What tours should you take at the Safari Park?

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Tips and Fun Things to do

The San Diego Zoo in southern California had an idea for a new park. They wanted to create a wild animal park that allows the animals to roam free with plenty of room to run. The Zoo wanted to mimic their natural habitat as much as possible.

At the same time, they wanted to still give the guests ways to get up close to them. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is what they came up with.

This post has been sponsored by the San Diego Zoo. As always, my opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the site, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for the support. 

The Safari Park is a one-of-a-kind exhibit. It does an amazing job of immersing you in the diverse habitats you are visiting. From the trails to the landscaping, you are transformed into another world.

The only thing I’ve seen that came is Disney Worlds Animal Park. But there are some differences between this park and the San Diego Zoo.

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San Diego Safari Park Tips

A lot of the tips I gave regarding the San Diego Zoo apply to the Safari Park too. But there are a few other things that make this park stand out.

Planning Your Day

Get there early, wear good walking shoes and make a plan for the animals you want to see first. For me, it was the Tiger Trail. This trail has ADA walking paths. It was one of the nicest trails I’ve seen.

Since we got there so early, we were able to see very active tigers enjoying their enclosures. They also had a secondary trail you can take that goes off the beaten path.

If you are up for the adventure, I recommend taking this loop for a unique experience.

Some of the other favorites are the gorillas, elephant odyssey, rhinos, and giraffes. The park spends a lot of time educating its visitors about the animals. Each has its own unique world.

As of Spring 2018, they are working on a new exhibit in this part of the zoo, the Walk About Australia. Because of this, some birds on California Condor Ridge have been relocated during the construction.

They should have it back open to the public this summer. Don’t let this detour you from visiting the Tigers. It was unforgettable.

When is the best time to see the Tigers at the Zoo?

How much walking is required?

This park didn’t feel as big as San Diego Zoo, but it was definitely comparable. We logged 4.7 miles of walking. If you have young kids, make sure to bring a stroller.

The biggest difference was the space between each animal enclosure. Because they have given the animals more space to roam, they filled in with additional landscaping and added enrichment opportunities for the younger guests.

Want to see a mix of animals from everywhere? Don’t forget to check out the San Diego Zoo. It’s a blast!
Essential Tips For Visiting the San Diego Zoo Before Going
Buy Tickets for the San Diego Zoo by Clicking here.

Food

The food situation is the same. Pricing is at a premium, and the quality is mediocre. They have a wide variety of options including gluten-free and vegan options.

They also allow you to bring in your own food and snacks, which will save you a lot of money. I also recommend bringing in a water bottle or hydration backpack too just to keep the costs down.

My favorite backpack is the Rupumpack because of its extra storage space. I take it with me everywhere. The longest lines for food are right around 12-1 and right next to the tram tour.

If you walk a few food joints away, you’ll be able to walk right up.

Animal Encounters

One of my favorite parts of the zoo was getting to see an animal encounter. These encounters are more than just a Zoo Keeper talking about animals.

They come right out into the park and talk with the guests. These encounters are at various times of the day and can be found all over the park. Some of my favorites were the Nairobi Village, Lion Camp, and the Walkabout Australia.

What animals encounters are there at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park? Faces of the Zoo
Bird Profile at the Safari Park
The Bird Feeding at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The Africa Tram

The Safari Park’s Africa Tram is included with admission. This ride is incredibly popular. It gives you a 30 min highlight tour of the African plains. The busiest time is between 11-3.

You’ll be looking to wait for about 1hr in line during peak times. The wait goes down significantly if you go during the Cheetah Run show. The first train starts at 10 am, so I recommend getting on this one if you can.

The Cart Safari Tour

The cart safari tour is a great way to see the animals if you are traveling with younger kids. With a maximum capacity of 12 people, the tour was practically private.

They take you on a complete perimeter of the facility. The Asian plains tour gives takes you to the far end of the park.

Getting the opportunity to get up close and personal with the San Diego safari park animals was an experience I will never forget. Our guide gave us all kinds of information about the different species and their history with the park.

Visiting in springtime gave us a rare opportunity to see some of the babies, including a 2-day old Dik-Dik. Witnessing the baby’s unstable steps and a mama protective of her new baby was just like wanting a Discovery Channel Special.

The tour thought us so much about the park and its extensive steps to ensure survival and conservation efforts. Including their work to help endangered species.

What tours should you take at the Safari Park?

Other Safari Tours to Take

The least expensive tour is the $15 balloon safari. Taking you up 400 feet above the prairie, to witness the animals from above. You’ll spend about 10-12 minutes high above the Serengeti.

There is a Wildlife Safari Caravan Tour for people six years and older. Everyone piles into the open-air safari truck, and you all get the opportunity to hand feed different animals.

The trip is anywhere from 2-3.5 hrs long depending on the trip you choose. You must be 13 years old. They also do a Twilight Wildlife Safari. Same thing but during the nighttime magic.

Love Flamingos? You gotta try the Mimosa Wildlife Safari. Start off with enjoying a drink next to the flamingos. THen board the open-air safari truck to see giraffes, antelope, and other African Savana wildlife.

With all the differnet Safari Tours, they have something for every age group. They are a must-see for any trip to the San Diego Safari Park.

The Extras

My only criticism of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is the add-ons. They sell express passes tickets to get in the front of the line at a few of the different features. And a few extra dollars to feed the birds.

It also seemed like in order to really see the Safari Animals; you need to pay the extra money for the safaris tours. These experiences are great and well worth the money.

We opted to spend the extra money on the Cart Safari Tour, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I recommend doing at least one while you are there.

The problem I had was that everywhere you turned it seemed like another amazing experience you can do for a fee. If you have small kids, make sure to prepare them for this.

Decide which add-ons you want to or get them involved in the planning. This way they aren’t begging to do all the cool attractions.

Elephants on Exhibit at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Getting the Best Deal on Tickets to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

I recommend skipping the line by purchasing your tickets online. There are a few different options for tickets. A standard one-day ticket or a two-day ticket is an incredible deal.

You can choose to get into either the Safari Park one day or the San Diego Zoo the next. Or spend both days at the Safari Park! Groupon also has some incredible deals you can check out too.

The other option is to get a Go City Card. This pass is a great deal. You can purchase a pass for the exact number of days you want to do attractions.

The pass includes admission to over 40 different attractions, museums, and a lot of California favorites, including both Zoo’s, SeaWorld, and the USS Midway.

If you plan in outright, you can save yourself a lot of money using this pass. But you may need a few days poolside to recover.

Get your tickets before you leave for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The lines can get long and you don’t want to miss out on anything.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Go City Card Bundle

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How to save money on tickets to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park?

Final Thoughts

We had a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. It was something that I will never forget. The steps they have taken to improve the quality of life in the zoo and their conservation efforts are out of this world.

If you are trying to decide on which zoo to visit between the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park, it would depend on what your interests are. If you’re looking for variety and value, the San Diego Zoo is where you want to go.

If you are looking for something a little different and have the money for some extra safari add-ins, go to the Safari Park!

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An Inside look at the San Diego Zoo Safari Parks Tours. Do you need them? Which one to pick? And how to get the best deal on discount tickets! Family Friend | Southern California | Safari Tour | California | US | Rino | Best Zoos in the US

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