Within about 2 hours from most points in Phoenix, the Out of Africa Wildlife Park sits on over 100 wild acres at the base of the Mingus Range in Camp Verde, Arizona. The climate and landscape are similar to that of the Masai Mara region of Kenya and the Serengeti of Tanzania, which suits the inhabitants, bears, tigers, leopards, giraffes, zebras, wolves, deer and more, very well. The goal here is to provide a natural habitat for animals while allowing humans to appreciate and enjoy them.
The park is owned and operated by a husband and wife, Dean and Prayeri Harrison.
Out of Africa Wildlife Park is not really a zoo. It is a wildlife refuge where people are invited to enjoy the beauty of hundreds of creatures not normally found in the Arizona desert.
About half of the animals here are rescues. Individual habitats range in size from about half an acre to 6-1 / 2 acres.
Ten things you should know before you go
- You can easily spend 4 or 5 hours in Out of Africa if you want to take advantage of all the tours and shows on a particular day.
- Not all shows are available every day. Check the schedule to see what shows are on the day you will be attending.
- It took a few years after the move to Camp Verde to bring back the Tiger Splash show, and it is the most popular show in the park. The animals are not trained, so you really don’t know what you will see tigers do. There are plenty of seats at the Tiger Splash Arena, but only a couple of rows in the back are benches with backs. The other seats are basically like sitting on concrete steps. Most of the seating area at Tiger Splash Arena is covered.
- Because the animals here have large habitats that give them ample space to roam, play, get shade, and hide, you may not be able to find them. That can be disappointing. Be patient or come back and try again later in the day.
- Although Outside of Africa is about 2,000 feet taller than Phoenix and cooler, be aware that in the summer at Camp Verde it is still hot! Take precautions!
- Out of Africa is suitable for all ages, but please understand that there is no traditional petting zoo here. There are opportunities to feed a tiger (extra charge), feed a giraffe or camel, or touch a snake, but that’s about it for hands-on activities.
- Prepare to walk on dirt roads and uneven surfaces.
- You can only ride the African Bush Safari, but you can hike or ride, or a combination of the two in the nature reserve. You will definitely want to do both. However, if you can only do one, I always enjoy wandering the Wildlife Reserve better, where you will see big cats, hyenas, bears and more.
- The bars near Tiger Splash Arena are reasonably priced. Leave the gift shop until the end of your visit so you don’t have as much to carry. The gift shop is at the entrance / exit.
- Outside of Africa it’s a bit rustic. This is not a theme park. Your tour vehicle may not be very dazzling (unless you are on the VIP tour), there are no carnival rides, just trams and tour buses.
Special tours
The Unimog Tour is designed for a smaller group of people, minimum 5 years old on a one-hour personal tour of the park, including the African Bush Safari, where the animals walk into the vehicle. Out of Africa Wildlife Park offers a VIP behind-the-scenes tour and zip line tour. Various packages are also offered. Reservations are required, and the price is different for those experiences.
Predator zipline
This is not your grandmother’s zip line. This is a complete 2-1 / 2 hour experience with five lines starting on a 75 ‘high platform above the wildlife park. Must be at least 8 years old, between 60 and 250 pounds, and in good health. Phones and cameras are not allowed. Entrance to the park is not included in the price, so if you also want to experience the Out of Africa Wildlife Park from the ground, you will have to buy separate tickets for that. No previous zip line experience is required. Zipline tours are offered during the day and at night.
Visit the Zip Predator line online for pricing, more information, and reservations.
Practical information
Outside of Africa it is open seven days a week, 363 days a year, from 9:30 am to 5 pm No tickets are sold after 4 pm Outside of Africa it is open on holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Outside of Africa it used to be just outside of Fountain Hills, but they moved to Camp Verde in 2005. It is located about 90 minutes north of Phoenix.
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