For great family entertainment, come and experience the wonder of the Montecasino Bird Gardens - the only bird park of its kind in Africa and Jo'burg's best kept secret.

Here, you can wander along enchanted walkways within magnificent gardens and marvel at a variety of colourful birds, mammals, reptiles and unusual animals from around the world.

In our walk-through Aviary, you'll find over 60 species of birds including Scarlet Ibises, Royal Starlings and Nicobar pigeons, reptiles and small mammals, with smaller antelope wandering freely in the undergrowth.

Expert presenters with the assistance of specially trained birds take visitors on an intimate journey into the world of birds when the “Flight of Fantasy”, takes off! It is a breathtaking display of many birds in unrestrained flight during the course of an educational and entertaining 45-minute presentation.

Our educational and entertaining bird shows take place in our spectacular Tuscan amphitheatre twice a day between Monday and Friday, and three times a day over the weekend and on public holidays.

The dramatic Cycad Garden consists of 755 plants from 37 different species. These range from the blue leafed cycads from the drier parts of South Africa to dark-green leafed plants.
Trunks range in size from that of a rugby ball to the grand old “Snake” which is over 2500 years old and stretches over 4 metres. Assembled in the early 1960s, it is one of the largest and most diverse private collections of South African cycads on display. The collection also boasts a number of rare species. All are labeled and provide great viewing pleasure.

The aviary, to which the Cycad Garden leads, is 22 metres tall at its highest point, making it one of the largest exhibits of its kind in Africa. Here you will find flocks of vividly red Scarlet Ibises in the trees. Pretty little Red-handed Tamarin monkeys actively dart about, while many reptiles such as a 4,5 metre long Anaconda, Forest Cobras, Rinkhals and a Gaboon Viper can be safely viewed from behind their glass homes in the Fierce Creatures enclosure. All the while, visitors will have to keep their eyes peeled to spot the 59 species of bird, reptiles and small animals for whom the big aviary is home.

But that is not the end of this wonderland. A walk over the causeway takes visitors past indigenous waterfowl and an island with Red-ruffed Lemurs. There are many brightly coloured rainbow lorikeets, tame enough for visitors to feed. Gaudy macaws and cockatoos clamber over branches at the Parrot Gallery. Other inhabitants include a Reticulated Python, the worlds longest species of snake. We are proud parents to 2 sets of Ring-tailed Lemur babies, both sets being born end 2008.