Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park (Hartbeespoort)
If you wish to find out whether a snake is an animal, read this article.
Overview of the Snake and Animal Park
The Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park is a remarkable private animal Park, beginning about 40 years ago. Surrounded by massive walls like a medieval castle, visitors can experience the essense of what makes the Hartbeespoort Dam special and unique..
The Park provides visitors with the opportunity to view a great variety of species, including lions, tigers, hyenas, wolves, birds, snakes and reptiles.
Situated right next to the dam, visitors also has the opportunity to take a relaxing +- 30 minute ferry boat cruise on the Hartbeespoort dam, and see the huge and beautiful residences of the rich and famous in Kosmos, and a different view the dam wall.
The Snake and Animal Park also offers additional cruises on the 100 seater ferry boat. One, two, and three hour cruises are available, and the boat can also cater for a variety of functions.
Daily demonstrations take place - the seals in the seal pool entertain visitors, and the snake demonstration delights young and old. The delightful tea garden next to the "castle walls" and "moat" serve light snacks and refreshments.
The Park is home to many famous TV-stars. Several of the "team" of highly trained, often hand raised animals have appeared in both local and international films, videos and adverts. The Snake and Animal Park is also world renowned for its breeding of threatened and endangered species, including the Cape Vulture and the African Hunting Dog.
The Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park is a founder Instituinal Member and African Patron of PAAZAB. The Park has international affiliations and works in close co-operation with several leading scientific institutions on matters relating to animal behaviour, propogation and disease, and is also famous for its special lectures and courses on snakes.
Review of the Snake and Animal Park
The Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal park was a pleasant discovery. Although smaller than other large zoos, it is precisely this smaller size of the zoo makes it much more manageable and ejoyable. We were able to enjoy everything this zoo has to offer in a few hours.
The boat cruise on the dam made us all jealous of the fabulous houses in Kosmos. :-) In the reptile collection, a few HUGE snakes are visible. Scary stuff, but don't miss it!
We had lunch at the little restaurant in the zoo, and I will definitely recommend their apple-bake waffles to everyone with a sweet tooth. All in all, a lovely day-trip and fantastic entertainment for your and old.