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Derek Hatfield & Wikimedia photos
African Lion Safari - in Ontario
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Derek Hatfield & Wikimedia photos
African Lion Safari - in Ontario
A Bald Eagle coming in for a landing during a Birds of Prey show.
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Derek Hatfield & Wikimedia photos
African Lion Safari - in Ontario
Rhinoceros are just an example of exotic African animals that live in the park.
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Derek Hatfield & Wikimedia photos
African Lion Safari - in Ontario
A Parrot plays with guests during the Parrot show.
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Derek Hatfield & Wikimedia photos
African Lion Safari - in Ontario
Guests can get much closer to gentle animals while carnivores can only be seen from your car or a tour bus.
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Derek Hatfield & Wikimedia photos
African Lion Safari - in Ontario
Zebras in one of many reserves guests can drive through.
Story by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Derek Hatfield and Wikimedia
A Taste of the Serengeti - Go on Safari without the 16-hour flight
Your chances of seeing a big cat in the wilds of Canada are not very good. Even those who venture into the woods regularly will likely never see the elusive Cougar. The Cougar is a shy breed that very rarely shows itself to those of the two-legged species, yet ironically it is much easier to get up close and personal with the greatest of all cats, the African Lion, right here in Canada. Along with Giraffes, Zebras, Rhinoceroses, Ostriches, Cheetahs and many other African and North American species, the African Lion Safari near Cambridge, Ontario, is a little piece of the Serengeti right here in our own back yard.
Located in a rural part of Cambridge, Ontario, the African Lion Safari is about an hour from Toronto and an hour and a half from Niagara Falls. Unlike a traditional zoo where visitors wander the grounds observing animals in enclosures, the African Lion Safari is set up to allow visitors to enter the animals habitat and mingle with them in the safety of their own vehicle.
Animals You Will See
The African Lion Safari boasts a wide assortment of animals from Africa and from all over the world that includes over 1,000 exotic birds and over 100 different mammals. Birds of prey include eagles, hawks, owls, vultures and falcons as well as parrots. Animals wandering the reserves include kangaroos, antelope, monkeys, baboons, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceroses, ostriches, cheetahs, camels and of course, lions.
Farm and domestic animals such as baby goats, rabbits and squirrel monkeys can be handled and pet at the Pets' Corner.
The Attractions
The African Lion Safari has many different attractions that keep visitors entertained, so plan on spending at least three hours at the park, most likely the whole day if you plan to take in all the different shows and attractions.
The ‘Drive Through Game Reserve’ is one of the main attractions of the park that allows visitors to drive amongst the animals in the comfort of their own vehicle thanks to 9 km of roadway that meanders through seven large game reserves. These include the Nairobi Sanctuary, Simba Lion Country, Timbavati Lion Country, Wankie Bushland Trail, Rocky Ridge Veldt, Eurasia and The Americas.
This is very much at the visitors own risk as some animals, particularly the baboons, can get up close and a little too personal with windshield wipers, paint finishes and the like. If you want to keep your vehicle tiptop, the park also has a tour bus that will navigate you through each reserve at an extra cost.
Several animal performances are scheduled daily, which include parrot displays and birds of prey performances. Here you will see hawks, eagles, owls, vultures and falcons soar above your head while a park guide teaches you about their unique flying styles and their role as predators in nature.
The parks pachyderms are led out daily for the “Elephant Swim,” where a herd of asian elephants will take a cool down bath in a large pond next to observation areas.
Want to get on the water yourself, the African Queen boat cruise piloted by one of the parks guides will navigate the Safari’s large water complex, pointing out exotic primates including the ring-tailed lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and spider monkeys that reside on the islands.
If water is not your thing, the “Nature Boy” scenic railway travels through an area inhabited by exotic species from around the world and many wild animals and birds native to southern Ontario. This historic train is pulled throughout the 16-hectare reserve by a miniature replica of an 1863 C.P. Huntington Steam engine.
While most of the reserves are spectated from behind the confines of some sort of vehicle, Pets’ Corner is a welcome hands on experience for kids to come face to face with gentler animals.
Once you’ve had enough of the animals, the Misumu Bay Wet Play is an impressive water park to let the kids burn off what little energy they may have left and let parents get a refresh.
Cost and Time To Go
The park is open on May 2nd, 2015 and will be in operation until September 20th. Operating hours are from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm weekdays, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends in the Spring. Between June 27th and September 7th, park hours are from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm daily, falling back to 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily in the fall.
Admission rates range from $29.95/adult, $21.95/child in the spring and fall with a peak season rate of $33.95/adult, $25.95/child in the Summer.
Tips for Visiting
Driving your own vehicle around the animal reserves is at your own risk. Baboons have been known to jump on and scratch cars, pull at antennas or remove windshield wipers. Take the Safari Bus if you are concerned about your car being damaged.
If you decide to drive your own vehicle, you have the option of a monkey-free route; monkeys tend to be the biggest car hazard.
Just because the weather may not be ideal, doesn’t mean you should cancel a trip to the park. Slightly rainy days are actually good days to visit as there are fewer visitors and the animals are more active than on very hot, humid days.
Click here to watch a behind the scenes video of African Lion Safari.