INTERACT WITH WILD ANIMALS AT THE CROCODILE PARK IN VICTORIA FALLS

The Crocodile Park is one of Victoria Falls’ leading tourist attractions, dating back to the 1970s, originally operating under the name Spencer’s Creek until 2018.

Positioned 5 kilometres from the Victoria Falls town centre, and within a short distance from the Zambezi National Park, the park is home to a variety of species, and a worthy addition to any tourist itinerary. Within its surroundings are a crocodile farm and a snake pit, and people can see animals including the Nile Crocodile, which is the second largest reptile in existence after the Saltwater Crocodile.

Since its opening, thousands of tourists, both domestic and international, continue to list the attraction on their itineraries – whether they are on a national or regional tour. The croc park provides sought-after tour activities, belying its humble start as a nature reptile sanctuary for a variety of animals that were not suitable for release back into the wild.

Unique visits can be experienced and allow tourists to come close to the Nile Crocodile, a species originally endemic to the mighty Zambezi River. Visitors can interact with the animals in a safe and controlled environment, making the crocodile farm highly recommended for visitors. This is an experience of a lifetime and too exciting to miss, allowing for close up views and a better understanding of the animals.

One of the most popular attractions at the croc farm is the feeding time of the reptiles, something special and a never-beforeseen experience for most visitors. Visitors can watch large reptiles jump out of the water to wildly snap at the chunks of meat fed by a team of specially trained animal handlers. The handlers can also assist keen visitors to hold a baby crocodile, something that is impossible to do in the wild.

Visitors can have first-hand interactive experiences with more than the crocodiles experience as the park is also home to lions (one of the Big 5) and over 60 different species of snakes collected from over 20 countries.

“The park is for educational tours on the species we have that call us home. We have two female lions who were rescued and the largest snake collection in Zimbabwe with both local species and exotic species. And not to be missed is our selection of crocodiles of all ages. We also have a curio shop fully stocked with beautifully crafted items from our local artisans.

The shop also stocks a variety of leather products made from crocodile skin, such as bags, wallets, purses, and belts,” said Natalia Attwell, Manager.

She said that due to the park’s ability and capacity to offer so much knowledge, it is a great tour for schools and business groups and not only the foreigners. The park can host large groups at a time, unlike some other activity sites in the resort town and surrounding areas.

The park is popular with tourists from both the domestic and international markets, with the former market contributing about 60% of visitors annually. The high numbers of visitors from the domestic market are due to the large groups and schools that visit the park. A single school tour can have up to 100 children.

The management of the park is always looking at innovative ways to improve its service offerings. This saw the introduction of crocodile cage diving, which has seen the close-ups with the reptiles becoming much more exciting and popular.

“The crocodile cage diving innovation was introduced in 2018 and the idea is inspired by shark diving. Why not have a close-up view of our Nile crocodile in the water in a safe and controlled environment? It is a fun adrenaline activity and loved by every client who has tried it,” said Attwell.

As the Zimbabwean tourism industry looks to regain its former glory, well-established and innovative players like The Crocodile Park are contributing towards that dream. More so as their educational focus enables the market to appreciate the value in establishing sanctuaries in an era when the depletion of African wildlife is increasing due to many factors.