enjoy tour

CUMBERLAND, Ohio — You dine by the light of an outdoor fire, sleep in a yurt and wake up for a safari to see antelope, zebras, rhinos, giraffes and camels. When your adventure ends, you return to your car for the short trip back to the world outside — in Ohio. It's all part of an experience offered at the Wilds, a sprawling wildlife conservation center on nearly 10,000 acres, or about two-thirds the size of Manhattan, about 80 miles east of Columbus. Two years ago, the Wilds opened Nomad Ridge, an encampment of yurts — circular tents, perched on stilts anchored into the side of a wooded ridge. The inspiration came from more portable, nomadic dwellings observed by former executive director Evan Blumer and other members of the Wilds' staff while working on projects in Mongolia. It was just an interesting structure that we thought tied a lot to our field work, tied a lot to our programs, fit the landscape, and was something that would be really different for people, particularly in this part of the world, Blumer said. The difference is, these yurts, unlike those found in Mongolia, are luxury tents with all the comforts of an upscale hotel room, including running water and electricity. Advertise The Wilds' nine "woodland yurts" are available for booking throughout the week, May through October, plus one larger grand yurtwith heat and air conditioning that the others don't have, allowing it to be used year-round. An overnight stay is packaged with dinner the night of arrival and breakfast the following morning — meals created by the facility's professional chef and featuring Ohio game, produce and wines — plus a guided safari around the grounds to see a wide array of animals from either an enclosed bus (the Wilds prefers the term "transport") or an open-air vehicle. The experience is limited to adults 21 or older. If you go THE WILDS: 14000 International Rd., Cumberland, Ohio; http://www.thewilds.org/ or 740-638-5030. Overnight yurt stays for two, $325 plus tax including dinner, breakfast and safari. Prices for daily tours. READ MORE...http://www.nbcnews.com