Park of lions "Taigan" in Crimea: description and excursions

Everyone who drives along the Simferopol-Kerch highway (Feodosia, Stary Krym, Sudak) through Belogorsk sees a huge banner inviting to the Taigan safari park. For many, this is how they get to know the Lions Park. And someone is specifically looking for information, having heard enough rave reviews about this place. Well, we invite you to get to know this animal reserve and a wonderful resting place for children and adults in Crimea.

On the territory of more than 30 hectares of Crimean scenic lands, the first park of lions in Europe is located. In the foothills, not far from the Taigan reservoir, this unique place has been created for several years. Oleg Zubkov, the founder of the park, has been collecting animals for his lion nursery for 5 years, acquiring them in Russian, Ukrainian and European zoos. Relations were established with the Republic of South Africa, from where they brought unique white lions. More on the territory of the CIS they are not in any zoo.

But the uniqueness of this place lies in the fact that not all animals are in their usual enclosures: African and white lions, Bengal and Ussuri tigers, leopards and black leopards, jaguars, cougars, that is, all felines move almost freely over a large area under the supervision of guards and safari park staff. There are about 500 of them in total, including 2 prides of lions (50 animals) and about 40 tigers.

Giraffes and camels, roe deer and zebras also feel at ease here. On the territory there is also a usual zoo with aviaries, where other representatives of flora and fauna live. Of course, this is not the largest animal nursery in the world and Europe, but 1500 inhabitants live in very comfortable conditions.And visitors from special bridges of two meters in height and one kilometer in length can freely observe the life of animals.

Recently, the Belogorsk court ruled to ban direct contact with lions and other predatory felines, but this does not stop the park being interesting for visitors. It is worth noting that tourists themselves create dangerous situations, despite all the warnings from the staff of the lions park (animals become aggressive when they smell alcohol).

The park is very young it opened in 2012 thanks to the entrepreneur Oleg Zubkov. But back in 2006, he, then a professional naval officer, bought the territory of an abandoned military base near Belogorsk. Then work began on the arrangement and selection of animals. Since that time, he is not only the director of "Taigan", but also the private enterprise "Yalta Zoo" Fairy Tale ".

Like many others, Oleg Alekseevich had and still has to win back his many interesting ideas. Among these - contact communication with dangerous predators. But those who decided on this, as well as those who just watched how the owner himself and other visitors communicate with lions and tigers, talk about it with delight, surprise and trepidation. It is for these emotions that people go to the Taigan safari park.

During its short period of existence, "Taigan" has already temporarily stopped its work (from December 10, 2015 to April 22, 2016). The reason is a conflict with officials. Until now, the land issue remains unresolved. And Zubkov, in addition to the burning issues of keeping animals, also has to solve a lot of legal problems. But as he himself wrote in his blog: “It took much more time to fight for the Yalta“ Fairy Tale ”. And here - 4 years. "

The easiest way to get to the park will be for those who travel by their own vehicles or who come with an excursion group. You can sign up for an excursion absolutely in any tourist place of the Crimea. For an independent trip, you need to know that the park is located on the Simferopol-Feodosia highway. Geographic coordinates for the navigator: 45.036049, 34.563718. Do not be surprised by the specified address (the city of Belogorsk, st. Lavandovaya, 1): the park is actually outside the city limits, without disturbing the townspeople with the loud sounds of savannah life.

Public transport from Simferopol can be reached in several ways.

• Route from the railway station "Simferopol-Feodosia (Kerch)" to the turn to the safari park. From the turn to the park itself, you can call a taxi, the cost of the order is 150 rubles. If you wish, you can walk about 3 km from the turn to the park.
• Take the same bus to the Belogorsk bus station and from there take a taxi.
• From the bus station Vostochnaya in the city of Simferopol there are flights to Zelenogorskoe (via Belogorsk). From the stop "Park" Taigan "you will have to walk about half a kilometer.
• You can also take a taxi from the airport of the Crimean capital. It will cost 1,500 rubles.
• From the side of Feodosia, you need to navigate by carriage to the village of Aleksandrovka. The park is located almost halfway between Aleksandrovka and Belogorsk. You can walk 2.5 km or call a taxi from the park.

With the widespread use of the Internet, it is easy to find a point of interest on the map. Also, do not forget that the language can bring not only to Kiev, but also to other beautiful and interesting places, including "Taigan". One has only to ask correctly at the ticket offices of bus stations and warn the bus driver about the stop in advance.

When buying an entrance ticket, each guest is given a plan-scheme, which indicates all the structural divisions of "Taigan".

Safari Park is where the main characters of the Lion Park live. You can see them from the footpaths. But you always need to remember that these felines are living creatures that do not go for walks at the request of tourists.They live their own lives: early in the morning or late in the evening, when the heat subsides, they walk and frolic with each other; in the daytime, they often lie in the shade of trees or stroll slowly. Nobody bothers them to live their own lives, the territory allows them not to fight for every piece of land.

Here, in the safari zone, you can see waterfowl, get acquainted with monkeys and crocodiles. Right there by the pond you can relax and have a snack. And also look at the whole "Taigan" and the surrounding area from the Ferris wheel. On the way back, it's time to take pictures with the kids: tiger cubs and other kittens. With such a cat, it is not a shame to take a picture both for the adult head of the family, and it is not dangerous for a honey - a daughter.

Returning to the main entrance, go straight through the park area. Almost immediately you will find a hotel in the alley. And this is a very thoughtful decision: the owners are sure that you can appreciate all the beauty and get a full set of emotions from the park only when you watch animals late in the evening or early in the morning, when you listen to birds at night, when you hear the sounds of the night savanna and imagine a real safari. In addition to the hotel, there are several cafes and a swimming pool for visitors on the territory.

The next item is the Bird House. This pavilion is home to swans and peacocks, pelicans and parrots, pheasants and bustards. Penguins chill in the pool, and pink flamingos proudly stroll along the shore. And here you can also find a steppe eagle and a black vulture, an ostrich and a carrier pigeon.

Behind the Bird House, the kids will find a children's zoo with mini-pigs and wild boars, capuchins and hamadryas, zebu and Scottish gobies.

Your baby wants to pet or take a picture with animals - welcome to Grandma's yard. It is very close to the children's zoo. And here you can meet kids, big goats and piglets of all sizes.

If you are rested, you can go to the stationary zoo. Here are just a few examples of who you can meet here: bears, wolves, giraffes, foxes, camels, bison, mule and donkey, alpaca and Scottish cow, fallow deer and mouflon, raccoons of various species, monkeys of various families, rabbits, porcupines, wallabies and skunks. Somewhere in the "Taigan" iguanas and turtles, monitor lizards and crocodiles, anacondas and pythons roam. But do not be afraid: all of them, of course, are under supervision.

The structure of the park provides for subdivisions that ensure the comfortable stay of animals, staff and guests here. In addition to the named hotels and cafes, there are stalls where you can buy food for animals. You can get advice from sellers on how to feed a particular zoo inhabitant. Guests can bring their own treats. But there are feeding rules posted in prominent places that must be followed so that the animals do not get sick.

In memory of the excursion, you can buy souvenirs. There are ice cream and water trays. There is a medical center for emergencies. There is also a helipad for excursions over the park.

The Taigan Lion Park offers many services. But you need to keep in mind that payment is made only in cash: there is no ATM or terminal on the territory. So, the prices for visiting the park:

• Children under 3 years old pass with parents free of charge.
• From 3 to 10 years old - for a ticket that costs 500 rubles.
• Over 10 years old - for a ticket of 1000 rubles.
• In winter, Crimeans can get a 50% discount. To obtain it, you need a passport indicating the place of registration and a child's birth certificate. Original documents are required.
• 50% discount for birthday people. Now the site of the Taigan Park itself does not mention this discount.

The ticket price does not depend on the time spent in the park. It should be remembered that it can change, so you need to clarify the exact amount immediately before the visit.

For a fee, you can use the following services.

• In a special aviary, you can take pictures with babies - kittens for 500 rubles on your camera. This service is very popular. But you still need to be careful when photographing playful kittens with small children.
• For 2,000 rubles, you can take a lion cub or a tiger cub to your room for half an hour for those who live in the park's hotel.
• The cheapest excursion is by train. You can, without stopping, go around the park, and then purposefully go to some of its zones. The ticket price is 50 rubles.
• But it is much more interesting to ride a cycle rickshaw. This is an individual transport with individual stops. You will be taken wherever you want. And for only 200 rubles.
• An electric car tour can be different: sightseeing and fast (150 rubles per person) - there will be several short stops with a story about what the electric car is passing by. You can rent an electric car with a driver for 3-12 people. A car for 3 people will cost 400 rubles, in a 9-seater the payment per person is 100 rubles, in a 12-seater - 150 rubles.
• Here you can rent a regular car without a driver. The cost is indicated per hour of rent: 3-seater car - 2000 rubles, 9-seater - 3500 rubles, 12-seater - 4500 rubles.
• The park has 2 helicopters. The site offers excursions to Robinson Raven I. It is recommended to check the price of a walk with the administrator. But for a guide, we will indicate the prices of last year: a group of up to 3 passengers will pay 5000 rubles per hour of the tour. The beauty of the flight is that you can see not only the park, but also the surrounding area, including the richest nature of the Crimea.
• Thanks to the unusual atmosphere, newlyweds choose the park as the place of their wedding ceremony. And this is a great solution: there is a huge hall with 300 seats for a banquet, walks on electric cars and a small train, a Ferris wheel and attractions, again - helicopters. There is a hotel where guests who do not want to leave early can stay. And most importantly - nature, animals and birds.
• For enterprises and organizations, the park administration is ready to lease conference rooms. There are several of them, there are larger and smaller rooms.

To our great regret, an exclusive walk accompanied by Oleg Zubkov for acquaintance with large lions is currently not available, but, perhaps, this issue will be resolved in the near future. The park staff do everything for this. Those who are fortunate enough to take part in such a walk describe it as the most vivid impression in life.

If you are interested in the park, then we inform you that in summer it works from 8 to 20 hours (ticket offices are open from 8 to 19 hours). In winter, the park accepts visitors from 8 am to 4 pm. It is worth staying here for a night or a couple of days.

Since the Safari Park is a private property, it is easier to negotiate discounts on group excursions here. You can ask your questions to the park secretary, administrator or write to e-mail.

It often happens that the most accurate and truthful description of a monument, event, sights can be gleaned from the reviews of those who have visited the site. The reviews of excursionists studied for the reader of this article can be roughly divided into two parts: directly about the work of the park and about the work of Oleg Zubkov.

Almost 100% of those who left reviews on independent sites speak positively about the Taigan Safari Park... Many people write that they were initially very frightened by the prices of tickets, excursions, additional services. But when they saw all this with their own eyes, they understood where the money was going. All animals are well-groomed and well-fed, lions walk freely in the park. The park itself is very green and clean. This is truly a place of relaxation, in which the soul of the creators is felt.

Those who decided on an exclusive walk with O. Zubkov admit that they have learned much more information about animals, and most importantly, they have received indescribable emotions.They admire the relationship of the zoo director with their pets. In his presence, the animals behave perfectly and really resemble large and affectionate cats.

Young parents note that an excursion to the Taigan Park is the best gift for a child for a birthday or just like that. But they pay attention that, due to the large territory, the child can get tired quickly. Therefore, either you need to determine the exact route in advance, or stay overnight in a hotel.

Some guests in their reviews compare "Taigan" with a safari park in Gelendzhik. And this comparison, in their opinion, is in favor of the Crimean nature reserve.

Also, those who have visited the park describe their impressions not only of communicating with animals, but also of other attractions. It's nice to just walk in the park, there are many sculptures, beautiful gazebos, exhibitions. In the museum, in front of the White Lion cafe, there is an exposition of sculptures made of trees that once grew on this territory.

Answering the questions of those who are just going to visit "Taigan", the tourists of the park write in their reviews that there is no need to be afraid of a large crowd of people. Even if there are many cars and buses at the entrance, inside the park people scatter over a large area and do not interfere with each other.

Almost all guests write that 3-4 hours for such a large park is very little. Therefore, you should either go here on your own and not depend on the sightseeing bus, or think over your own route. And you should definitely take care of gifts for animals: carrots, chopped cabbage, apples, herbs, corn - it is better to bring these vegetables with you. On the territory of the park for animals, you can buy nuts, crackers, cookies.

Reviews of feeding lions are different: on the one hand, you can see more lions at this time; on the other - not everyone can be pleased with the sight of the process of eating raw meat and bones by lions.

Also, visitors to the official website of the Taigan safari park and simply viewers of a specialized resource thank you for the videos about the park. According to their reviews, it is precisely such short stories that prompt a trip to this amazing place.

You can read a huge number of such reviews on the Internet. Many people say that this place was created for families with children. Yes, most of the guests cite high prices as a disadvantage. But absolutely everyone says that they understand why prices are high - taking good care of animals requires a lot of investment.

It is worth noting that Oleg Alekseevich Zubkov himself became a close person in spirit and convictions for many visitors. This is what they write about in their reviews. This is a true fighter for their pets. His animals treat him like little kittens with whom you need and can play, talk, pet them. To create this park, O. Zubkov “found” 10 million dollars, and continues to look for funds to purchase new animals and improve the conditions of the existing ones.

The respect of those who met this man is immense, despite the fact that he is in constant opposition to the bureaucratic system.