Lake Hartwell Wildlife Safari — Attraction in Lavonia

We drove two hours and brought kids so it was worth it for them but the adults had a couple of issues. Talked to several employees on the phone and they were very nice but when we arrived the staff was rude and we felt very rushed, we noticed that customers that were coming and going also said the staff was rude to them. Not sure if they just had a bad day. Admission and feed were relatively cheap but they strongly recommended that every person got at least one bag of feed because there were over 200 animals. The bags of feed probably would have been necessary if it was sunny but it started raining(even though the forecast was clear). We got 11 bags of feed that were $5 each. We were also told that our ride would take at least 45 min. When we started, it started to rain and the guide informed us that the animals wouldn’t come out since it was raining. We only got to feed maybe 20 animals and only used 2 bags of feed. We were soaking wet and the tour was rushed and we only spent about 25 mins out there. When we had animals come up to us they only gave us about 2 minutes every time we stopped. We asked for more time but were told no. As soon as it ended the rain cleared up. If you bring your car out you’re allowed to go through multiple times so we asked the driver if we could go through again, he told us that that was perfectly understandable but that he had to have permission, the staff ended up telling him no and we weren’t offered any type of refund or anything. We understand that they might have other customers and that they can’t change the weather but we felt like they could have warned us or let us return some of the feed if we couldn’t go back through. The kids really enjoyed seeing the animals from a distance so we didn’t make a big deal out of it but we felt like we missed out on a lot. Giving this 4 stars b cause we would probably do again if the weather was absolutely great bc we have seen so many...

The experience is so fun! The morning started a little rocky as the internet was rebooting after being out. However, the staff was so friendly and explained exactly what was going on. Once we paid we enter our own vehicle and drove through the safari at our own risk. One thing that was frustrating was other customers were not following directions when you first enter the drive, the staff member at the gate did not intervene. If anyone reads this please wait to feed the animals until the posted sign says otherwise they congregate by the front gate and you can hardly drive in. Other than that I would advise all that when you pay in the gift shop snag yourself a cute “I got slobbered on towel” cause you will most certainly get slobbered on. This particular day all the animals were so friendly and very active. After going through once we couldn’t help to go through again. Once you pay and keep up with your receipt which is easy to do cause they attach it to your rules and animal guide, you can go through multiple times. I suggest buying an extra food bag and waiting until the end cause you can feel the camels! Another cute thing this place has to offer is the budgie enclosure, which you walk into it you get a stick of food that the staff hands you and little cute birds surround you. The only other thing that frustrated me with this experience is their petting zoo area you can’t enter, so you are petting animals through a fence, if your lucky enough for them to be close. Other locations allow you to enter with staffs help to interact with the baby animals and I really wish this place would also. Other than that this was an amazing experience that I will gladly drive through again, when friends are in town this will be one of my...

We had a fantastic family day! The prices are great ($10 for 12+ years, $5 for a bag of food) and I love that they offer bus rides through the safari at no additional cost. It was great to see the excitement in my teen boys’ eyes while getting up close and personal with animals they have never seen. Many people on the bus were scared/intimidated by the ostriches. They’re big and they know how to get the food they want! Follow the instructions of the drivers of the bus (keep your hand flat and don’t pull back or they get overly excited and will just poke their heads through the window openings to try to reach for the food) and be brave and you’ll have a great experience with the ostriches! Expect to be surrounded by curious animals who know you have yummy treats and may get drool on your hands while you try to feed them! Someone on our bus mentioned the male elk and deer looking thin. The bus driver (Kayla) explained that they are in rut and this is normal. Anyone who has seen deer in the wild knows this is the case. It is clear that these animals are all very well taken care of. Kayla knew so many of the animals by name and has personally cared for many of them since they were babies. I read a review that mentioned animals looking dirty or ungroomed; I find this silly. Animals in the wild don’t have someone chasing them around with a water hose or a brush and they are just fine! I’m an animal lover and thought I knew a lot about them but I learned lots of new things from Kayla. The budgie house was a great experience! There’s nothing quite like being covered in tiny birds! I have zero complaints. We had a great experience and can’t...