Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation & Awareness Centre — Attraction in George

Our entire experience at Tenikwa Wildlife Centre was amazing. From arrival to departure, we were made to feel welcome and felt that the friendly staff went out of their way to make our experience feel memorable. Sleeping in the self catering eco-cabin amongst gorgeous fynbos, just meters away from the lions, was the most wonderful unforgettable experience. We felt their presence the entire time - even in the middle of the night, when they blessed us with their goosebump-generating roars! We so enjoyed unwinding on the little porch, having a cup of coffee in the morning listening to the birds, or enjoying a glass of wine in the evening, just taking in the night time sounds and experience, and reconnecting with nature. Be prepared for an early morning wake up call from the lions – no need for an alarm clock! You’ll want to record their gorgeous guttural sound – it’s a really humbling experience to experience up close. How wonderful to be able to see the Lions from every angle. Just being in their presence was the most incredible experience we have ever had. Kuluma and Mkulu sat and “chatted” with us up close and personal at the fence a few times – and having never been so close to Lions before, this was quite a soul-stirring experience. They really are just spectacularly beautiful.

The guided tour around the sanctuary was fantastic. Our beautiful photographs will be treasured. Zwelakhe the Leopard was a gorgeous model, and we have captured stunning mischievous Meerkat moments. All staff were super professional, yet laid back enough to make you feel so welcomed and relaxed. We travel and adventure often in our beautiful country, and were struck by how much the staff at this centre genuinely love their animals, telling us little stories of their antics, and sharing their personality traits and quirks with us.

The sanctuary itself is so beautifully maintained and most importantly all the animals had ample space and they looked really healthy and happy. This sanctuary was developed to treat and home (if absolutely necessary) rescued wild animals that have been injured or for other reasons are unable to survive on their own in the wild. We were shocked to hear that Tenikwa often deals with over 200 injured animals a month in their animal hospital. It is an absolute credit to the amazing owners that they have dedicated their lives to this worthy work.

Knowing that our booking contributes in some small way to this important cause, I could not recommend it any higher. We didn’t have tine to indulge in the Spa treatments on offer at the facility, but took a tour of the Spa centre – and will make sure we include this in our itinerary next time. If you haven’t put Tenikwa Wildlife Sanctuary on your bucket list yet, we recommend...

We booked the Wild Ways adventure and were left blown away with what was a fabulous experience! Our guides were truly awesome - they had a clear, deep love for their work with the animals, were so knowledgeable and well-spoken and provided us with many hilarious stories to make the tour unforgettable. Then there's the main attraction themselves - the wide array of native African cats, the crown jewel being the Cheetah. Even though it was enclosure-based, we were able to capture the most detailed pictures as they passed by us in such close proximity. They are all very well looked after, highly photogenic and share a mutual respect and bond with the guides that is so special. The second half in which we followed in the footsteps of an adult male cheetah as he was let out on his leisurely afternoon stroll was simply spectacular: with no boundaries between us and him, and posing for photos periodically, we enjoyed a really close replica to an in-the-wild experience and can say we have everything to prove it too! The staff laid out delightful snacks for us in an even more delightful bush setting for a closing picnic in African style, taking care of a our special vegetarian dietary requirements too! The general property is in great condition, and the curio shop, the proceeds from which fund all rehabilitation efforts at this amazing Non-profit organisation, has a range of high-quality, beautifully imaginative, locally-produced gifts to remember Tenikwa by, and deserves a few minutes of time at least to round off your visit. Thanks to all involved for giving us such a...

My wife and I experienced the Wild Cat tour and the Cheetah Walk during our visit to Tenikwa in December 2017.

Our guides were Peter (Wild Cat tour & Cheetah Walk) and Malibongwe (Cheetah Walk). Both Peter and Malibongwe were incredibly knowledgeable about the different wild cats housed at Tenikwa. They really showed their enthusiasm and passion for wildlife as we learned about the different wild cats during our visit. Peter has incredible expertise and I found myself learning so much during the tours.

During the Wild Cat tour, we were actually taken into the enclosures that housed the Servals and the Cheetahs. Although that might sound dangerous, the Servals and Cheetahs are not very territorial, thus it's a safe and exciting experience by seeing such cats up close and personal.

The Wild Cat tour includes Karakals, White Lion, Leopard, Blue Cranes, Penguins, Servals and Cheetahs. For obvious reasons, you are only taken into the enclosures for the Servals and Cheetahs.

The Cheetah Walk was amazing. For anyone who loves domestic cats, this is a must. Please note that the Cheetahs do their own thing while going on their daily walk, so don't get frustrated if Duma (the Cheetah) or another cheetah take their own time to complete their walk, as they are fond of resting and sitting down whenever they feel hot or a bit tired.

Tenikwa was a great experience, and as a bonus, it is not far from Monkeyland and Birds of Eden, so you can experience all 3 wildlife...