This was a nice excursion to do, we went on a Saturday afternoon. We saw zebras, oxen, gazelle, ostrich's, cheetahs, a peacock, camels, parrots, ducks etc. The land is beautiful, and many of the animals aren't behind a fence so they roam freely. They come pretty close to the cars so you get that up close feel. At the end you can even feed some of the animals (goats, lambs) if you pay extra for that option. It's very family friendly and our tour guide was knowledgeable. As others have said you connect to a radio station and can hear her throughout the tour in the car. You can expect to spend around 2 hours here. Some suggestions that could have made the excursion more enjoyable and efficient would be: -Have everyone sign and fill out forms beforehand -If a car hasn't paid to feed the animals, allow a lane for them to leave so they're not just sitting and waiting on the other cars who did pay to feed the animals -Have more than one exit and entrance (this may not be feasible, but it might help with suggestion 1 Overall we had a great time and I would recommend it. Make sure you have a working radio and air conditioning if it's hot! read more

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I totally enjoyed driving through this Wildlife park. We were able to tune the radio to hear a step by step commentary from the guide. Lots of varied species of animals plus an opportunity to feed some at the end if the tour. read more

We had such a great time! Our tour guide JJ was absolutely awesome, funny, knowledgeable, and passionate about the animals. You can really feel how much love and care everyone here has for them. We did the drive-through safari and loved every minute of it! Getting to feed the camels at the end was the highlight of the day. Definitely recommend this experience to anyone looking for something unique and fun! read more

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My husband and I went there for a guided tour. It was just the two of us late in the day, but our tour guide was fabulous. She knew so much about the animals told us interesting facts. I've never seen so many zebras in one place they were beautiful thoroughly enjoyed. read more

Not an old roadside attraction, opened in 2006, but I am glad it is here. Very different than W*** F*****. There one drives at one's own pace and is occasionally tailgated. Here, one is led by a guide on an ATV, who narrates into a microphone, hearable on FM 88.1 Art, our narrator, did an excellent job. I don't envy him doing that route out in the broiling sun all day. I learned several things even at my ripe old age. For example, female ostriches have sandy colored feathers because they sit on the eggs in the day time, and the males black feathers, because they perform that task at night. This place is doing noble work as some species are hanging on by a thread elsewhere in the world. One species they have there is down to 700 worldwide, I hope they survive. The cats at the welcome center all enjoyed being patted, so I obliged them. Water buffalo look really happy hanging out on the ponds. One cute goat hopped up on Art's ATV and helped himself to treats, rascal. So I don't have a problem with the $150 a carload, as we were entertained and informed, and they do good works here. I hope they survive as an enterprise, as it is a fairly long ride from Orlando if they are to draw from that potential set of visitors. read more

I was recently here on a group field trip. We took a safari bus through the grounds and saw all sorts of animals including ostriches, Irish cattle, deer, zebra, etc. We also got to feed antelope and Asian water buffalo by hand. (The latter was so gentle!) Our driver Art and tour guide John Luke (Jean Luc?) were excellent! read more

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This was a great time. My husband I decided to go during the week because it was less crowded. The tour consisted of us and another group. The tour guide was fantastic and knowledgeable. We saw lots of ostrich, lemurs, zebra, different sorts of deer and animals like cows. We were given a bucket of treats to feed all of the animals. The tour takes anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, maybe a little less. If you're wondering, the bathrooms were amazing and very clean. We would highly suggest it if you're visiting Lakeland, FL. read more

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That was unbelievable experience! I recommend to everyone even if you have toddlers check this place out! Wildlife everywhere !!! Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable! Thanks read more

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We're extremely disappointed by the way we were treated and feel it's important to speak out, especially after such a misleading and aggressive response from management. We were celebrating a 1-year-old's birthday, and your version of events is completely false. No alcohol was brought, and no one threatened to punch anyone. These accusations are not only untrue but seem like a poor attempt to cover up your own unprofessional and hostile behavior. The facility was infested with flies, poorly maintained, and far from welcoming. But what stood out even more was your disrespectful and discriminatory attitude toward us and our guests from the very beginning. We were spoken to with arrogance and aggression, and your tone made it clear we were not treated equally or fairly. You are by far the worst manager we've ever dealt with rude, unprofessional, and clearly not suited to run a family-friendly space. No customer should ever be made to feel disrespected or unsafe, especially during a child's birthday celebration. We would never recommend this place to anyone. Families deserve better cleaner facilities, respectful communication, and management that treats all guests with dignity and fairness. read more

The owner replied to my review with outright lies. I was never offended by anything. I literally only needed to know if they vaccinated their lemurs. A yes or no question. She refused to answer the question and she absolutely yelled at me and was rude. To respond to her question of what I was trying to get out of them. Pretty obviously just a yes or no to my question. And as to what kind of doctor does a rabies series on someone bit by a lemur.. A good one. There is no cure for rabies and a there could be a microbreak in the skin that you cannot see that the virus can get through. And he would not have had to give me any shots had you just answered the question ! You were absolutely terrible and your response to my review was both defensive and untrue. You absolutely should not be dealing with people. As you have no sense of customer service. read more

This is a follow up to my last two star review, which was based only on communication. Once we got through all seemed to be going ok. When we got there we were informed that the place was flooded due to a tropical storm, they upgraded us and took us in their 4 wheel vehicle, fearing we'd get stuck. It was awesome and our guide was great. It was truly a one of a kind experience. read more

Safari Wilderness Ranch - Making friends - Tours Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

This was such a great experience. My dad has been home bound or hospital ridden for months so being able to do something like this with him is a true gift. We were able to safely stay in the car while we drove thru Safari Wilderness for close to an hour. We followed our tour guide on her ATV and she periodically stopped to speak to us through a channel on the radio. The sound quality wasn't that great, but if it hadn't been pouring, I think we would have been able to hear her without it. We truly loved every minute of it. read more

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Safari Wildlife is a fun family adventure...we took the car tour and throughly enjoyed it. Eddie was our guide and he was a wonderful, friendly and knowledgeable guy. We learned about many animals, and fed camels, goats and wild pigs. It's a great trip for those who don't want to do a ton of walking. The tour takes an hour give or take a few minutes... We go each year when we have out of state visitors. read more

Our safari tour guide, Art was very knowledgeable about all the different species of animals. Very interactive and great fun hand feeding large animals. Highly recommend Would recommend free parking read more

This was our favorite place. We booked the safari tour in their bus. We were the only ones to book during that time so it was basically a private safari. All the animals came right up to the bus and we were able to feed them. The land was so large and so many types of animals to see and feed. They also do ATV tours and tours in your own car, but highly recommend doing their bus. We added on the lemur experience at the end and they were so cute to feed and watch. read more

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This truly was a fun experience. Art, our guide, was knowledgeable and had some funny dad jokes along the way. The best part was watching him fight the ostrich to get through the gates, haha! We paid $150 for a bag of food and a whole car and we had about 7 cars in total on the tour. The animals come right up to your cars a lot of the time and you can tell the animals are well cared for. Feeding the camels was so much fun! When you first get there there will be an open gate, if you have a reservation go through that gate to the next gate and wait there, otherwise you may miss your reservation window waiting too long at that gate. The only off putting part was that they took a picture of our ID and our credit card. Overall... I would recommend for a nice family morning/afternoon. read more

We had a amazing time JJ was the best she really took good care of us. So many animals to see close up and feeding the lemurs was great. The coati is highly recommended part of the trip such friendly and curious animals we had a ball. read more

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If you love animals, this is the place for you! I recommend taking the safari vehicle tour, where you'll learn all about the animals you see, AND you can feed some of them by hand. I never thought I'd be feeding and petting a water buffalo, but I did, and it was great fun. The adventure lasts about two hours. I also did the cheetah encounter, and although it is pricey, I felt the experience I gained mad it worth it. How often do you get to feed a cheetah (with tongs)? Bring your own water, and have a day you'll never forget. read more

Please, visit it will not disappoint..feeding the camels, and Lemurs were very enjoyable..Jj was top notch.. read more

Safari Wilderness Ranch - Tours Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

This park is outstanding! I will come back to experience it on a different way by travel. This time around we did by car, great for the whole family. Animals were up close. The tour guide was very informational but loved the genuine stories about each animal. All staff was personable and easy to ask any questions too. read more

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My family had a GREAT time! Safari Wilderness Ranch is NOT a zoo or theme park. There are no crowds or lines. It is a Family owned, licensed working game ranch. There's 260 acres of pristine wilderness with 50 exotic animals. We had a blast, learned a lot, and got to feed the animals. The guides are knowledgeable and friendly. Tour Options: *Safari vehicle *Your vehicle *Camelback *ATV *Kayak Lakeland, FL (between Orlando & Tampa) read more

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Art did a great job guiding us on the very personalized ATV tour. Highly recommend for an up close experience with all the animals. Worth every penny!!! read more

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My family surprised me with a Safari for my birthday weekend. It was nothing short of a very...very..very pleasant surprise! We took the tram which took us all over the property. It was so....hilarious so to see the nosy ostriches appear out of nowhere. I took so many pictures and had so many laughs throughout. I REALLY, REALLY enjoyed it! But the lemur encounter just stole the show for me. I never knew that being around them was so fun and it just made me so happy! To have them touch my hand to take the food from it with their little soft velvety paws was just so incredibly AWESOME! I had no idea that their little paws were so soft one of the softest things I think I've ever felt in my life. And to be that close to a mom and her baby lemur it was amazing I just really really enjoyed it and was so happy to have this experience. The tram driver was really informative and funny I really enjoyed the tour we saw several other staff members while we were there but they did not seem very friendly or welcoming. But I refused to let anyone else's attitude spoil my birthday surprise! read more

We did the lemur feeding and vehicle safari. Both were enjoyable. The tour guide was knowledgable as he actually cared for the animals himself the animals seemed to be to well looked after with one main exception: the guinea pigs. Their area was filthy, and they had only 2 dirty water bottles for ~40 of them to fight over. Lastly, the main barn area is confusing. It is unclear where you should/shouldn't go on foot. read more

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This was the most wonderful experience. Our tour guide, Art, was the best. Very knowledgeable and knew his animals. Aside from the pestering ostriches, he kept us safe and laughing. I felt like I was in Africa. I highly recommend this safari to everyone and will be sharing my trip with all. read more

I did the Safari Wilderness 5K over the weekend. I didn't get a chance to checkout some of the main attractions here but I did see some animals on the run. They have clean indoor bathrooms and a cute little gift shop. The signs for their different activities look like they have such a great variety. I would love to come back to see the llamas. During the race I walked through so much cow crap. Those areas probably are not typical walking areas for guest. But since I was doing a race we went off the typical path. So if you participate in this 5K in the future...wear old shoes. Overall seemed like a neat facility with a lot of things to explore! read more

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my sister was visiting from Oklahoma so I treated her to a camel trail safari ride and an encounter with lemurs. We so enjoyed our outing even though it rained. Our guide, J.J. was brilliant with all her knowledge she has in her head, it was amazing. the camels were happy and sweet but they do not like the rain but were troupers anyway. Feeding the lemurs were such a thrill as they were so adorable and gentle. We were wet but still had a blast. This is much more enjoyable than going to the Disney parks. Highly recommended. read more

Cannot say enough about this fantastic place. Hands down better than any Disney Animal Kingdom Experience. Real Florida on a real working ranch with exotic animals from Africa and Asia. We did the tour in the converted trucks but will be back to do the ATV and Kayak Tours. JJ was our guide and super friendly, very knowledgeable and great with the kids. We can't stop talking about how amazing, fun and informative it was for us. An absolute MUST do in Central Florida. Thank you! read more

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Amazing!! Definitely recommend anyone in any group to check this place out. Super knowledgeable tour guide. Super friendly & worth every dollar. Thank you read more

Safari Wilderness Ranch - Tours Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

We came to Florida for our anniversary and we booked this tour thinking it will be fun. As we were on our way to the tour we received a call stating that our tour just started. We realized we got the time wrong by an hour. My husband told the gentleman that we were almost there and that we will talk to the office in hopes we can reschedule or something. Well a few mins later we got a call from a lady who thought yelling and cursing at us was the proper way to talk to us. We told her we understand that it was our fault for getting the time wrong but she proceeded to curse and yell at us. we asked if we can change our tour to a different day but she proceeded to yell at us. I can't tell you how the tour is, it might have been awesome but I can tell you that the costumer service needs to change. I did record our conversation right after the first F bomb at us. read more

What a great experience! I called on 10/12/19 to see if they had any availability for the following day as I didn't see the option to book for the next day. I spoke to JJ - super friendly and was willing to add a safari for the date/time I wanted even though they didn't have any other customers for that time. I also added on the lemur feeding. When we arrived, we were greeted warmly and taken on a walk around the area so see some of their caged animals and then back to say Hi to the camels. We were encouraged to pet the camels and they were very friendly. It was supposed to be a 2 hour tour starting at 3 pm - we started late as we did the walk first and not after - but JJ took us out into the pastures and the tour ended up being over 2.5 hours long. She was very knowledgeable about all of the animals and she took time to answer all our questions. We fed the llamas and the water buffalo's - what a great experience. When we returned, we had our choice of which lemurs we were going to feed. We chose the Red Ruffed Lemur to feed. They are more rare than the ring-tailed lemurs and they are also more calm. JJ showed us how to hold the grapes to get the lemurs to hold our hands. She did use our phones to take photos while we interacted with the animals. If you are in the area - I highly recommend this place. It is an amazing experience. read more

Safari Wilderness Ranch - Tours Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

It was a wonderful experience! Great idea and very friendly Emily who was helping us on the bus. The reason why I give them 2 stars is unfair business.i purchased a coupon for 4.the only additional price I had to pay is the parking, it was said on the groupon. But they charge you taxes for the coupons your purchased.i didn't want to argue there because I was treating my family.but honestly it's a joke.i use groupon very often and it was the first time somebody told me-wait, groupon doesn't charge you taxes, you have to pay it to us... Really? Than why do you charge it out of the full amount if groupon pay you only half of it. Rip off.shame guys. Only because of that i will never recommend it to my friends. Hate when people lie to customers read more

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Quite possibly the coolest place I've ever been. We visited the ranch not too long after they opened and I scheduled the tour as a surpise for my daughter who LOVES zebras. First let me say that from the reservation process through the end of the tour, I felt like an actual human being, which is totally different that dealing with any of the Disney parks. I love the fact that the park only takes reservations so when you arrive, they are ready for you and you don't spend half your day waiting in a line in the heat. I also reserved a camel ride and lemur feeding for my daughter. The surprise was kept a secret until we were pulling in and she saw the zebras. Talk about a kid smiling from ear to ear. The tour was amazing. Seeing the animals up close as they came to greet the truck was amazing. I've never been that close nor have I ever seen many of the animals there. They were gorgeous and seeing them in the lush landscaping made it even better. Many of the animals also had babies which was especially cute. There were two Austrian Haflinger horses that were so playful and reminded me of how my daughter and son wrestle all the time. Many of the pictures I captured looked very majestic, almost like the animals were aware of their beauty and allowed me to capture it. Who can say they hand fed water buffalo? We can! Who can say they say a zeedonk (cross between a donkey and zebra)? We can! The tour guides who were a vet and a zookeeper, I believe, were great. They shared their knowledge about the animals and stopped at a number of places to allow for the most up close views and best pictures. If you're looking for a place that will probably be the closest thing you'll get to an Afican or Asian safari, this is the place. And to be able to have both in one place is unheard of. read more

Safari Wilderness Ranch - My daughter watching the animals in amazement! - Tours Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Want the experience of a Safari tour without leaving Florida? If so this is your spot, visited the Safari Wilderness Ranch today and had a good time. We purchased a groupon for a safari tour for 2 and it was definitely worth it. The tour is about 2 hours long with lots to see. Our tour guide was extremely friendly and was very knowledgeable about all the animals, it was great seeing how the animals responded to her; they immediately recognized her voice when she stopped along the route. Each stop was the perfect opportunity to feed and see the animals up close and since they were friendly they would come up to you for food and petting. The only negative thing I can say is that the price for admission without any type of groupon/coupon or deal is too much for what you are getting. The tour is great but not worth $70.00 per adult. Also if it's raining, like it was when I was there, be prepared to get SOAKED. It would have been nice if they threw in a $1.00 poncho with the admission or have a better equipped vehicle for rainy days. With all this said, overall it was a good time and a different experience which I would do again and recommend to others read more

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When first going to this park, the address listed took us to a back gate. When we called the front desk, they asked for us to go another 3 miles down the road to find the true entrance. After our arrival we went through the gate to realize that they charged $7 for parking. This information would have been very helpful on any of the three calls that we made to this establishment. After checking in we get on the bus and are told we will see over 500 animals and 40 different species. We were not aware that 75 of those would be guinea pigs, 25 would be parakeets, and 50 would be antelope - already a good chunk of the animals available. They may as well just had a few of each and cut down on their overhead. Not a great business decision in my personal opinion. The customer service was probably the worst of the whole experience. We had Becca, the ranch manager, as our tour guide. While she seemed nice and friendly early on, I quickly realized her poor knowledge of the animals for fairly simple questions. Many times looking the answers up on her phone. I was under the impression that the tour guide would be extremely knowledgeable regarding the couple of different species they had on site. Apparently, the manager doesn't have a background in zoology or anything similar. One of the volunteers seemed far more knowledgeable. When we were on the bus, it began to rain and we called the 2 hour bus ride at 45 minutes. I asked if we could feed the Lemurs in lieu of finishing the tour an hour and 15 minutes early. I was told by Becca that "she doesn't think that'd be an option." Why?? It cost nothing additional for the business to allow us to feed the Lemurs. After spending almost $300 at the park for 45 minutes we will not be returning. read more

Went on the safari ride. The kids enjoyed the experience and our guide was very patient in answering their random questions. When you arrive, this place is very much so off of the beaten path. The parking lot was empty and we couldnt see any buildings so we were not sure if we were in the correct place. You take this walk back until you see a building. Many acres of animals on a bumpy bus ride. Animals are definitely up close and personal! read more

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I would avoid this place! I made a 30-mile drive from Orlando to check this place out. As expected, it was stuck out in the sticks, and when you arrive you have to be very careful, or you'll miss it. There are two signs on a very narrow road leading to the Safari. There's only enough room for one car to maneuver. After about a quarter of a mile, we came to the actual entryway of the Safari and encountered a locked gate. I made a phone call to a lady that answered the phone and asked about the park, and she said you need to have a reservation for a tour; I didn't want to do time; I just wanted to drive through, but nowhere does it mention that you needed to have a tour. Obviously, the tour hours vary, and I arrived about an hour before it was turned away. She suggested I try to turn my car around and come back later. I had the back up to the main road, which I didn't find too cool either. I feel there should've been some mention that you needed to have the tour, which I would've gladly set up, but to drive 30 miles to be turned away, I'll never go here again read more

if you book with them and cannot show up for any reason, they will take your money even if you try to cancel days before booking. paid over $500 for atv tour. got sick and live 1,000 miles away. gave over 2 day's notice. no one would pick up phone. said they are not supposed to refund or even reschedule. person screamed at me that it's all over the site. did i read it??? only called me back when i posted a negative review. be 100% sure you can go otherwise your money is gone! read more

Money well spent. A must-do when near the Tampa area, especially with kids. (The other one is Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise) JJ is extremely knowledgeable. For about two hours it was like she could talk about the animals constantly. Never felt in a hurry. Toured on a Friday morning. Upon check-in, immediately greeted with ferrets. Spent at least 30 minutes checking out the penned/domesticated animals first including some babies. So the animal experience starts right away. 7 guests in the whole truck so we could move/slide to either sides to see the animals better. My 8 year old fed the lemurs afterwards. Great experience for $20. After the "official tour" we were free to take our time and wander the grounds and see the animals in the front area some more. Never rushed. I think they had free time until the 1:00p tour starts anyway but still very accommodating of them. read more

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We arrived 30 min early as instructed by email for 1pm camel tour. We arrived the the gate which was closed. I called and a guy (supposedly the owner according to the staff) answered and said someone will be out shortly. No one came to open the gate until 1:20pm. We left 3 voicemails at 12:45pm, 1pm, and 1:15pm. The 3 staff present said calls were answered by the owner who did not txt them to tell them to open the gate. The tour was fun and informative and the animals were lovely. But letting customers wait 50 minutes outside the gate is just poor service. I hope the business does something to improve communication among the staff and be more organized. read more