During the week when I was reviewing the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid AWD Sport, I decided to take my daughters on a quick day trip to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains for some off-road driving at Atlanta Safari Park, located in Commerce, Georgia.
The Atlanta Safari Park spans 156 acres and is home to various free-roaming animals from around the world. The drive-thru safari is over 2 miles which took us about an hour 1/2 to drive through the experience.
When we first arrived at the safari park, I purchased tickets for myself and my daughters, three feed buckets full of pellets, and three parakeet seed sticks for the walk-in parakeet aviary.
I'm not going to lie; I was nervous about the animals damaging the car since this Safari does have wild breed of animals. But, the lady at the ticket booth assured me she hadn't encountered any animals that damaged a vehicle or injured anyone.
At the start of the drive, an ostrich spotted us and quickly came to the car, so I rolled down the window and gave my bucket for it to eat the pellets. And then, one of the ostrich friends came for food as well.
Those ostriches are aggressive eaters, making a mess all over the inside of the car! It made my daughters scared that the ostriches might peck them by mistake. Even one of the ostriches stuck its whole head and neck inside the car making the girls scream in terror!
But the ostriches were friendly, and when they were done eating, they left for more food from the vehicle behind us.
Next up were the Llamas in a herd together, and they, too quickly, came up to the car for food. They were more gentle when eating from our buckets and even allowed us to touch them.
Throughout our time on the Safari, we also fed zebras, emus, and alpacas. The other animals we saw, like the Watusi, Blackbuck, Gazelle, and Eland, were off doing their own thing, not interested in coming to our car.
It's great that animals are not forced to come to cars and can live more naturally by grazing through the plains.
I was pleasantly surprised by how many animals approached the car without me needing to lure them with pellets.
I liked that the animals looked healthy and had no bad smell around them. The grounds were well-maintained, and the view of the rolling hills was breathtaking. It felt like an authentic safari experience.
Fortunately, there was no damage to the car. However, it did require a carwash to remove the dust and vacuum the scattered pellets off the car's floor.
After our drive-thru experience, we parked and walked down a small hill to check out the petting zoo with Kune Kune Pigs, Boer Goat, Jacob's Sheep, Baby Emus, and Nigerian Dwarf Goat. With the pellets we had left, we fed the rest to the petting zoo animals.
Also, we stopped at the gift shop for some water and ice cream to cool us off from the heat.
The last attraction was the Parakeet Aviary, where we hand-fed so many colorful birds our seed sticks.
The overall experience was exhilarating! An experience we will never forget!
What Kinds of Animals Are at Atlanta Safari Park?
- Llama
- Nilgai
- Red Lechwe
- Banteng
- Bison
- Water Buffalo
- Watusi
- Scottish Highland Cow
- Emu
- Ostrich
- Alpaca
- Blue Wildebeest
- Grant's Zebra
- Blackbuck
- Thomson's Gazelle
- Eland
- Scimitar Horned Oryx
- Parakeet
- Kune Kune Pig
- Boar Goat
- Jacob's Sheep
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat
- Indian Peafowl
- Eurasian Eagle Owl
- Reticulated Giraffe
How Much Are Tickets at Atlanta Safari Park?
Ticket prices start at $12.99 per child (children under 2 are free) and $15.99 per adult. Each feed bucket is $5.00, and each Parakeet Seed Stick is $2.00. The park is open seven days a week.
At Atlanta Safari Park, protecting endangered species is their top priority. They are committed to safeguarding wildlife, and some of the admission sales support animal conservation efforts in the wild. Their contribution to the Zoological Association of America's conservation programs has a global impact and helps make a difference.
What are the Rules at Atlanta Safari Park?
- One of the biggest rules is to remain in your vehicle!
- To avoid bites, feed the animals from buckets only, not your hands.
- All doors must remain closed at all times.
- No service animals are allowed.
- No outside animal feed is allowed.
- Never roll up the window on an animal attempting to be fed.
- Drive five mph through the park to keep the animals safe.
Commerce GA, 30530
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