar, just to entertain the group. It felt disrespectful and humiliating, like a puppet show. I hope the people responsible stop and think about treating every animal with respect, especially a lion, the king of the jungle.

The lion walk is an add-on to the regular safari park tour, and I thought it was well worth doing. A visit to Fathala safari park in Senegal wouldn’t feel complete without it.

The lion walk and cub viewing were great. My tent was clean for the most part, though I noticed a couple of stains on the pillows. Wi-Fi handled texting fine but wasn’t much use for streaming. I was only there one night, so that wasn’t a big deal.