Expand / Collapse search
☰

Safari Wilderness Ranch experience in Lakeland offering camel rides

By Jason Wright
Published  February 22, 2025 5:18pm EST
Lakeland
FOX 13 News

Safari Wilderness camel rides

FOX 13's Jason Wright shares the fun experience that he had in Lakeland at the Safari Wilderness Ranch.

The Brief

    • The Safari Wilderness Ranch experience in Lakeland offers camel rides.
    • The venue is untouched natural Florida land, except for the animals that live there.
    • The camel tour takes about two hours, but the camels could go longer if necessary.

LAKELAND, Fla. - Going on a wilderness safari is already a dream vacation for some, but adding the chance to do so on the back of a camel is a real treat. The visitor has to decide, one hump or two?

"Here at Safari Wilderness we have camel safaris," shared owner and operator Lex Salisbury, "You go out on 260 acres, and you'll see about 600 animals."

The Safari Wilderness Ranch experience in Lakeland offers camel rides.

Safari Wilderness is a privately owned preserve in Lakeland. 

The venue is untouched natural Florida land, except for the animals that live there as a part of the Safari Wilderness Ranch experience.

Visitors can choose to experience the ranch in several ways, but one of the more unique ones is on the back of camels.

What they're saying:

"You're about seven feet up on top of this camel in this sort of bestial perch," admitted Salisbury, "You connect with the camel. It's just a really awesome way to see all of the animals."

READ: St. Pete Beach homeowner receives nearly $14,000 water bill

For the rider, the experience is an education about the animal being ridden as much as the animals being viewed.

The Safari Wilderness Ranch experience in Lakeland offers camel rides.

Salisbury explained, "They call them ships of the desert because they go back and forth like a ship rocks. If you kinda get in the groove with that, you'll have a cool time."

The camel tour takes about two hours, but the camels could go longer if necessary. It's in their DNA.

"They've got tremendous stamina," said Salisbury, "Now they can take about 300 pounds all day. There's just a ton of animals you can see on the back of a camel."

CLICK HERE:>>> Follow FOX 13 on YouTube

The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Jason Wright.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:

LakelandPolk County