At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the species mix a bit like they do in their native Asia and Africa. That doesn’t mean you’ll find lions roaming the same enclosures as zebras, but you will see multiple species of hoofed animals roaming the same large area.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park didn’t start out as a tourist attraction. It actually started out as a conservation facility. Dozens of endangered species have been raised in the park and reintroduced into the wild. Your visitation fees help them continue that work.
Entrance is charged and there is a separate parking fee. The process for obtaining tickets and the tips that apply are the same for obtaining tickets to the San Diego Zoo.
Exhibitions and activities
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park covers 1,800 acres, and there is so much to do and see. Check the daily schedules when you arrive to make sure you don’t miss a thing. These are the highlights:
Africa Tram – This 30-minute ride may be the closest many of us will get to seeing wild creatures in their natural settings. You can see deer, antelope, giraffe, various types of rhinos, elephants, and other types of wild creatures, all roaming a large area. If you’re eager to see it when you first arrive, the Departures area is at the far end of the park. In fact, it’s so far away that it may feel like it takes almost as long to get there to drive.
Parrot Landing: Parrots are colorful birds slightly larger than parakeets. Stop by the entrance of their enclosure to buy a cup of lorikeet nectar. Hold it in your hand, and the birds will sit on your finger and drink it. This activity is highly recommended for anyone, but some children are a little scared of all the hovering birds.
Nairobi Village – Here you’ll find the Petting Kraal where you can spend hands-on time with the tamest critters and make a fuss over the baby animals at the San Diego Safari Park Zoo Nursery. There is also a daily bird show.
The names of other areas of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park change faster than a chameleon can go from green to brown, but the basics remain the same. You can see elephants and lions, gorillas and tigers, California condors and many other creatures. The Safari Park map shows them all and outlines the most accessible routes if you need them.
If gardening is your passion, you will find fabulous gardens dotted around the trails.
Special activities
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park raises money from extra cost activities. These may include Photo Safaris, Cheetah Run Safari, Balloon Safari (a 15-minute ride that goes 400 feet in the air), and backstage tours of the Safari Park. Go to the Safari Tours and Experiences links on the park website to find a list of current offerings.
What people think
We rate the San Diego Zoo Safari Park 4 stars out of 5. We especially like the trolley ride and the wide open spaces full of animals.
If you don’t like the idea of animals in captivity, you may not enjoy it. It’s also quite a long way from downtown San Diego and takes up most of a full day of your vacation.
Tips for a good visit
- If you only do the bare minimum, it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to get in, walk to the tram, ride it, and get out again. The Safari Park is about a 45-minute drive from downtown San Diego. All of that means that you need to go wherever you are in San Diego at least 3 hours before the Safari Park closes. Admission is somewhat expensive, and you may want to plan to stay longer to get the most out of it.
- The park is less crowded on weekdays in the fall and spring.
- In the summer, ten to fifteen thousand people visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park every day.
- The temperature in the Safari Park can be 20 ° F (or more) higher than near the water.
- During the busiest part of summer, the park offers hours after dark that make late afternoon a good option. You can spend more time elsewhere and the park will not be as hot. On the negative side, some of the animals may go to sleep.
- In winter the crowds are thinner, but the hours will be shorter.
- The park is open even in the rain. In fact, it is an excellent time to go, when many of the animals can come out to absorb it. And you may feel like the only person in the whole park.
- Ride the Balloon Safari early in the morning. If the wind starts to blow, the park closes it for safety.
- Walk around, take the trolley tour, then walk some more. Or to see the animals at their most active, take the early morning tram.
- At any time of the year, bring sunscreen, hats, and water. Bottled water costs 2-3 times more than at a grocery store, so bring your own to save money.
- To make it easier, bring cash to pay the parking fee.
- Don’t try to visit the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park on the same day. It is too far, and each offers too much to do.
Location
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
15500 San Pasqual Valley Road
Escondido, CA
You can drive to the Safari Park and pay the parking fee. You can also plan a trip using public transportation on the San Diego Metro website. That nearly two-hour trip will include a 30-minute walk and two buses.
If you are too impatient about that, you can call Yellow Cab at 619-234-6161 or Orange Cab at 619-223-5555. You can also call your favorite carpool service like Uber or Lyft. Those options will likely cost more than driving yourself, but you can check the current parking fee to decide if it’s a good option for you.
