Are you an animal lover? Are your kids? Jungle Island in sunny Miami is where you need to be. With its unique and up-close animal encounters, once-in-a-lifetime experiences happen every day.

VIP Safari Tour

Hold a rare red ruffed lemur. Become friends with a kangaroo. This is your chance to intermingle with the animal kingdom. You’ll learn animal behaviors and see what’s it’s like to be an animal trainer, from the trainers themselves. The world of birds and reptiles is included, too. What’s more, only 10 guests are accommodated on each tour, so your experience is intimate.

The VIP Safari Tour includes admission for the day, a commemorative T-shirt, lunch (perhaps on the terrace?) at the Lakeside Café, a 10 percent discount in the gift shop and 90 minutes of the most incredible animal encounters on earth.

Lemur Encounter

Leaping lemurs! Be a part of the fun! With Jungle Island’s Lemur Encounter, you can hold, pet and play with these gold-eyed creatures from Madagascar – even hand-feed them. First, you’ll learn all about these quirky characters, then the trainer will open the gate and there’s no stopping the mad dash for your lap! Chances are, they’ll leap right onto your shoulder. You won’t believe how soft they are – and wait until you see their feet (which they’ll use to climb all over you)!

Tale of the Tiger

Have a picture taken with a fantastically furry tiger cub or an adorable primate following the Tale of the Tiger show. Just make a donation to T.I.G.E.R.S. (The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species) and you’ll have the most amazing photo to post on Facebook.

The show itself is quite spectacular too – uncaged and unbelievable. Four different-colored tigers make an appearance with their trainers, along with panthers, gibbons and a most unusual creature – a binturong, which smells like fresh buttered popcorn! Arrive early to get a seat a few feet from the rarest cats in the world. Stay after for the unique photo opportunity. You’ll definitely want to take a tiger cub home – stuffed ones are available in the gift shop.

Kangaroo Konnection

You don’t have to go Down Under to cuddle up to a kangaroo, just come to the Kangaroo Konnection. Meet the trainers, chat, learn and spend some face-to-face time with these fast-hopping, kick-boxing, lovable ‘roos. Jungle Island features Red Kangaroos, which are the largest living marsupials on the planet. The ones you’ll meet are pint-size, perfect for cozying up to.

Lorikeet Feedings

These sweet, rainbow-colored birds love nectar. Visit them in the open-air Lorikeet Aviary twice each afternoon and they’ll drink right out of your hand. They’ll also land on your head, shoulders and arms! You’ll love it. Bring your camera to capture these magical moments.

Not ready to go home yet? Feed your inner zookeeper and bottle-feed baby animals at the Petting Barn. Here, kids of all ages can touch goats, pigs, llamas, turkeys, even a zebra. Make plans now for your walk on the wide side at Jungle Island.

If You Go:

Jungle Island
1111 Parrot Jungle Trail
Miami, Florida 33132
305-400-7000

This article was brought to you by Jungle Island. To plan your trip to Jungle Island, visit www.jungleisland.com.

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