Port Dickson Ostrich Farm: A Day of Excitement with the World’s Largest Bird

Did you know that ostriches are the largest birds in the world and can sprint at speeds over 70km/h? They can cover up to five meters in a single stride, have three stomachs, and swallow pebbles to help grind their food because they do not have teeth.

You’ll learn all these and more at Jelita Ostrich Farm, which has been certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as the first of its kind in the country.

The farm sits on a spacious piece of land surrounded by greenery, and makes for an unusual stop if you are looking for something a little different from the usual cafés, malls, and beaches.

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How to get to Jelita Ostrich Farm

The easiest way to get to the farm is by car. It is located along Jalan Jelebu, about an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur and roughly 15 minutes from Seremban town.

Public transport options are very limited, so driving or hiring a ride is your best bet.

To enter the farm, you’ll need to pass through the main guardhouse as the area is located within the grounds of the state veterinary department.

Address: Lot 1504, Batu 6, Mukim Pantai, Jalan Jelebu, 71770, Negeri Sembilan

Opening hours: 9am – 5pm

Entrance fee: RM10 (adult) / RM8 (child). Fees may change over time, so it’s best to check ahead before visiting.

What to expect at Jelita Ostrich Farm

After paying the entrance fee, visitors are taken around the farm by a guide. Even small groups or solo visitors often get their own guide, which makes the experience feel personal.

During the tour, you’ll learn plenty of fun ostrich facts, from their breeding habits to the different products made from ostriches. The guides also share stories about the birds and how the farm operates.

The ostriches themselves were originally brought in from South Africa. Male ostriches typically have black feathers, while females are greyish-brown.

One of the highlights is getting to see the enormous ostrich eggs up close.

An ostrich egg can grow up to around 15cm long and weigh as much as two dozen chicken eggs combined. You can even try standing on one and see if you will break it (spoiler: you won’t).

Apart from ostriches, there are also ponies, goats, and a few other friendly animals around the farm. You can buy packets of corn kernels at the entrance to feed them.

Tip: One packet is not enough. Buy five if you love the feeling of animal mouths nibbling on your hands. I don’t know what this says about me psychologically, but the ponies’ velvety little lips were my favorite.

Then, you will be taken to a racing track where you can watch two ostrich jockeys race each other on the birds’ backs.

One of the farm’s main attractions is the chance to ride one yourself, if you wish.

The ostrich will be blindfolded, so that it doesn’t sprint while you’re mounting it. Getting on can be a bit tricky because the bird is tall.

Once you’re on its back, all you have to do is hold on to its wings and lean backward. A handler will guide the ostrich around the enclosure. If you’re feeling confident, you can even ask him to make the ostrich go faster.

And as with most tourist attractions in Malaysia, the tour ends with a visit to the souvenir shop, which sells the usual knick-knacks as well as ostrich products like ostrich milk and ostrich oil.

If you rode the bird, you’ll get a cute little certificate to recognize your talent as an ostrich jockey.

Final thoughts

A visit to Jelita Ostrich Farm is a great way to learn about ostriches. My favorite part was feeding the animals and learning more about them. It was really cool to be able to touch the ostrich eggs and test how sturdy they were.

With hindsight though, I now have mixed feelings about riding the ostrich.

On one hand, some studies show that ostriches aren’t meant to support human weight. On the other hand, the farm was located within the grounds of the Department of Veterinary Services.

If ostrich-riding was really that harmful, surely the department would have put a stop to it?

If you visit Jelita Ostrich Farm and do not wish to ride an ostrich or watch the ostrich race, be firm in saying so. It might disappoint the staff members though, as they seemed genuinely eager to entertain you and make sure you got your money’s worth.