Safari Wilderness - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Safari Wilderness
Safari Wilderness
5
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
About
Tours daily BY RESERVATION ONLY. Have you ever dreamed of going on an authentic safari? At Safari Wilderness, you will enjoy fresh air year-round as enormous birds soar overhead. Our knowledgeable and experienced guides will tour you through 260 acres, interacting with huge herds of wetland exotic species, Watusi cattle, and Haflinger horses in custom safari vehicles, fitted with shade canopies and stadium seating. Or book a camelback or horseback game viewing safari tour. A llama trek is also available. Indulge your senses in a ring-tailed lemur feeding. Safari Wilderness is a Florida agritourism project. Located 6 mi. north of I-4 between Orlando and Tampa in an expansive and pristine wilderness area.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
4 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
  • Todd H
    Tampa, Florida2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Experience!
    My wife and I recently visited the park and took the guided tour with Art. He was knowledgeable, personable and funny. We’ve been recommending the trip to family and friends. Art also mentioned the overnight glamping stay, which we’re eager to try. Thanks again, Art!
    Visited April 2023
    Written May 8, 2023
  • lindsaynbrownlb
    Morehead, Kentucky1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Custom vehicle tour worth the price!
    So much fun! We did the custom vehicle tour with our 3 year old and all of us had a blast! We had JJ as our guide and she was excellent, very funny and informative. The animals all came running as soon as they saw the vehicle and feeding them was a lot of fun. Definitely recommend.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written June 1, 2023
  • Jackie
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent tour
    I brought my 11 and 13 year old grandchildren and they absolutely loved it. They couldn’t stop talking about the animals and feeding them from the safety of the safari vehicle. I highly recommend it.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written June 9, 2023
  • Pamsutton
    Lakeland, Florida1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Really fun, lemurs were our favorite
    We live 15 minutes from this attraction but haven’t gone due to some of the bad reviews. IGNORE those. This was a really fun excursion. The guide took the Safari bus right up to the animals so we could feed them. The ostriches added excitement and drama by stalking the safari bus trying to peck us. The guide was knowledgeable about the animals. The animals appeared to be well cared for and plenty of space to roam. We paid extra to feed the lemurs which was the highlight. This attraction isn’t fancy like Disney but we felt it was worth it. Cons: The gift shop was really nice but the price of the t-shirts was too much. The guide’s phone kept going on off with an annoying ringtone like a weather alert alarm.
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 17, 2023
  • vincentmusgrove
    The Villages, Florida1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So much to see. Well worth it.
    Took the whole multi-generational extended family and had a blast. We saw so many wild animals up really close. We highly recommend hand feeding the lemurs addon. They are so cute and adorable!
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 5, 2023
  • 7SE128
    Longwood, Florida39 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun Experience!
    We were surprised at the number of animals we saw, but the most fun part was being able to feed some of them! And being able to touch some on the head; you'd never get that chance at a zoo. It was very safe, extremely educational and a fun time. It was very hot when we went (on their vehicle) but as long as we were moving it wasn't terrible. I don't think you'd get the same experience if you self-drive. I wish I would have had wipes for my hands after getting slobber on them, but it was part of the experience. Take a few bottles of water if it's hot out.
    Visited July 2023
    Written July 19, 2023
  • d c
    Topeka, Kansas5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent wildlife "safari"
    My daughter, 2 grandchildren (ages 9 and 10) and I rode the narrated "bus". Our day was rainy so we did get wet although the bus is covered with a canvas roof. There were 5 other people on the bus with us so it was not crowded at all. We had alot of wild animal contact, fed many animals, had excellent narration that was very informative and entertaining. When we saw the prices I was skeptical but I was totally surprised and now I'm a true supporter of this business. I plan on taking my husband on one of their safari's. I highly recommend this!!!
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 30, 2023
  • Caroline B.
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lots of Animals!
    We went first thing in the morning and many animals were active. Some come right up to the truck and you can feed them the snacks the driver supplies. We were the only people on our tour, although the truck could hold about a dozen -- apparently the other customers booked afternoon tours. It was a good time!
    Visited August 2023
    Written August 20, 2023
  • Norma C
    Indianapolis, Indiana27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome fun
    Spent 2 hours at Safari Wilderness and had a great time even though it rained. Art was our very knowledgeable guide. Went with 4 adults and 2 kids (4 & 7). We all fed Water buffalo, deer, camels, & warthogs just to mention a few. This is a pricey experience but worth it. I would suggest wearing clothing and shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. And get ready to get animal saliva on your hands! And take cash for tips! Have fun!!!
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 22, 2023
  • Amy L
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Repeat Customer!
    This is a fun, fascinating two hour tour. This is our second time there and I know we will be back. It’s a great place to share with family and friends. Our tour guide, JJ, was so enthusiastic and entertaining that the time went by very quickly. You can tell they love the animals there, which is also so very important. Top notch place.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written September 18, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,039 reviews
Excellent
874
Very good
118
Average
27
Poor
11
Terrible
10

NHhoya
Concord, New Hampshire34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
I was looking for something fun to do with my family while visiting my 97-year old mother in Lakeland. She said she was up for a safari so we drove a few miles and escaped to another world. For two hours we were treated to a unique experience with scores of exotic animals roaming free in a unique habitat on a ranch near The Green Swamp. Our tour guide for what turned into a personal tour for a family of four was JJ, who was wonderful! She shared her passion and vast knowledge of the animals while maneuvering the bus to get the best possible looks at every location and stop. My mother fed several animals right from her seat. The customized vehicle safari is not cheap but we found it memorable and well worth it!
Written June 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

reneelc2016
Springifled54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
I wasn't going to go at first but am glad that I did. I REALLY enjoyed it and being up close and personal to the animals and Art's (I think that was his name) knowledge of them was very helpful and what the farm does to preserve these animals and give them a natural habitat was wonderful. It was also fun to feed and pet those animals we were allowed to and the different textures of their fur/coats. Was surprised how aggressive the Ostriches were though since I'd never seen them that aggressive before. I would highly recommend this adventure and they also have a "car drive through and an ATV one" if you would rather be w/just family and a tour guide. The bus/truck spaced everyone out just fine and you could go to either side to get pictures or feed the animals.
Written April 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rebecca D
St. Augustine, FL3 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
I had been planning a visit to my best friend in Lakeland for a year. I had called and left multiple voice mails at least once each month during this time as well as multiple emails, messages through facebook and through their website contact system. Often, the voice mail box was full so I would use alternate means of communication. My friend and I are very athletic and wanted to kayak in the morning, then take the camel ride tour in the afternoon. The one time I was able to speak to Jason, he assured me that we would be able to ride camels "no matter what." After speaking with him, I attempted to contact them again to confirm multiple times without success. When we arrived, we were told that there would be no camel ride, and that I had been informed of that. I assured them that I had not been informed of that at all and was very disappointed.
Since we had spent so much money, we decided to make the best of it and go about what was available. I was repeatedly insulted. I was informed that I would not have been able to handle kayaking followed by a ride in the Florida heat. The kayaking was a sad joke. I am a native Floridian and regularly kayak for over an hour, ride horses for over an hour, and then walk 5 miles in one Floridian summer day. To tell me what I can and can't handle was infuriating. I do not recommend the kayaking to anyone regardless of level. It was like kayaking in a ditch they had dug out with bulldozers in a figure 8.
If you want to enjoy this attraction, please sign up for the least expensive option since it isn't really worth what they are charging. If you can just do the self guided tour in your own vehicle, do that. Do not pay for extra buckets of food to feed the animals as this is wasted money. If you ride the big truck for the tour, one bucket of food is provided, and you won't even get to empty that one bucket. I paid for two extra buckets of food for no reason at all. Paying for anything extra is a waste. Since there are no refunds regardless of what happens, I knew not to ask about how much I spent or point out the excessive waste and false advertising. Be warned. It doesn't matter how many times they list camel rides, or even if they tell you you will be able to ride. There is no opportunity to ride the camels at all. The other tours are not worth the expense. At the price they are asking, you might as well go to Disney's Animal Kingdom!
Written August 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Debbie W
Maryland3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
We scheduled a trip to Safari Wilderness a couple days before our trip to Lakeland, FL and were excited that we were able to arrange to hand feed the lemurs while there. The trip started on time and the safari was great fun, despite the rain that happened during the safari. We got a bit wet, but no one seemed to mind too much. If (when) I visit again, I will bring a jacket to keep from getting so wet when or if a rain storm hits. There was a wide range of wildlife. Art was extremely knowledgeable about the animals and answered every question that was asked. Many of the animals came right up to the vehicle we were in. We were able to feed and touch some of the animals on the safari, but not all. We enjoyed feeding all the animals, but in my opinion, the chance to get up close and feed the lemurs was the best part. My daughter and I had a blast. Look forward to going back the next time we are in Florida.
Written June 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mommy of 3
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Family
The brochure looked amazing so we decided to book the tour for 4 people. The price is extremely high—we paid about $600 for our tour. We got there about 20 minutes before our tour. there was a huge gate that wasn’t open until 15 minutes before our tour began. the road was so small that you couldn’t turn around even if you wanted to. Finally, we were allowed into the property. The guide led the 7 car procession to a patch of grass and then told us to walk to the building using a wooden dock-like path. if you have mobility issues, that’s a problem. Finally we get to the house (we could have driven there—I don’t know why they made us walk through the swamps to check in. One lady had part of her group missing since one of the member had a medical emergency. she asked if she could have a partial refund and they told her no because they have a no cancel, no rebooking policy. not ok. When you think of a safari, you think wild animals. Most of the animals at the safari was cows, horses, Guinea Pigs, and some wild animals. You have to pay for all of the experiences. It was nice to feed the animals but for the price, it wasn’t worth it—not $600 worth. Maybe worth $120 at most. After all, you are sharing an open school bus with everyone else. You share the food bucket with others. Most of the time, you are waiting on the bus driver to open and close the gates in between the areas. The poor cheetahs are in a small area. They have some camels, warthogs, lemurs, and birds but they are all in small areas. Kids liked it but again, it wasn’t worth the $600 we paid.
Written March 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Goron08
Columbus, OH5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020
This was by far one of the best experiences I have experienced. It's a bit pricey, but it is totally worth it. Our tour guide Art was VERY knowledgeable about all of the animals and was patient with questions. He made sure we had plenty of time with the animals and is an excellent tour guide. There was a wide variety of exotic animals that we were able to feed from the tour bus. I also paid to feed the Lemurs and wow what a cool experience! Definitely would recommend if you are visiting Florida.
Written December 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

cnspsu413
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
The tour was awesome and everything I was expecting! I enjoyed being on the jeep just my fiance and I. The tour guide was very educational and we learned so much throughout the morning. We had many chances to feed the animals and that was a really great experience as well! After the tour ride we were able to go down and see the camels, pet them, feed them, and take pictures with them. After that, I had went to feed the lemurs. I absolutely loved that! They were so gentle and the tour guide explained everything just as they would act and what I should do when feeding them. I would of loved to of kept feeding them! Overall we had a wonderful experience and we will be visiting every time we stay close! :)
Written October 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hilljs7
Orlando, FL51 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
We took the ATV tour and had a blast. Up close and personal with the animals was a memorable experience and we have tons of beautiful photographs. Our guide was so knowledgeable and patient with us, answered all our questions and didn't rush us despite our many photo ops. We were provided a bag of feed pellets and most of the animals enjoy these (except the Zebras can't digest them). Many of the animals ate them right our of our hands! The ATV is the best way to experience this park. With all that said, definitely be realistic when you book this. It is extremely expensive and it seems there are no refunds, so winter/spring is the best time to go when it is not rainy and not too hot. For the money I think the parking fee is really ridiculous and they could also provide bottles of water for while you are out. But I get that this is a very expensive venture to upkeep. Overall if you are will to fork out the money, it is worth the experience.
Written April 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bmjsims
Naples, FL1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Family
I love Disney and Lion Country Safari is really neat, but we enjoyed this safari even more! JJ, our guide, was very knowledgeable and friendly and the animals came right up to the vehicle when they heard her voice! We fed water buffalo, llamas, camels, and zedonkeys! We also added the lemurs and coati encounters. The coati crawled all over me and the lemurs were so gentle and their little paws had soft padding! I brought my camera with the larger lens for the farther away animals and used my cell phone for the close ones. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating, even answering every question my 10-year old daughter had. Given what we've spent at Disney, this was money very well spent!
Written October 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Susan G
Sebastian, FL118 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Family
Visited Safari Wilderness with my 17 and 23 year old daughters. We were the only guests so it was almost like a private tour. The safari truck ride was exactly what we expected bumpy and rough but it was part of the fun. We loved being able to see all of the exotic hoof stock and to feed some of them. We really enjoyed meeting the three camels and the Red Ruffed lemurs. Our guide, Art, was informative. We could tell that he truly cares for the animals. The reason for the 4 instead of 5 was because it was an extremely expensive couple of hours so it was definitely a once in a lifetime event.
Written January 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

…
Showing results 1-10 of 1,035
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Safari Wilderness - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Safari Wilderness

Safari Wilderness is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 AM



All Lakeland HotelsLakeland Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Lakeland
All things to do in Lakeland
Day Trips in Lakeland
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars
© 2024 Tripadvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.