A last minute purchase from Groupon and my family and I set off for a day trip. On the Web a first impression is 5 stars. Great pictures, great marketing, easy to use.

Before taking off I knew that this place was located in the desert. So I was prepared for the 1.5 hour drive. What I didn't expect was the dirt road leading to the sanctuary from hwy 395. When I called they didn't mention it when I asked if there was anything I needed to know. For someone in a smaller vehicle expect a semi rough ride. Despite the surrounding area of abandoned shacks and automobiles, upon arrival it still remains a 5 star rating. The grounds are very well maintained and updated.

If you purchase guided tour tickets the last one ends by 2pm. If your visit is like mine, then be sure to arrive a little earlier because they may begin sooner then what is to be the presumed tour start time. In addition when purchasing tickets online for a tour (my suggestion) they should list tour times. I was not provided any of this information and it would have been a little more helpful. As for the tour, from what I observed, tour guides were very knowledgeable about the animals. I like how they were able to share their day to day accounts of the animals with guests. There are signs posted indicating rules and warnings. Hand sanitation is available if you have an opportunity during the tour to touch a reptile.

The outside habitats for the animals are well maintained. You will see Tigers, leopards, bobcats, falcons, llamas, alligators, piranhas, primates and other reptiles during your visit. They are sectioned off reasonably in my opinion which allows for the safety of their guests. I just wish the other tigers within the sanctuary were better placed in the sanctuary. There are some animals that are visible in the back but a much further distance.

My children had an opportunity to feed both the leopard and a bobcat. It was the best $10 spent. This part of their extreme package was worth the experience, even if it was over within 5 minutes. Although you feed the animals behind a double enclosed fence, my kids loved sharing their experience with friends and family. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience. A bit unorganized by staff but I think that was due to the lack of staff availability.

The duration should last about an hour to be fair but guests are welcome to stay longer after the tour which is a plus. At the moment, I feel like this is a place you can say "yea, I did that and it was fun!" but im just not certain it is something that I'd return to in the future. I gave this place a 4 star rating because of their negligence to communicate necessary information and because I feel it could use a little more to increase the awe factor of their establishment. I will definitely recommend this place to friends and family but perhaps my criticism / review can be used to help perfect the experience that future guests may have.