Orana Wildlife Park
Orana Wildlife Park things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Would've like to have given a 5.. but there were a couple of things that bothered me. I think it's a nice park, because some of the fields are way back it's hard to see some of the animals from afar, especially take good pics of them, I guess the good thing about that is it means more space for the animals to move around in. Guess you need a good proper professional camera. Also lots of fence between you and the lions hard to take good photos without getting fence in the way. It's a big park, alot of walking and it does make it hard for those who are not good at walking and although there are shuttles you still need to walk a bit to see some of the animals up close and visit other enclosures that aren't close to the shuttle stops. The shuttle is nice. Possibly needs one more section on busy days as really didn't want to wait another 30mins to get from one stop to the next because no one else wanted to hop off. In the end on another round I was offered a seat up the front so that was nice. I saw a bit of rubbish around in the grounds and quite a bit of over grown grass or rubble... the gorillas are amazing, and feeding the Giraffe is cool. I didn't get to see all the animals because of all the walking. And I don't think the wheel chair would be good for those paths.. lots of gravel and slopes unless it was an electric wheel chair. But I did see what I majorly wanted to go see.. the Gorillas.. because I've never seen them before.. just majestic.. hope to get the money to visit again to see other parts of the zoo. And see more feeding times. The staff are nice.. the hot chips in Cafe weren't cooked properly and the Chai tasted weird I didn't even drink half of it.. Overall it's good eh..
Ash GibsonAsh Gibson
20
I can remember getting bags of pellets to feed the farm animals at Orana Park as a kid. Beyond that, i don't remember much, so it was nice to go there recently as an adult with the fam. The park has a timed series of wild animal feedings in the afternoon from 2:30pm onwards (i think there's also stuff going on in the mornings) so we joined that. You can pay extra to be inside a cage on the back of a truck as the keeper feeds the lions. They jump up on the top of the cage and give you plenty to look at. From outside the enclosure we had a pretty good view, though we couldn't adequately hear the voice over the speaker telling us about the lions. With the giraffes we were each given some foliage and got to feed them directly (tip - hold your foliage with both hands!!). That was fun for both adults and kids. Then we were straight on to the rhinos, which we got to see very close up. Keepers were very enthusiastic and knowledgeable around all the animals, and happy to answer questions. After the kids fed the trout, we went on to the cheetahs which we git to see sprint the length of a paddock to some food at the end. Well, one sprinted - the others were too lazy! That took us to 5pm and we were a bit worn out in the heat so we called it a day - but there was plenty more to see. The café is adequate and of course has z good ice-cream range. The toilet block really needs upgrading but i guess it's not a high priority. In summary, it's a great operation they've got going there and i felt that every cent of the $36 entry fee (adults) was used wisely.
Lady LemonLady Lemon
00
Such a wonderful wild life park!! It's a joy to see my son looking at the animals and understanding that they were animals from different parts of the world and it started a talk about different climates and what animals mean to the world and how some of these Magestic creatures are hunted and becoming extinct because of this and the fact that we are doing terrible things to the environment. He really seemed to understand the problem. And wants to know how we can fix it! I think knowledge is power and I love that my 6yo wants to fix the issues. I think we can and will if we talk to our children about the issues we face. And not buying certain products that are being sold from the destruction of these beautiful animals homes. The animals are taken care of beautifully, the staff are very knowledgeable about the park and all the wonderful creatures. The volunteers are amazing and really care, our bus driver was a volunteer and she was friendly and knew allot of curious facts about everything in the park. We took the mini bus (which is electric, fun fact) around the park so we could see the layout and hear about the animals then we set off on foot and checked out everything! So beautiful. A real gem in Canterbury. Everyone should visit this place!!
Rachie HRachie H
40
Favourite thing here was feeding the Giraffes🦒🌿 It's a very big park, that takes a long time to walk around - feels like you're constantly rushing to make it on time for each enclosures feeding times. I like the shuttle bus however I feel it would be better if it allowed people to stop for 10mins at each enclosure - then get back on. Maybe give people tickets for the shuttle bus so that you can secure your spot when hopping on & off?! Also alot of the enclosures it was hard to spot any animals - like the Tiger zone, Cheetah zone, Wallaby zone, Lion zone, etc; because of the grass being overgrown - it could definetely do with a massive clean up. The cafe is abit overly priced for basic food, best to pack your own lunch to have there. It's great that there's a playground for the kids to enjoy though & it does have a cool flying fox! The staff I interacted with were friendly & helpful😁 I think a revamp up of this place would make it alot better as it seems average & not worth the price you pay for a family outing. Another thing that may help would be getting public transport out here.
Ashley EwensAshley Ewens
00
A great place. We're annual pass holders for a 3rd year. It's always great to have a wander round and relax with the animals and enjoy the lovely Cafe there. The staff team are always really nice on the desk. It can get really busy on weekends and holidays so don't rely on getting on the bus trip at all. Often way to busy. Also the car park does get completely full during these times Soni e no idea what people who come and can't park do. I've given it 4 stars purely because the animals in the gorilla enclosures look so depressed that I can possibly give it 5. I'm sure the intentions were integrous however, the gibbons used to be so happy and noisy where they were and are now so quiet and so sad looking. The gorillas just look like they would rather be anywhere else. Anywhere at all 😔 We don't go over that way now because it's too upsetting. We went again a week or so and it's still the same. I hope the Board are monitoring their decisions. Thanks guys and see you again soon.
KhymneKhymne
00
Spent the afternoon at Orana Park, on a crisp clear day here in Christchurch. There was a lot of walking involved so if you have small children you might want to consider bringing a pushchair for them. Overall the ground was level, with really only one section with a hill so you don't have to be super fit to get around. The animals look really well cared for and seem happy enough, but one or two grazers looked like they didn't quite have enough grass. Bathroom facilities were clean and tidy. A couple of no shows - the Tasmanian Devils and Porcupines didn't want to be looked at and so declined to be viewed, but that's their choice so all good. Highlights were hand feeding the giraffes and getting to be right up close and personal with the rhinos for no extra cost, which was just lovely and a great opportunity for any and everybody to see these beautiful creatures and gain an appreciation for their plight in the wild. A nice day out.
T E DorwardT E Dorward
00
Nearby Attractions Of Orana Wildlife Park
McLeans Forest
Orana Wildlife Trust
McLeans Forest
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Orana Wildlife Trust
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Nearby Restaurants Of Orana Wildlife Park
McLeans Island Golf Club
Priestley's Cafe
Priestley's orana wildlife park
McLeans Island Golf Club
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Priestley's Cafe
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Priestley's orana wildlife park
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Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
793 McLeans Island Road, Harewood, Christchurch 8051, New Zealand
Map
Phone
+64 3 359 7109
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Website
oranawildlifepark.co.nz
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Reviews
Overview
4.4
(2K reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
adventure
family friendly
Description
Orana Wildlife Park is New Zealand's only open-range zoo, sitting on 80 hectares of land, located on the outskirts of Christchurch. It opened in 1976, and is owned and operated by the Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charity.
attractions: McLeans Forest, Orana Wildlife Trust, restaurants: McLeans Island Golf Club, Priestley's Cafe, Priestley's orana wildlife park
