A new cafe featuring a one-of-a-kind experience with a beloved animal that’s taking over social media is coming to Georgia this June, with a full launch scheduled for August 2025.
The Capyfriends Cafe, a unique venture and partnership between Nacoochee Adventures and North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park, will offer private encounters with capybaras and other friendly animals in Helen, Georgia this summer.
What are capybaras?
A big attraction at the LegaSea Aquarium and Reptarium in Utica is Javier “Javi” the capybara on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents. They live in South America and are related to guinea pigs and rock cavies, but more distantly to animals like chinchillas and agoutis.
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What is the Capyfriends Cafe?
The cafe, announced recently in an Instagram post, will provide visitors with a chance to interact closely with these gentle creatures. And yes, selfies are encouraged.
Bookings for private experiences are currently available, with online booking opening in June.
Are there other capybara cafes?
The only other experience is at the Capybara Café located in St. Augustine, Florida, associated with Noah’s Ark Sanctuary, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating animals in need.
The business describes its mission as one “to inspire, educate, and foster a greater sense of stewardship for all living creatures.”
For more information, visit thecapybaracafe.com.
Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Capyfriends Cafe is turning capybara encounters into an experience
