African Lion Safari is a family-owned safari park located at 1386 Cooper Road near Cambridge, Ontario, about 100 kilometres west of Toronto. Founded by retired Canadian Army colonel Gordon “Don” Dailley, who initially partnered with England’s Chipperfield family, the park opened to the public on August 22, 1969, with just 40 lions spread across three reserves.
Unlike a traditional zoo, African Lion Safari flips the usual model: visitors stay inside their vehicles or ride park-operated safari tour buses while animals roam freely across seven expansive game reserves. Today the park is home to more than 1,000 animals representing over 100 species, and it runs one of North America’s most successful Asian elephant breeding programs alongside conservation efforts for cheetahs, white rhinos, and cinereous vultures.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Near Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
- Opened: August 22, 1969
- Founder: Gordon “Don” Dailley
- Size: About 750 acres (300 hectares) across seven game reserves
- Animals: Over 1,000 animals, 100+ species
- Famous for: Drive-through game reserves and North America’s top Asian elephant breeding program
The Safari Experience
Guests can explore African Lion Safari either in their own vehicle or aboard the park’s guided safari tour buses, passing through seven themed game reserves where lions, giraffes, rhinos, and other species roam in large, open enclosures rather than fenced cages. The park also includes a walking section with exotic birds and primates, plus boat and train rides that give a different vantage point on the animal habitats.
African Lion Safari’s individual reserve enclosures range from about 2 to 20 hectares, giving animals substantially more room to roam than a conventional zoo exhibit. The park is a founding member of Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums and belongs to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the International Elephant Foundation, and the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators.
Conservation and Breeding
Since opening, African Lion Safari has bred 30 endangered and 20 threatened species, with a particular focus on its Asian elephant program, widely regarded as the most successful of its kind in North America. The park also participates in Species Survival Plans for cheetahs, white rhinos, and cinereous vultures.
Beyond captive breeding, the park supports species reintroduction efforts for native Ontario wildlife, including eastern loggerhead shrikes, burrowing owls, and ferruginous hawks, connecting its on-site conservation work to broader regional wildlife recovery projects.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
African Lion Safari FAQs
Where is African Lion Safari located?
African Lion Safari sits at 1386 Cooper Road near Cambridge, Ontario, roughly 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of Toronto, Canada.
When did African Lion Safari open?
The park opened to the public on August 22, 1969, starting with 40 lions across three reserves.
How do visitors tour African Lion Safari?
Visitors can drive their own vehicles through the seven game reserves or ride the park’s guided safari tour buses, letting animals roam freely around the vehicles instead of being enclosed themselves.
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Photo: Sanjaykattimani (talk) (Uploads) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.