Drakenstein Lion Park

Drakenstein Lion Park, operated by the non-profit organisation Lion Rescue, is South Africa's longest-running South African-owned big cat sanctuary, established in 1998 on 50 acres of land in the Cape Winelands near Paarl, Western Cape. The park provides lifetime sanctuary to over 25 rescued big cats — predominantly lions including rare white lions, as well as a tiger — all of whom have histories of abuse or neglect. The sanctuary operates on strict ethical principles: no breeding, no cub-petting, and no visitor-animal interaction, ensuring that every rescued cat receives genuine long-term care. Visitors observe the resident cats in spacious naturalistic enclosures, with lion feeding sessions held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the park is open daily from 9:30am to 5pm, offering an authentic and responsible big cat conservation experience close to Cape Town.