Cheetah Outreach - Somerset West
Cheetah Outreach - Somerset West
Cheetah Outreach - Somerset West
4
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Cheetah Outreach is an education and community-based programme created to raise awareness of the plight of the cheetah and to campaign for its survival.Cheetah Outreach is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year to the public. We are open from 9h30 to 17h00. You do not need to make a booking to visit the facility. We charge an entry fee of R10 on weekdays and R5 on weekends and public and school holidays. Adult cheetah encounters take place from 10h00 to 13h00 and from 14h00 to 17h00.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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- glennpacc41 contributionsUnique opportunity to interact with a cheetahReally uplifting way to spend an hour - worth the drive from Cape Town. A unique opportunity to learn about cheetah conservation from caring informative staff. A really inexpensive way to pet and to interact with a cheetah - they called it LOL a "cheetah massage". Not sure that you need the VIP experience. We got the much lower price experience where we were able to walk into the cheetah enclosure with several trainers and interact a bit with and pet the cheetah. While this was perhaps only for 5 or 10 minutes, not sure that being there for a half hour would be necessary. A lot of emphasis was put on the proper care and treatment of the cheetah which was very nice. A nice opportunity to view some of the other animals at the center like a variety of foxes and several other animals unique to this part of the land. Very happy we made the stop. Absolutely recommend.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 November 2023
- Curt SLisbon, Portugal19 contributionsGreat Cheetah experience.Really great place to visit. It provides an opportunity to learn about cheetahs and to interact with them. It was wonderful to be able to touch the cheetahs and to learn about conservation efforts. One slight disappoint was that some of the publicity we saw showed baby cheetahs, but there are no baby cheetahs at the center.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 November 2023
- JAYNE SHarrogate, United Kingdom42 contributionsA one on one chance to meet a cheetah!We booked a VIP visit which allowed us private access to meet the cheetah, Romeo. The staff were amazing and very knowledgeable and were able to explain in great details the conservation project and educational side of the outreach. We were also lucky enough to have a personal guided tour of the reserve and learn more about the other animals at the reserve.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 26 January 2024
- Chris White SharkGreater London, United Kingdom174 contributionsClose cheetah encounterThe cheetah outreach is about an hours drive from Cape Town city. Located near a golf course in Somerset W. Visit and see rescued cheetah boys, foxes, servals and crazy meerkat. Book the cheetah experience and join the very professional and knowledgeable staff in an enclosure where you can have a close encounter with one of the magnificent cheetahs. Help savings these beautiful cats!Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 February 2024
- happytwinsmom16 contributionsLegitimate Outreach Center-Once in a lifetime experience.My husband and I did a VIP Private Cheetah Encounter today. A group of incredibly knowledgeable and caring women facilitated this for us. Under careful supervision we were allowed to pet the Cheetah’s back as the staff took numerous photos and videos with our phone. During this time, the other staff members provided us with countless interesting cheetah facts and tidbits. The people that work and volunteer here truly have the best interests of all the animals at heart. Their goals are to protect all of these majestic animals. If you have any hesitation on whether this place is a legitimate outreach program, rest assured that it most certainly is. If I didn’t live so far away I would LOVE to volunteer here. Needless to say, I HIGHLY recommend it! Is about 40 minutes outside of Cape Town so you’ll need to schedule an uber for pick up ,hire a driver or rent a car to get there.Visited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 28 April 2024
- MikeThorne, United Kingdom51 contributionsCheetah Education VisitWe found this small educational facility when looking for places to stop whilst driving the coast road from Cape Town to Hermanus. Situated 40 minutes outside of Cape Town in a gated area so car felt secure in car park. This is an animal education centre (not a zoo) trying to educate people on the plight of Cheetah’s but does have a few other animals on site. We pre booked a 20 minute Cheetah Encounter (£1510 ZAR) which included a close a personal experience with a Cheetah and Keepers. The keepers explained that they have 3 cheetahs who were orphaned at birth and therefore hand raised, however the experiences only take place if the Cheetah’s are willing. The keepers were extremely knowledgeable and well versed in Cheetah behaviour and were keen for guests to understand the plight of the worldwide Cheetah population. Thoroughly enjoyable experienceVisited August 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
915 reviews
Excellent
437
Very good
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57
Terrible
65
Paul C
5 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
From the start entering the compound, you’re surround by stunning views. Plenty of parking available. Staff welcoming and very friendly. The souvenir shop upon entrance to the main area is very reasonable. All proceeds go towards funding all the facilities etc for all the animals.
We opted for petting a Cheetah - 2 adults accompanying 2 children - 3/7 year olds. Everything was explained clearly.
The staff were extremely patient bearing in mind my little niece was acting up a little before entering the enclosure. However the staff persevered and we ended up with a lovely experience and also some great photos. Both from the professional photographer and also with a staff member offering to take some on my mobile phone.
For a relatively short experience it is ideal for a family with children. Not only are there Cheetahs to experience. You can also see an array of other endangered animals. Further more with an advanced booking you can experience a more personal and special time with a Cheetah.
We opted for petting a Cheetah - 2 adults accompanying 2 children - 3/7 year olds. Everything was explained clearly.
The staff were extremely patient bearing in mind my little niece was acting up a little before entering the enclosure. However the staff persevered and we ended up with a lovely experience and also some great photos. Both from the professional photographer and also with a staff member offering to take some on my mobile phone.
For a relatively short experience it is ideal for a family with children. Not only are there Cheetahs to experience. You can also see an array of other endangered animals. Further more with an advanced booking you can experience a more personal and special time with a Cheetah.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hevsy
Egham, UK3 022 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We had a great visit here. We paid the entrance (10 Rand each) and to go in to see the cubs (200 Rand each) - we weren’t expecting to have to pay cash as they don’t take cards of any description. This is quite shortsighted in this day and age - apparently it is the decision of the owner. Lots of people were complaining because a lot of tourists don’t carry cash plus as the staff at the centre said, having a lot of cash is a security risk.
Anyway money aside, it was a lovely centre and all the cats were in nice habitat. However it is very hot as there is not a lot of shade in the main animal area. We had a reasonable amount of time in with the cheetah cubs and I got to stroke two of the five. My husband was there more for photos than the stroking of the cubs but one of the Colin said she’d film me on my video camera. But every time I looked up she was chatting and not videoing me so I had to get my husband to take over as well as taking photos.
It was lovely to get up so close to them and they were very tame. They were obviously happy and well looked after.
There are some other animals and cats there - caracal, serval cat, dog, mongoose. There is also a nice gift shop but again only took cash. All the inside areas were very hot.
Anyway money aside, it was a lovely centre and all the cats were in nice habitat. However it is very hot as there is not a lot of shade in the main animal area. We had a reasonable amount of time in with the cheetah cubs and I got to stroke two of the five. My husband was there more for photos than the stroking of the cubs but one of the Colin said she’d film me on my video camera. But every time I looked up she was chatting and not videoing me so I had to get my husband to take over as well as taking photos.
It was lovely to get up so close to them and they were very tame. They were obviously happy and well looked after.
There are some other animals and cats there - caracal, serval cat, dog, mongoose. There is also a nice gift shop but again only took cash. All the inside areas were very hot.
Written 11 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Giselle D
Manchester13 contributions
Apr 2023 • Family
At first glance, and without a tour or information from the staff/ volunteers, it could be assumed the cheetahs are being kept purely for tourists, and the enclosures seem small. However, all the staff/volunteers were very friendly and explained the center's existence and purpose well.
All the cheetahs here are boys (who are, it turns out, social animals), and are used in breeding programs to widen the cheetah gene pool (but not at this site). They've all been hand raised, because typically a cheetah has about 5 kittens in a litter, but only successfully raises one in the wild. To give the best chance of survival, the mother is left with two to raise, and the others are raised by hand. This means they're no longer able to be released into the wild, and so some come here.
The center also trains dogs for use by farmers to protect their animals from cheetah attacks, which in turn means the farmers agree not to poison or shoot cheetahs on their land. One of the enclosures is a running track where the cheetahs can exercise.
After we had walked around the center (without a guided tour unfortunately, but we had talked to a few volunteers who were very knowledgeable and happy to talk) we paid extra to have a cheetah encounter. This includes being able to touch the cheetah, who's in a harness with his handler, but it's all at the cheetah's pace, nothing is forced. We were there at feeding time and the largest cheetah was meowing for his food, which was surprisingly just the same noise a domestic cat would make.
I would certainly recommend a visit here, but it is essential to either have a tour or talk to the staff to understand what you are seeing.
All the cheetahs here are boys (who are, it turns out, social animals), and are used in breeding programs to widen the cheetah gene pool (but not at this site). They've all been hand raised, because typically a cheetah has about 5 kittens in a litter, but only successfully raises one in the wild. To give the best chance of survival, the mother is left with two to raise, and the others are raised by hand. This means they're no longer able to be released into the wild, and so some come here.
The center also trains dogs for use by farmers to protect their animals from cheetah attacks, which in turn means the farmers agree not to poison or shoot cheetahs on their land. One of the enclosures is a running track where the cheetahs can exercise.
After we had walked around the center (without a guided tour unfortunately, but we had talked to a few volunteers who were very knowledgeable and happy to talk) we paid extra to have a cheetah encounter. This includes being able to touch the cheetah, who's in a harness with his handler, but it's all at the cheetah's pace, nothing is forced. We were there at feeding time and the largest cheetah was meowing for his food, which was surprisingly just the same noise a domestic cat would make.
I would certainly recommend a visit here, but it is essential to either have a tour or talk to the staff to understand what you are seeing.
Written 8 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andreas S
2 contributions
Apr 2022 • Friends
Having been to Spier many years before we took our friends to the Cheetah Outreach which had moved more than 10yrs from Spier to the new facility. The new facility did not look too good - according tonten friendly staff all animals need to move to new enclosures because of reconstruction.
Already the waiting time to pay entrance fee was chaos, credit card machine was not working! Then we were told to walk around the facility (rather small), 1st we got a safety briefing, then started our walk, called back just to be told that we need to wait a little longer for our planed encounter. Finally had our slot for the encounter with a sleeping cheetah who did not move for the whole duration of the photo session.
Was not at all what we expected, had to keep our distance of the animal, no touching at all allowed.
We felt that the staff being friendly but totally overcommitted for caring and organising so many groups/visitors. We hope they will get things right because after the shutdown now is the time to attract visitors but they also need to make the facility look like a real Cheetah Outreach.
Very disappointed
Already the waiting time to pay entrance fee was chaos, credit card machine was not working! Then we were told to walk around the facility (rather small), 1st we got a safety briefing, then started our walk, called back just to be told that we need to wait a little longer for our planed encounter. Finally had our slot for the encounter with a sleeping cheetah who did not move for the whole duration of the photo session.
Was not at all what we expected, had to keep our distance of the animal, no touching at all allowed.
We felt that the staff being friendly but totally overcommitted for caring and organising so many groups/visitors. We hope they will get things right because after the shutdown now is the time to attract visitors but they also need to make the facility look like a real Cheetah Outreach.
Very disappointed
Written 16 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CCTSA
21 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Please don’t waste your money
Most of the supervisors are volunteers who have little experience other than what they have paid for. The animals are all hand reared and while still beautiful in no way similar to a wild animal. We were ridiculously controlled by an abnormal amount of young volunteer handlers that played with their heads, scratched their ears and during feeding removed their food without any aggressive reaction from the animals.
This is all I hope providing some money towards the preservation of the cheetah but like most charities I felt conned, hope I’m wrong
Most of the supervisors are volunteers who have little experience other than what they have paid for. The animals are all hand reared and while still beautiful in no way similar to a wild animal. We were ridiculously controlled by an abnormal amount of young volunteer handlers that played with their heads, scratched their ears and during feeding removed their food without any aggressive reaction from the animals.
This is all I hope providing some money towards the preservation of the cheetah but like most charities I felt conned, hope I’m wrong
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dominik F
Warrington, UK13 contributions
Nov 2022
This was my first visit to South Africa, and I visited the Cheetah Outreach Center with a couple of local friends on my second day in the country. It was fascinating and close-up experience with an iconic predator, very interactive and engaging. The cheetah experience exceeded my expectations, I was surprised that we were allowed to actually stroke the cheetah (Tinashe). The staff were very knowledgeable, it was obvious that the cheetah has a strong bond with the main caretaker. The animals appeared well looked after, with various forms of enrichments explained to us in detail.
The work undertaken by the center seems very worthwhile, improving relations between wild cheetahs and farming communities in the north of the country, helping to boost the number of wild cheetahs. I am very happy to recommend this place to anyone visiting the area, it is very much worth your while.
The work undertaken by the center seems very worthwhile, improving relations between wild cheetahs and farming communities in the north of the country, helping to boost the number of wild cheetahs. I am very happy to recommend this place to anyone visiting the area, it is very much worth your while.
Written 29 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kritika N
8 contributions
Feb 2020
This is quite an informative experience about the cheetahs which are now on the endangered list. They have a museum and showcase a video of the background of the organisation and the projects they are involved in to protect the animals, help farmers with their livestock and assist in aiding in education of school children. The animals look well cared for and it is a real beautiful experience to pet the cheetahs. They are completely tame but in their natural habitat and are not forced in any way (i.e: the animals are not drugged like some of the other organisations). Definitely recommend this once in a lifetime experience!
Written 17 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carlos
3 contributions
Oct 2020
Absolutely amazing, to get so close and personal with these predators, you realise that there is a certain vulnerability to them. The sharp claws and teeth are merely a means of protection and that they are such sweet souls. I am not one who agrees with humans intervening with nature, but this sanctuary is a safe haven, a sanctuary that has offered these beings a chance at living out there lives in their natural environment, something that has unfortunately been taken from them, mainly because of people wanting exotic pets and then getting bored. They look happy and so well looked after. To everyone who works here that puts in the time and effort, you should all be proud.
Written 3 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LocalWestie
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Family
I went to enquire about I formation for a visit and was left with the only option to "email". These emails get checked twice a week, so don't expect an answer soon. The room was full of guests coming to visit who emailed and booked online, but nobody received their email or booking. The only response they got was "sorry". They didn't have professional people on duty to answer any questions or handle misunderstandings. You can pay though! Pay to go in.
If you want to run a business for 365 days a year, you have to have professional, trained staff on duty, 365 days a year, to answer questions and treat guests kindly.
If you want to run a business for 365 days a year, you have to have professional, trained staff on duty, 365 days a year, to answer questions and treat guests kindly.
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike
Thorne, UK51 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
We found this small educational facility when looking for places to stop whilst driving the coast road from Cape Town to Hermanus.
Situated 40 minutes outside of Cape Town in a gated area so car felt secure in car park.
This is an animal education centre (not a zoo) trying to educate people on the plight of Cheetah’s but does have a few other animals on site.
We pre booked a 20 minute Cheetah Encounter (£1510 ZAR) which included a close a personal experience with a Cheetah and Keepers. The keepers explained that they have 3 cheetahs who were orphaned at birth and therefore hand raised, however the experiences only take place if the Cheetah’s are willing.
The keepers were extremely knowledgeable and well versed in Cheetah behaviour and were keen for guests to understand the plight of the worldwide Cheetah population.
Thoroughly enjoyable experience
Situated 40 minutes outside of Cape Town in a gated area so car felt secure in car park.
This is an animal education centre (not a zoo) trying to educate people on the plight of Cheetah’s but does have a few other animals on site.
We pre booked a 20 minute Cheetah Encounter (£1510 ZAR) which included a close a personal experience with a Cheetah and Keepers. The keepers explained that they have 3 cheetahs who were orphaned at birth and therefore hand raised, however the experiences only take place if the Cheetah’s are willing.
The keepers were extremely knowledgeable and well versed in Cheetah behaviour and were keen for guests to understand the plight of the worldwide Cheetah population.
Thoroughly enjoyable experience
Written 12 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Olá Pedro! Sabe me dizer quando os Guepardos se exercitam? Eu vi num site que uma vez por semana os adultos correm e as pessoas podem ficar junto.
Written 26 September 2019
I plan to visit this place around 15-Jul-18. Will there be cubs during that period ?
Written 4 June 2018
I’m not sure you’re beat just calling or emailing to find out.
Written 12 June 2018
Can anyone tell me the prices of entry and prices of photos with the cheetah’s? Also can you interact with meerkat’s when there? Thank you
Written 26 March 2018
It's only 10 rand to get in and then you pay 175 rand to interact with an adult cheetah and 275 for the cubs. We did both and found the experience amazing. I think you can pay to interact with the meerkats on entry. They are doing such worthwhile work - enjoy!
Written 31 March 2018
I read a review of a couple who did a walk on the beach with a cheetah. Is this still an option?? And what is the cost? Also would I need to make that reservation in advance?
Written 19 December 2017
Although the venue is near the beach I never saw an option like that offered.
Written 30 December 2017
It's very cheap R10. The experiences cost more.
Written 1 November 2017
How long would you advise to stay here? wanting to do 3 encounters. thanks
Written 17 October 2017
An encounter takes about 20 minutes, and you can look around the rest in 30 minutes.
Written 19 October 2017
Hello. How much is the entrance to the park and how much is the walk with the cheetahs?
Written 12 May 2017
No. You do not need to pre-book. We do cheetah encounters from 10 to 1 and from 2 to 5
Written 22 February 2017
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