The Lion House is a unique rentable property in South Africa that allows tourists to spend their vacation in the middle of a nature reserve, surrounded by 77 adult lions.
Imagine going to sleep to the sound of lion roars, knowing that the only thing standing between you and dozens of predators is an electrified fence. If that sounds like the kind of thing you’ve always dreamed of, you’d better start saving for a stay at the Lion House, a special three-bedroom house located in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary in Harrismith, South Africa. It doesn’t feature many of the amenities you’d expect to find in a place that costs over $100 a night to rent, like TV or air-conditioning, but it does offer something very few, if any, other places around the world have – lions, 77 of them to be exact.
Photo: Lion House/Airbnb
Built by GG Conservation, a non-profit, ethical nature reserve where no lion breeding or public interaction is allowed, the Lion House is one of the most amazing properties listed on Airbnb. It allows visitors to get as close to the over 70 majestic felines that call this place home without interfering with their lives, and feel good about themselves knowing that the whole booking fees directly benefit the lions.
“Guests can just live among the lions, observing first-hand the majesty of the lion species, Suzanne Scott, conservation director at GG Conservation, told Mail Online. “They can watch their natural behaviour, and see the interaction between the lions and their pride mates which is often very interesting, heart-warming and amusing. We are unique in that we are an ethical lion sanctuary with no breeding or public interaction allowed. But people can watch lions being lions very close up, whilst also knowing their booking fees to our non-profit organisation are helping to keep the lions safe and protected. It’s a win win!”
“You are never more than 5 metres away from a lion at Lion House!!” the Airbnb listing boasts, adding that the rental is perfectly safe thanks to the strong electric fence surrounding the property. Apparently, you can even have a barbecue on the open terrace, with the lions watching you from beyond the fence, although that could be considered cruel, with the intoxicating smell of cooked meat sending their senses into overdrive.
“You are very close, less than one metre from a lion when stood at the fence. From the step, porch or patio of the house you are two metres away,” Suzanne Scott says. “It makes you feel that you are almost living among them, as part of the pride. The best part is being able to hear the nightly roars of 77 lions in surround sound, it is truly awe inspiring to listen to.”
The Lion House can accommodate a total of six people, and can be rented for $104 per night. That honestly sounds like a bargain for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, although I doubt anyone can have a good night sleep to the roars of 77 full-grown lions. Oh, and you’d better hope they have a backup generator in case the power goes out.
