Many tourists gush over the idea of seeing a wild lion with their own eyes. Maybe I was getting jaded at this point, but for me that small thrill wore off very quickly, and I'd honestly have to say that you can more closely observe and better learn about these creatures' habits and struggles by watching a television show. I guess you could observe them closer by doing a "lion tracking" trip, where you actually walk with lions in the brush (apparently they're habituated and well-fed), but I'm far too scared of large carnivorous animals to do that. I certainly have greater appreciation for the naturalist/photographers who go into the brush and get truly astounding footage of these and other large African mammals at work.