Fodor's Expert Review Born Free Shamwari Big Cat Sanctuary

Within Shamwari are two Born Free big cat sanctuaries, which guests have the option of visiting, usually as part of one of their games drives. Here African leopards and lions rescued from zoos, circuses, and even nightclubs around the world are allowed to roam in large enclosures for the rest of their lives, as they cannot safely be returned to the wild. Although these are interesting tourist attractions, the main purpose is educational, and about 500 local schoolchildren tour the centers every month. Their other purpose is to incentivize visitors to contribute financially; seeing the animals cut off from the wilderness they're meant to live in is quite depressing, and if you're sensitive to the plight of animals abused by humans, you might want to give the sanctuaries a skip.