African Safari, Texas Style

When I was eleven, my father took me on a drive-through safari tour in New Zealand, where hungry lions leapt onto the hoods of passing cars, in search of their next meal. I found the whole experience exhilarating, but my dad was probably wondering how much he would have to pay for any damage done to our rental car. It was with that fond memory in mind that, when planning a recent trip to Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, I borrowed my parents’ car. No way was I going to subject my own vehicle to possible encounters with wild animals.

Just a slight detour off the road to San Antonio, Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch bills itself as an “African Safari, Texas Style.” In reality, it is quite tame. There are no hood-jumping beasts. The wildest animals I saw were sitting in my backseat, screaming their little heads off in excitement. (They switched to whisper-screaming when they realized no animals would approach the car with them acting like maniacs).

After paying the rather steep admission and receiving our bags of animal feed, we cruised along the dusty trails through 400 acres of rugged terrain, discovering many of the ranch’s 40 species of native, exotic and endangered animals along the way. Oryx, Gemsboks, and Kudos, oh my! More than 500 animals roam the grounds, and a few pellet-seeking creatures don’t mind poking their heads into your car for a quick hello. An overly friendly visit from a large ostrich set my children off to full-volume screaming once again.

On safari, you will traverse the Massai Savannah, the Kenyan Preserve, Kilamanjaro Overlook, and the Tatonka Range. Each environment is free roaming, so you may spot herds of animals off in the distance or you may find them blocking the road in front of you. Either way, you will enjoy a lovely four-mile drive at a leisurely five miles-per-hour, with the Texas Hill Country as your backdrop. Following the drive-through portion of your visit, there is an educational area where you can get out and stretch your legs for a bit. Feed goats in the petting barnyard, visit the giraffes in the Longneck Learning Center, have a look at Lemur Island, and more. Then, get back in your car and start the safari all over again!

If you go:

• Try to take a vehicle with the same number of operational windows as you have children. Each child will likely want a chance to feed animals that approach your car and you might enjoy the experience more without knees and elbows in your lap.
• You can avoid the crowds by visiting early in the day. However, the animals are fed hay first in the morning, so they may not come up to the vehicle as often as they might in the afternoon or evening.
• Allow a few hours for your visit – once you’ve paid, you can drive through as many times as you like. Each drive-through trip takes 45 minutes to one hour.
  Plan to visit during a cool month, when the animals are more likely to leave the shade and interact with you.
• Admission includes two bags of feed per car, but you can purchase more. Bring cups or extra bags along, so you can divvy up the feed. We found two bags to be plenty for four people.
  Pack a lunch. There is a pavilion with picnic tables next to the gift shop.

Admission to Wildlife Ranch is $17.50 for adults (age 12+), $16.50 for seniors (age 65+), and $9 for children age 3 – 11. Children under 3 are free. Visit http://www.wildliferanchtexas.com/Web/Admissions/admissions.html for a $2 off coupon.

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is located between San Antonio and New Braunfels. 
Exit # 175 off IH 35, 7 miles west on Natural Bridge Caverns Road.