By Jeanni Ritchie
You don’t have to travel halfway across the country to experience an unforgettable animal adventure — sometimes the wildest wonders are waiting right in your own backyard. For me, that backyard happens to be Gone Wild Safari in Pineville.
Two of my grandsons and I visited on the first day of fall break — their first time experiencing a drive-through safari. The weather was ideal, the animals lively, and the laughter from the open-air safari bus made it feel like the start of something special.
Gone Wild Safari recently began running its buses full-time; cars are no longer permitted to drive through. Anyone who has ever spent two weeks cleaning camel spit and emu-scattered feed from every crevice of their car gives this decision a hearty two thumbs-up!
I visit zoos and animal sanctuaries in nearly every city I travel to — it’s a hobby of mine — but I strongly believe in supporting your local zoos and wildlife habitats.
Before we boarded the safari bus, we stopped to visit my favorite animal in the world — the giraffe! Did you know their hearts alone are two feet long? He even struck a pose in the background as I snapped a selfie.
Next, we were sitting on blanket-covered hay bales lining the interior of a renovated school bus. Within minutes, we were rolling through wide-open fields, feed buckets in hand, laughing as alpacas and longhorns approached the windows like seasoned pros. My grandsons squealed when a cow’s extra-long tongue swiped the side of their bucket and the emus pecked their way through more than their fair share.
Each stop along the route brought something new: a water buffalo completely submerged in the water and seemingly oblivious to the ducks swimming around him, and a zorse — a zebra crossbred with a horse — that had my mind both fascinated by its beauty and quietly reflecting on how far husbandry can take creation.
It’s a sensory-filled ride — part zoo, part petting farm, and part comedy show — made all the more fun when experienced through the eyes of a child. We each had one container of feed; next time I’ll buy two!
One of the newest additions to the park is a sloth encounter, giving guests a chance to meet one of nature’s slowest (and most endearing) creatures up close. It’s the latest in a growing list of hands-on experiences at Gone Wild Safari — from bottle-feeding kangaroos and capybaras to snapping selfies with zebras. These extras add to the magic, offering something new for repeat visitors to look forward to.
Inside the main lodge, fall décor filled the party room with hay bales, pumpkins, and photo ops galore. October marked their annual Wild Pumpkins Fest, with three weekends of pumpkin-patch fun, a corn maze, and games for families.
Whether you came for the animals, the photo ops, or just to spend a sunny afternoon laughing with your family, Gone Wild Safari is one of those rare local treasures that reminds you how fun it can be to go a little wild.
These animals may steal your feed — but they’ll also steal your heart.
Gone Wild Safari is located at 805 Hooper Road, Pineville, LA. They are open 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Seasonal hours may vary). More info: gonewildsafari.com or call 318-787-6902.
