Jamala Wildlife Lodge and Australian National Zoo and Aquarium

You get what you pay for – Jamala Wildlife Lodge Is Like a 1st Class African Safari without having to fly to Africa. We loved every second – 6 stars.

Jamala is within the zoo compound, and is cleverly designed to have animals close to guests. First off, the animals come first, everyone else comes second, just the way it should be.

We arrived in our Genesis GV80 to park under the solar panel parking structure. There are Tesla branded EV chargers available for any EV to use for free during their stay.

uShaka Lodge and Other Rooms

Recently celebrating its 8th birthday, Jamala has 15 rooms located within uShaka lodge, and the Giraffe Treehouses and Jungle Bungalows. uShaka lodge started life as the administration building of the original aquarium and zoo business. It later was converted into the home of ex-developer Richard and Maureen Tindale, and their family. Richard, son Ryan, and grandson, are still involved in the zoo.

Richard and his wife having moved elsewhere onsite to allow the creation of the uShaka Lodge and Jamala project.

Our “Shark Suite”, once Richard and Maureen’s master bedroom, was simply furnished, yet retains the feel of open savannah-meets-jungle village. I’d have been happy with even more “Africa” in our room. If something is worth doing, it is worth over-doing.

The suite can be used as 2 individual rooms if needed, but we went as a couple and single for a 50th birthday. The birthday girl had the main room with mezzanine windows over-looking the lodge’s dining and lounge area. Our room, sans windows, had 2 large skylights, a quirk of an extremely quirky experience. Better still, the suite is above the shark tank, from which shark “encounters” can be had. Where else can you feed and pat sharks from a walkway on the other side of a secret door from within your suite?

Other rooms adjoin animal enclosures, including the lions.

Our suite was $3,973 for the 2-night inclusive stay (much cheaper than an African safari, and more comfortable too). There is an extremely well-priced mini-bar, keeping in mind licensing restricts BYO alcohol.

uShaka Lodge is stuffed full of delicious treasures, divine carvings and marvellous mementos, of the owner’s 30 African trips. I suspect they may have a hoarding problem, but their problem is our gain. The main room has a large dining table, and a comfortable sitting area that situated between the Colobus Monkey enclosure, and shark tank. From this room, guests have their High Tea buffet upon arrival, with direct access to the aquarium and zoo through a discrete door at the end of the hall. Across the grassed pool terrace and down some stairs, son Ryan’s bedroom is now the Wild Encounter room.

Imagine being part of a family whose back yard is a zoo.

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ABOVE: Jamala Wildlife Lodge and Australian National Zoo and Aquarium

The main room is decorated with love. Detail includes lamp shades made of animal horn and porcupine quills, and there are huge carved animal and human statues. You can sip tea with sharks swimming past only 30cms away, or munch a finger sandwich with a Colobus Monkey grinning at you from his perch within arm’s reach.

Every single detail adds a layer to the safari feel.

On the lower floor, the Cave Restaurant has large windows into the white lion and hyena pens. Through the doors is a terrace overlooking the zoo that cascades down a gentle hill. Evening drinks are served there, and includes lovely French bubbles.

During drinks, keepers call to the white lions, Jake and Mischa, who are then fed large, meaty, bones, as a pre-bed snack. The visceral sound of a contented lion seems to transport itself directly into your chest. Their roars can be heard in nearby Canberra suburbs.

I took a quiet midnight moment to sit in the lodge’s lounge, lit only by lamplight. Every now and then an animal could be heard, and it really did feel like a cosy retreat right in the centre of Africa.

The Food and Drinks

The awarding-winning restaurant uses locally sourced food for a 1st class dining experience. Food, wine and drinks, are included in the price.

Although breakfast, lunch, and lunch are served in the uShaka Lodge, I think they’ve missed a trick though.  I’d have been happy to head into the zoo with a picnic lunch basket, to be had at a secluded spot somewhere in the grounds.

Encounters

Keepers conduct daily encounters and feedings. Early morning risers can head out and watch the animals having their breakfast.  Closer encounters see guests feeding zoo residents, carefully. Whilst Richard dislikes the idea of zoos, he pointed out that some species are near extinction in the wild. Breeding programmes help endangered species survive.

We fed the much-maligned Hyenas, and the delightful Sun Bear (included in price).

On the final day we opted for a ($195p/p price for weekend and school holidays, $165 weekdays) “Meet the Cheetah” experience. Jamala guests receive a 20% discount, but I’d have happily paid the full amount. You can meet and pat “Solo”, an encounter that runs for over half an hour, or the 3 “brothers” for around 15 minutes. Proceeds go to animal conservation.

All encounters, including those at the lodges within animal enclosures, are completely at the pleasure of the animals. If they choose not to participate, they don’t. The cheetahs seem very comfortable with humans in their enclosures, but Ubuhtu, the Southern White Rhino is a thing to behold. For obvious reasons you don’t enter Ubuhtu’s home, but he is very happy to come over for a scratch, sometimes approaching at high speed.

The National Zoo and Aquarium

The zoo celebrated its 25th birthday, with the 47-acre site having several expansions during its life. Enclosures are 3 times that of normal metropolitan zoos, and its residents are rescues, or have been born there.

Jake and Mischa – the white lions feature in the pre-dinner drinks encounter.

Richard received their rescue offer, and was on the next flight accompanied by son Ryan. Although the zoo was not ready to receive the new residents, they made room. To this day, Richard and Ryan have a special bond and can enter the lion’s den to receive a warm welcome.

The zoo costs $150 for a family day-pass, but Jamala guests can wander the zoo until nightfall. From then on guests must remain within their accommodations. For obvious reasons, unaccompanied strangers could get up to all sorts of mischief or worse still, befall an accident.

Security is kept tight for the safety of the animals, with no escapees to report.

The Keepers and volunteers:

First, a thanks to Cooper and Taylor who conducted our tours. Other keepers helped us with our cheetah encounter, and there are many other helpers and volunteers who keep the grounds immaculate. There are around 200 staff and volunteers, but it is clear that the animals come first.

Amanda manages the hospitality, while Renee takes care of the zoo. No job is too small. Covid left the business short of staff, so I was not surprised that manager Renee put on her dive gear to clean the interior of the shark tank.

During lockdown, a small team divided themselves in 2 and stayed on-site to care for the residents. That’s the kind of dedication money can’t buy.

Conclusion:

Although Jamala is luxurious and decadent, where else can you stay in a working zoo? For me, the aquarium was amazing, but the zoo transported me utterly and completely. The knowledge that Jamala supports the zoo’s work is an added bonus.

The staff were amazing. Nothing was too much trouble and the food and wine was superb. Oddly, owing to the license conditions, you can’t BYO alcohol. Believe me you don’t need it. Food and drink is locked away at night, but there is tea and coffee in the room. We had to share a kettle with our buddy in the other room, so a kettle in each room would have been nice. A biscuit or slice of cake wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Encounters, meals and drinks are plentiful. In fact, the second night we struggled to fit dinner in.

The stay was flawless and worth every penny.

Finally, thanks to our hosts, staff, volunteers, and of course, the animals.