We always wanted to give our kids the experience of staying overnight at a zoo, so we booked the African tent at Zoofari Lodge at Taronga Westerns Zoo in Dubbo several months in advance. We were incredibly lucky to be assigned the Giraffe View room, allowing us a close-up view of giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and more, making the 5-hour drive worthwhile!
The rooms
The zoo has a total of 10 tent rooms, and I didn’t get to choose when booking. We stayed in Room 6, the Giraffe Room, touted as having the best view. We heard you can request preferences when placing the order or inquire over the phone. However, for us, it was just pure luck!
What’s the experience like staying at the Dubbo Zoo Zoofari Lodge?
So apart from the abundance of mosquitoes, it’s a wonderful experience everywhere! We spent a total of 2 days at the zoo.
On the first day, as soon as we arrived at the designated hotel, a dedicated staff member provided a one-on-one introduction and gave us an itinerary that included meal times and a series of activities.
The schedule was well-organised, and not a moment was boring!
Checking in
Check-in is from 2 pm to 3 pm, with a close encounter with giraffes at 4:30 pm, and dinner at 6 pm.
Surprisingly, dinner was prepared so sumptuously that even our big eater was full to the brim. Then from 8 pm to 9 pm, we took a truck to the zoo to observe and learn about the nocturnal habits of some animals! After that, it was back to the hotel to rest!
The next day
The next morning, around 7 am, the guide took us to see different animals and even let us watch elephants being bathed. Not only did the kids enjoy a visual feast, but they also learned a lot of new knowledge!
After over an hour of exploring, we returned to the hotel for breakfast at 9 am and checked out at 10 am!
The hotel includes two days of admission tickets, so after checking out at 10 am, we drove ourselves back to the zoo to see other animals we hadn’t encountered yet.
The zoo
Dubbo Zoo is quite large, allowing for self-driving or renting electric cars or bikes to explore. We rented an electric car and drove into the zoo, feeling like we entered the African savannah. However, the variety of animals inside is not extensive; it mainly features African animals. If you’re looking to see predators, it’s not recommended.
We only saw one tiger and two lions hiding in the distance.
So should you stay at the Dubbo Zoo Zoofari Lodge
We highly recommend staying at the zoo for one night because the arranged itinerary is more enriching and meaningful!
It was truly a fantastic experience all the way through. Highly recommended!