Animal parks in Cape Town are perhaps the most interesting parts of the city. Unlike ordinary parks, they present an opportunity to see animal life up close and personal. This is even better than zoos or nature reserves which can cover huge areas of land, and which may be unsuitable for children.
Families with small children will therefore find these animal parks very interesting because by visiting them, children can relax and enjoy themselves, and still get to learn about animals, and about nature.
Learning about animals and nature can make children even more curious, and motivate them to study, which can have tremendous impact on their academics.
Top 10 Animal Parks In Cape Town
1. Monkey Town
Monkey Town is located at Mondeor Rd (Off N2 highway towards Sir Lowry’s Pass, Somerset West, Cape Town, 7130, South Africa. It is a very interesting place; where visitors can see different kinds of primates in small enclosures, and observe their interaction at play, feeding, and leisure.
This is particularly interesting because primates are social animals, and watching how they behave can make kids ask questions about monkey society. Some of the animals to be seen in Monkey Town include Chimpanzees, White faced Capuchins, Common Marmosets, Macaques, and Gibbons.
Other species on display include Tree Squirrels, Peacocks, Emus, and Geese.
Monkey Town is accessible for everyone; it only costs R150 for adults, R80 for children, and R90 for pensioners and students.
2. Exotic Animal World
Exotic Animal World is located at R44, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa. This is more than just a place to display exotic animals; it is a sanctuary, and a place where once abandoned animals can find refuge.
Exotic Animal World has been open for more than 26 years, and has animals like tortoises, parrots, snakes, lemurs, monkeys, Meer cats, and so on.
This is a great place for families, especially kids, to see animals, and appreciate nature. Exotic Animal World is one of the best animal parks in Cape Town, with an excellent history. It is something that was not born out of commercial interest; but a genuine desire to make a difference.
It costs just R88 for adults to get in, and children only pay R49. Pensioners or students on the other hand only pay R79.
3. Alpaca Loom
Alpaca Loom is located at Suid-Agter-Paarl Rd, Southern Paarl, 7624, South Africa. The theme of this animal park is alpacas; the park is dedicated to this animal. Alpacas are exotic animals in the sense that they are originally from South America.
Alpaca Loom is one of the few places where these animals can be found outside their natural home range. Like their distant relatives Camels, these animals can be very friendly and there is no danger of attack.
Children can play with them, feed them, and run around with them. Alpaca Loom also has an excellent coffee shop, where visitors can get coffee and cake, and enjoy family time.
A visit only costs R100 for adults, while children pay R70.
4. Vredenheim Animal Farm
Vredenheim Animal Farm is part of a bigger franchise which includes Vredenheim Wine and Wildlife. It is located at Stellenbosch, Cape Town, and is unique among all other wine farms in the area.
Vredenheim used to have big cats like lions and tigers, but decided to restrict itself to animals that the children can touch and play with, such as cattle, rabbits, goats, and chickens. This animal farm also has turkeys, emus, and so on.
It has a playground where children can run around with their mates, and where parents can socialize while they watch the kids. It has a restaurant where there is wholesome food, and also swings, a jungle track, and a jungle gym to help the kids have a great time.
A visit only costs R30 for adults, and R50 for children. Pensioners pay R25 per visit.
5. Le Bonheur Reptiles & Adventures
Le Bonheur Reptiles & Adventures is located at Simondium, Suider Paarl, South Africa. This is one of the top animal farms in Cape Town, one that is guaranteed to leave visitors with a sense of awe, because of the type of animals it has on display.
Le Bonheur Reptiles & Adventures is all about crocodiles and snakes. Some of the crocodiles are as big as 7 feet, and there are many different species of snakes.
Visitors to this park learn to respect nature, and they are moved to learn more about these animals. The park also has places for weddings and other ceremonies.
Visitors pay R100 for adults, and R65 for children.
6. Two Oceans Aquarium
It is difficult to talk about touring Cape Town without mentioning Two Oceans Aquarium, which is located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. This is a first of a kind animal park in Africa; the theme is aquatic animals, and they are kept as they appear in their natural ocean environment.
Two Oceans Aquarium has sharks, turtles, penguins, sting rays, and so many other creatures, numbering around 3,000 creatures.
This park is unique because visitors see the animals at face level though glass, and from underneath when they go down the tunnel. The park is divided into different exhibits, and they concentrate on different creatures.
It costs R220 for adults, R165 for teenagers, and R105 for young children.
7. Cheetah Outreach
Cheetah Outreach is one of Cape Town’s most exciting parks, especially for those who are fascinated by big cats. This park is located at De Beers Ave, Firgrove, Cape Town, 7110, South Africa.
This is more than just a park; it is a conservation center which is dedicated to the survival of cheetahs, and other animals that hunt to survive in the wild.
Cheetah Outreach is also an educational center because it allows people-particularly children- to learn more about these creatures. Cheetah Outreach is also a place where people can touch these animals (selected ones) and observe them in close encounters.
It costs R10 per adult to enter this park, but there are additional fees to have close encounters with these animals.
8. The Ostrich Ranch
The Ostrich Ranch is located at Van Schoorsdrif Rd, Philadelphia, Cape Town, 7439, South Africa. The name explains it all; this park is all about Ostriches; and it is a very interesting place to visit.
This park has large numbers of ostriches, and offers visitors the opportunity to see them in their natural element. Here visitors can see ostriches run, feed, and play around. Visitors can even touch some of the friendly ones.
Visitors can see ostrich eggs, and ostrich chicks. The park also has a restaurant with great food and drinks. There is also a dedicated area for events like parties and so on.
Adults pay R109, while children pay R55 for entry into this wonderful park.
9. Drakenstein Lion Park
Drakenstein Lion Park is located at Old Paarl Rd, Paarl, 7625, South Africa. This is a place of sanctuary for captive born lions. Here they live in safety, free of abuse or ill-treatment. Those who have been fascinated by big cats will find these animals plenty intriguing.
The lions are not wild, and neither are they domestic. They move about the enclosure at leisure, and some of them are quite friendly.
The park has a restaurant as well as accommodation. It also offers visitors the opportunity to volunteer at the sanctuary, and to work with the team of caregivers on site.
Adults pay R150, while children pay R75.
10. World Of Birds
World Of Birds is a unique sanctuary in that it is mostly about birds. This lovely animal park is located at Valley Rd, Hout Bay, Cape Town, 7806, South Africa. Since 1973 this sanctuary has played an important role in the conservation of birds.
Today they have over 3000 animals from 400 different species. Some of the animals present at the sanctuary include Pheasants, Parrots, Eagles, Pelicans, Flamingoes, and also Penguins. Aside from birds, this sanctuary also has baboons, marmosets, and monitor lizards.
This is one of the most important conservation centers in the world; only three zoos have a larger diversity of birds in the entire world.
It costs R150 for adults, and R50 for children to visit this sanctuary.
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Closing
The top animal parks in Cape Town range from small farms to some of the most important animal sanctuaries in the world. Some of these parks do important conservation work, which go a long way to ensuring the survival of animal species, some of which are critically endangered.