Jamala Wildlife Lodge

From the moment we got there, the staff welcomed us, the surroundings were just beautiful. I was in ore of lodge so beautiful. After an amazing afternoon tea we were fortunate to enough to get a guided zoo tour with Cooper. He himself made the experience so memorable. His passion and knowledge for what he does just shines through. We got to our jungle bungalow no 1 and OMG it was amazing from the decor to the view of the lions. We had such an amazing night with them. We woke up to them lying beside us. Thankfully with the glass in between. The special gifts you are given to keep as momentos. The dinner and Champagne were outstanding. It will be one of the most memorable meals we have ever had. The wildlife park is so well set out. The animals are happy and so well cared for. We had a cheetah experience Solo was lovely. Breakfast was amazing. We could not fault anything. The only sad thing I could say is “we didn’t want to leave”. We have visited over 35 different zoos in the world and this now would have to be no 1 to us. Nothing comes close. If we are fortunate again to get here from NZ we will come back. You only live once and this was a huge bucket list wish. It never disappointed us. These guys under promise but OMG they over deliver beyond our expectations. Thank you to all the staff for making our stay so phenomenal.

Days 10 and 11 of our 20-day trip and we were returning to Jamala after an absence of 8 years. On that earlier trip, the place had been open for a year and a bit and was in the middle of development and expansion. Then, we'd aimed for the lions but were allocated the big bear. I stayed in the cheetah room the first night which included a session the following day for just the two of us (patting and feeding) and she stayed in the bear room. Second night, we moved to the giraffe room. It was a great stay and the huge bear was the highlight. Sadly, the bear died a while later and that room is now one of the two tiger rooms. We were very keen to return and see if we could stay with the lions this time. The deal is that they won't guarantee that you'll get what you ask for so, this time, I rang in mid-July for an early November stay. I advised that we'd really like to stay with the lions and the tigers on a 2-night visit and was told that it couldn't be guaranteed. However, they advised that, because nobody had booked for our dates yet, they would note our booking for the lions and tigers as "First request" but, still, with no guarantees. The day before we were due to arrive, we received an email advising that we'd been allocated the tigers and we were delighted but a little disappointed that we'd missed out on the lions. However, next morning, we received another email advising that we'd been allocated the lions for our second night. Wow, major excitement ! Whilst you're invited to arrive for welcome and afternoon tea from 1pm, you can arrive earlier, drop your luggage at the lodge and wander around the zoo. So, we did. The first tour for new guests starts at 1.45 and the guides do a talk and let you hold an enormous python before that so it's worth being there at 1pm. The "afternoon tea" is actually a vast array of hot and cold offerings (sweet and savoury) and is well worth having. The first tour takes you around the zoo to get your bearings and to interact with various animals. We were split into 2 groups and Cooper was our guide. It quickly becomes very obvious that the welfare of the animals is way above every other consideration and so it should be. Cooper was very careful to ensure that we understood zoo etiquette and a number of children from not very well supervised school groups were left in no doubt of the errors of their ways (especially one young man who Cooper had seen kick an emu. He was sorted out very quickly whilst his teachers studied their shoes intently). Cooper is a credit to the organisation and we were fortunate to have him as our guide for the encounter/feeding tour next day too. Even better, there were only 3 of us on that tour because all of the other guests were staying only one night. On that point, staying 2 nights is a must. Yes, it's a stretch financially, particularly if you're staying in one of the Jungle Bungalows eg lions and tigers but you miss out on so much and it would feel a bit rushed for a one-night stay. On

The whole experience at the Jamala Wildlife Lodge was amazing. From check-in to check-out the staff were amazing - helpful, professional, polite. They coped really well with my dietary allergy. The ambiance of the lodge is spectacular, with the theme decor and artwork, windows into some enclosures/aquarium. A 90 minute tour of the National Zoo and Aquarium is included, as well as opportunities for self-guided tours. You can also book an animal encounter through Jamala or directly with the zoo. We had an encounter with the Meerkats - so incredible. Afternoon tea, dinner and breakfast are included, as well as meeting the hyenas and white lions at pre-dinner drinks. Overall a real experience, one that we will not forget and would like to do again sometime.

From the start to the end of our stay was exceptional. All the staff, zoo keepers, guides and restaurant staff were helpful, fantastic and wonderful. We did multiple tours, animal experiences and we stayed in the Giraffe lodge. Absolutely one of the best experiences in our lives. Great wedding anniversary stay. Dinner was to die for with the servings, options for each of the 3 courses. Wines etc were great. Mia one of our tour guides of the zoo was so knowledgeable and answered every question. Aaron our waiter at dinner was great, entertaining and held a great conversation. 5 Star experience ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was an exceptional and immersive experience, with highlights at every stage of the stay. The two-night stay in the unique giraffe room, where we could feed and watch giraffes from the balcony, and the front balcony where we could watch the Alpaca and deer created an extraordinary connection with nature. The room was comfortable, with nice furniture, an excellent bathroom, and a thoughtful Bluetooth sound system. The only minor downside was the lack of a proper coffee option, we will bring our own machine next time. The experience was elevated by thoughtful touches, starting with a delightful afternoon tea in a lodge reminiscent of Africa, followed by a guided zoo tour and then going to our room for giraffe feeding. The dinner experience was especially memorable, featuring a close-up view of lions feeding just behind the glass in the dining room, accompanied by a delicious five-star meal. We had a selection of canapés which were excellent, followed by the best steak we have had for a long time, and dessert, accompanied by very good wines. Breakfasts were equally impressive. We enjoyed the lovely ambiance of walking through the zoo, with friendly and welcoming staff rounding out the experience. This a must-do experience, and certainly the best thing we have done in Australia. We will be back again for sure.

The whole experience was unforgettable, our Jungle Bungalow was everything we imagined and more... loved sleeping with our tiger girls... and the dinner was unsurpassed! The whole experience exceeded anything we had previously done anywhere else... will find it hard to match our Jamala Wildlife Lodge stay.