Thirty-three lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Colombia are heading back to their homeland to live out the rest of their lives in a private sanctuary in South Africa.

The largest-ever airlift of lions was organised by Animal Defenders International.

The Los Angeles-based group has worked with politicians in the two South American countries for years to ban the use of wild animals in circuses, where they are often held in appalling conditions.

The long journey began in Colombia on Thursday, where a caravan carrying the first nine lions departed the city of Bucaramanga for a 14-hour drive to Bogota's international airport.

From there, they were loaded onto a cargo plane and flown to Peru's capital to pick up the remaining 24.

They are expected to depart Lima for Johannesburg later today.