Aruba Ostrich Farm Tour with Lunch

The most memorable part of this Aruba outing is getting close to ostriches and emus, then watching their careful feeding and defense habits in action. I like the mix of hands-on animal time and the visit to the incubator and young-bird pens. The included lunch, with a local beer, soft drink, or fruit smoothie, adds real value.

I also like that this is a compact experience for families and anyone who wants a break from beaches. The main catch is transportation: you must reach the farm yourself, and the drive from Oranjestad can take about 40 minutes. Children ages 3 to 7 need tickets purchased on-site, not through the advance booking.

Key things to know before you go

• Feed ostriches and emus up close: The tour gives you a chance to interact with the birds, not just view them from a distance.
• See the farm’s younger residents: The route includes the incubator, hatchery, and pens for young ostriches and emus.
• Lunch is part of the ticket: Choose from locally inspired home-cooked meals, with a local beer, soft drink, or fruit smoothie.
• Expect a small-group setting: The maximum group size is 25 people, so the tour should remain manageable.
• Plan your own ride: Private transportation is not included, and the farm is outside central Oranjestad.
• Allow about 90 minutes: It is a short, focused outing rather than a full-day attraction.

Meeting Aruba’s long-legged locals

The Aruba Ostrich Farm is built around an animal that looks almost comical until you see it move. Ostriches are tall, powerful, and fast. Their Australian relatives, emus, are smaller but still impressive, with loose feathers, long legs, and a curious way of studying people.

A guide leads you through the farm and explains how these flightless birds live. You learn about speed, defense against predators, feeding, mating, and raising young. That information gives the animal encounters some context. Instead of simply pointing at a large bird, the guide explains why it behaves as it does.

The farm has more than 80 animals, including ostriches, emus, roosters, turtles, and peacocks. The focus remains on the ostriches and emus, but the other animals add variety, especially for children who may lose interest during a longer explanation.

Personal encounters are a major part of the appeal. You may have the chance to feed the birds, and that changes the mood quickly. An ostrich calmly accepting food is one thing. Seeing its long neck reach toward you is another. Follow the guide’s instructions closely, since these are large, strong animals rather than oversized pets.

What the 90-minute visit includes

The advertised time is roughly one to two hours, with the main visit lasting about an hour and a half. That makes the farm easy to fit into a busy Aruba day, especially if you pair it with another activity nearby or visit when you want a change from the coast.

The tour starts at the Aruba Ostrich Farm. You meet the adult ostriches and emus first, then learn about their behavior and survival instincts. The guide’s explanations are aimed at a general audience, so you do not need prior animal knowledge to follow along.

Some guides bring a lively touch to the presentation. Mara is one guide associated with the experience, and her tour style has been described as engaging and funny. Guide quality can affect a short tour more than a long one, because the explanation forms much of the experience. Here, the best moments come when the guide connects a simple fact about speed or feeding with what the bird is doing in front of you.

The visit continues to the incubator and hatchery. You also see special pens for young ostriches and emus. This section is particularly useful for families, since the young birds provide a different scale and energy from the adults. It also helps explain the work behind raising these animals.

The tour ends back at the farm meeting point. You can also browse the Art Shop, which carries goods from Zimbabwe along with local art and crafts. If you prefer not to shop, there is space to relax in the shade before or after the tour.

Feeding the birds without rushing the moment

Feeding is one of the farm’s strongest features. It gives you a direct reason to pay attention to the birds’ size, movement, and behavior. Children often find this more exciting than a standard guided walk, and adults get a memorable photo opportunity without needing a long activity.

The feeding encounter also makes the guide’s safety instructions important. An ostrich has a powerful beak and legs, so listen before reaching toward the bird. Let the staff control the pace. The point is not to force contact, but to understand how these animals respond.

I would treat this as a supervised wildlife encounter, not a petting zoo. The birds are farm animals, but they remain large and unpredictable. That distinction matters if you are visiting with young children. Keep children close and make sure they follow the directions given by the guide.

The hatchery and young ostrich pens

The hatchery adds an educational layer that many short animal visits lack. You see where eggs and young birds fit into the farm’s work, then move on to the pens for young ostriches and emus.

This part may be quieter than the feeding session, but it helps complete the picture. The tour covers mating, rearing, and feeding habits, so you are not only seeing adult animals in a pen. You are also learning how the next generation is cared for.

For families, this is a useful way to keep the visit varied. The adults are dramatic, the young birds are appealing, and the hatchery gives the guide another subject to explain. If you are interested in animal care and breeding, this may be the most informative section of the tour.

Why the included lunch changes the value

The $38 price makes more sense when you count lunch as part of the experience. You are not paying only for a guided animal visit. The ticket includes a selection of home-cooked, locally inspired meals, plus an ice-cold local beer, soft drink, or fruit smoothie.

The exact meal selection can vary, but fried grouper with fries has been singled out as a good choice. The food is repeatedly praised for being tasty and affordable, and one meal has been described as a welcome highlight during a longer Aruba stay. That makes the farm a practical midday stop rather than an activity that leaves you searching for food afterward.

Lunch is served at the on-site restaurant, so you can stay at the farm instead of adding another drive. The setting includes shaded areas and a relaxed atmosphere. You might also find shaved ice available, although it is not part of the included lunch.

For value, the meal matters most if you were already planning to buy lunch. If you only want a quick animal stop and have limited time, the price may feel less compelling than a simple admission ticket. But for a family, the combination of food, guided touring, and animal encounters can work well.

Getting there from Oranjestad

The farm is a short drive from Oranjestad, but you should not read that as door-to-door convenience. Private transportation is not included. One account puts the drive at about 40 minutes, and a missed visit occurred after transportation was not arranged in advance.

That is the chief practical warning. Plan your ride before the day of the tour. The meeting point is the Aruba Ostrich Farm, and the activity ends there. If you are using a taxi or another transport option, allow enough time for the return trip as well.

The booking includes a mobile ticket, which keeps the check-in process simple once you arrive. Confirmation is provided at booking. The group limit is 25 people, large enough for a lively outing but limited enough to keep the guide’s presentation focused.

Because the farm requires outdoor conditions, poor weather can affect the schedule. If the activity is canceled for weather, you can receive a different date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded.

Is this a good choice for families?

Yes, especially if your children enjoy animals and hands-on activities. Feeding the ostriches and emus gives the visit a clear focal point, while the younger birds, peacocks, roosters, and turtles add more to see.

The tour also avoids the fatigue of a full-day excursion. At about 90 minutes, it is long enough to teach you something without taking over the entire day. Lunch extends the stop, but you still have plenty of time for other Aruba plans.

Children’s tickets for ages 3 to 7 are bought at the farm, and no reservation is needed for those tickets. Check this detail before booking so you do not assume every child is covered by the online price. Most people can participate, but young children should be supervised closely around the birds.

Older children and adults may get more from the explanations about speed, defense, mating, and rearing. Younger children may care mainly about feeding. Both groups can have a good time, but the experience works best when you set expectations that this is a guided educational visit, not nonstop animal contact.

Who will enjoy this stop most?

I would choose this farm if you want something different from Aruba’s usual beach and water activities. It suits families, animal lovers, first-time visitors who want a short excursion, and anyone looking for lunch in a relaxed setting.

It is also a good fit if you enjoy unusual attractions. Ostriches and emus are not animals most people see up close in daily life, and their size and behavior make the visit memorable.

You may want to skip it if your schedule is packed, you do not have transportation arranged, or you prefer a larger, more polished attraction with a long list of activities. The tour is fairly quick, and the farm experience is focused rather than expansive.

The 96 percent recommendation rate and 4.7 rating from 46 reviews point to a reliable experience, but the strongest praise centers on specific features: the friendly staff, the guide’s presentation, the chance to feed the birds, and the lunch. Those are the reasons to book, not the promise of a long day out.

Small details that make the visit better

Arrive ready for an outdoor farm setting. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes suited to walking around animal pens. The information provided does not specify a dress code or a detailed accessibility plan, so contact the farm directly if you need arrangements beyond standard participation.

Keep some time for the Art Shop if you like local crafts or Zimbabwean goods. It gives you something to browse while other people in your group finish lunch or gather for the next part of the visit.

Do not book this expecting private transportation. That detail is easy to miss and can spoil an otherwise simple outing. Arrange your ride first, then select a tour time that leaves room for the drive.

The farm is also useful when you want a meal that feels less routine than a quick restaurant stop. Fried grouper and fries is a practical suggestion, while the included local beer, soft drink, or fruit smoothie gives each person a simple choice.

Should you book the Aruba Ostrich Farm Tour?

Book it if you want a short, unusual Aruba experience with real animal interaction and lunch included. The feeding session, hatchery, young birds, and guide-led explanation give the visit more substance than a quick photo stop.

The $38 price is fair when you use the meal and plan to spend about 90 minutes at the farm. Families get the best value, since the outing combines education, entertainment, and food in one stop.

Skip it only if arranging transportation is difficult or your interest in animals is limited. For everyone else, this is a practical change of pace from the beach, with enough personality to make the drive worthwhile.

FAQ

Where does the Aruba Ostrich Farm Tour begin?

The tour begins at the Aruba Ostrich Farm in Aruba.

Where does the activity end?

The activity ends back at the farm meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The visit lasts approximately one to two hours, with the main tour taking about 90 minutes.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch includes a choice of popular home-cooked, locally inspired meals, along with a local beer, soft drink, or fruit smoothie.

Is transportation included?

No. Private transportation is not included, so you must arrange your own way to the farm.

How far is the farm from Oranjestad?

The farm is a short drive from Oranjestad. One description places the drive at about 40 minutes.

Can children join the tour?

Yes. Most people can participate, and the tour is suitable for families. Children ages 3 to 7 need tickets purchased at the farm, and no reservation is needed for those tickets.

Can you feed the ostriches and emus?

Yes. The experience includes opportunities to feed the ostriches and emus under the farm’s guidance.

What animals can you see?

The farm has more than 80 animals, including ostriches, emus, roosters, turtles, and peacocks. The tour also visits young ostrich and emu pens.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The activity requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you can receive a different date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time.