If you have dreams about cuddling koalas or frolicking with kangaroos, you and your family will love this new Australian eco-retreat. Okay, you can’t technically play with the animals, but you can get pretty darn close.
Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, an Australian sanctuary 15 minutes from Sydney, is an elegantly designed overnight eco-retreat and the first of its kind. Overnight guests have the chance to wake up to the sounds of Bandicoots and lyrebirds, step out to where koalas and echidnas roam and platypus swim, join guided tours and connect with the wildlife on their own time.
Animal Experiences. Photo: Destination New South Wales
The retreat, designed by Australian architectural firm Cox Architecture, features five environmentally sensitive, sustainably designed lodges built into the native bushland setting of Taronga Zoo, with 62 stylishly appointed rooms and suites that overlook the habitat and often Sydney Harbour. On-site restaurant Me-Gal offers spectacular views of Sydney and Australian-focused dining with an emphasis on local produce and native ingredients.
Animal View Room. Photo: Destination New South Wales
“Through the Wildlife Retreat, we will foster genuine connections between people and Australia’s fascinating wildlife, and inspire them to care as passionately as we do about our most precious residents,” says Cameron Kerr, CEO, Taronga Zoo. “Guests will leave not only rejuvenated, but also with the knowledge that their stay has made a meaningful difference to wildlife and its conservation.”
Experiences include the Daybreak Walk, during which guests stroll through the zoo before it opens to the public, and The Morning Tour, where breakfast overlooking the harbor is followed by a visit with red kangaroos and Tasmanian devils. The Wildlife Retreat puts funding toward the care of Taronga’s animals as well as conservation and educational programs in Australia and around the globe.
The Nest. Photo: Destination New South Wales
The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga opens to guests Oct. 10. Rates start at $535 per night for two adults and includes two-course dinner, buffet breakfast, immersive and exclusive Australian animal experiences and complimentary general admission to Taronga Zoo.
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