safari rescue car

We’ll be back after this short break

Preparing...

Idle Zoo Safari Rescue

Idle Zoo Safari Rescue is an idle game where you can manage your very own zoo filled with fascinating Safari animals! Begin with an elephant, you get to unlock a diverse range of animals including parrots, wolves, bears, and other incredible surprises from the mysterious African Safaris. Enhance your animals' abilities and keep them well-fed. The more you invest, the more you'll earn! You know what is the best? You can even release your animals to get more green powers, enabling you to unlock even more upgrades! Are you ready to dive into the wild world of Safaris?

How to play Idle Zoo Safari Rescue?

Left click the animals to collect money!

Who created Idle Zoo Safari Rescue?

Idle Zoo Safari Rescue is created by Ember Whirl. This is their first game on Poki!

How can I play Idle Zoo Safari Rescue for free?

You can play Idle Zoo Safari Rescue for free on Poki.

Can I play Idle Zoo Safari Rescue on mobile devices and desktop?

Idle Zoo Safari Rescue can be played on your computer and mobile devices like phones and tablets.

• Mouse Games
• Animal Games
• Management Games
• Simulation Games

• Episodes written by Ligiah Villalobos
• Episodes in which a character transforms into something
• Episodes with Juma
• Episodes with Alicia
• Episodes with Baby Jaguar
• Click Segment
• Rescue Pack segment
• Rescue Rope Segment
• Episodes in which Alicia joins the rescue
• Episodes in which Baby Jaguar joins the rescue
• Double-Length Episodes
• Episodes where the Bobos are absent
• Episodes in which Rescue Pack is asked before Click
• Episodes dealing with sabotage
• Episodes where the audience learns a new language other than Spanish
• Episodes with Rescue Rope
• Episodes where the Green Quetzals are absent
• Episodes where Baby Jaguar speaks
• Episodes without Rescue Pack shouting, "Yo!"
• No Bobo Brothers Segment
• Episodes featuring the animal's predator
• Episodes where Daisy is absent
• Episodes Released on DVD

Diego's Safari Rescue

• View history

Diego's Safari Rescue (also known as " Diego's African Safari " or just " Safari Rescue ") is a Go, Diego, Go! double-length episode and the second one in the series, as well as the 14 th episode from Season 2.

In production order, it's the 19 th and final episode of Season 2.

• 1 Characters
• 4 Animal Sound of the Elephant
• 6 Facts about elephants learned
• 7 Animal Puzzle with Questions
• 8 Rescue Pack transformations
• 9 Things found by Click
• 10 Releases

Characters [ ]

• Baby Jaguar
• Rescue Pack
• Rescue Rope
• Juma (debut)
• Erin the Elephant (only appearance)
• Magician (only appearance)
• Mommy Rhino
• Mommy Rhino’s babies
• The rest of the animals of the African Safari

Summary [ ]

Where are all the African elephants? A mean magician, who used to be a mosquito, turned them into rocks! So Diego, Alicia, and Baby Jaguar join Animal Rescuer Juma to find Erin the Elephant, and a hidden magic drum that can break the spell and help all the animals in Africa. They'll need the viewer's help on this big Safari Rescue!

Diego, Alicia, and Baby Jaguar visit their friend Juma in Africa. Juma tells them the story about a magician who has turned all of the elephants into rocks with her magic wand. A drum is hidden in a cave on top of the Tall Mountain that will break the spell and wake up all the elephants. Diego, Alicia, Juma, and Baby Jaguar set out to find the drum and break the spell. They find Erin, an elephant who has been hiding in a cave and protecting the Magic Drum. Erin uses her tusk to dig up the magic drum and they all head out. Along the way, Erin uses her trunk to pull dead trees blocking their way, stomps her feet to scare away the lions and swims across a big lake. And also, she, Diego, Alicia, Juma and Baby Jaguar have to be really quiet and tiptoe past a mommy rhino with her babies without waking them up. The magic drum helps the giraffes grow back their long necks, the zebras get their stripes back, the hippos grow back into their full size, and finally, break the elephant spell. The elephants wake up and join the African Safari once again.

Animal Sound of the Elephant [ ]

• Woo! (Trumpet)
• Where Are All the Elephants?
• Al Rescate (English and African Version)
• On An African Safari
• Tiptoe Past the Rhinos

Facts about elephants learned [ ]

• Elephants get across water by swimming, not flying due to gravity and their lack of wings.
• Elephants cool off with their ears, not fans.
• Elephants blow off dust with their trunks, not their brooms.
• Elephants scare away lions by stomping, not playing guitar.

Animal Puzzle with Questions [ ]

• To get across a lake, does an elephant fly, or swim ?
• To cool off, does an elephant use its big ears , or a fan?
• To blow off dust, does an elephant use a broom, or its trunk ?
• To scare away a lion, does an elephant stomp , or play the guitar?

Rescue Pack transformations [ ]

Note: The item in bold is the correct one.

• Hot air balloon

Things found by Click [ ]

Note: The thing(s) in bold is the correct one.

• Grassy hills
• Flower bushes
• Giant rocks (elephants transformed by the Magician)

Releases [ ]

This episode can be found on the DVD title with the same name .

• This is the second double-length episode of the franchise that was put onto home media after the premiere of the episode after the main show 's episode, Dora's Fairytale Adventure .
• Coincidentally, both are second double-length episodes for both shows.
• In this episode, unlike others, the Rescue Pack segment occurred before the Click segment. This will happen again in The Great Polar Bear Rescue (the double-length episode after next).
• The only animals the Magician does not cast a spell on are the lions and the black rhinos.
• This is the second time in the franchise that the audience gets to learn another language besides Spanish after Dora's World Adventure! . In this case, they get to learn some Swahili (just like in said episode).
• However, the Magician takes their place as the antagonist.
• This is the third episode where Rescue Rope is used after Diego the Hero and An Underwater Mystery .
• Additionally, it could also be the show's version of Dora's World Adventure! since both involve traveling in Africa.
• This is the first episode since The Tapir's Trip Home where Rescue Pack was asked, as he wasn't in the last three .
• Rescue Pack doesn't shout "Yo!" after his song. He instead shouts hello in Swahili as "Jambo!".
• The same episode title was used as a video game for the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation 2.
• 1 Dora (series)
• 2 Dora Márquez
• 3 Diego Márquez

6 Features Your Safari Car Must Have on Your African Adventures

Oct 12, 2019 | Brave Africa Safari , Safari Tips

When planning an African adventure, there are a thousand questions you can and should ask yourselves. But we’re here today to talk about a subject that’s often overlooked by safari-goers. Whether it’s your first time on an African adventure or your tenth, before you choose your Africa safari camp or lodge, ask about your safari vehicle.

The Importance of Your Safari Car

Your safari vehicle could make or break your trip. You’ll be in this car day in and day out for hours upon hours at a time. It will be how you get through the thick and wild Bush, and it will be responsible for taking you to the animals.

You might be surprised to learn that every Africa safari camp and lodge uses different vehicles. Sometimes it’s because they want to offer a special experience for their guests, and other times the differences are just about saving costs.

Choosing a company that uses a crappy safari car will leave you feeling vastly disappointed and jealous of every other safari vehicle you see. But if you’ve never been on safari before, how do you know what’s a good safari vehicle and what’s not?

6 Features You Want in Your Safari Vehicle

At Brave Africa, we have top of the line safari vehicles, and we think the experience is well worth it, but don’t take our word for it.

Let’s dive down into the type of experience you want on your African adventure and the kind of safari car you need to make it happen.

Every Brave Africa safari is custom-built to handle the Botswana Bush. The stadium-style seats in the back are open to the environment but still protected by a canopy from the sun and rain. There’s a snorkel that allows us to go through deep water, custom tires/wheels, a fold-down windshield, USB charging ports, a storage cooler, and more.

1.     Toyota Land Cruiser

Twenty-five years ago, the Land Rover was the standard safari vehicle. But as soon as the Toyota Land Cruiser entered the market, it became the new Toyota safari truck, and the game changed forever.

Toyota Land Cruisers are incredible vehicles that can handle the muddiest of conditions without getting stuck. It’s a powerful and dependable vehicle that’s known for exceptional performance, reliability, and durability. It offers a smooth ride even in the toughest of conditions, and it can go for days on a single tank of diesel, of which the safari car has two.

However, an off-the-shelf factory Toyota Land Cruiser isn’t precisely what you’re looking for either. It should be specially modified for safari conditions. These modifications include:

• A snorkel that can handle deep water
• Updated shock and suspension system for a smoother ride
• Increased ground clearance
• Updated wheels and tires specifically designed to handle the African Bush

Notice the lack of modifications on this safari vehicle. There is no snorkel, which means deep water will be an issue. There also looks to be little to no modifications when it comes to the wheels/tires, the cab, and more. It’s basically a pickup truck with seating placed on the back.

2.     Fully Open Vehicle

If you’ve done any safari research, you’ve probably seen tons of images of different types of vehicles. In Kenya and Tanzania, most safari camps and lodges prefer fully enclosed safari cars where you have to stand up for a clear view of the wildlife without windows.

However, in Southern Africa, including Botswana , you’re mostly going to find safari vehicles with a more open-air approach, but how open it is can drastically change your African adventure.

Open Seating in Your Safari Vehicle

First, let’s talk about your seating area. There are completely open safari vehicles—no windows, doors, or frames blocking your view. Then, some vehicles claim to “protect you from the elements” while at the same time changing how you experience the Bush.

How much access you want to the animals is up to you, but we think the more open, the better. We feel that having something between you and the animals takes away from the magic of your African Adventures. It transforms your experience into something more zoo-like and less “in your face” majesty.

A closed seating area will mean that you’ll deal with less dust, but we think that’s part of the safari experience. We’d rather breathe in a little dust and maybe get wet, but be right there ready and waiting to watch a lion walk by our car or hear an elephant trumpet at us.

However, no matter how open the car is, it’s the seating that matters too. You do not want to be in a car with middle seats. Ask your safari operator how many people they’ll allow per car. We max out at six occupants so that everyone has a window seat, and no one is stuck with a lousy view.

This safari vehicle offers a closed off seating area, which means an obstructed view of the wildlife as well as a hot backseat experience. More likely than not, there’s no air conditioning in the back, and with a closed-off front cab, very little chance for a breeze. That’s tough. And when it comes to birding, this car will not be helpful.

Open Cab Safari Car

Second, let’s talk about the driver’s cab. Even in safari cars where the entire seating area is open to the elements, you might find a situation where the cab is closed. This is definitely something you DO NOT want.

A closed cab means you are closed off from your safari guide. Yes, he or she might still be able to talk to you by leaning out the window, but it’s going to be ten times harder to interact with them, which will greatly detract from your experience.

Your safari guide is essential to your time in the Bush. They’ll explain animal behavior, unique plants, and more. Think of it like being in the car with a live Wikipedia page that can answer all your questions on the spot without the Internet.

Now, imagine that to get to your Wiki page, you had to click ten different buttons to find the answer you wanted. That would get annoying quickly, right? That’s the same with a closed cab. If you don’t have direct and easy access to your guide, you won’t be able to hear what he or she has to tell you throughout your drive, and you’ll lose out on an incredible amount of insight.

This safari vehicle has a closed cab, which makes it difficult for guests to talk with their guide for a far less personal experience. It also has a very closed in seating area. Those guests in the back row have very limited viewing. Also, notice the middle seat…that’s a lot of guests in one vehicle.

3.     Canopy Cover

Now, a fully open vehicle is excellent, except when you don’t have a canopy! Yes, Botswana might be a desert, but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever rain, and when it rains, you want a canopy to keep you from getting soaked. But even when it doesn’t rain, a canopy is fairly essential.

The sun is hot and in Botswana—with an average of 3,300 hours of sunshine every year—and that means you want to be in the shade as much as possible. A fully open cab without even a canopy will mean you have no protection from the elements.

Without a canopy, guests in this vehicle will have no relief from the sun or rain.

4.     Safari Car Power Charging

Access to power is critical even in the middle of the Bush. Between our guests’ cameras, phones, and other technology, we know that having the ability to charge your devices is essential to an enjoyable experience. And with 12- to 13-hour game drives, relying on only battery power can be nerve-wracking.

That’s why every Brave Africa safari vehicle offers two USB charging stations at each seat, so you can charge two items at once throughout your daily game drives. You’ll never have to worry about going without power.

Every Brave Africa safari vehicle offers 2 USB ports per seat. Here’s a picture of the four slots for the two front seats.

5.     Refrigerator System

When it’s 35 degrees Celsius (95F), it’s way too hot not to have access to ice-cold water, juice, soda, or beer to cool you down in the heat. So, before you choose your African adventure safari, ask the operator if they have a refrigerator system in their safari car.

In the middle of Brave Africa’s first row of passenger seats, we have a large refrigerator that can hold around two dozen cold drinks. This means that no matter how far away from camp you are, you can still enjoy crisp cold drinks on a blistering day.

Between the first two seats, we added a cooler for ice-cold drinks and food on every game drive.

6.     Storage Options

When you’re on all-day game drives , you need to be able to bring a lot of stuff with you to have a good experience, and that means you need storage space. You need room to store your day bag with your camera, phone, spare jacket, and other personal items. There also needs to be room for snacks, lunch, tables, chairs, and other items you might need on your all-day drive.

At Brave Africa, we max out our vehicle at six guests, so there’s plenty of room to leave your bag. In the back two rows, you can place your stuff in the middle seat. In the front row, you can put your items on top of the refrigerator. There’s also plenty of room to put your bag at your feet as needed.

As for storage for tables and chairs, we’ve built on an extra storage rack on the back of the vehicle. This rack can be folded down or up and used to store guest luggage to and from the airport. We also use it to carry tables and chairs for lunch in the Bush—a requirement for every African adventure.

We built a custom storage rack onto the back of every Brave Africa safari vehicle. This rack can be used to store guest luggage, tables, chairs, and more.

Recent Posts

Follow us on Social Media

Travel Agents

DESTINATIONS

Getting Here

What to Pack

Safari Tips

SAFARI PACKAGES

10 Day Safari – Moremi, Khwai, Savuti

7 Day Safari – Khwai & Savuti

7 Day – Moremi & Khwai

Consider these alternative items

• Toys & Games
• Toy Figures & Playsets

No featured offers available

• Quality Price,
• Reliable delivery option, and
• Seller who offers good customer service

Sorry, there was a problem.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Matchbox Animal Rescue Combo Pack Vehicles Playset with 2 Safari Rescue Vehicles & 2 Animal Figures, Gift for Kids Ages 3 Years & Older

• Kids who love adventure play will go wild for the Matchbox Animal Rescue Combo Pack.
• Comes with Rhino Rescue Helicopter and Elephant Rescue Truck.
• Included rhino and elephant animal figures can inspire daring, high-action rescue play.
• Helicopter has a detachable crate to load then lift rhino to safety.
• Elephant Rescue truck has back loading ramp, fold-up sides and a working horn!

Related Climate Pledge Friendly items

PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

ISCC PLUS certified products are created using raw materials like recycled plastics and bio-based materials, which can reduce fossil fuel consumption.

Product information

Product description.

An exciting animal rescue playset for kids who care about wild animals! Two awesome push-along rescue vehicles with animal figures let young explorers save animals by land and by air. The rhino rescue helicopter includes a detachable crate to load and carry the included rhino figure to safety. The elephant truck includes an elephant-ready loading ramp and fold up sides to keep the animal secure and comes with the elephant figure. A working horn adds to the excitement. A great rescue set for adventurers who love animals and want to come to the rescue and protect wild creatures all around the world! Colors and decorations may vary.

From the manufacturer

Matchbox vehicles and playsets inspire kids to drive their own adventures. Through fun and creative push-around play, kids learn to explore independently and hone their problem-solving skills.

What's in the box

Looking for specific info, customer reviews.

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Safari Rescue (video game)

• View history
• 1 Dora Márquez
• 2 Baby Jaguar to the Rescue
• 3 Diego Márquez

Go, Diego, Go! Safari Rescue Review

Dora's pal has his own game, and it's far, far better..

Given that parents can help their kids out and Diego offers some interesting educational bits, I'm actually rather happy to recommend this for fans of the TV show. Older gamers can help out the younger ones with stuff if they get hung up, and kids can sharpen their skills (you still only have to use X and the analog sticks in wiggle mini-games, nothing more). It's a solid little game that is surprisingly decent -- especially compared to 2K's other Nick Games offering.

In This Article

More Reviews by Sam Bishop

Ign recommends.

• Animal Encounters/Event Tickets
• Info & Rates
• Our Animals
• Schools & Groups
• The Preserve
• Feed The Beasts
• Giraffe Tower Support
• Animal Adoptions

SAFARI ADVENTURE VEHICLE

Safari research and rescue vehicle - almost 9" long! • Batteries Included • Made from plastic materials • Ideal for expanding imaginations

ANIMAL ADVENTURE PARK

Opening Day April 7th, 2024 Open Daily 10 am - 5 pm Last Admissions 4 pm Animal Encounters Available Sloths, Capybara, Penguins, Rhino & Giraffes!

THE PRESERVE

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Connect With Us:

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

Safari Vehicles – Everything You Need to Know About Cars for the Bush

Safari vehicles come in all shapes and sizes and offer different ways to experience the African bush. The car is something that you would probably overlook when choosing one for your safari, but it can be the pivotal factor in how you experience your safari.

From the safari enthusiast who knows nothing about cars to the weekend explorer who has the 4×4 with all the extras you can imagine, this is a guide on everything you need to know.  It breaks down what to expect from the safari vehicles you will be using when going on your first safari trip.

If you haven’t quite got as far as booking your first trip, then this guide to the best safaris in Africa for first-timers is the perfect starting point.

What is a Safari Vehicle?

You might be asking yourself what African safari cars are and why they matter? In general, they are large 4×4 vehicles that have been modified to ensure the passengers’ safety. It is worth remembering that the regulations about the vehicles differ from national parks to private reserves and from province to province.

Big, small, open, or closed — there are a few different types of vehicles for safaris that the different national parks use. The vehicle should suit your needs or what you want to get out of the safari.

Unfortunately, you don’t always have a choice when it comes to what safari cars are available. So here is everything that you need to know to help prepare you for what to expect and how to choose what vehicle is best for you on safari.

If you are more of the adventurous type and would rather rent your own vehicle, this will also help you in understanding what vehicle would be best. All safari vehicles should at least have some, if not all of these features:

• Snorkel to handle deep water
• Upgraded suspension for extra comfort and durability
• Upgraded wheels and tires suited to the terrain

African Safari Vehicles

When it comes to an African safari car, there are a number of different types of vehicles that could be used on your drive. Most safaris however will be in a 4×4 safari where the terrain requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle to pass through. But there are other routes that will allow you to travel in a much larger group in more comfort, such as in a sprinter van on a hardpack road.

Some National Park’s offer a pickup service for a private tour where the guide will pick you up in the safari vehicle, with the canvas sides closed. They will then open the sides once you start your safari. You wouldn’t exactly want to be in an open vehicle driving along the freeway but on the game drive, it is perfect. A closed vehicle would be more comfortable in that scenario but not as good on the game drive itself with limited viewing available.

The two most common vehicles used are either safari Jeeps or Toyota safari vehicles. They both have their own advantages and disadvantages but are some of the best for the job.

Toyota Safari Vehicles

The legendary and most reliable of them all, most game parks use Toyota Land Cruisers as their vehicle of choice. Having replaced the trusty Land Rover Defender and the African safari Jeep a few decades ago, Toyota changed the game forever.

There are both enclosed and open Toyota safari vehicles, depending on the location and guidelines of the park. Fully open vehicles provide unrestricted views of the world around you, perfect for the photographers who want to get that perfect shot. An open vehicle has no doors, windows, or frames to block your view. You also have the ability to listen and talk to your guide, ensuring that you don’t miss a thing and know what is going on at all times.

The closed version offers more protection from the elements on those colder and wetter days. The downside, though, is that your view is more restricted and you have to look through windows. This isn’t ideal for those wanting to take photographs but perfect for those who want a comfortable experience.

Safari Trucks

If you really want to go off the grid and live in the bush, then a safari truck is the answer. These beasts are normally caravans on wheels with either 4×4 or 6×6 capabilities and can live in the middle of nowhere for weeks on end. Other safari trucks that are used are normal vans, such as a sprinter van. These will take you and a group of your friends in amazing comfort on more maintained and established tracks.

Types of Safari

The type of safari that you choose to do will have an impact on the type of safari vehicle that will be available to you. Not only that but the location of your safari will also be a factor in what vehicle is available.

Kenya and Tanzania prefer to use fully enclosed vehicles with their passengers but with the added modification of an expanding or opening roof. This means that if you get tired of looking through the window with limited visibility, you can stand for an uninterrupted view. The roof is then closed once the safari is over. This is different in South Africa where mostly open-air vehicles are used for a much better experience.

Guided Game Drive

The most popular of the safari options are the guided game drives on private game reserves and National Parks. These are the go-to for anyone who is visiting a game reserve.

The professional guides will either use an open or enclosed vehicle depending on their rules and preference. If you visit during the summertime, don’t forget a hat to protect you from the sun. If you brave the winter months then layer up as it can get really cold in the bush at all times, especially when the sun goes down.

If you are wanting the full open vehicle experience then this short afternoon safari in the Kruger is a beautiful and quick excursion into the African landscape. Don’t forget to wear a solid pair of boots and clothes that you wouldn’t mind getting dirty as well, as you can expect a lot of mud and dust.

Self-Drive Safaris

For the mavericks and explorers among us, the self-drive safari is one of the top bucket list adventures. Renting or taking your own vehicle through a national park and going at your own pace to explore the landscape is the perfect option. It is possible to do a self-drive safari in any car with plenty of accommodation options in National Parks. For the ultimate experience, you’d want a 4×4 with all the bells and whistles.

Different Safari Cars for a Different Experience

Now that you know that a safari car isn’t just a car and that they are different, you will be able to choose the perfect safari to suit your needs. If you are wanting a photographic excursion into the wild then an open safari car is the best.

If you want to feel a little more protected then an enclosed vehicle is your car of choice. If you are planning a trip to Africa or Kenya in particular, then this guide on all you need to know about safaris in Kenya will help plan your trip.

Why not give this 3-day safari adventure in Nairobi a try? It is a beautiful drive into the Kenyan landscape.

Don’t forget to dress appropriately for the car that you will be driving in and enjoy every moment of your safari.

Maldives Vacation | Packages, Costs, Trips & More 2024

Nairobi Safari Parks, Tours & More | Wildlife Near and Far

Best Time to Go on an African Safari | 5 Pro Tips for Planning Your Holiday

Thornybush | Game Reserve, Lodge & Safari

Natural Remedies for Anxiety – How to Cope with Holiday Stress

Africa Trips for Couples – Getaway to Africa

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Compare items

• Total ( 0 )

Shopping cart

• Site 57 Safari

Site 57 Safari - MICHIGAN’S ONLY DRIVE THRU SAFARI! (NO PETS ALLOWED)

Explore The Wild Without Leaving Your Car At Lazy 5 Ranch, A Drive-Through Safari Park In North Carolina

Robin Jarvis

More by this Author

When the going gets tough, head to Mooresville and the Lazy 5 Ranch for some quality family time with a drive through safari at this cool animal park in North Carolina . Prepare to see it all from the comfort of your own vehicle and to feed the animals.

Related Stories

One Of North Carolina's Coolest Aqua Parks, Carrigan Farms Will Make You Feel Like A Kid Again

The Endless Fields Of Lavender At Lavender Oaks In North Carolina Is An Unforgettable Sight

Visit The Stunning Owen's Orchids, The Oldest & Most Prestigious Orchid Farm In North Carolina

Have you visited this drive through safari, Lazy 5 Ranch, in North Carolina in the past? What’s your favorite permanent furry resident of the park? Join the conversation in our comments, or if you haven’t visited yet, make plans to soon! Book this cute cottage in Mooresville and make it an overnight adventure.

We love supporting small businesses all throughout the year and in every season. Know of another small business that offers a fun experience that you think others would enjoy visiting? We’d love to show support with a feature article! You can tell us all about it through our attraction nomination page!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Want more North Carolina in your inbox?

Get the latest on things to see, do, and eat around North Carolina!

Thank you! You will receive your first newsletter soon.

An error occured.

More to Explore

Drive-through safari in north carolina & related info.

Are there any other animal encounters in North Carolina?

Yes! In addition to Lazy 5 Ranch, check out the Shackleford Wild Horse and Shelling Safari that leaves from Beaufort and the Bear Safari at Alligator River in East Lake, just for starters.

Find more animal encounters in North Carolina .

Related Articles

• Shelby Corn Maze Is A Beautiful Fall Farm Hiding In Plain Sight In North Carolina That You Need To Visit This Autumn
• You Can Play With A Baby Two-Toed Sloth At Zootastic, A Safari Park In North Carolina
• You Can Drive Through The Terrifying Granville Haunt Farm Halloween Experience In North Carolina This Year
• Buy Locally Made Cheese Straight From The Farm At Looking Glass Creamery In North Carolina
• Cuddle The Most Adorable Rescued Farm Animals At Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge In North Carolina
• Play With Exotic Animals At It's A Zoo Life, A Large Privately Run Reservations-Only Zoo In North Carolina
• Pick Your Own Certified Organic Blueberries For Just $4.50 Per Pound At Herndon Hills Farm In North Carolina
• A Wildlife Park In North Carolina, Lazy 5 Ranch Is A Fantastic Family Day Trip

Explore North Carolina

• Arts & Entertainment
• Farms & Wildlife
• Fun Adventures
• Shops & Boutiques
• Sights & Landmarks

Featured Addresses

Charging elephant kills an American woman on 'bucket list trip' in Zambia

An American woman who was on what she had called her "last big trip" was killed when a charging elephant flipped over the car she was traveling in at a national park in Zambia .

The “aggressive” creature buffeted the vehicle carrying six tourists and a guide, tour operator Wilderness said in a statement Tuesday. It said the 79-year-old victim died after Saturday's incident on a game drive at the Kafue National Park in western Zambia.

The company did not name the victim but Rona Wells, her daughter, identified her as Gail Mattson in a post on Facebook. She said her mother died in a “tragic accident while on her dream adventure.”

A video circulating on social media apparently showing the incident shows a large elephant running toward a car, which slows down as the animal approaches its left side. The elephant then flips the vehicle over and the passengers can be heard gasping as the car rolls over.

NBC News does not know the condition or identity of the person who filmed the video.

Photos shared online of the car, which is emblazoned with the logo of the tour operator, show it tipped onto its side after the incident, with a deep dent in two of its side doors.

Wilderness, which describes itself as a “leading conservation and hospitality company” operating in eight African countries, including Zambia, did not respond to NBC News when asked to confirm the authenticity of the video and the photos.

But the tour operator’s CEO, Keith Vincent, said in the statement that the company’s “guides are all extremely well trained and experienced.”

"Sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation was such that the guide’s route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm’s way quickly enough,” he added.

Another woman was also injured in the incident and taken to a medical facility in South Africa, the Wilderness statement said, adding that four others were treated for minor injuries.

“It’s extremely rare to see an elephant that irate,” Marlon du Toit, a wildlife photographer and safari guide, told the “TODAY” show Thursday. “Across Africa, there are thousands and thousands of guests on safari on a daily basis with no negative consequences.”

The exact cause of Mattson’s death was unclear, but the company said her body would be repatriated to her family in the United States with the support of local Zambian authorities and the U.S. Embassy in the capital, Lusaka.

“This is a tragic event and we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the guest who died,” the statement added.

NBC News has reached out to Mattson's family for further comment.

Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest and oldest national park, according to its website, and spans an area of more than 8,000 square miles. Vast regions of the park remain unexplored and the website says it is home to a variety of untamed wildlife.

A 'bucket list trip'

Mattson spent her winters in Sun City West, Arizona, playing bridge and cards, but during the rest of the year, she "travels all over the world," her friend Brenda Biggs told NBC News. Biggs and her husband, John Longabauth, became friends with Mattson when they moved to the area 6 ½ years ago.

Longabauth said Mattson spoke to the couple about her upcoming safari trip about two weeks ago, and called it "one of her bucket list trips." He said she was very excited for the adventure.

Before she left, she gave the couple concert tickets for a show that would happen while she was traveling, telling them to enjoy the concert and "I'll see you when I get back," Longabauth recalled of the conversation.

Biggs said Mattson, who was almost 80 years old, told her that the African safari was her "my last big trip." She said Mattson was "super excited because it was like the culmination of all the trips that she had gone on."

An avid traveler, Mattson took to trips to Europe and Asia, Longabauth recalled, noting that she might have been to South America, too.

Biggs called her friend "flamboyant," "friendly" and "fabulous" and said she loved bright colors. Mattson had taken over Biggs’ job as the event planner for their 200-member bridge club, she said.

"Gail was one of the more up people you'd ever want to meet," Longabauth said. "She was always up. She was always optimistic. She was always seeing the good side of everybody."

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Five Georgia students rescue a woman and her two children from drowning car

The Kappa Alpha Theta members jumped into action to save Cori Craft and her two sons after their SUV veered off into a creek

With her two sons accompanying her, Cori Craft had just accidentally driven her SUV into a creek in rural Georgia , and she couldn’t find her phone to summon help as the car rapidly sank.

Thoughts that she and her family could soon drown started to flood her mind. But then she heard a voice call out and ask if she was OK. Her reply that she was not OK was the only thing five college sorority members needed to hear to work together to pull Craft and her boys out – and then resuscitate one of the children by performing CPR on him.

“Without them stopping, I would not have my youngest here,” Craft told ABC News in a remarkably dramatic interview published Wednesday. “I know I would not have been able to get to him in time.”

Craft’s comments to the US news outlet provided the most complete account yet of what authorities have separately exalted as life-saving bravery displayed by University of Georgia students Molly McCollum, Jane McArdle, Eleanor Cart, Clarke Jones and Kaitlyn Iannace on 15 March.

As the five Kappa Alpha Theta sorors recounted to ABC, they were on a road trip of about four hours from their school in Athens to Savannah to celebrate St Patrick’s Day weekend when they detoured through a rural part of the state to stop for lunch on cheese biscuits.

That’s when McCollum said “a spark of white – a little cloud of dust” in the corner of their collective vision caught their attention.

The sound of “a big old crash” soon complemented the strange sight, McCollum recalled, and once assured that they weren’t imagining things, the group decided to pull their car over.

As Jones said, “that’s when we saw the car in the water”.

Craft said she had veered off the road and into the creek there after losing control of her SUV – with her two young sons in the back – while driving through the community of Sardis. Not only was she unable to find her phone as the emergency escalated, but she also couldn’t even see where her glasses were, she said.

“I was thinking … ‘I don’t know how I’m going to call for help,’” Craft said. “And then I just heard them over on the bank, they shouted [asking] if I was OK. And I’m like, ‘No, my kids are in the car.’”

As a screaming Craft squeezed her way out of the SUV through a broken sunroof, the traveling Thetas dialed 911, but they didn’t wait for first responders to arrive. They hopped into the water, aided Craft as she opened one of the doors of the sideways SUV and retrieved the older of her sons.

But Craft’s younger boy – aged four – remained buckled in, completely under water and trapped.

McCollum reported spending up to five minutes struggling with McArdle, Cart, Jones and Iannace to find a way to rescue Craft’s younger boy. They eventually managed to lift him out of the car – yet at that point, a frightening scene greeted them.

The boy’s “lips [were] completely blue”, Iannace said to ABC. “Like his eyes were closed – he was not breathing.”

Luckily for the group gathered in the creek, Jones had previously worked as a lifeguard. She remembered the CPR training she received as part of that job and began administering it to the boy, unsure if it would even make a difference.

after newsletter promotion

“This is the one thing I know how to do that I can help,” Jones said she thought to herself. “And so I’m just going to give it my best try.”

Craft became afraid that her younger child had died. However, suddenly, he began breathing again.

Jones and her friends had saved him. That realization prompted his mother and his rescuers to burst into elated tears.

Local sheriff’s office deputies soon released a statement calling the sorority sisters “amazing”.

“The quick thinking and bravery of these women is absolutely admirable,” said the statement from the agency, which subsequently made the university students honorary deputies. “We are grateful you were in the right place at the right time.”

The Sardis police department issued its own statement declaring that “these five young ladies were the primary factor” everyone in Craft’s SUV emerged from the crash alive.

“The term hero gets said about sports stars and others,” the Sardis police statement added. “But these five are true heroes.”

None of the Thetas seemed all that comfortable embracing the label of hero – or, as ABC dubbed them, “the fearless five”.

“It’s more about … [having] a mindset of altruism and just like searching for [anyone] who needs help in the world around you,” McCollum said in the interview which aired on Good Morning America.

McArdle said: “I think the mom was so frantic that, like, I don’t know – I feel like I didn’t have a choice but to help.”

Most viewed

Mother charged in death of baby left in car seat for 13 hours, prosecutors say

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (WXIX/Gray News) - An Indiana mother is facing charges, including reckless homicide, after the death of her 9-day-old son.

Raeleigh Phillips, 22, is facing charges in connection to the death of her son, Emmett Phillips. Prosecutors say police and EMS found the baby unresponsive March 3 in a Lawrenceburg apartment. They say his cause of death was positional asphyxia, which means the child was in a position where he could not adequately breathe.

Court documents say Phillips left her son in his car seat for at least 13 hours. WXIX reports she told police she went to a friend’s house. When she arrived home, the baby was sleeping in the car seat, so she took him inside and let him sleep in the seat while she napped.

After her nap, Phillips says she tried to wake Emmett, but he was cold and not breathing. She called 911.

Police say the baby had not been fed in about 14 hours and was wearing a soiled diaper. Court records say he was taken to the hospital, where it was determined he had been dead for an extended period.

Bryn Beam is a resident of the apartment complex who also does work around the buildings. He says he was upset by the news of Emmett’s death.

“I’m a big kid person,” Beam said. “I love kids, and it kind of tore me up. It really broke my heart. I’ve seen a lot of stuff here over the years, but we’ve never had anything like this here.”

Phillips is in jail on a $200,000 bond. She’s facing charges of reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent. She was convicted of the latter charge in a different case in 2022.

Copyright 2024 WXIX via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Mother fatally shot by son near Greenwood Road, police say

SWEPCO gives latest update on power outages, restoration times

Restaurant adding labor fee to customers’ bills to combat rising costs

DOTD works to clear roads of debris, fallen trees; many roads still have high water

Rising waters strand multiple Lake Bistineau residents; first responders rescue them

Latest news.

Biden administration moves to force thousands more gun dealers to run background checks

Father tackles armed man outside restaurant to protect family

Family members celebrating engagement disarm suspect who fired shots outside restaurant

5 arrested after shooting at crowded Eid event injures several, police say

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Human Interest

Mom’s Son Was ‘Fully Unconscious’ When Sorority Sisters Saved Him. They All Cried When He Began Breathing Again

Molly McCollum, Jane McArdle, Eleanor Cart, Clarke Jones and Kaitlyn Iannace were en route to a girls’ weekend in March when they jumped into action

• A group of sorority sisters are speaking out about saving a mom and her two sons in March
• The University of Georgia students were en route to a girls' weekend trip when they saw an SUV go off the roadway and into a creek
• “If we were five seconds later we wouldn’t have even seen the car go off the bridge,” one of the sisters said during an interview with Good Morning America

Nearly a month after rescuing a mom and her two young boys from a sinking car , five University of Georgia sorority sisters are opening up about what happened that day — and reuniting with the mom they helped rescue.

Molly McCollum, Jane McArdle, Eleanor Cart, Clarke Jones and Kaitlyn lannace were en route from Athens, where the university is located, to Savannah for a girls’ weekend on March 15 when they came across an accident in Burke County.

“If we were five seconds later we wouldn’t have even seen the car go off the bridge,” McCollum said on Good Morning America during an interview that aired on April 10.

But instead of driving on, they stopped, called 911, and waded into the cold water to help those in the car.

"The quick thinking and bravery of these women is absolutely admirable," the Burke County Sheriff’s Office previously said. "We are grateful you were in the right place at the right time."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

For mom Cori Craft, who was inside the vehicle with her two sons, the girls were the difference between life and death for one of her boys.

“I heard them on the bank, and they shouted if I was ok,” Craft told GMA . “I’m like, ‘No, my kids are in the car.’ ”

The group of women managed to get Craft’s 8-year-old out of the car, but her 4-year-old was submerged underwater for several minutes before they were able to get him out of the SUV.

“We finally pulled him out of the vehicle and he was fully unconscious,” McCollum recalled. “It was terrifying.”

Thankfully, McArdle knew CPR from her previous work as a lifeguard in high school, and was able to perform life saving measures until he began breathing again. She added, "at that point, all of us were crying."

After being transported to a local hospital, the mother and the children were in good condition, virtually unscathed except for some seatbelt burns, GMA reported.

“Without them stopping, I know I would not have my youngest here," Craft told the outlet. "Because I knew I would not have been able to get to him in time."

Related Articles

• WEATHER ALERT Dense Fog Advisory Full Story
• water rescue

Georgia sorority sisters hailed as heroes after rescuing mother, kids from sinking car

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Five sorority sisters from the University of Georgia have been hailed as heroes after rescuing a mother and her two young sons from their sinking vehicle after it fell into a creek.

Molly McCollum, Jane McArdle, Eleanor Cart, Clarke Jones and Kaitlyn lannace were leaving their campus in Athens to celebrate St. Patrick's Day weekend in Savannah when the event occurred on March 15.

On their way to Savannah, the group took a long detour to stop for lunch, prompting them to reroute through a rural area later when they hit the road again.

It wasn't long before the group ran into something unusual.

"In our peripheral vision, we just see this ... spark of white, a little cloud of dust and kind of like a big old crash," McCollum recalled during an interview with "Good Morning America" which aired on Wednesday. "And I'm just like, 'Am I imagining that?' And Clarke was like, 'Yeah, yeah, let's go check that out.'"

"That's when we decided to pull over, and that's when we saw the car in the water," Jones said.

Cori Craft had been driving through Sardis, Georgia, with her two sons sitting in the backseat when she lost control of her SUV. In the blink of an eye, Craft's car veered off the road and into a creek, where it began sinking rapidly.

"I was thinking, I'm like, 'I don't even know where my phone is. I don't have my glasses. I don't know how I'm going to call for help,'" Craft said. "And then I just heard them over on the bank, and they shouted [ asking ] if I was OK. And I'm like, 'No, my kids are in the car.'"

McCollum told ABC News' Eva Pilgrim she saw Craft getting out of the vehicle through "the broken sunroof" and "screaming" for help.

"'There's two more kids in the car,' like, 'My two kids are in the car,'" McCollum recalled Craft yelling at the time.

Added McArdle, "I think the mom was so frantic that, like, I don't know... I feel like I didn't have a choice but to help."

The students sprang into action, immediately calling 911 and jumping into the cold water to rescue the family.

Craft said the women crawled on top of her vehicle and helped her open the door. They managed to get Craft's older son out quickly, but Craft's 4-year-old was still trapped underwater and buckled into his car seat.

"Time is ticking. It had been like 4 to 5 minutes ... it was just, like, every second mattered," McCollum recalled of the scary moment.

Eventually, the group was able to pull the 4-year-old to safety.

"We all together, like, just pulled him out of the vehicle and then, yeah, [ he ] was like fully unconscious and it was terrifying," said McCollum.

lannace said the boy's "lips [ were ] completely blue, like his eyes were closed. He was not breathing."

Fortunately, Jones had previously worked as a lifeguard and began performing CPR on the child.

"I was a lifeguard in high school for one summer, so I just remembered it from then," Jones said. "We had no clue if he was going to survive at all. And so I'm like, 'This is the one thing I know how to do that I can help. And so I'm just going to give it my best try.'"

While the event was unfolding, Craft said she feared she was going to lose her younger son. However, the group and the family were quickly filled with joy after Craft's son began breathing again.

"And at that point, like, all of us were crying," McCollum recalled. "And it was like, 'No way that just happened.'"

The students' heroic acts have since been recognized by the Sardis Police Department and the Burke County Sheriff's Department, which shared a post on its Facebook page, thanking the women for their actions.

During the interview with "GMA3," Sheriff Alfonzo Williams surprised the sorority sisters with badges of honor.

"We were so moved by it. We think you should be a part of us," Williams told the students. "We wanted to recognize your heroic acts, and we're gonna make you honorary Burke County deputies today. Thank you all for doing what you did."

Reflecting on the group's heroic efforts, McArdle said she and her sorority sisters were simply at the "right place at the right time."

Added McCollum, "It's also ... just made me rethink, like, day to day, it's more about just like [ having ] a mindset of altruism and just like searching for [ anyone ] who needs help in the world around you."

Related Topics

• COLLEGE STUDENTS
• WATER RESCUE
• COLLEGE STUDENT

Water Rescue

Ex-college QB rescued after being stranded at sea for 12 hours: VIDEO

Heavy rain causes dangerous road conditions across SoCal

Woman rescued from rushing LA River after heavy rain hits SoCal

Body found in Los Angeles River

Top stories.

Woman behind murder-suicide posted about eclipse, apocalypse

Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter faces federal charges, source says

Bodycam video shows LAPD shooting of man with knife in Sylmar

1 dead after flames rip through Sun Valley home

Chase ends in fiery crash involving suspect, innocent driver in NoHo

Police looking for man seen on video kicking small dog in Anaheim

CHP arrests 4, seizes $300K in Legos stolen from SoCal retailers

Taco truck fire in DTLA suspected to be arson