Wildlife Safari offers options

You have wonderful options when you visit Wildlife Safari near Roseburg, Ore.

You can wander around Safari Village on foot among the flamingos and under the palm trees, view exotic ducks up close, visit small zoo animals, and go into the shop.

You could also wander around in your vehicle on the Wildlife Safari Drive if you have time, through free roaming wildlife from around the world, including Africa.

Or you can do both.

A total of 600 animals roam a 610-acre park, giving them over one acre apiece.

The drive through safari is divided into four areas, with Asia getting the first section you come to, the Americas the second, wetlands the third and Africa saved for last.

Plus there are extras thrown in, such as the Australian emu.

The Asia section includes the Tibetan Yak, Sika Deer, Nilgai and Asian Elephant and the Americas have the Llama, American Bison, Brown Bear and North American Black Bear.  The wetlands include restrooms and a sheltered picnic area, and the Africa section contains the African Elephant, Hippopotamus, Rhino, Zebra and Giraffe.

The carnivores lurk in a separate area, such as the African Lion and Cheetah.

All of these can be seen from the safety of your own car on a trip that you should allow an hour and a half to complete.

The Wildlife Safari Drive costs $23.95 per adult, $17.95 for children and $20.95 for senior adults.

But don't bring your own animals to either the Safari Village or on the Wildlife Safari Drive.  A free unsupervised kennel area is available, with locks sold for $5.00.

Both areas are open year round except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The hours for November to March are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both for the Safari Village and with the last car admitted onto Wildlife Safari Drive.  The hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for March after Daylight Savings Time through September and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in October.

How to get there:

Take exit 120 off Interstate-5 going south or north and drive west on Highway 42, which is a right turn going south and a left turn going north.

The exit is located just south of Roseburg and Green.

Take a short drive to near the town of Winston, and follow the signs for Wildlife Safari, taking a right turn.

Wildlife Safari is located at 1790 Safari Road, Winston, OR 97496.

Call (541) 679-6761 for more information.

Text and photos by Tim Clinton.

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