JAMALA WILDLIFE LODGE, CCANBERRA ZOO, ACT
Holding a carrot in his outstretched arm, our 13-year-old son tries to stand still on our hotel room balcony as Hummer, the five-metre high giraffe ambles towards him. With the flick of his enormous tongue, the carrot is gone and a cool story for schoolmates is hatched. This is African safari Canberra-style, an overnight wildlife experience at the National Zoo, where our Giraffe Treehouse room lives up to its name. You won’t rough it on this safari – it’s five stars all the way with animal encounters thrown in. Pre-dinner canapes come with a twin white lion encounter, and an earlymorning, behind-the-scenes tour sees us pat rhinos, feed antelopes, meet a baby giraffe and watch a cheetah – from a safe distance. A night in the jungle without the jet lag! Visit jamalawildlifelodge.com.au