Elephant & Monkey Santuary with Lion Park Tour

The best part of this long Johannesburg day is the sheer variety: a 2-hour Lion Park safari, followed by close contact with rescued elephants and a visit to monkeys cared for in a wooded sanctuary. I like that you see three very different wildlife settings in one outing, and I like that the elephant and monkey visits give you time to learn rather than simply pass by in a vehicle.

The main caution is the Lion Park. Its animals are kept in a confined setting, and the ethics may not suit every visitor. There is also conflicting information about lunch: it is described as included in some tour details, but the stated inclusions say it is not, and one booking did not receive lunch. Confirm this before paying.

Key points at a glance

• Three wildlife stops in one day: Combine a safari drive with elephant and monkey sanctuary visits.
• Hands-on elephant encounter: The elephant program includes feeding, walking beside, and touching the rescued elephants.
• A meaningful monkey visit: The monkeys are abandoned former pets cared for in a large treed area.
• Early start, full schedule: Pickup begins around 8 a.m. and return is expected near 5 p.m., with considerable driving between stops.
• Small English-speaking group: The group is limited to 15 people, which should make questions and transfers easier.
• Check the lunch arrangement: The tour information is inconsistent, so bring money for food and drinks unless the operator confirms otherwise.

A Big Wildlife Day from Johannesburg

This tour packs a lot into roughly ten hours. You leave Johannesburg in the morning, spend time at the Lion and Safari Park, stop for lunch, then continue to Hartbeespoort for elephant and monkey encounters before returning to the city.

I like this format for a first visit to the area. You do not need to arrange several separate transfers, and the day gives you both a safari-style drive and sanctuary visits. The tradeoff is that the schedule is tight. With about three hours of driving listed in total, you will spend a good part of the day in the van.

Pickup and drop-off are provided in Johannesburg. The tour is conducted in English, with a live guide and a maximum group size of 15. That is small enough to feel more personal than a large coach tour, though the actual feel will depend on how many people book that day.

The Morning Drive to Lion Park

The first listed transfer is about an hour and a half from Johannesburg, although the Lion Park is also described as roughly 40 minutes from Sandton hotels. Those timings do not fully match, so your exact drive will depend on the pickup point, traffic, and the day’s route.

That matters if you are staying in central Johannesburg or near Sandton. Ask for a realistic pickup time and expected arrival time before the day begins. A morning departure around 8 a.m. is sensible, since it leaves room for all three main activities, but you should expect a long day rather than a relaxed half-day outing.

The van is practical rather than part of the attraction itself. Bring water, a light layer, and something to occupy you during the longer road sections. Drinks are not included, and you should not rely on finding a convenient shop at every stop.

Two Hours on the Lion Park Safari

The Lion and Safari Park visit is scheduled for two hours. This is the most traditional safari portion of the day, with time in a vehicle and a chance to see lions and other wildlife in a managed park setting.

The two-hour length is useful. It gives you more than a quick drive past an enclosure, yet it does not take over the entire day. If this is your first safari-style experience, you will get a taste of the rhythm: riding, watching, waiting, and listening for the guide’s explanation.

You should also approach this stop with clear eyes. The park’s animal space has raised ethical concerns, particularly about whether the enclosures provide enough room. One person who enjoyed the elephant and monkey visits found the Lion Park sad and questioned its practices. Another recent booking described the lion stop as spectacular while also noting concerns about limited space.

That mixed picture is important. If animal welfare is central to your choice, research the Lion and Safari Park before booking. The tour does not offer an alternative stop, so you should be comfortable with the park’s setup in advance.

Lunch, With an Important Booking Question

After the safari, the plan calls for a 30-minute stop at a local restaurant. That is enough time for a quick meal, but not for a long, leisurely lunch.

The food arrangement needs special attention. One part of the tour description says lunch is included, while the formal list of inclusions says lunch is not included. Drinks are clearly not included, and alcoholic drinks are excluded as well. A booking also failed to receive the expected lunch.

I would treat lunch as self-funded unless Africa Moja Tours & Safaris confirms the arrangement in writing. Bring enough South African rand or another accepted payment method, and allow for a short meal break. If lunch is included on your departure, you will have avoided an unnecessary expense. If it is not, you will be prepared.

Meeting Rescued Elephants at Hartbeespoort

The Elephant Sanctuary at Hartbeespoort is scheduled for a three-hour visit, making it the longest stop of the day. The program includes a two-hour guided elephant tour, with the chance to feed, walk beside, and touch the rescued elephants.

This is likely to be the emotional center of the outing. You are not simply looking at elephants from a vehicle. The structure of the visit gives you time to hear about the animals and take part in a controlled encounter.

The word rescued matters here. The elephants are not presented as wild animals encountered on an open safari. They live in a sanctuary setting, and the value of the visit comes from learning about their care and seeing them at close range.

You should follow the guide’s instructions carefully. Elephants are large, powerful animals even in a supervised setting. The experience is designed around feeding, walking, and touching, but the guide controls how those interactions take place. This is also a good reason to leave enough room in your schedule. Rushing through this stop would undermine the main benefit of booking it.

The elephant visit is especially suited to families, first-time wildlife watchers, and anyone who wants more personal contact than a standard game drive allows. It may be less appealing if you prefer to see animals only in wide, natural spaces. Knowing which kind of wildlife experience you want will help you judge this stop fairly.

The Monkey Sanctuary and Its Abandoned Pets

The monkey visit lasts about one hour. The monkeys are former pets that people abandoned, and the sanctuary cares for them in a large treed area.

That detail gives the stop a different character from the Lion Park. You are seeing animals that cannot simply be returned to the wild, while also learning about the problems caused when people keep wild monkeys as pets. The setting is described as heavily treed, which gives the monkeys more room and a more natural place to move than a small cage.

The visit is shorter than the elephant program, but one hour is enough to make it a distinct part of the day. You will likely get a guided introduction and time to observe the animals rather than simply ticking off another attraction.

I would pay close attention here if you care about animal rescue and rehabilitation. The monkey sanctuary offers a useful reminder that cute young animals do not make easy household pets. Once they grow, their needs can be far beyond what a private owner can provide.

How the Three Stops Compare

Each stop answers a different question.

The Lion Park asks what a safari-style wildlife drive feels like. The elephant sanctuary focuses on supervised contact with rescued animals. The monkey sanctuary explains what happens to wild animals that were kept as pets and later abandoned.

That contrast is one of the tour’s strongest features. You get movement and game viewing in the morning, then slower, guide-led encounters in the afternoon. The day is not repetitive.

The contrast also makes the ethical questions more visible. The elephant and monkey stops are built around rescue and care, while the Lion Park raises concerns about space and animal treatment. If you book, go with an open mind and decide in advance what standards matter most to you.

Is the $373 Price Good Value?

At $373 per person, this is not a cheap day out. The price needs to be judged against what it combines: Johannesburg pickup and return, transport, a two-hour safari, a three-hour sanctuary visit, a live English-speaking guide, and a small group capped at 15 people.

For someone who would otherwise book three separate visits and private transport, the package may be convenient. You have one day of planning, one pickup, and one operator coordinating the route. That simplicity has real value in South Africa, where distances between attractions can make independent visits awkward.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a classic safari. Two hours at the Lion Park is only one part of the day, and the setting is not a fully wild reserve. You would be paying for the elephant and monkey programs as much as for the safari.

It is also harder to judge the price until lunch is clarified. Since lunch is described inconsistently, ask whether it is included and what happens if it is not provided. You should also budget separately for drinks.

Timing, Group Size, and Physical Comfort

The tour begins around 8 a.m. and returns near 5 p.m. That gives you a full day with little spare time. The listed route includes about 1.5 hours to the Lion Park, about 45 minutes to the Elephant Sanctuary, and about 1.5 hours back to Johannesburg, though pickup points and traffic can change those figures.

A group of up to 15 is a useful middle ground. You get shared transport without the scale of a large bus, and there should be a better chance to hear the guide during the sanctuary talks. Still, the group size can affect how quickly everyone moves between activities.

Pregnant women are specifically advised not to join. The tour data does not provide a detailed accessibility statement, so anyone with mobility concerns should ask the operator what the van rides, walking portions, and animal encounters involve before booking.

Wear practical clothing and shoes suitable for a full day out. The provided information does not specify a dress code, but you should be ready for time outdoors, vehicle travel, and walking at the sanctuary sites.

Who Will Enjoy This Tour Most?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want variety more than a single major wildlife experience. It works well for a first Johannesburg visit, families looking for a full day of animal encounters, and people who are particularly interested in rescued elephants and abandoned monkeys.

It also suits you if convenience matters. Pickup, transport, guiding, and the main admissions are bundled together, so you do not need to work out the route between Johannesburg, the Lion Park, and Hartbeespoort yourself.

I would hesitate if your main goal is a wild, conservation-focused safari. The Lion Park setting may not meet your expectations, and the day devotes only two hours to the safari portion. I would also hesitate if you dislike close-contact animal programs, since feeding and touching the elephants are central to the experience.

What to Confirm Before You Book

Before paying the $373 price, ask Africa Moja Tours & Safaris four direct questions:

• Is lunch included on your departure date?
• If lunch is not included, where exactly will the group eat?
• What is the expected pickup time for your Johannesburg hotel?
• How does the operator describe the Lion Park’s animal care and enclosure conditions?

The tour allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those policies give you some flexibility, but they do not replace checking the parts that matter most to you.

My Take: Book It for Variety, Not a Pure Safari

This is a packed wildlife day with two excellent reasons to go: the rescued elephant encounter and the monkey sanctuary. The chance to feed, walk beside, and touch the elephants gives the day a personal focus, while the abandoned-pet monkeys add a useful conservation lesson.

The Lion Park is the part to weigh carefully. It provides the safari-style drive, but animal welfare concerns and limited space may trouble you. Add the unresolved lunch issue, and you should ask questions before committing.

Book this tour if you want an easy, varied day from Johannesburg and feel comfortable with a managed Lion Park setting. Skip it if you want a fully wild safari or if you prefer wildlife experiences with no close-contact element.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin and end?

Pickup and drop-off are provided in Johannesburg. The tour is expected to begin around 8 a.m. and return around 5 p.m.

How long is the tour?

The full experience lasts about 10 hours, including transportation between Johannesburg, the wildlife attractions, and the return journey.

What wildlife attractions are included?

The tour includes a two-hour Lion Park safari, a guided elephant sanctuary visit, and a monkey sanctuary visit.

How long is the Lion Park visit?

The game drive at the Lion and Safari Park lasts two hours.

How much time is spent at the Elephant Sanctuary?

The Hartbeespoort Elephant Sanctuary visit lasts about three hours. This includes a two-hour guided elephant tour.

Can you interact with the elephants?

The elephant program includes feeding, walking beside, and touching the rescued elephants under guided supervision.

Is lunch included?

The information is inconsistent. One part says lunch is included, while the stated inclusions say it is not. Confirm directly with Africa Moja Tours & Safaris before departure. Drinks and alcoholic drinks are not included.

Is the tour suitable for pregnant women?

No. Pregnant women are listed as unsuitable for this activity.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide and guided visits are provided in English.

How large is the group?

The tour is described as a small-group experience with no more than 15 participants.