Rietvlei Zoo Farm — Attraction in Gauteng

Extremely disappointed! I was very excited to plan an exciting day out and fundraiser for a local children's home believing that Rietvlei would be the perfect place for the kids to play and have fun. This particular children's home only houses 12 kids aged 0-4. I planned on booking a Lapa for the day this coming December in which I emailed the Rietvlei office exactly a week ago ( Last Monday) , no one responded to this day ( following Tuesday ). I then called them last week Wednesday and I was told by a very irritated employee that I should email Winnie , which I immediately did and she has also not responded to me to this very day. I took it upon myself to message the office on the Thursday which they responded to. I explained the event to them and I asked them if they would be willing to sponsor the entry fee for 9 of the kids and they ignored me. They went through the entire process of taking down my details and information for booking the Lapa , at the end I confirmed everything by saying I will pay by next the week as it was a weekend and it would've taken long to reflect. They told me after I had said this that payment must be done immediately or else they would give my spot away. This information was new to me as they did not state this when I had contacted them or anywhere on their website/PDF with the booking details on. Yesterday I decided to physically go to Rietvlei to book the Lapa , I had also asked them If they would be interested in sponsoring the kid's entrance fees and then I was told to wait for Angel as she was not there and she is the person that runs the events. I took down her number as they did not know what time she would be back and I messaged her yesterday afternoon. I still have not been contacted back by the office , Winnie or Angel at this point. I am so disappointed with the bad service of this place , their lack of empathy and their terrible communication. Thanks to this frustrating experience , they have just lost...

I am a regular visitor at Rietvlei Zoo, and it's clear that the attractions are the main reason people continue to return. Naturally, these attractions also play a role in keeping the staff employed. However, I was disappointed by my recent experience, which I feel reflects poorly on the management and staff’s commitment to service.

Upon arrival, I was informed that the tractor ride driver, Lunga, only arrives around 10 a.m., and we were expected to wait for him before purchasing tickets. After waiting patiently, we experienced further delays — over an hour — only to be told that he was now going on a lunch break. This would be understandable under normal circumstances, but considering he arrived late and had not yet provided any service, it comes across as highly unprofessional. To make matters worse, he was later seen sitting and socializing with his colleagues while customers continued to wait.

This kind of behavior is not only discouraging to paying guests, especially those with young children eager to enjoy the activities, but also a surefire way to drive visitors away. When I attempted to raise the issue at the office, I was met by an employee who barely acknowledged me, yawning in my face before offering any sort of greeting — a clear sign of disengagement.

I would suggest that if staff members are fortunate enough to be employed, especially in such a family-oriented public space, they should show more initiative, professionalism, and appreciation for their roles. A positive attitude and a basic sense of responsibility can go a long way in ensuring guest satisfaction and maintaining the...

For someone that does not prioritize booking in advance, I had minor challenges so I'd first advice booking in advance. When I talk about booking, I mean booking for shelter if you are planning on going on a sunny day. There are lapa's available but only accessible at a fee of R650* (stand to be corrected).

Everything is paid for here. From parking to every activity available. They have hiking trails from 5km all the way to 40km. They also have biking trails too! You can rent a bike if you don't have one or if you just want to minimize the struggle of bringing your own. Just make sure you have a helmet and other protective gears because you won't be allowed to bike without them.

It's a fantastic place to host birthday parties for both adults and kids, engagement parties or just a day out with friends and family. You have train rides for the kids, a horse ride and other fun things to entertain the little ones. Please be cautious as it can get a bit wild. Be mindful that other people will be there drinking (you know what alcohol can make us humans do).

I HAVE A LOT TO SAY BUT I HOPE THAT JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE...