Joburg Zoo plans to entertain you this festive season
Residents will enjoy a Joburg “staycation” this summer.
Residents who are not planning on travelling this Christmas season are promised a blast in the City of Johannesburg.
You won’t get bored, because Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) will be offering entertainment galore.
With an unstable economy, and the high cost of living, a well-deserved holiday has become just a dream for many. “Staycations” have become increasingly popular and offer the most cost-effective and time-saving alternative. The City of Joburg has abundant recreational facilities and is offering exciting activities throughout the festive season.
To encourage residents to enjoy a Joburg “staycation” this summer, the City of Johannesburg (COJ) has put together a jam-packed holiday itinerary.
Kloofendal Camp-out Programme: Be a happy camper at one of Joburg’s favourite camp-out sites. The Kloofendal Nature Reserve is a perfect camping spot right in the City that residents are able to enjoy, with beautiful natural surroundings, the calm of a far-off bush experience and starry nights. Book a spot for your family and friends this holiday season. This year’s programme includes a history talk, an afternoon hike, bonfire and edutainment games and a ‘planet walk’. Dates 8 and 9 December. Entrance fee is R100 for adults and R55 for children three to 12 years.
Should you feel like driving out of Roodepoort, residents can enjoy the following activities:
Animals@play: This year, the programme, themed “Christmas gifts for animals,” is an enrichment programme which aims to stimulate the animals’ physical and psychological health. Animals are presented with a variety of fun activities where they search for their food in their respective enclosures, toys to play with or summer treats of frozen fruit lollies, among other activities few. Date: 1 to 22 December. Time: 10am and 1pm at the Johannesburg Zoo.
Mistletoe and Magic: This upscale event kicks-off with a Christmas spirit welcome and animal demonstration. The event brings one night of Christmas ambience with live entertainment, a Father Christmas, a kiddies’ zone, an open-air Christmas-themed movie screening, food stalls and Carols by Candlelight. Visitors are encouraged to bring along a picnic basket, candles, blankets and camping chairs. Date: 8 December from 5pm to 9pm at the Johannesburg Zoo. Entry fee is R90 for adults, R55 for children between three to 12 years, and for pensioners.
Family day at the Joburg Zoo: Enjoy a care-free day, a great picnic vibe and a mini concert on the day. Bring along your family for a day of sunshine, live entertainment, DJs, kiddies’ entertainment area, face painting, free massages and loads of fun for everyone!
Date: 16 December 11am to 4pm. Entrance fee is R90 for adults and R55 for children between 3 and 12 years, and for pensioners.
“Christmas comes to the Zoo Trot”: As a festive gesture of giving, the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo will be hosting a fun-filled morning for over 150 children aged between three to 12 years from various orphanages around the City. The Zoo Trot is a five or 10 kilometre walk or run. Entertainment varies from face-painting, jumping castles and distribution of Christmas presents. Regular zoo trotters are encouraged to donate toys, used sports equipment etc., to the children from the orphanages. Date: 9 December. Registration will be from 7am for 7:30am, with the walk starting thereafter at the Joburg Zoo. The entrance fee is R60 for all residents.
Animal talks and feeding sessions: These activities are on-going and take place during weekends and on public holidays. The festive round of this programme is here! Date: 3 December to 14 December. All activities start at 9am sharp, and run to 2pm. Entrance fee is R100.
Various activities at the Joburg Zoo: Children can enjoy an array of activities which include chimp feeding, snake craft activities, feeding of monkeys, Joburg Water’s Tappie Show, tiger enrichment, the Science Show – Sci-Bono’s ‘make your own solar system hat’, baboon feeding, a treasure hunt, spectacle bear and coati feeding/ enrichment, colour sticker games and finally a ferry tour of the Zoo. Dates: 10 to 14 December from 9am to 2am. Entrance fee is R100. Please bring along your own lunch and note that parents are not allowed to participate in the programmes.
“We encourage families who will be staying in Joburg for the festive season to visit our facilities for various family activities. The Joburg Zoo has something for the whole family. There’s no need to be bored in our City this festive season. I would also like to urge residents to take care of public spaces, and to heed the City’s by-laws so that everyone can enjoy themselves,” stated councillor Nonhlanhla Sifumba, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development in the City of Joburg.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
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