Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, Louisiana
Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature at the Global Wildlife Center in Louisiana. A must-visit attraction during your New Orleans vacation, this wildlife sanctuary offers a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with extraordinary animals. Enjoy a scenic safari tour, feed exotic creatures, and learn about conservation.
Located in Folsom, Louisiana, Global Wildlife Center is a non-profit organization that encompasses 900 acres, allowing endangered and exotic species to cohabit and roam freely. (All of the animals are herbivores.)
Tickets
The center is open 7 days a week and guided wagon tours are available ($23 for adults, $21 for senior citizens, $17 for children 2-11, and free for children under 2). You can book your tour online via the Global Wildlife Center website.
Guided Wagon Tours last for about an hour and a half. The caravan travels at a very slow pace and stops occasionally so that humans can feed the animals from the safety of the wagon.
You can purchase a family bucket of feed for $35 or a souvenir cup of feed for $5.00.
The animals are a lot of fun to watch and feed. You can even feed the llamas right out of your hands.
Don’t want the animals to eat out of your hand? It’s okay to toss the feed on the ground.
The zebras are fun to watch, too, except that their presence makes giraffes leave. (Giraffes don’t like zebras.)
Perhaps it was most fun watching the cows eat.
Play the video to watch cows eating.
At the end of a tour, visitors can purchase gifts and mementos of their trip at the gift shop.
Tours and Events
In addition to the guided wagon tours, guests can book a private Pinz Tour. (A Pinz is a high-mobility all-terrain military utility vehicle. They were developed in the late 1960s in Austria. The name “Pinzgauer” is derived from the Pinzgauer breed of cattle, which is native to Austria. These military vehicles are known for their robust design and versatile off-road capabilities, making them suitable for various military and civilian applications. The Pinzgauer has been used by military forces and adapted for civilian use in roles such as transportation and expedition vehicles.)
The wagons can accommodate up to 8 people and can go where other wagons can’t. Rates are $49.95 per person.
Private Party Rentals are available at the center and can accommodate up to 50 people. Treehouse rentals cost $300 and include tables, chairs, and tablecloths. (Admission to the center is not included in the rental.)
For the ultimate birthday, consider booking a Birthday Party Tour. For $300, you get 2 hours in the Treehouse along with tables, chairs, and tablecloths, 2 adult and 10 child safari wagon passes, a birthday announcement on the tour, and a bucket of feed. (Additional tickets may be purchased.)
Our Tip
Bottled water is sold for $2 a bottle in the gift shop. They are large bottles and it’s a good idea to have one on the tour. Before going, check the website or call (985) 796-3585 for safari times.
Location
The Global Wildlife Center is located at 26389 Highway 40 in Folsom. It is just over an hour’s drive north of New Orleans.
If you’re exploring Louisiana, don’t miss our guides to One Day in New Orleans for a whirlwind trip through the Crescent City and The Best Place to Eat in Mandeville to discover a local favorite worth the drive.
Final Call
If you’re ready to trade your desk chair for a safari seat, the Global Wildlife Center is calling your name. Have you been before? I’d love to hear what you thought – drop a comment below! And if this post made you want to plan your own wild adventure, share it with a friend who’d love feeding giraffes as much as you would.
