Safari in Ohio: Take a Wilds Tour, including Safaris, Horseback, Zipline, Sunset, and more!

Looking for something interesting to do this Spring and Summer? Explore The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio, with nearly 10,000 acres of open range habitat for rare and endangered species.

Go on a Wilds Tour via open air safari, horseback, and more! They have plenty of adventures and even some free activities to enjoy.

credit: Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Pre-COVID photo

The Wilds is home to more than 30 rare and endangered species from around the globe. The animals are provided wide, open pastures to roam, coexist and amaze guests. 

Take a tour through open range animal areas to see giraffe, rhinos, camel, bison, zebras, cheetahs, and many other animals roaming around, while you learn about conservation efforts of the Wilds. There is a Mid-Sized Carnivore Conservation Center, as well as a Wilds Gift Market, Overlook Cafe, Butterfly Habitat, and Birding Station.

Visits to the Butterfly Habitat and the Birding Station at Jeffrey Point are free, though $6 parking fee still applies to non-members for the Butterfly Habitat.

Daily Tours at The Wilds

Reservations are required for tours! Visitors can choose to ride in a pick-up truck to feed giraffes or meet a rhino on a Wildside Tour or feel the breeze on an Open-Air Safari tour while snapping breathtaking photos. Tours start on May 1, 2023, and book up quickly, so schedule yours now!

Daily Open-Air Safari

There are several different tours available, with the most popular option being the Open-Air Safari. Ride through the open-range animal areas, where you’ll see rhinos, giraffes and many other rare and endangered animals roaming in large, natural settings.

This tour includes stops at Lake Trail and the Carnivore Center. Open-Air Safari tours are approximately 2+ hours long. 

Prices and Discounts for Open-Air Safari

• $40 per person (all ages). Only $20 for Columbus Zoo members
• Wilds Members: Free
• Military discounts available; must call to schedule.

credit: Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Wildside Tour

Interact with Animal Management specialists to see the Wilds at work on this exclusive tour. Each experience will vary day-to-day, depending on what program work is taking place at the time of the Wildside Tour.

Small tour groups can see The Wilds from the back of one of the specially modified four-wheel drive trucks with the ability to go off the regular tour roads to get closer to the action.

Tours are approximately 2+ hours long and include plenty of time in pasture to see rare and endangered species in their open-range habitat, and learn directly about programs from your Animal Management guide. 

Prices:
Non Members: starting at $149.00 per person 
Wilds Members: $117.00 per person 

Wildside Tour
photo: Amanda Carberry

Specialty Tours at The Wilds

Adventure-seeking guests can also opt to soar over animal pastures on a Zipline Safari tour, enjoy a relaxing Fishing Safari tour on one of nearly 100 lakes at The Wilds, or saddle up on a Horseback Safari tour through the quiet prairies. 

These specialty tours allow you to pick a more customized or special tour. These make for great gifts, special dates, and bucket list experiences. Specialty tours are available at select dates/times of the week. Plan ahead, as reservations are limited!

Sunset Tours

Want to impress someone? Head to The Wilds for one of these Sunset Tours, available June – September. Twilight is the time when many of the animals are most active.

The Sunset Safari Tour is a magical tour with picturesque views. The tour includes an Open-Air Safari tour for viewing the animals when the pastures are bathing in the late evening sun, plus  dinner on the deck of the Overlook Café. 

Non Member: $99.00 per person (all ages) 
Wilds Members: $79.00 per person (all ages) 

For guests looking to get closer to the action, the Sunset Wildside tour is a great option. This awe-inspiring tour takes guests off the beaten path and out into the pastures, and also includes a lovely dinner.

Non Member: $179/person 
Wilds Member: $149/person

The Sunset Horseback Safari begins with dinner followed by approximately two hours of riding through grasslands and hillsides, as well as our butterfly habitat.  $45-$99, depending on tour

credit: Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

For thrill-seeking guests, booking a Sunset Zipline Safari tour is the way to go. Guests will gear up when the sun goes down on this breathtaking view of The Wilds above the animal pastures. 

Multiple zipline tours available $69-$99.

Horseback Safari, Zipline Tours, and even a Fishing Safari

Private tours are available, as well specialty tours such as Horseback Safari, Birdwatching, Zipline Tours, and even a Fishing Safari, with these tours starting at $30.

credit: Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Wilds Adventures

There are plenty of adventures to enjoy at The Wilds. You and your family can explore habitats including forests, wetlands, streams or lakes that most visitors to The Wilds never get to see.

Get outside and explore nature this summer with an experience guided by our Conservation Education team as you discover some of the most beautiful areas at The Wilds.

Options include: Daytime Hike, Stream Exploration, Lake Canoeing, and Evening Hike

WildNights at the Outpost

Guests who opt for a WildNights at the Outpost experience will spend the night in the middle of The Wilds’ pastures with rhinos and other rare and incredible species nearby.

From lounging around the fire pit, relaxing on covered decks and exploring vast, breathtaking views, this once-in-a-lifetime experience includes a pre-packaged cooler complete with camping groceries.  

Nomad Ridge at The Wilds
photo: Grahm S. Jones

More at The Wilds

There so much more to do here, including camps, overnight stays (yurts, cabins, lodge), and more!

Membership at The Wilds

Want to go more than once AND support this conservation effort? Get a membership for The Wilds!

Membership includes free Open-Air Safari tours from May through October, discounts on premium safari experiences, free parking, member benefits for Nomad Ridge, The Lodge, and The Wilds’ Cabins at Straker Lake, a subscription to The Wilds’ digital member magazine, discounts at The Wilds’ Gift Market and Overlook Café and more.

Members of The Wilds also receive a 50% discount on regular-priced Columbus Zoo and Aquarium tickets.  

Are you a member of an AZA organziation, including the Columbus Zoo?  You’ll receive a 50% discount on an Open Air Safari Tour offered to members of reciprocal AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) institutions with valid and current membership card. AZA membership discounts not offered on specialty tours or programs (for example, camps, Winter on the Wilds).

For additional information or to check on availability, you may also contact reservations@thewilds.org.