giraffe safari tampa

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Giraffe Ranch

• 38650 Mickler Rd, Dade City, FL 33523
• (813) 482-3400

One of Tampa Bay's top 10 attractions according to Fodor's,  Giraffe Ranch   is located in beautiful east Pasco County, just 45 minutes north of Tampa. Situated on 47 acres of rolling countryside adjoining Florida’s second largest wilderness area, the Green Swamp, this native wildlife preserve offers animals room to roam among towering live oaks, native orchids, lush pastures and ephemeral wetlands.

Giraffe Ranch provides up-close animal encounters in a small group setting. Four safari options are available: the signature vehicle safari experience, the camelback expedition, the Segway Safari and the Llama Trek. Add-on experiences include a mini camelback expedition, a mini Segway Safari and lemur, otter, rhino and bongo feedings. Tours are available daily by reservation only.

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Giraffe Ranch

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Giraffe Ranch - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (6.78 mi) Hampton Inn Dade City - Zephyrhills
• (6.55 mi) Hampton Inn Brooksville Dade City
• (6.21 mi) Microtel Inn & Suites By Wyndham Brooksville
• (1.64 mi) ★Cabin Trails★ Garden & Hiking Trail ★The Little Foot Trail❤️
• (2.21 mi) Sawmill Camping Resort
• (5.46 mi) Steph's Southern Soul Restaurant
• (5.75 mi) Kafe Kokopelli
• (1.43 mi) King's Wok
• (9.70 mi) Pancho's Villa Mexican Restaurant
• (9.23 mi) Papa Joes Italian Restaurant

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Giraffe Ranch Farm Tours

• 38650 Mickler Rd. Dade City, FL 33523
• (813) 482-3400

Giraffe Ranch

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

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 waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

Giraffe Ranch - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (10.84 km) Hampton Inn Dade City - Zephyrhills
• (10.48 km) Hampton Inn Brooksville Dade City
• (9.94 km) Microtel Inn & Suites By Wyndham Brooksville
• (2.63 km) ★Cabin Trails★ Garden & Hiking Trail ★The Little Foot Trail❤️
• (3.54 km) Sawmill Camping Resort
• (8.73 km) Steph's Southern Soul Restaurant
• (9.21 km) Kafe Kokopelli
• (2.28 km) King's Wok
• (15.51 km) Pancho's Villa Mexican Restaurant
• (14.76 km) Papa Joes Italian Restaurant

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3 Places to Have an Animal Adventure in Tampa Bay

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a lion fed a giraffe had face time with a tiger you can do all that and more this summer — without ever leaving the tampa bay area..

Giraffe Ranch 38650 Mickler Road, Dade City GiraffeRanch.com

Home to families of giraffes, zebras and ostriches, the 47-acre Giraffe Ranch also has plenty of room to roam for many animals that are endangered or extinct in the wild, like the Indian rhinoceros, Père David’s deer, dama gazelle and scimitar horned oryx. You can hand-feed otters, lemurs and, of course, giraffes, get close to a rhinoceros, pet a camel or tortoise and hike alongside a llama, all while accompanied by knowledgeable guides. Tours are held twice daily by Segway or covered safari vehicles.

Big Cat Rescue 12802 Easy St., Tampa BigCatRescue.org

Big Cat Rescue is one of the largest accredited sanctuaries in the world dedicated to the care of big cats. They have been rescuing exotic cats since 1992 and are currently home to about 80 lions, tigers, bobcats, cougars and other species, most of whom were abandoned, abused or orphaned. If you want a truly personal experience, take the Private Photo Tour, where you can spend more time with your favorite feline in order to get the purrrfect photo or video. Big Cat Rescue also offers quarterly night tours, where guests have just a flashlight and their guide as they pass each cat enclosure.

Safari Wilderness 10850 Moore Road, Lakeland SafariWilderness.com

Ranked one of the top 10 best safaris in America by Fodor’s Travel , you might think you’ve been transported to the Okavango Delta in Botswana when you see a herd of red lechwe, zebras and other exotic game running across the open expanse of the 260-acre ranch. Visitors can kayak to a private island of lemurs, ride a camel or cruise along the park in a customized vehicle. Take the summertime-only Sunset Safari and you’ll be rewarded with cooler temperatures and more active animals; you’ll also get to end your evening in a treehouse with a 360-degree view of the property as the sun begins to set.

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SAFARI WILDERNESS RANCH

Wild animal safari in lakeland, florida.

Looking for the perfect gift? Gift Cards are now available – click to buy now!

CHOOSE A LAKELAND SAFARI TOUR

• Clock 1 Hour
• Users All Ages

Drive-Thru Safari Tour

Explore our 260 acre ranch from the comfort of your own vehicle! Explore our exotic animal reserve while maintaining social distancing. Get out in nature, relax, learn about, and interact with a variety magnificent wild animals in a safe environment. Optional add-ons available. Book online!

Our guides work rain or shine; tips are appreciated.

• Our best and most exciting tour!
• Clock 2.5 Hours

Custom Vehicle Safari Tour

Join us on Florida’s premier open air vehicle safari wilderness tour! Each of our customized safari trucks is equipped with stadium seating and a full-coverage canvas shade. Riders will have the opportunity to feed the animals from the Safari Truck. Optional add-ons available. Book online now!

• Clock 1-6 Nights

Safari Glamping

One of the most amazing things about an African Safari is sleeping in the bush! We host a few special people per night in beautifully appointed safari tents on the property. Continental breakfast is included. Pricing is based on double occupancy.

• Clock 1.5 Hours
• Users Ages 16+

ATV Safari Tour

Explore the Safari Wilderness Ranch by ATV! Get a sense of freedom and exhilaration while viewing hundreds animals in natural herds over vast landscapes. Led by an experienced naturalist guide through our 260 acre ranch. Optional add-ons available. Book online now!

• Clock 2 Hours
• Users Ages 3+

Camel Safari Tour

Explore the Safari Wilderness Ranch on a unique, guided camel-back safari tour! Rediscover the experiences our human ancestors had with these magnificent animals, viewing magnificent herds of animals from your camel-back perch. Optional add-ons available. Book online!

• Users Ages 5+

Kayak Safari Tour

Navigate through our freshwater areas by kayak and enjoy spectacular, up-close encounters with our wetland species such as common and Defassa waterbuck, red lechwe, and more! Optional add-ons available. Book online!

• Clock 10-15 Minutes

Feed Ring-Tailed Lemurs

Come learn about lemur social behaviors, what makes them primates like us, and why they are in danger of extinction. This activity is very exclusive and limited to a few participants per day.

ABOUT SAFARI WILDERNESS RANCH

Safari Wilderness Ranch is not a zoo or theme park. There are no crowds and no lines. Here you will enjoy an adventure in nature. Our knowledgeable and experienced guides will tour you through large herds of exotic animals and over 260 acres of pristine wilderness in custom safari vehicles. You can also try our drive-thru tour option and explore from the comfort of your own vehicle!

If you prefer a more adventurous mode of transport, you can view our wild animals with a guide by camelback, ATV, or kayak. We also offer exclusive animal encounters with ring-tailed lemurs and guinea pigs!

Safari Wilderness Ranch is conveniently located six miles north of I-4 between Orlando and Tampa, surrounded by Florida’s Green Swamp, in an expansive and exclusive wilderness area.

Join us on an exclusive, fun and educational safari journey where you will learn about Florida’s natural and human history, our conservation programs, and encounter amazing animals that are endangered or extinct in the wild. Book your Lakeland safari at Safari Wilderness Ranch today! 

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAFARI WILDERNESS RANCH

ANIMAL EXPERIENCES 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

PHOTO GALLERY

ABOUT SAFARI WILDERNESS

DIRECTIONS & MAPS

RESERVATION POLICIES

Video credit to Mike Kubler

RATED THE #1 OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA!

Our tour guide, was great! He was knowledgeable and funny. Awesome assortment of animals from antelope to zebra and many in between. We got to feed many of the animals which was interesting and fun. Great opportunity to take close up pictures of the animals. Our daughter also enjoyed feeding the lemurs. It's a fun way to spend a few hours!

The safari was exciting from the beginning to the end. We enjoyed feeding the camels the most. Seeing the ostrich and the huge eggs they lay was amazing. The cheetah was breathtaking. Although the water buffaloes were huge, they were quite gentle and easy to feed. Our tour guide Jan was very knowledgeable. I look forward to doing this again!

Our Safari ride was enjoyable and very informative. Our guide, Art, was extraordinarily knowledgeable about all of the animals we saw. My grand children and I really enjoyed being able to feed many of the animals. It was a wonderful experience and I am telling all of my friends that it is a wonderful place to take their grand children.

We loved this tour. Definitely a hidden gem in central Florida. J.J was friendly and knowledgeable and my 90 year-old father-in-law was able to sit comfortably in the shaded open-air vehicle and enjoy every aspect of the tour. If you're able, feed the Lemurs! It's an optional add-on activity but lots of fun. Would recommend this place to anyone!

JJ, our guide, was so knowledgeable about the animals. We were able to feed many treats to the animals as we travelled along on the open air (but covered) safari bus, which was great for interacting and viewing the animals. It was our favorite part of our vacation! Would definitely come here again. Lots of fun for people of all ages.

Feed giraffes on Serengeti Safari adventure in Tampa

by: Lila Gross

Posted: Apr 30, 2018 / 10:17 AM EDT

Updated: Jun 11, 2018 / 12:22 PM EDT

Get up close and personal with wildlife for an experience the whole family will enjoy. 

The best part is, you’ll even get to feed a giraffe some lettuce and give them a rub down. 

For just $30 bucks a person, you can learn all about Busch Gardens conservation efforts from a personal guide.

Experts at Busch Gardens said they hope these adventures encourage kids to help preserve the planet and help these animals in danger. 

Social media reporter Lila Gross explains more on News Channel 8 Today on Great 38 between 8-9 a.m. in the video above.

  FEED A GIRAFFE IN TAMPA BAY! 🦒🌴 At @buschgardens Serengeti Safari you can get up close and personal with some incredible wildlife. You’ll even learn about conservation efforts all for a very reasonable price! • • • • • #tampabay #florida #hotspots #trendy #explore #adventure #giraffe #buschgardens #animals #wildlife #tampa A post shared by WFLA News Channel 8 (@wfla) on Apr 30, 2018 at 5:40am PDT

>>  MORE T RENDING TOPICS

Stay with WFLA News Channel 8’s Lila Gross for the latest trending news straight from social media

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Busch Gardens Opens Giraffe Bar at Serengeti Overlook

TAMPA, Fla. – A new bar at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay offers visitors more than just a drink and a bite to eat, it will also offers panoramic views of the park’s Serengeti Plain.

What You Need To Know

New giraffe bar opens at busch gardens the bar is located at serengeti overlook drink menu features cocktails, beers; food menu available also visitors can also get a view of the park's serengeti plain.

​The Giraffe Bar, located at Serengeti Overlook, features a curated drink menu of cocktails, beers and frozen drinks. The drinks have themed names like The Hungry Tusker, The Posh Puffin and The Serengeti Sunrise. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available, including fountain drinks and juices.

A chef-curated menu of shareable bites is also available. Food items include smoked beef brisket mac and cheese, bourbon-glazed sticky wings, smoked brisket loaded fries and loaded hummus. There’s also a large giraffe-shaped soft pretzel served with house-made beer cheese.

In addition to drinks, the Giraffe Bar has a food menu of shareable bites like bourbon-glazed wings, brisket mac and cheese and vegetarian offerings like hummus. pic.twitter.com/WPt2KhRudP — Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) March 26, 2021

One big highlight of Giraffe Bar is its picturesque view. As visitors eat and drink, they can watch giraffes, zebras and other animals on the Serengeti Plain. For a closer encounter, visitors can book one of Busch Gardens’ safari tours, which will let you feed a giraffe.

Giraffe Bar will also offer plenty of space for social distancing, with both indoor and outdoor seating available.

Also inside Serengeti Overlook, visitors will find the redesigned Oasis Pizza, which serves handmade pizza, chicken tenders, fresh salads and fresh baked goods. Another dining option, Treetop Kitchen, will be opening soon.

With the pandemic still ongoing, Busch Gardens has a number of health and safety measures in place. In addition to social distancing, the park also has face mask requirements, temperature screenings and capacity limits.

For more information, visit buschgardens.com/tampa .

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Masai Giraffe

Masai giraffes are typically rather social animals oftentimes living in herd of 10 to 20 individuals. These groups are typically pretty loose as any ages and genders can join at any time. However, they usually consist of females and their calves. During the day, giraffes remain in a standing position and you can usually find them upright even when they sleeping, which they only do a few hours each night. They spend a lot of time eating by utilizing their 18 inch long prehensile tongue, which they use to wrap around branches to remove food. As ruminants, they regurgitate and rechew their food several times throughout the day.

Baby giraffes are very social and will often hangout and play in small groups called crèches. Males will use their long necks to hit their head into other males’ bodies when asserting dominance. These fights are called spars, which can range from gentle play fights to aggressive ones over a female.

The different species of giraffe can be told apart based on the shape and color of their spots.

Conservation Rating:

Natural habitat.

Savanna, woodlands, or grasslands

Height: 17 ft (male), 14 ft (female)

Weight: 2,600 lbs (male), 1,800 lbs (female)

25 years in the wild

A females gives birth to 1 calf after 15 months of gestation

Diet Details

Leaves from Acacia and Combretum trees but also other leaves, flowers, seed pods, and fruits

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Outside Food & Drinks Policy

ZooTampa at Lowry Park offers a variety of delicious food for guests at several restaurants and concession stands throughout, but we understand that guests may need to bring outside food for special dietary needs. Acceptable and prohibited food items are listed below. For the convenience of our guests, there is a picnic area located outside the park near the main parking lot.

 Acceptable Items

• Bottled water (max 20oz bottle, sealed) one per guest
• Small snacks for young children
• Baby food/baby formula
• Soft-sided insulated bags no larger than 8.5” wide x 6” high x 6” deep (limit one per child)
• Pre-purchased empty ZooTampa souvenir cups
• Any food required for medical purposes and medically-indicated nutritional supplements

 Prohibited Items

• Prepared or packaged food or meals
• Glass or any open containers or water bottles filled with beverages
• Hard-sided coolers of any size
• Soft-sided coolers larger than 8.5” wide x 6” high x 6” deep
• Suitcases and soft-sided bags with wheels larger than 24” long x 15” wide x 18” high

Prohibited Items

For the safety of our animals, guests and employees, the following items are not permitted to be brought into ZooTampa:

• Any type of explosive or weapon 
• Knives or other sharp objects
• Pepper spray
• Alcoholic beverages
• Illegal drugs
• Clothing likely to create a danger or disturbance
• Any hazardous items or materials

The following items are also prohibited to avoid blocking of walkways and/or trip hazards:

• Hover boards
• Two-wheeled scooters
• Self-balancing electric vehicles
• Shoes with wheels

Please leave any unnecessary articles secured within your vehicle to expedite your entry into the park.

We reserve the right to deny entry to anyone not observing Zoo Rules.

Pay For A Day Tickets

With a new Pay For A Day, Rest of Year Free ticket – for a limited time – you get unlimited admission through December 31,  2024  including access to our seasonal event series. Some blockout dates apply — see below for details. Not valid with any other discounts.

When does my Pay For A Day ticket expire?

Pay for a Day Get the Rest of the Year Free tickets purchased in October, November, or December of 2023, are valid from the day of purchase until 12/31/2024. Any Pay For a Day Get the Rest of the Year Free tickets purchased prior to October 1, 2023 expire on 12/31/2023.

What are the blockout dates?

11/24/23 – 11/26/23 12/26/23 – 12/31/23 3/9/24 – 3/17/24 11/24/24 – 11/26/24 12/26/24 – 12/31/24

Blockout dates apply to admission before 4:00 PM on the above dates.

Can I purchase a Pay For A Day ticket on a blockout date?

Yes! You can purchase a Pay for a Day, Rest of Year Free ticket for first-time use on a listed blockout date and have full access to the park on that day. Blockout dates apply to repeat visitation.

• During blockout periods, Pay For A Day ticket holders have access to significantly discounted single-day tickets.*
• For a limited time from the date of purchase, Pay For A Day tickets can be upgraded to a Zoo Membership (with no blockout dates).

Wild Florida Safari Drive Through Park

Buckle up for your wildest car ride yet! Travel down gravel paths of Wild Florida for a Drive-thru Safari Park and discover more than 100 native and exotic animals roaming freely . During your journey, you’ll have the opportunity to observe a variety of animals often only found around the world.

Enjoy identifying species from as far away as the African savanna to others from the deciduous forests of North America, all from the comfort of your own car. You’ll also be able to experience our Everglades airboat tours as it provides a unique way of seeing Florida’s native wildlife and foliage up close.

Inside their drive-through wildlife park, you can meet, greet and feed giraffes on their elevated giraffe feeding platform. (Talk about the perfect Facebook profile picture!)

After you’ve had your “four-wheel-fun” inside our drive-through animal park, stretch those legs inside out

• Gator Park . Admission to our Gator Park is included in the price of our Drive-thru Safari Park tickets and allows your family to view more than 200 additional animals, as well as enjoy a variety of educational animal shows.
• Meet Crusher , their biggest American alligator (weighing just over 1,000 pounds). During the Crusher Show, you’ll learn more about American alligators and how Crusher stands out from the congregation.

Whether you’re a Florida resident or just visiting the Sunshine State, our wildlife safari park will give everyone in your family the opportunity to explore their wild side.

Tickets: Make sure to get your tickets in advance as they tend to fill up on the weekend.

Florida resident? Check out their deals page to take advantage of exclusive discounts.

Florida Resident Deals on website

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Contact Info

• 3301 Lake Cypress Road
• Phone Number: 407-957-3135

Chiropractor works on giraffe, is nuzzled: ‘Giraffes are just giant dogs?’

When you’re a chiropractor and you get a call about a 16-foot giraffe that might need help, you jump in your car.

That’s how Oklahoma chiropractor Joren Whitley ended up driving about two hours to a ranch in Ardmore, Okla., to examine Gerry the giraffe and give him an adjustment.

Whitley, who recorded himself and Gerry during the exam, assessed Gerry’s neck and jaw because the giraffe’s owner said he had been chewing oddly, though did not seem to be in pain. Whitley applied pressure in spots around Gerry’s jaw and neck to help restore motion to his joints.

“His jaw was not moving to the left,” Whitley says in the video as he works on Gerry.

What happened next might be why three quick videos Whitley posted on TikTok of the exam have been watched collectively more than 48 million times: Gerry leaned over and nuzzled Whitley, seemingly thanking him.

“So let me get this straight … giraffes are just giant dogs??” one person commented.

“A giraffe snuggle would heal me,” wrote another on a video from the March 21 exam.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Whitley explained: “Gerry’s jaw had great range of motion moving one direction, but it did not have the same range of motion on the other side.”

He said he also found minor problems in Gerry’s upper and lower neck, which he addressed.

“Working on a giraffe’s neck is a chiropractor’s dream,” Whitley said. “It’s the longest neck in the world.”

Gerry’s owner, Missy Nowell, a longhorn cattle rancher, said the adjustments appear to have worked because he is chewing normally again.

“I would describe it as an immediate positive response,” she said.

Two other videos from Whitley’s March 21 visit have more than 25 million combined views.

Nowell joked that Gerry is in fact a 2,500-pound dog. School groups often take field trips to see him.

“Gerry loves everybody — he’s a dog in a very large body,” she said.

“The only time he has an issue is if you’re not paying him any attention,” Nowell said.

Whitley said he appreciated Gerry’s reaction to the adjustments.

“When I made the adjustments, he rubbed his head all over me like ‘You’re my best friend,’” he said.

People on TikTok were charmed by the unusual sight, and many asked how they could get a job working on a giraffe.

“Giraffe chiropractor was not an option at career day,” someone commented.

“Okay … well now I need to know how to get this job. I never knew how badly I wanted to be thanked by a giraffe,” another person wrote.

For Whitley, 34, helping long-necked creatures seemed like a natural progression after working on horses, dogs , cats , skunks, chickens, snakes and bats. In seven years as a chiropractor for both humans and animals , he said he’s treated three other giraffes.

Nowell met Whitley at a giraffe conservancy gathering last year, and reached out to him when she noticed Gerry’s chewing was off.

She purchased Gerry five years ago from a Texas wildlife safari park when Gerry was two months old after his mother had rejected him, she said. Giraffes in the wild generally stay with their young for more than a year .

Nowell had a barn and enclosure built for Gerry and she fed him with a bottle for his first two years. “He’s now spoiled rotten,” she said.

In Oklahoma , it is legal to own a giraffe, though in some other states , it is illegal to keep them .

In Africa, where their populations are under threat by drought and human conflict , there are an estimated 117,000 giraffes left in the wild .

Nowell also has a zebra and three camels, including one named Chloe that is good friends with Gerry. She bought the animals, she said, because she enjoys caring for them and learning about them.

She said she has taken classes and attended seminars held by zoos and giraffe conservancy groups to educate herself about the world’s tallest creatures.

Whitley, who graduated in 2016 from Parker University in Dallas with a chiropractic doctoral degree, now has a clinic that treats people on one side and animals on the other.

“It’s not very common, but I had this desire to help both,” he said. “A human can say, ‘I have this problem — this is what hurts,’ but an animal can’t.”

He said he set up his practice in Oklahoma because the state’s laws aren’t as restrictive regarding chiropractors treating animals.

Licensed chiropractic physicians in the state can treat animals with a referral from a veterinarian , while those who are certified by the Oklahoma Board of Chiropractic Examiners like Whitley don’t need referrals to work on animals.

Chiropractic therapy has long been controversial, with the American Medical Association forming a Committee on Quackery in the 1960s in an attempt to eliminate chiropractic services.

A lawsuit against the AMA resulted in a win for chiropractors in 1990, but the debate continues, with some doctors asserting that chiropractic therapy is unsafe and isn’t based on solid science . About 35 million Americans visit chiropractors every year, according to a recent study .

Whitley said that when he is confronted by skeptics, he enjoys talking about his work.

“When someone brings their dog in, they often tell me it’s their last hope,” he said.

He tells them that adjustments made to a pet’s spinal column, joints and other vertebrae can help alleviate pain and allow the animal more movement.

While he has treated football players and ballet dancers in Oklahoma, it’s his animal care — including an appointment to examine a chicken — that draws the most attention.

Whitley first worked on a giraffe in 2022 when an animal conservationist invited him to come to South Africa for three weeks to share his experiences with veterinary students.

“They were relocating some wild animals to other wilderness areas, and while they were under sedation, I had the opportunity to check them,” Whitley said, adding that he made joint adjustments to a Cape buffalo with a hip problem, as well as the neck of a giraffe.

Back home, Whitley has been called to help animals at the Oklahoma City Zoo several times, he said, including a bear, a chimpanzee and an African lioness named Tia.

“Tia was a geriatric animal and had a debilitating spinal condition that was causing loss of mobility in her back legs,” said the zoo’s chief animal program officer, Jennifer D’Agostino.

“Dr. Whitley performed an adjustment on Tia and we were thrilled that the treatment provided her some temporary relief,” said D’Agostino, adding that the lion was ultimately euthanized due to the progression of her disease.

With large animals that are not sedated, like Gerry, Whitley said he waits until they feel comfortable around him before touching them.

“Giraffes are obviously very large animals, and they can be dangerous, even though they look docile,” he said, explaining that they are strong and can cause damage with their hoofs or their ossicones .

Whitley said he’s learned from Gerry and other giraffes that their tongues are long and slimy, and their hair is extremely bristly. He said he’s still in awe he’s had the opportunity to work on them.

“It was a privilege,” he said.

Additional animal encounters available during checkout! NEW - Sloth and tortoise feedings!

CAMEL SAFARI TOUR

Quick Details

• Clock Duration: 1.5 hours
• Users Ages: Ages 3+ | Kids 5 years & under must ride with an adult
• Ticket Admission: Ticket price includes a giraffe feeding
• Info What to Bring: Hat, sunscreen, long pants, and close-toed shoes are recommended

Enjoy a Camel-Back Safari!

Game viewing on camels is simply sublime. Rediscover the experiences our human ancestors had with these amazing animals, viewing magnificent herds of game animals from your bestial perch. Become a part of the herd, joining our exotic animals in their natural state, on our Camel Safari Tour.

Camel safaris are led by two experienced tour guides/camel handlers. We have dromedary (one-hump) and Bactrian (two-hump) camels.

Our camels are treated with kindness and respect—and they love their jobs. They line up at the gate each morning eager to go on safari! After their safaris, each camel returns to the herd in their large grassy pasture with trees and open sky for rest, play, and recharging. Our camels are athletes, and they live long and healthy lives.

Camels have been domesticated for over 6,000 years and have a complex and mutually beneficial relationship with humankind. In our three decades of working with camels, we have developed the only full-on camel backed game-viewing safari that we know of outside of Africa.

• Chevron down Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of animals do you have?

Giraffe Ranch has hundreds of animals representing 70+ different species all housed under huge, ancient oaks and grass lands in this beautiful environment that is right out of an African safari. Because our property consists of about 50 acres of pristine wilderness, we’re able to house a variety of exotic species such as giraffe, zebra, bongo antelope, otters, lemurs, hippos, pere’ Davids deer, warthogs, monkeys, and more! You’ll also have a chance to see a variety of native wildlife.

I do not want to pay for a tour; can I just come and feed the animals?

No. The optional add-ons are only available with the purchase of one of our safaris.

Which tour time is best to view the animals?

All of our tour times are great! The animals that we house here are specifically chosen because they do well in central Florida’s climate.

Where do your animals come from?

Because we have so much space for our animals, babies are a very common thing! Most of our animals are born onsite. We buy, sell, and trade with other licensed facilities.

What should I wear?

Although not required, we recommend close-toed shoes. We go rain or shine, so dress appropriately for the weather.

Can I bring my pet?

We do not allow any unauthorized animals on the premises, which includes our driveway and parking lot. Please leave all dogs, cats, and other furry critters at home.

Will I see every animal during the tour?

Our guides make every effort to encourage our residents to greet our tour groups but the distance at which they are viewed can vary due to the large areas our animals inhabit.

Other things to know

We do not do special pricing for children, infants, seniors, etc.

RELATED TOURS

• Clock 1 hour
• Users Per Vehicle

Wildlife Drive-Thru Safari

In response to COVID-19, we now offer guided wildlife drive-thru safari tours on our ranch. View and learn about the animals from the comfort of your own vehicle! Your expert guide, in a lead vehicle, will speak to you through your FM radio through their FM transmitter. This approach is unique among drive-thru safaris.

• Clock 1.5 hours
• Users Per Person All ages

Custom Safari Vehicle Tour

Just like an African Safari, our custom vehicle safari is fully guided on our 4 wheel drive safari vehicles. Participants will enjoy views of zebra, tapir, deer, and more!

• Users Per Person Ages 14+

Segway Safari Tour

Segway Safaris are akin to walking safaris done in Africa, minus the sweat and effort. Using this method of transportation, you can stand at eye-level with zebras, pygmy hippos, and more!