Lions, monkeys, and bears, oh my! Canberra’s Jamala Wildlife Lodge allows guests to get up close and personal with creatures from far and wide, and this month, they’re celebrating eight years of intimate animal encounters and overnight stays.

Since opening, the award-winning lodge has welcomed more than 100,000 guests through its doors, providing a significant boost to the local tourism sector, says Jamala general manager, Amanda Mead.

“We are a big part of why a lot of people visit Canberra, which is great. We also work very closely with a lot of our colleagues and hospitality and tourism across Canberra, and we run packages with them as well,” she says.

Jamala was recently awarded the Gold Medal for Unique Accommodation in Australia from Australia Tourism, and Ms Mead says it was the feather in their cap to receive that recognition. While most of their guests seem to come from the NSW and ACT regions, people from all over the country travel to stay with them. International guests are starting to fly back over for the experience, too.

“We’ve had quite a few from America that started to visit; New Zealand; India is another big part of our visiting. We were just starting to touch on all of that before COVID hit and, of course, that sort of set us back but we were very fortunate to come through COVID so well and pick up sort of where we left off,” she says.

With bookings averaging 84 per cent occupancy since opening, even the pandemic didn’t stop them. While they weren’t able to have guests for periods of time, they worked with the restrictions in place to offer experiences. Ms Mead says they are grateful for how much the local community got behind them during that time.

“We opened up as a restaurant, and the local ACT public supported us and got on board with us; they would come and have a dinner experience here. We had lots of locals stay over that time when they could, when we were reopening. So, they got us through and helped us through that sort of tough time.”

Wanting to give back, Jamala is involved in a number of charities including the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Starlight Foundation. The Lodge opens their experiences and rooms to children and families who are going through some of the worst times of their lives and hope to add a bit of joy.

“We had an opportunity last year when we were reopening and we had a group of Starlight children come through so nine rooms, which was incredible to have them and their families. Being able to come and celebrate and make some wonderful memories and some beautiful photos, that was for us a really special opportunity,” says Ms Mead.

More than a space to spend a night, Jamala is an experience. Guests enter the Ushaka Lodge where they are welcomed with afternoon tea and a show. They can sit and relax with a drink and watch the Colobus monkeys or the mesmerising fish and sharks in the aquarium tank.

Ahead of their stay, guests choose their room from one of the 18 options. They can room alongside monkeys, tiger, lions, bears, sharks, giraffes, and more. There are some restrictions on who can stay in what room, for example, rooms with views of lions are reserved for adults only.

“Look on the website and you’d give us a call and we’d sort of talk you through the different ones. The best room is the animal that you’d love to experience and stay the night with,” Ms Mead smiles.

Pre-dinner drinks are served overlooking the National Zoo and Aquarium before hiding down to the cave to eat with the animal in residence, where guests are served a gourmet four-course meal before retiring for the night. Wake up with the animals and then enjoy a tasty breakfast and personalised guided safari tour through the zoo before gates open to the general public.

Guests get to spend around 22 hours at the lodge if they choose to. After checking out, many guests spend the rest of their day trying to spot all of the creatures in the zoo, which is home to more than 170 species of animals.

Owners of the zoo, Richard and Maureen Tindale, are big cat lovers, which can be felt in the stunning décor of the lodge, influenced by their time spent in Africa. The couple envisioned Jamala as an interactive way to get the community engaged with the animals at the zoo while also being about funding breeding programs and enclosures.

Ms Mead says a big part of what they do is about developing a rapport with the animals and extending an understanding to guests that our actions have consequences for creatures like these. The animals getting close to humans in the lodge and through their encounters aren’t ones that will be released into the wild; they will remain in care for their lifetime.

“A lot of our animals are rescue animals too, which is really special. So, we were able to save them. We give them a beautiful home now and the guests get to have a better understanding then of what we’re trying to do,” she says.

Not wanting to rock the boat on a good thing, the future of Jamal looks much like its past, maybe with a few extra rooms thrown in.

“Keep doing what we’re doing, contributing to these wonderful animals, providing assistance to conservation programs and giving our guests a five-star luxury, unique opportunity,” says Ms Mead.

How does a wildlife retreat that is open every day but Christmas celebrate its birthday? By offering discounts on last-minute bookings. You can find out more on the website.

Find out more about the incredible accommodation at Jamala Wildlife Lodge via jamalawildlifelodge.com.au

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