Last week, I had an amazing visit to the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch Near New Braunfels, Texas.
The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is about an hour from Downtown Austin. It was an overcast day and not too hot, so I figured it would be a great day to see the animals. I recommend bringing water and some snacks as the Safari lasts for an hour and a half or so and you are not allowed out of your vehicle once you enter the tour.
You pay before entering the park, it is $17.50 for adults and $9.00 for children. You only get
one bag of food per vehicle, so I recommend buying more.I also recommend paying the $3 for a guide as you will see many animals that you probably have not encountered before.
The Walk-A Bout is a good way to stretch your legs before going on the Safari. As you drive in, you will pass by the Giraffes. They are lovely animals and once you park, you can go back to see them. Be warned, the Giraffes stink like cat pee, but they are caged and very visible, so definitely worth it.
 |
| Giraffe couple, they were next to the twins, so I assume they are the parents. |
 |
| Giraffe |
Next to the Giraffe cage is a skinny long cage that the Kangaroos are in. Unfortunately, the cage is so long that they were too far to see very well. On the other side of the Giraffes (on the entrance side) you will see the little rabbit-like creatures called the Patagonian Cavy. Keep an eye out for Peacocks as they roam around the area.
I loved the Lemurs. They have their own little island surrounded by a moat containing fish. The Lemurs are out in the open swinging about and sleeping in their hut (which is fully open for viewing). You can buy fish food to feed the Koi in the moat. The monkey cage and bird cage were nice but very hard to see due to the tiny squares in the fencing and because of the roof.
 |
| Sleepy Lemur on the hut |
We visited the gift shop and the Cafe where you can use the restrooms before and after the Safari. I didn't purchase anything as it was right before closing. I also didn't get a chance to visit the petting zoo.
Onward to the Safari. It took a long time for me to go through as I was snapping pictures, but there is enough room for two cars on the one way road. Also, you can go around as many times as you want as long as you don't leave the Ranch.
One of the first animals you see are the Aoudad, which are like little goats. They love the food and will walk right up to the car. You can have your windows down but just toss the food, don't actually touch or try to feed the animals from your hands.
 |
| Aoudad with baby, waiting for treats |
Some of the animals don't eat the food however, the staff has already loaded up the roadside with yummy food for them, so most are easy to see. Make sure to take your time and enjoy the experience. The American Bison, Long Horn and Watusi are easy to spot and we were lucky enough to see them right next to the road. The Wildebeest were also very near us on the side of the road. They all eat alfalfa, so don't waste the food on them.
 |
| Waterbuck |
We went on the extension trail which starts out with a very steep hill but you get to see some new animals and more Giraffes. After the extension trail, we found the White Rhinoceros cage, but nothing inside. We also saw the Bactrian Camel way off in the distance. The Ostrich and Emu's came next. The Ostrich are very big and I didn't want them to get their heads inside the car, so we shut all the windows. I heard that Ostrich can be mean, so I didn't want to take any chances. The same goes for the Llama's who will eat the food, they spit. There were some little goat type critters that came right up to the car in this section, looking for food so you can feed them too.
Then came my favorite part of the Safari, the Damaraland Zebras!! The Zebras expect food, so make sure you have some at this point. Toss some food and you will have a friend. Some people were feeding the Zebras by hand, but remember that they do bite and they warn you not to.
 |
| This is my Mom, the Zebra was right outside the window! |
 |
| Zebra and baby |
 |
| Another Zebra and baby |
 |
| Right outside my window, this one followed the car after I fed it once. |
Right before we pulled out the gate exiting the Safari, we saw a whole bunch of deer like animals in the woods. The animals were Blackbucks and only the adult males are horned and have the black and white coloring. They liked the food as well, so if you have any left over, dump it out and they will be sure to eat it all up.
Thanks for stopping by!!
Let me know if you have any questions. Comments are welcome.
Rebecca
Comments
Post a Comment