The Wilds, Cumberland

Super amazing place! They bring a bus to the parking lot to take you to the visitor center to check in. Tour busses are open air. Some of the animals come right up to the bus. They offer a variety of tours, you can horseback ride and also zip line. They take amazing care of the animals. You never know which animals you will see and which will come close. It's a different experience each time. The staff are super nice and informative. Midway through the tour you stop and there is a platform area to see the various carnivores through fenced enclosures and rest rooms. At the end they drop you off at a cafe and gift shop and you can wait for the next bus to bring you back to parking area. They run every 15 min it seems. They have over night lodging as well. Definitely worth the drive.

We had a wonderful time at the Wilds! We took the Wild Side tour, which was amazing! Feeding rhinoceroses & a giraffe by hand is a thrilling experience if you’re an animal lover, like we are. Afterwards, we ate dinner at a special dining room reserved for guests of Nomad Ridge (those having an overnight reservation). I did not have high expectations for dinner after reading the reviews online, so I was very pleased when the quality of the food was excellent. My husband and I had the wild mushroom pasta with cream sauce, and it was very delicious! The couple traveling with us had the steak dinners, and the asparagus and potatoes were perfectly cooked, although the steak was a little overcooked, they said. They must have a new cook because dinner was excellent. They could improve on the dessert and breakfast offerings, however. We stayed overnight in a yurt, which was very comfortable, with fans & good AC. Near the yurts is a outdoor “lobby” with a fire pit, Adirondack chairs, and a wonderful view looking out at animals grazing near the lake below. They had nice touches like complementary hot chocolate & teas, as well as decent wine for purchase. We enjoyed it so much we plan to come back with our teenage kids!