MADISON, Ga. — Looking for a hotel room with stunning views for your next getaway? How about a view you’ve never experienced before—an 11-foot, 18-month-old reticulated giraffe right outside your window? That’s the scene from the Giraffe Suite at the Georgia Safari Conservation Park in Madison, Georgia.
“This beautiful suite is housing two different 10-foot pane windows, so one behind me in the living room and then we have one that is overlooking the bedroom location,” Jessica Malloy from the Georgia Safari Conservation Park said. “So, that gives you full access to view to basically spend the night with a giraffe.”
But the giraffe isn’t the only wildlife you’ll encounter. You can come face-to-face with an ostrich, spot a rhino, watch zebras graze, and so much more during your visit.
“We currently have 83 different species,” Malloy said. “The majority of the species are going to be in the pasture.”
“We have zebras, common eland, you’ll have roan (antelope,) there is Eastern Bongo, Addax, behind me is Phoenix, the reticulated giraffe,” Malloy continued. “We also have two Southern White Rhinoceros.”
The park’s grand opening is the realization of a long-held dream by its founders. Their mission? To give back to the community, promote animal outreach, and create an unforgettable experience for visitors. The 530-acre safari park offers a variety of tours, including guided safaris, wild encounters, and private VIP tours.
For those who want to extend their stay, the park provides two unique lodging options: overnight stays in the giraffe suites or a stay in a private safari tent.
“I like to call them luxury safari tents,” Malloy said. “These (tents) were created by a company in Johannesburg (South Africa). We had them imported here and then we had that team help us build these tents and bring them to life.”
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Most of the luxury tents feature two bedrooms, but the park also offers the Honeymoon Hideaway—a one-bedroom unit with its own private outdoor oasis, including an outdoor tub and shower.
Wildlife tours are included with all overnight stays. While the safari tents might not offer giraffe views, they do provide picturesque scenes of other wildlife.
Before or after your animal adventure, you can explore downtown Madison, which is full of attractions to enjoy.
“Historic Madison, Georgia is breathtaking,” Malloy said. “Downtown there are various restaurants you can visit. If you love antiquing, there’s the cutest little spots you can go to and just spend the day, getting lost. There are tons of different historic structures downtown.”
Start your day with some French toast from Betty Gene’s, a quaint spot serving up Southern breakfast and lunch that’s just as good as mom’s!
Do some shopping, learn about comedian Oliver Hardy from the famous Laurel & Hardy duo and his connection to the area, or simply relax on the safari tent’s front porch while watching the animals roam.
End the day with dinner and drinks at Hart & Crown Tavern, a British-style pub on the square in historic Madison, where a variety of tempting treats await.
“You can really make an entire weekend trip out of a visit to Madison.”
If you’re looking for a unique weekend getaway, Madison and the Georgia Safari Conservation Park offer an experience unlike any other. As the park’s website says, “Welcome to Georgia Safari Conservation Park, where the beauty of nature, amazing animal encounters, and luxurious lodging create an incredible safari adventure.”
Who knew you could have this much fun in Madison!
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