Dubbo Zoo accommodation: Zoofari Lodge, Savannah Cabins or Billabong Camp?

The three Dubbo Zoo accommodation options are Zoofari Lodges, Savannah Cabins and camping at the Billabong Camp. The Zoofari lodges are most luxurious, Savannah Cabins the cheapest and camping includes the most experiences.

The Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, New South Wales, is a zoo with a difference. It tries to be, wherever possible, safari-style, letting guests roam among the animals. Skip-the-queue tickets are best bought online.

But another major point of difference is that you can stay at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo overnight.

Dubbo Zoo accommodation: Zoofari Lodges

There are three Dubbo Zoo accommodation options, the first of which is the Zoofari Lodge. The lodges come with safari tours and meals included. The Animal View Lodges are most impressive, with views from the exterior decking out over giraffes, zebras, rhinos and antelopes. They have air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms.

These sleep up to four people, while the Bushland lodges accommodate up to six people. The drawback is that you have to walk a short distance to see the animals. They’re both very expensive, though, with Dubbo Zoo accommodation prices in the lodges costing from $756 a night.

Dubbo Zoo accommodation: Savannah Cabins

Considerably cheaper are the Savannah Cabins, which are adjacent to the zoo rather than within its boundaries. These are more or less the sort of cabins you’d expect to see in an Australian caravan park. They come with air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, convection ovens, hobs and microwaves, as well as an outdoor dining area. The Savannah Cabins cost from $269 and sleep up to six people.

Dubbo Zoo camping

The final Dubbo Zoo accommodation option is the Billabong Camp, which is reasonably posh camping. This Dubbo Zoo camping experience includes two day zoo entry, breakfast dinner, and a series of animal encounters. This option is only available at weekends, with Dubbo Zoo overnight prices from $438. That may seem an awful lot for camping, but it’s all about what’s thrown in.

All three Dubbo Zoo accommodation options can be booked via the Taronga website. The Sydney to Dubbo drive takes just under five hours, while it’s about three-and-a-half hours from Dubbo to Tamworth.

More conventional Dubbo accommodation is available at the Palms Dubbo Inn, Discovery Parks Dubbo and Cattleman’s Country Inn and Serviced Apartments.

More New South Wales travel

Go kayaking on Tuggerah Lake from Canton Beach in Toukley.

Enjoy the pools at the Angourie Resort in Yamba.

Swim and surf at Seven Mile Beach in Gerroa, NSW.

Do a self-guided Southern Highlands wine tour, stopping at Tertini Wines in Mittagong, Centennial Vineyards in Bowral and Bendooley Estate in Berrima.

Discover how virgin sugar cane rum is made at Husk Distillers in Tumbulgum.