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If we told you that you could encounter some of Africa’s most amazing animals including rhinos, giraffes, zebras and antelopes in their natural habitat in Melbourne you would probably think that we were making it up.
But something like this truly does exist in Melbourne across 225 hectares of grassy plains at the Werribee Open Range Zoo, located 30 minutes southwest of the city.
Included in your admission price is a 40-minute safari tour that will take you up close and personal with the animals of the zoo. We were privileged enough to upgrade to an Open Vehicle Adventure which gave us 90 minutes in the open savannah surrounded by magnificent wildlife.
And as the title of tour suggests, there were no glass windows separating us from these animals. Nor did we have to stick to the traditional road taken by the safari bus and got so close to the animals that you could hear their every breath. Take a look at our video below.
Our driver/guide David took us around the zoo and provided us with expert commentary for the entire duration of the tour, introducing us to many interesting facts along the way.
For example, did you know that Australia has the only wild camels in the entire world? Nearly 1 million of them, in fact!
Another highlight of our Open Vehicle Adventure is that it enabled us to take some of the best animals photos we’ve ever snapped.
Of course, our favorite photo subject were the beautiful giraffes roaming around the savannah.
After spending quite some time with the zebras, ostriches, giraffes and rhinos we departed the open plains for the last stop on our Open Vehicle Adventure – the Kubo River, home to the zoo’s hippos.
Werribee Open Range Zoo is also home to African Wild Dogs, Cheetahs, Gorillas, Lions, Meerkats and more all of which which can be seen on the walking trails.
Our time at the Werribee Open Range Zoo was one of our favorite zoo experiences yet and we can definitely suggest it for those planning on spending some time in Melbourne in the future.
The Details
Werribee Open Range Zoo is located 30 minutes from Melbourne’s City Centre and is accessible by public transport (Werribee Line Train to Werribee and Bus 439 to the Zoo).
Admission for adults is $25.40 and includes a free safari tour. If you want to have the best experience possible, we highly recommend you pre-purchase an Open Vehicle Adventure which costs $80 (adult).
Disclaimer:Â We received a complimentary Open Vehicle Adventure from Zoos Victoria. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Amy & Kieron are an Australian couple sharing their travel adventures from around the world.
19 Comments
You captured some amazing shots. My favorite is of the Giraffe where you feature its neck prominently.
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Man Cooking Dumplings | Shanghai, China | Travel Photo
Thanks Samuel, that one is our favorite as well! We love how well they turned out.
Oh my God, these photos are amazing!!! Wow, so wish I’d done this while I was in Melbourne :-/
Beverley recently posted..Seven Travel Bloggers Make One New Super Blog
Thanks Beverley – the photos really did come out way better than we could’ve ever imagined! Being up so close certainly helped.
We’ve been putting it off for years but figured it was finally time we got out to Werribee to check it out. Add it to your list for next time!
OMG I want to get back to Africa right this second! Damn you Amy/Kieron lol
Toni recently posted..7 reasons why the Universe is a man
Haha we want to go to Africa too! This has only inspired us even more!
Hey guys! This post just brightened up my afternoon. Loved browsing through the shots – some of them are stunning. I’m really digging the hippos more than anything. Gorgeous.
Thanks Will, glad we brought some light to your afternoon.
Such a cool experience! I wish I would have known about this place while we were in Australia back in December! The open vehicle adventure would have definitely been on our to-do list!
Amy recently posted..A Little Friendly Competition
It truly was a cool experience, something has always been on our to-do list but have never gotten around to it. Sorry we could’ve have written the article earlier!
Looks like an amazing tour! I love when zoos are able to recreate natural habitats as much as possible. The zebras are too cute. Don’t know what it is, but the stripes really draw me in.
Sabrina recently posted..Workout On The Road: Running The South China Botanical Garden
It was certainly like no other Sabrina – we thought it was very cool seeing these animals have so much space to wander around and live their lives as normal as possible. The zebras were cute, they were very curious and came from a long way across the savannah just to see what was going on.
This looks awesome! I would definitely pay the higher price to get up close with some of those amazing animals. Your giraffe photos are fantastic!
Amanda recently posted..Best Blogs of the Month: January, 2012
You’re right, it definitely wouldn’t have been half the experience if we had just taken the regular safari bus. Especially if you love animals as much as us!
In Melbourne?! Shucks, we should have stayed and gone to the zoo with you guys too! Lol.
Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted..4 Things You Should Get Upon Arriving in New Zealand
Yep, you two definitely should’ve stayed in Melbourne for a few more days (or weeks!)…
Wow! You guys really got up close and personal with the animals. Great shots and video. The hippos are my favorite.
Suzy recently posted..Redhead Reviews: Roomorama in Budapest
I never realized Victoria had a spot like this. It reminds me of Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo.
Chris recently posted..And the winner is…
Oh WOW! We didn’t get to do this while we were in Melbourne, although the Zoo was on our radar we just couldn’t have fit it in with the limited time we had. I had no idea about this tour though. GREAT photos and definitely something else to be added to our very long to do list!
Loreena recently posted..Kangaroo Island Dreaming – An Introduction