San Diego Zoo Safari Park Reviews

We went on Monday so it was nice and not busy. The last tram at 4pm and you could tell because Emily was talking so slow and you could tell it was the end of the shift. All the volunteers were great at guiding us along. We ate at the waterhole and it was so beautiful. The lion was very active when we were there which was quite a sight to see. Although we notice the windows were very opaque or dirty at the lion and tiger with water droplets so it made it difficult for little ones to see like my three year old son.

Easy to buy tickets via the website, parking was very crowded due to it being the holiday season. Great first experience and would recommend to our family and friends.

We did the Wild Safari and Kelly our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. The Safari park was fun as well. It was nice to see the animals in a open environment.

My husband and I spent a very relaxing and enjoyable visit on a Sunday.
We took a lot of pictures of the animals. We saw so many up-close.
All the volunteers were extremely helpful and we received great service everywhere we purchased drinks and food.

Spent almost the whole zoo day there. We saw just about every animal at the zoo, including a surprise from the adorable sand cat! Many of these animals I have always wanted to see and never have before (ex: platypus, okapi, secretary bird). It would not have been an issue if any of the animals were hiding; they deserve their breaks and that’s just how visiting zoos is!

Special mention to the Wildlife Safari Tour, which took us into the Savannah exhibit to get up close to the animals. Abby was our guide. She told us about the rhino girls, the giraffes and more! Utamu (the rhino whose horns curve toward each other like a lobster claw) was her favorite! Thank you for sharing your animal stories! The tour is definitely worth doing at least once.

Overall, amazing experience for animal-lovers! My only gripe is expensive food (which I’m used to because I have worked at a zoo). I recommend bringing your own snacks and water. Also try to get there early; avoid crowds, have more time to see everything, and most of the animals will be less likely to be active in the afternoon than morning. Try to visit off-season to avoid summer heat and crowds. And of course, remember that the animals need their private resting time just as we do, so patience is key (these recommendations go for ANY zoo visit)!

We had a beautiful day. It’s great for young kids, easy walking to animals, clean bathrooms and fun shopping.

Our only problem was the food.
We had a disappointing lunch for 9 people at Mombasa cooker. The chicken for the kid meals and the adult meals was wet - inside the fried breading. The kid burgers were odd too. We won’t be eating there again

We wanted the Mawazo kitchen - we have had good food there in the past - it was closed

Thanks

Staff & volunteers are extremely helpful, park is clean, assistance is readily available. I normally do not enjoy zoos because the animals are caged, in captivity. However, the safari park is a unique experience with animals in a more natural state.

Had an amazing time even though it was hot and not very animals were out and about. The kangaroos were not in their habit due to construction. The Safari cart tour was absolutely amazing and worth every penny!!

Fantastically Fun Visit! What a great day, beautiful weather, friendly volunteers, lovely landscape, and of course, the animals are the real stars!

While I'm still very disappointed with the shorter summer hours, today was not as hot as it has been, so I arrived at 11:30 and left at 2:30. I walked around the park for exercise and to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

Such an amazing place! Can’t wait to come back! It’s awesome to see so many different animals in their huge, open habitats. The shady walkways and mist areas are nice to help you stay cool too.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch and stroll around the park. We were thrilled to see the tigers out in each exhibit! They're one of our favorites! We also had a nice ride on the tram. Love seeing all of the wildlife along with the views. Thank you to all of the volunteers! They always welcoming and informative.

We did an over night stay and it was amazing. We got to see many different animals. There was good food, great tour guides and ended the night with smores.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is an exceptional wildlife experience that stands out for its expansive open-range habitats and commitment to conservation. Spanning over 1,800 acres, the park offers visitors a chance to see animals like giraffes, rhinos, and antelope roaming freely in large, naturalistic environments. To truly get the most out of your visit, I highly recommend booking the Wildlife Safari. This 60-minute guided tour takes you into the heart of the savannas in an open-air truck, offering close-up views and excellent photo opportunities that are otherwise not possible. The expert guides provide informative and thoughtful commentary, enhancing your understanding of the animals and their conservation. While the additional cost may seem steep, the immersive experience and up-close access make it worthwhile.

Great experience with a lot of very happy animals! All the enclosures were well maintained and the animals were all very happy looking and walking around. I love how all the proceeds go to the animals and the park.

Took the family to the safari park for the first time in YEARS. WOW! Was blown away, they run a clean tight ship here and it really isn't that expensive compared to like Sea World!

Pleasantly surprised they had baby feeding stations too that were enclosed and with a giant fan!

Loved it, got the pass so will be back again soon.

- Miguel @ Armbar Marketing | San Diego SEO

it was great Experience, greenery was mind cooling! Theme is fantastic. my families was enjoyed the parl and africa village.

We also took the deluxe Safari tour which was very informative. We saw the giraffes and rhinos up close. Very enjoyable.

Excellent venue. Lots of walking to be able to see all the exhibits. Very informative safari ride.
Beautiful location.

Loved every minute. Do wish there were better ways to see the elephants. Also wish people wouldn't scratch the plastic around lions and tigers because it makes pictures difficult. Will come back again once elephants are easier to view.

The park is truly a one of a kind experience, the animals homes were so well maintained and it was nice to see that they are continually working to not just keep their habitats nice, but also striving to update them for the animals comfort. There are wonderful, knowledgeable people spread throughout to help you find what animals you are seeking and also to tell you more about each one. Such a wonderful experience and so glad we were able to experience this amazing safari park!

The docent that was available at the Gorilla habitat, Susan, was both informative and friendly. It was a pleasure chatting with her and learning more.

Also, I would mention we received a friendly greeting and welcome from Mark as we entered the zoo and, as luck would have it, he also was working the exit area upon us leaving and expressed a friendly appreciation for our visit.

I suppose even though the zoo animals are the main attraction, it’s truly the kind people who make the difference.

Always a great experience. Clean park and I discover something new every-time I come, so that’s amazing. I am a season premium pass holder. The birds were the star today surprisingly!

The Safari Park offers a way to be a part of the animal alliance and learn about the efforts to protect wild life. I enjoyed a peaceful morning walking the park while enjoying various habitats. The platypus was especially cool to see! The tram ride offered information while viewing many animals, including a month old giraffe! The park seems well maintained and the friendly volunteers are always helpful in answering questions.

Great spaces nice structure but it is no more than a zoo (in Rome the biopark is not far behind) beautiful part of the safari with trucks but too expensive for the ride they make you do we spent $55 parking plus $194 per head which includes entrance to the park plus the recommended safari entry especially if you have children I do not recommend paying for the safari

It was pouring today. It seemed like it may not be a great day to go to the Safari Park, but we decided to go anyway. Best decision ever! Barely anyone there at all. Most animals were out and we got to see some even excited and playing in the rain. Only a few animals decided to stay inside today. We were on the Africa Tram after about 5 minutes of waiting. We were able to see everything in the park, have lunch and a little resting break in just 4 hours. It was an amazing trip today and my best Safari Park trip to this day. Next time I'll wear rain boots, because the drenched shoes and socks was the only downfall... well that and almost all food and snack areas were closed. Thankfully there was one eatery open.

Lovely park and collection with excellent dining options. I love that you can sit and watch many of the animals. I do wish the app had animal information on it, like the guide for purchase has. You definitely get your exercise walking the hills.

The SD zoo and safari park annual membership is the best annual investment you can make for your family’s entertainment. Such well kept parks and high quality experiences. We love going there whenever the kids want to.

Love the balloon ride. Can't wait for the elephant exhibit. Still can't believe the dog and the cheetah grew up together

It was such a great day with my daughter and her friend. We got to explore the entirety of the park in 8hrs and 19,647 steps. They have a variety of places to get snack and food which helped us in getting thru our day. Take advantage of all the great volunteers as they are so amazing in helping with getting from one place to the next and the first one I encountered gave us the best advice on how we should give the park its round about. Over all great day and can’t wait for our next visit.

This is such a beautiful and serene place. We like the early morning time before the zoo is packed and noisy from all the visitors.

Volunteers are seriously impressive in what their information adds to the experience. High five to each of them!!!

New tiger exhibit is awesome. Not too crowded on. Friday PM. Parking could be cheaper. Good views of cheetahs but lions were shy

It was our family's first visit. Everyone enjoyed it a lot. It was not too long of a drive from San Diego. All the exhibits were great. The highlight was the balloon ride (worth the money) followed closely by the tigers, who were out in force, pacing in front of the glass so were face to face with the kids. The line for the tram was long but expected. Our driver/guide was very knowledgeable and you can tell she really loves she job, love the enthusiasm! The best bang for the buck was the carousel. $6 for unlimited ride all day! We got there a bit late so didn't make it to some exhibits before they closed (4 PM) so recommend getting there early.

Was really cool to see all the different wildlife and animals the park has to offer. You see lots of animals on social media and the internet but you forget just how amazing and beautiful they are until you see them in person. They deserve a place in this world just like everyone else and it’s nice to see how much the park provides for them. All the staff were super cool and informative. Really a great experience.

All the volunteers were extremely helpful. I wish we could have seen more animals but the day was beautiful and my granddaughter enjoyed it all. The tram ride and 10:30 am Journey into the Wild show was perfect. Thanks for all you do.

Brought my sister for her birthday and she had the time of her life. I don’t think anyone is too old to have a birthday trip to the zoo. My sister and I left with memories and a gorilla plushie she named Winston. Also big shoutout to Carol at the African tram, she let my sister and I cut since it was only the two of us!

Amazing Deluxe Safari Excursion with Lee and Doug. Lee is the ultimate guide with so much knowledge, fun facts, humor and was Inclusive and accommodating to all! Doug got us so close to the animals that I was able to bring home lots of memories and the best "Gir-elfie ever!
Thanks guys for making our day SUPER FUN!

Overall a great experience- the only thing I was hesitant about is on the tram ride- the guide when giving the safaris tour she started to talk about her personal beliefs on evolution- I believe everyone has a right to choose what to believe in and that was the the scene to impose one’s believes on. That was uncomfortable to be listening to, it was not the place to continue to say “my personal beliefs…”

We’re members and took family visiting for the holidays and we all had an amazing time. Staff are always very courteous and knowledgeable.
Thank you

We came to see the holiday lights and music, it was great..parking not so much but it was fun for the family..we will do it again. We are members so price was great. We stayed about an hourish, to many double strollers after awhile!

This was an amazing experience!! I would totally recommend. The balloon if you like heights was a highlight for me and tram and lunch with rhinos sleeping super close. It was a great experience and will for sure be coming back.

My hubby and I had an amazing day wandering around the park. I love all the beautiful landscaping, and we really enjoyed the tram ride. The park was clean,and the bathrooms well stocked. The rangers were very knowledgeable, and I appreciated how they were posted around the park for support.

We are members and love going to the Safari Park. Always something special for us. Seeing how new habitats are discovered.

We had a wonderful day with our granddaughter who is! The staff and volunteers were so informative and helpful all day. We took the Tram and seen more amazing animals. We timed it well when we went through the Tiger section and Magel was talking when we walked through! That was rare and unbelievable!

I always enjoy the San Diego Safari Park. I am a member and I can take a friend with me for free so I try to invite fellow teachers who are off when I am off. Many of them have no idea about your educational programs. I know the park well so I always notice when things are different. The Gorillas are currently off exhibit since they are renovating their habitat. I talked to several of your volunteers and they were all very friendly, willing to chat, and had interesting things to tell. Today the albino Wallaby was out with his mother. That was a treat. I spoke to a very nice gentleman in the guest services office about arranging a field trip for a home school operating in Vista. He was very helpful. I’d say today was an excellent day at the park.

This place us fantastic. Very clean, the staff very friendly and informative. Highly recommended for all ages. It was my first time here,but definitely i will go back

We took the Behind the Scenes tour with Denise. Such a knowledgeable human giving us an incredible experience and insight into the care and science behind the animals’ habitats, their nutrition, and the safari’s strong desire to educate us in all the whys, wheres, whens, and hows. My favorite part of the tour was meeting one of the staff in the tiger area. I asked what her degree was in. She said zoology. She didn’t disappoint. :)

It’s a great place for kids, especially to burn some energy lol. They have two parks for kids, ones has splash pads and the other is more like a park. There is a tram ride( you can upgrade as well to get closer) that ride around “Africa “ so you get to see animals a bit closer and in a more open space. The one thing that surprised us were the bees lol .

wish the hours were longer like San Diego zoo. sun doesn't go down till about 8pm, so maybe open till 7. the day I went it closed at 4pm.

Had a great experience we love this park! I’ve been coming here since childhood with my family, and now my partner and I get to experience it together. Hopefully I am able to bring my kids one day to experience the beauty of the park.

I’ve been a happy member since 2016! Safari park is a stones throw from my home in Escondido and my family and I love going for just a few hours to talk, walk and see a few of our favorite animals. Membership fees basically pay for themselves in 2-3 visits, love how they’ve upped their merchandise quality and of course, all the animals have ample space to live healthy lives! My only feedback is, your ticket counter is slower than molasses when I have just have a simple question and the prices to refill your drinks or popcorn are kind of silly. I religiously bring my bucket and cup (not to save money but because I love reusable items) but paying $5 for a small refill and $3 for a drink…doesn’t incentivize regulars enough to want to bring their reusable items in my opinion. My family ALWAYS buys souvenirs, food and drink to support the conservation efforts in addition to our membership so we’re not shy about spending there. I just think if you’re big on reusable items, do a better job of making it appealing (mostly the popcorn 😅). Great place, will be a member for as long as I’m a San Diego resident!

Absolutely love coming to the Safari Park and ZoO! Went to Safari Park today and Robert the worker made our trip amazing and fun!

The hot air baloon ride is a good experience. The tram ride is also good.
The tiger trail is fun.
We reached around 9 am to 3 pm

This was our first visit to the safari, WOW! It exceeded our expectations. The surrounding drive seemed dry and barren. Walking in was a lush oasis, so much to see and do. We did not see everything and are excited to plan another visit. The exhibits are expansive and well thought out. An unexpected treat was the Bonsai garden, such beauty and respite from the heat. Our next visit will include the Africa tram. The wait was 70 minutes so we opted out this trip

My family and I did the roar and snore experience and it was so nice, we had a wonderful time. The park employees were so nice and helpful, the food was delicious, and everything was well organized. I’m so glad I decided to upgrade because the heater made the night more bearable. Also, you get to utilize your park admission over two days! Overall, I recommend this experience!

We are members so we love coming here during the holidays with family. Today was crowded but still felt relaxing and had a warm vibe about it. The food is expensive but it's a treat and we don't mind supporting the cause. I recommend coming right before dusk to see the animals and eat. The Xmas lights were a nice treat plus the weather was spot on.

Went on a week day and had a great time. No lines and easy to walk. Staff were great and willing to help with directions....

I was there from 9:15- to 4:30 p.m. I have an injury, so I couldn’t stay longer. Incredible experience ! Don’t miss The Water Hole restaurant for the best views and delicious foods! I also got a beverage and the cutest cup to take home. The baby giraffes are so cute!

The staff is very friendly and the place is very welcoming. This is the second time I have visited this year and he was very happy with the visit.

Great trip to walking around seeing animals up close. Including the tram where you get to see a lot of animals roaming together.

I had no idea how extensive this park is, nor how beautifully themed it is! Definitely put this on your list for your San Diego visit. We did a safari adventure and saw so much incredible wildlife, and the guides were fantastic. Definitely plan to spend the whole day!

Beautiful day, minimal crowds, many opportunities to observe and take photos of wildlife or family shots wirh epic backgrounds. Be prepared to walk to get the most out of your day, but the park is beautifully landscaped making those steps worthwhile. Buy the souvenir cup and take advantage of the free refills.

My family absolutely loves visiting the San Diego Zoo Safari Park! This is our second year as members, and we go at least two to three times a month. My 4 year old daughter loves learning about animals, and this park is the perfect way to give her an up close and exciting experience.

The staff members are always amazing, friendly, helpful, and incredibly knowledgeable about the animals they care for. The tram ride is one of our favorite parts, as it brings you right up close to many of the animals. If you want an even more unique experience, there are also special tours you can purchase that let you get even closer.

We are so grateful to have this incredible place to visit regularly, and we highly recommend it to families and animal lovers alike!

The safari park is large, however an amazing experience. The animal enclosures allow experiences like no other zoo. There are employees stationed throughout the zoo that are super knowledgeable and helpful as well. Highly recommend taking the wildlife safari deluxe and eating at the Watering Hole!!

We were able to book the Safari truck experience and our drive, Matt, and our guide, Lee, were fantastic! Kind, knowledgeable, hilarious, and just added to the whole experience. All the staff are amazing and the animals are so well taken care of. This is a family-friendly adventure that everyone should experience!

We enjoyed watching the gorilla family. The park is decorated for fall and the Scarecrows were really amazing! We saw an albino kangaroo for the first time a special treat. The day was wonderful, I encourage everyone to bring their children.

This was a planned vacation for my son’s 9th birthday. The gentleman at the Platypus exhibit was wonderful and that was our primary reason for visiting. My son is well versed in platypus facts and was thrilled to be able to see not just one, but BOTH of them being active while we were there!!! The rest of the park was just lacking. We ended up being there on Field trip day for three busses worth of feral first graders. The adults were not in charge. We skipped the elephant line (yes, there was a 30 minute wait just to view them) to get ahead of a field trip group and when we doubled back it was “closed”. I would really love to see “Field trip free” days so we can actually enjoy what we paid for. We got there when they opened and were gone by 1, much of that time was spent waiting or avoiding the field trip groups. The wait time for the safari bus was 45 minutes.

Seeing the kangaroos and joeys and wallaby was AMAZING!!! They can come right up to you, it's such a unique experience to be so close and a part of the animals day too!

Admssion fee a little bit high. How i wish there is senior discount and parking for seniors with discount also. A lot of walking from car park to entrance. We parked at #6 and walking a little uphill was exhausting . But we will return if there is a good price discount or free entrance for seniors 68 and 70 yrs old. Would love to walk around the zoo.

I liked the uglycute bird with the horn its is my favorite of all time. 10/10 would recommend!
Shoutout to the very great volunteers!

We had a great experience at the Safari Park!the aviary at the entrance was so cool…the birds were in close proximity and so neat to observe. Also saw an aardvark walking casually by the carousel. Carousel was $6 for unlimited rides! The Wild Holidays was a gem….our toddler and us had a great time.

Fun time with my family.
Celebrating a bday!
Lady at the ticket counter was absolutely amazing she did everything in timely manner and was very professional and kind.!

It was an amazing day at Safari Park. The had free unlimited carousel rides for children members which our grandchildren loved. We also went on the Wildlife Safari and got to a variety of animals up close. We ate lunch at the restaurant that has a great view of the savanna. The weather was beautiful. We will definitely be back for another visit soon.

We had a wonderful time love the idea of the elephant walk our family had a beautiful time just wish there was more shows for members throughout the weekday for our family

Paper maps or list of closures closed she be posted. The app generally said a new area coming but did not stay that the elephants were close.

My husband and I have been to San Diego zoo before, but this was our first time at the safari park.
We had an idea of what to expect but weren’t as prepared as we had thought. We bought tickets online and arrived at the park at exactly 9am.
To start, the admission fee is 76$ any given day. And there were only about 10 cars in line for parking around 8:50a? But there was a line for park entry at that time already.
Luckily, we were able to park in lot 6 right away. And joined the line. It was alittle hectic because there were 2 MASSIVE lines, but eventually the employees announced there were 4 separate lines. It didn’t help much at first. But at 9am on the dot, people began to divide themselves accordingly and the middle lanes moved far quicker than the 2 outer ones.
Anyways,
Once we got in the park was still empty, nothing opened and everyone making their way either to the African tram or to the safari tours.
Now, to my understanding we were able to go on tours all day, including the African tram for no additional charge. I was wrong. The only tour that is FREE, is the African tram. Which is 25 minutes long. At 9:30a, my husband and I were probably aboard the 3rd or 4th tram ? With a wait time of less than 10 minutes?
I highly recommend going at this time if you can, because around 12-1p ? The line is atleast 75 minutes wait.
Otherwise, the other tours - about an hour long - are closer to 95$-110$ each person. Unfortunately my husband and I weren’t able to go on the one that intrigued us most - behind the scenes : Big Cats - because they were all sold out for the day.
Despite this though, we still had fun walking around and watching the other animals in their habitats. I will note, most of the animals (like LIONS) weren’t awake and out at this time.
It is also good to note that right now specifically, since the new elephant habitat isn’t open yet, there is a specific viewing spot for the elephants. I spoke with one of the employees and they mentioned ONCE THE NEW HABITAT IS OPEN FOR THE ELEPHANTS COME MARCH 5TH 2026, the special viewing (formally employee only area) will be most likely CLOSED permanently to the public again. Also! For the early birds, we were there around 10:30a and the elephants were in another yard while the care specialists cleaned their habitat. Around 11-11:30a? They let the elephants out and we watched them - all 7- roam around there freshly cleaned area and eat their fresh food. It was such a sight to see.
Furthermore, it was shared that the cheetah runs are only pop ups and they aren’t sharing any specific times or days for the them. OH! And we spoke with a woman named Cheryl! Who volunteers for the big cats and she was really helpful and kind when we went to visit Ruxxa (cheetah). It was also brought to our attention that a baby giraffe was born that morning at around 6am. Unfortunately we weren’t able to see it, but knowing it was born the day we went to visit (12/27/25) was something special.
Overall, it was a beautiful visit. I highly recommend going and if you decide to take family/children, be aware of quiet zones and respect the habitats. I saw a lot of people yelling at the gorillas (quite zone) and others tapping on the tigers glass while she was napping.. just not polite behavior at all. And parents just letting them. I strongly believe if you’re going to be there, to have some respect and teach others how to be respectful of these animals. Thank you!

Such an amazing experience! We went for the first time and learned about so many wild animals. The walk and views were absolutely amazing!

EMMA our ADA Driver was AMAZING! Super professional, courteous and friendly.
Our Guided Bus driver was excellent. Volume was perfect and he described everything very well. All in All, a Good Day.

Wonderful experience we took the Deluxe Cart Safari it was so much fun. We saw a hours old Wilderbeest among other animals including several babies. Wish I could come back sometime.

Wonderful time despite the 96 deg weather. The volunteers were extremely knowledgeable about the animals and helpful in getting around. The tram guide was wonderful. Our waitress at The Watering Hole, Vu, was fantastic.

Need shelves in the bathroom stalls to put drinks/phones. Can’t even put anything on the TP dispenser bc it’s rounded. Feminine products should be in every bathroom not in the gift shops. I’m sure everyone with a uterus would appreciate it! Some of the bathrooms are almost completely dark.

Like strolling through the exibits. Happy Father's Day Papa. The tram ride wasn't as long as it used to be. But still nice to get "out on the plains.

Having not been there in 50 years, it was a completely new experience for me. And it was thoroughly enjoyable. Despite me, my wife and one fascinated granddaughter, walking 10000 steps. We only saw a fraction of the place. So we will be back soon.

Rachael and Mat were amazing on our safari tour. The park was very clean. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful.

Atlough the Water Hole at Kijamii Overlook was beautiful and everone friendly, it lack two key componets. First, the sevice was lacking. Second the food menue was one of the worst planned menues I have come across in my travels. It's not just thatvthe theme missed the inspration for the location nor suggested location, all the food was dreadful in taste as well as construction. From the overuse of truffal oil, to oversalted kale.

A missed oppertunity to present a kale staple side dish cooked with tomatoes onion garlic cumin, corriander and tumeric. Even served on a flatbread.

Other examples would be the dried chicken, shrimp the smells and taste off.

Thank you for your time to review my time.

First time at the safari and wow just amazing, all the staff was very friendly and the volunteers were very helpful and knowledgeable. Best experience and well maintained and clean I wish there was a couple other animals like crocodiles and more cats but enjoyed it a lot

First time and we loved it, wishing to come back soon, you can go to enjoy time watching the animals the vegetation or just using the day to do some exercise with some great views

It was a truly special day for my husband, our 3-year-old daughter, and me, as it marked our very first visit to the park. We felt so lucky to find parking right in the row closest to the entrance. We picked out a cute pair of sunglasses at the gift shop and happily explored the park. The Africa Tram ride was a real highlight, and our daughter absolutely loved it! Enjoying the park at our own relaxed pace, we found some lovely spots to rest, snack, and stay hydrated. It’s such a wonderful place for little ones to walk freely and burn off all their energy—really a perfect adventure for the whole family.

Another great day at the safari park, tigers, koalas, rhinos all out to play. Went early to beat the heat. Will be back soon.

It was amazing to see a bit of Africa and Australia. Great Safari Park experience. Had a wonderful time being solo. Highly recommend.

Great service at the tram. My husband is disabled and the team was very helpful and kind. When we asked for directions we received clear instructions. Everybody around the park were kind

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park was an experience. The park was much bigger than I realized. Staff were knowledgeable and pleasant. I especially enjoyed the tram ride. The driver was knowledgeable, humorous, and personable. The exhibits were well maintained. There were plenty of concessions and restrooms. You really need a whole day to fully enjoy the park.

We love that animals are not in small enclosures for viewing. Even if that means sometimes you cant see them. All the staff were knowledgeable. We love the tram and all the info we got while on it. Kids are free in octobers. We love the carousel wristbands . You can bring in food making it more affordable for families ( and safer for families with food allergies or restictions). We were there from 11 am to 4:45pm and saw the entire park with lots of breaks. The total walk was around 4.5 miles. All staff looked super happy as well as the animals with lioness' sleeping belly up in the sun and 2 baby giraffes.

This was mine and my boyfriend’s first time going to the Safari Park. We had a great time all the staff was really nice always smiling and asking how our experience was going. Will definitely be going back again!

Always love at day at the Park. Thank you! Focused on the surroundings today. Visiting again, soon! Minimal crowds today

Always a fun time. The volunteers in the red shirts are super knowledgeable about the animals. The tram is also great. Not a lot of shade though. It is also easier to navigate with a paper map than the app. There is an enclosure when you can be in the exhibit with the kangaroos but it was under construction

Awesome experience and would definitely recommend for family! Loved the people, they’re super helpful and thoughtful of you! Become a member if your residence.

We love the tour guide Sammy who excitingly showed us the elephants. The safari tour was very fun and the tigers, lions, and sand cats were such a great time.

We are San Diego locals so we love having the zoo and safari park in out backyard. We have memberships and this month kids are free so we took my brother and he always enjoys it. The staff is so kind and knowledgeable and the animals are so awesome.

Really great experience, the conservation efforts are wonderful and really opened my eyes how I can help with conservation in my own backyard!!

Had a great time, a lot of walking and a little pricey but that’s how it goes with everything now a days but I love the experience.

Great Christmas lights around the park!
Park closes at 9pm, so you can see a few of the notes animals, like the elusive platypus.

Behind the scenes wild cat adventure. Tour guide, Henry was energetic, friendly and informative. Cheetah Run, Lions in their bedrooms roaring and Tiger, Petri enjoying her bone in the bedroom. It was all amazing!

The day entry price has increased and hours open have decreased so come early to enjoy as much as you can. The park is well done in terms of giving the animals a close to natural environment, and volunteers are everywhere to assist, guide, and share interesting facts. I took one star off the total score because the tram moved fast and didn't allow for photographs...the one time you can get close to the animals without a cage, window or net blocking your view. I think this was the driver, I saw other trams slow down or stop so riders could take photos.

Fun, easy and lots if exercise. We love this place! Bring your family and friends, throw a wedding or a birthday party, the Landscaping is one of a kind.

We have been members for years. Today was our first Behind the scenes Africa tour. Our guide, Brandon , was amazing. Recommend it to all guests. Your elephant habitats is looking great. Love how you take care of your residents.

You can’t visit San Diego without coming to the Safari Park. Great place for kids with two playgrounds and a water playground

Fun & informative. Safe driver, amazing host in truck with years of knowledge and experience.

I will recommend to friends, family, and business coligues.

The parking was okay a lot of people double park it. But the attractions were super cool. The Africa Tram is definitely a must see. We also went on a wildlife safari. We got to see the animas super close and the overall experience was superb!

Excellent only missing more information and experiences in Spanish he the signs and information of animals at all hours not only for serfs times otherwise missing more attractions related to animals such as a walk in water and during the course go see animals

My husband and I had a wonderful time. We were very impressed with the conservation show that took place at 10:30. Everything else we came across and saw was just absolutely fabulous. The Volunteer workers or all considerate, knowledgeable and very helpful. We will visit again when we’re down in the area.

Overall, safari Park was a great experience. Unfortunately, our family was disappointed with the safari tram. The driver/ tour guide was a very very slow speaker. Although easily heard, her voice put us all to sleep. Her words were so spaced out and slow it was difficult to put them together to attribute meaning and extract her message. She also did not point out many animals. The safari circles one large wildlife area full of mostly ungulates. She mentioned rhinos and lions but we saw none of them. Aside from the safari tram, we enjoyed the gardens, the platypus and the kangaroos. The Journey into the Wild show was amazing. A highlight of our day. Food was overpriced and of poor quality. We have enjoyed far better food at other parks around the nation.

Cory was a great night hike guide. He is informed and interesting and good with all ages in the group. I am planning on returning with other grand children in my family

Everything was great except customer service at the barking deer. Attendant was rude and disorganized. Was doing multiple tasks at once

What stood out most about my visit? Is that the Rhinos and Tigers are really chill, the Tigers were my favorite of the whole park. My Dads favorite were the Rhinos!! The Tigers were super cute too!!

It was an amazing experience. Staff were super nice and respectful. The food in the park was not good though, we had very little options and the food wasn't even warm.

The park was very clean and taken care of, love this zoo so much we went on the tram which was FREE and the bird exhibit was amazing. overall had a fun day. 10/10 recommend 😊

The animals were all active (or visible while napping) today! It was wonderful to be able to watch the platypus have enrichment activities while we were there

We learned so much about all of the different animals and we had so much fun! Everything was easily findable and everything was positioned in a way where we felt we could see and learn as much about everything as possible! Decorations and designs of the zones were very cool, and enthusiastic volunteers were quick to answer any and all questions we had.

I like how clean, organized, well sorted the safary zoo is. The tram trip was amazing, the drivers were nice and knowlegable. Cafes & restaurants were awesome. Restrooms were clean and available everywhere. The volunteer clerks were amazing, so kind and friendly. I've always wanted to see the big wild cats in close distance, and that I finally had today. I really spent a very wonderful time in SD Safary zoo. Thank you for your great service

It was a great experience and very helpful staff. I haven’t been there since a for a very long time, happy to see the park expansions on the habitats . Just wonderful!

So much variety of wildlife! They are so well cared for and all animals look healthy. We went to the partner San Diego Zoo earlier in the week and were so impressed we decided to do the year membership of both parks. We look forward to returning and bringing our great grandchildren. Everywhere we went there were volunteers or staff that were helpful and happy to discuss the animals. We got our steps in but there were benches everywhere to stop and enjoy the beautiful views. No way to do it all in one day we will have to return. So loved seeing the cheetah! So much to take in and enjoy.

Very helpful friendly staff and volunteers. The weather was so perfect and if it felt hot, there were plenty of tree spaces to shelter and many benches for older folks and children to rest. The free tram was lovely and informative with many animals to see. The food at Okamango out post is located to your left as you exit the tram area. There are restrooms there as well. Okamango has great flat bread and salads as well as delicious Italian subs, pasta and kids meals
Air-conditioning inside with limited seating inside but plenty ouside.

Great time. So many animals and plants to look at. The staff was amazing and knowledgeable . We went during national giraffe day. They had tables set up and facts for the adults and kids. Highly recommend getting the membership so you can enjoy the park through out the year. Worth it! Also the app is helpful to find your way and view events

Amazing holiday visit!!! Your lights and the overall atmosphere are next level. Thank you! Also, the staff at the park are amazing!

We did the Roar and Snore on July 12, 2025, as a birthday gift from my boyfriend—and what an incredible experience it was! He booked us a Vista Tent, which overlooked the open range, and we had such a wonderful time just relaxing outside and watching the animals roam.

The entire event was incredibly well-organized. Upon arrival, we parked in a designated area, checked in, and dropped off our luggage. A guide walked us to our campsite, sharing fun facts about the animals and the park along the way.

While we enjoyed dinner, our luggage was delivered directly to our tent. The food was delicious, and after dinner we went on a night hike to Condor Ridge and to visit the platypus. Being in the park after hours was a completely different experience—many animals were more active, and the atmosphere was peaceful and magical.

After the hike, we gathered around the campfire for s’mores, played a few rounds of bingo, and enjoyed some fresh popcorn.

In the morning, we woke to the sound of the lion roaring—talk about a memorable wake-up call! We were then treated to a hot breakfast, followed by a tram tour into the savannah compound and an educational presentation featuring animal ambassadors. After the official Roar and Snore ended, we spent the rest of the morning enjoying the park.

This was such a phenomenal experience that we were already talking about doing it again. It was the perfect blend of structured activities and free time to soak in the atmosphere and appreciate the animals. The tents were comfortable, and all the guests were respectful and considerate, and the staff were all super friendly, helpful and seemed to really love and enjoy being there and what they do.

Yes, it’s a bit of a splurge—but the value is absolutely there. It’s a unique and unforgettable experience, and I’m so grateful to have had it. We had such a a wonderful time!

Thank you again!

Safari Park is wonderful. Incredible animal exhibits and shows. Only challenge was the wait time for food and bathrooms. Definitely a favorite in San Diego!

It was great overall, I just wish the signage was more intuitive and user-friendly! We weren't sure if a sign was pointing toward things or away. We passed things that were on the map but hard to find looking up/around.

Love the Safari Park! It’s clean and beautiful. The animals look well cared for and are quite gorgeous…they look so good that they almost look fake. The staff members throughout the park are very friendly and will give you great information or point out animals to you that you might not see without their help. Normally I’d give a 5 star review, but the lady at the front who scans the tickets/memberships to get in was rude. Never experienced a rude employee the last time we went (this was our second visit to the park. Overall, I’d absolutely recommend visiting the Safari Park.

Loved our safari and getting close to the rhinos and giraffes. Learned a lot of amazing info on genetics and conservation. Loved seeing the platapus and wallaby’s.

What a cool place! Great for plant and animal lovers! We saw all of our favorites plus a ton of animals we’d never seen and some we’d never heard of. We were there for approximately 5 hours on the afternoon side of the day and it was not crowded. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We did not see it all, but it is a lot of walking, so wear your comfy shoes.

Out of all the places we visited in San Diego, Safari Park felt like one of the most peaceful and uplifting. The park is not only beautifully designed with a large open valley, a lake, and a mini waterfall — but it also offers an incredible variety of wildlife in spacious, natural-looking environments.

One of my favorite parts was visiting the aviaries where birds fly freely around you. Being able to observe them without netting in between was incredibly calming — I felt so full of peace and connection to nature in those moments.

The Africa Tram is a great experience — a mini safari that takes you around large open spaces where giraffes, rhinos, and other animals roam. One of the giraffes had a new baby when we visited, and it was absolutely adorable!

Besides the tram, we also got to see the elephant family up close. We arrived early in the morning and waited to see them come out into the field for the first time that day — it was absolutely worth the wait.

The staff were friendly, kind, and knowledgeable. They shared great insights about the animals and answered all of my kids’ curious questions with patience and enthusiasm.

We arrived right at opening time and stayed through lunch. The park’s mobile app with a live map helped us navigate easily.

Overall, Safari Park offered us both tranquility and inspiration. It was more than just a fun outing — it was a deeply memorable and enriching experience for the whole family. Highly recommended!

We did a Deluxe Wildlife Safari. It was absolutely wonderful. Rachel our guide was fantastic. The driver did a great job too (I forget her name I'm sorry). We had an absolute wonderful interaction with Arthur the Rhino. He came right up to the truck and posed for some wonderful pictures. The Zebra played with the baby Wildebeest and the baby giraffes got too curious ouf the Cape buffalo and got chased away. It was all wonderful and I highly recommend, pictures do not do the experience justice.

I loved the Safari Park. It was so great seeing the animals in those environments. It was such a great experience. I hope to be back soon.

We had a fantastic time at the San Diego Safari park. We did the full safari tour. We loved seeing the Tigers and the giraffes and the Gorilla and learning about their individual families and personalities. I also enjoyed learning about the condor conservation efforts. The park is really clean and well maintained and staff is friendly and super helpful

Great day fir a quick visit to get some exercise and view some birds and animals. Afternoons are a little hot this time of year, with early mornings being optimal, with more active animals and cooler temps.

My son and I had a nice and relaxing visit despite the heat. There were many shaded areas, misters and places to stay hydrated!

Although the animals weren't as active as past times previous visited this Safari Park. We still had an amazing time walking through the zoo going during the week is the best as it is not as crowded as it is on the weekend.

It was my first time ever visiting the safari park and let me tell you…. It was freaking amazing. The beautiful views, beautiful animals, and such friendly staff. My partner and I took sooooo many photos and a few videos of the spectacular wildlife there was. We plan ourselves to come 3-4 times a year and even more with family and friends. I’m honored to have been a wildlife champion and am so ecstatic that I did!!! :)

Fantastic, hard to describe but it’s so much more than a zoo. They didn’t do the cheetah run; but we saw a running baby giraffe, and the cutest platypus (hard to spot, and the only one outside or Australia!)

Every worker was nice and I loved it so much it was my first time going I'm definitely going back soon and can't wait to go back

Came from N. IL. Highlite was one on one cart safari with Laurie. Her knowledge and experience was just OUTSTANDING! Every employee at the zoo was lovelly and helpful. The property was stunningly beautiful and so clean. Every animal looked so happy, content and well cared for. I’d recommend this zoo to ANYONE.

Amazing field trip with high school students to work in the labs! The condor genetics lab taught valuable skills and gave the students a real life experience.

Amazing place. Well cared. Friendly staff. Amazing at night. Good resting areas. Food was ok too. We enjoined it even in A rainy day.

Fee was well worth the entry and much of the funds spent at the wild animal park and zoo go back to the animals and conservation. Always an excellent visit!

Lots of great exhibits with animals in larger, apparently more comfortable settings than a typical zoo. Will look forward to returning soon and experiencing other areas of the park we didn't get to see today.

Had a great time exploring. There is some construction around the Lions and Elephants. There is a special line for elephant viewing. They were not able to accommodate our party so make sure you leave enough time for it! Can’t wait to come back when the new exhibits open! Plus… Lunch at the Watering Hole is a must!!

The zoo is thoughtfully designed with lots of shade and places to rest and sit. The bathrooms are very clean and easy to find. The food is expensive but considering the remote location, it makes sense. And you can always bring your own food, which I appreciated. My water bottle was empty and they filled it for me with a smile. The volunteers and staff were incredibly helpful and we learned so much about the animals. The animals have space to move and it feels like you’re seeing their natural behavior in their natural habitat. Which is very special and not always the case at zoos. We learned a lot about the species survival plan and the zoo’s conservation efforts. We took the Safari and truly enjoyed it. We were only a few feet away from a giraffe who followed our Jeep and it was awesome. We also got up close with the mom and baby giraffe who was only two months old, but 6 feet tall. The park was very clean and the people there really seem to enjoy their jobs and helping visitors. Favorite spots for us were the kangaroos, the platypus, the bats, the tiger, all the animals we saw on the Safari Jeep, including the rhinos, and having lunch overlooking the planes at the watering hole at Kajamii Overlook. Next time, I’ll try the balloon! A great place to visit!

Beautiful, serene place. We received excellent help from a number of volunteers around the park. It was exciting to see so many active animals in large habitats.

Always magical, Safari Park has the loveliest most helpful employees and guides, impressive conservation programs for animals and plants, great tram ride and a feeling of seeing animal in the most natural habitat humans can create. It is one of the most beautiful parks in the world.

Lots of help finding where to go. Everyone very friendly and patient. Lots of bathrooms was appreciated. Plenty of paths to allow you to design your exploration.

The best place ever I will tell all my friends and everyone to go there I would love to go there again and I will go there with my family again everyone was so nice I got to meet all the animal I wanted

Always a great experience and always worth the annual pass! Perfect for the kids! Everyone is friendly and helpful, they have a great selection of beers, whether you spend a full day or just few hours you won’t be disappointed.

It was a gun trip with my family, we took advantage of the free parking promotion. We might return again before the month ends to take advantage of it!

Being 1' from kangas and a tiger, seeing the only platypus outside Australia, watching a 3-day old giraffe - what a perfect day! The tram ride and the hot air balloon are not to be missed. Having been to the Zoo the day before, thought the Safari might be less exciting - wrong. They're different and I can definitely say, don't skip the Safari but wear good shoes because it's vast.

Roar ‘n snore was amazing!!! We loved all of our tour guides, but Victor and Austin were amazing! There are many animals that you get to see, and during the roar ‘n snore you get an amazing view of the platypus with no tourists. Overall it was a great time and the animals are alive and lively.

It was so much fun seeing all the animals and watching the kids play on the super fun playgrounds. We also really loved the tram ride that's included with your ticket.

Loved our late lunch at the Overlook. It is perfect for locals like us that are not in a hurry to see everything. The menu is limited but high quality

We had a "wild cat tour" which was amazing. Denise our tour guide gave us so much information and all the big cats were beautiful and awe inspiring. Thank you for the great day at safari park!

We enjoyed learning so many amazing facts about animals. We saw many habitats and it was presented in fun and exciting ways!

It was really fun I saw tigers., playtipus, and all other things I loved it I definitely want to go next time with my friends

While both are available depending on the package or membership you have, we found this to be very spread hot, hot, and not near as fun as the SD Zoo. The drive through the park was fun, but otherwise we saw little on our walk in comparison to the zoo. If you have time do both, if you do one do the zoo.

This was Yvonne and myself second wedding anniversary. It was my first-time visiting to the safari park. I loved my experience today, the Tram ride around was amazing. We're going to look into the roar-n-snore for one of our future visits.

Amazing place. Definitely recommend the Deluxe safari tour. Very close encounters and informative interactive narration. Lots of walking and hilly. Map a little hard to read.

We started at the Benbough theater jusr in tome for the 10:30 show. If you want to experience a Condor flying close over yoir head, and hear great stories about them and other Animal Ambassadors, don't miss that show.

The tram ride lets you go into parts of the park where you can't walk. Go there as soon as you can because that's the hotter part of the park and then work your way back so you can end up at the water feature and Lagoon.

From rhinos to zebras, the tram is an easy ride and over too soon. You ramble through the plains and rolling hills. I captured a great photo of the baby giraffe.

After your tram ride, stop to get something to drink and snack on at the nearby restaurant, the Watering Hole.

I highly recommend the burrata with olive and tomato tapaenade and levain toast - it was scrumptious. The bartender Herschel likes to add bacon, but we decided not to.

I've lived in San Diego for over 20 years and watched the Safari Park evolve and grow. Here and the Zoo are two of my favorite places to visit here in San Diego!

We enjoyed our visit being a supporter. However, everyone doesn't think the same way. Even though zoo is non- profit organization but still they can bring more visitors by improving certain things such as cleaningness specially running water, food and restaurant quality, water dispensers, shade to certain areas, turn on ACs and fans where queues are expected such as tram waiting area. Keep the vibe throughout the year as you had during Christmas time, offer more and better photography options (People don't want to pay for just one picture, create picture spots throughout the zoo). Learn some strategies from Disney and Universal studios. I hope to see some improvements in future.

The safari park is just enchanting. The volunteers really add to the energy and enjoyment of the park. They have such great information about the animals.It is so clean.

It was fun, like when I went to the zoo on Tuesday I liked it a lot the tram was fun but I ride on #savethechubbyunicorns and the employees were very nice I don’t remember any of their names tho. It was nice tho keep up the good work!

Such a memorable experience. Walked away in awe of the work in saving these endangered species. I am glad to have signed up for the Guardian level.

SO many friendly informational employees. BEAUTIFUL interesting animals! I loved seeing all the pretty and impressive animals being taken SUCH great care of!

I went with my husband and my 13 month old daughter. We had a really good time walking around and looking at the animals. Ended the day at the splash pad. Very fun!

It was my grandson’s birthday, and he has autism. The expression on his face was priceless, and mine was too! I can’t wait to tell the rest of the family so we can bring them to the beautiful and wonderful San Diego Safari Park. Thank you so much for such a wonderful experience, the guides were amazing!🤩

Great day at the Safari Park today! Many employees on hand to answer any questions and offer advice or directions. Lots of animal activity and fun for the whole family. Took the balloon ride today. Everyone loved it!

Great experience and all the workers were very polite and helpful. The private tours are amazing and I can't wait to do as many as we can.

My family and I really had a great time. I enjoyed the bird and animal show. That was really cool. It’s just a great place! It’s much better than Sea-world.

The park itself and its focus of animal welfare and conservation is why we flew here to take our kids for their birthdays.
As I mention the park itself is wonderful but what happened for us and stood out was a zoo keeper named Chase. We met him at the red river hogs as he watered and fed them letting our boys help. He imparted endless knowledge and general conversation on the love of animals and his part in the zoo and past experiences. We left him talking about how cool that was and soon after he came past us and asked if we wanted to go out back to holding areas and meet and feed the Okapis and the Red Backed Kudu. We went back and Chase continued to be the amazing zoo keeper he is and give a special moment to us and our boys, the exact sort of experience that inspires someone to take the same path. We just couldn’t be more appreciative and happy for what he did for our boys that day. Chase is a rock star inspiring the next generation. Thank you!

Loved our visit to the park! The animal exhibits are scattered throughout the park, the tram ride and animal show were informative and the restaurants/restrooms were clean and well-stocked for a Veterans Day holiday. We brought water bottles and snacks for the grandkids and used a soccer wagon. The playground near the gorillas was their favorite.
Would be great to see some upgrades like water bottle filling stations instead of water fountains and signs updating parking space openings like they have at San Diego airport.
Overall a great day!

Can’t say enough good things about the safari park! We thoroughly enjoyed our day. My kids are 7 and 10 and they said the safari park was better than the zoo. The platypus was so much fun to see!! Also, the Baja trail is a must see. As my 7 year old said - I give that a 1,000 out of 10 review. The volunteers are so helpful and very knowledgeable. Barbara at the platypus was awesome!

Loved the Safari Tram and all the animal enclosures are well maintained. The animals look happy and healthy. Staff very friendly and helpful. Throughly enjoyed it!

It was great! We saw so many animals, the exhibits are amazing. And the staff and volunteers were so helpful and engaging!

Super beautiful the safari from start to finish and the safari guide girl I fell in love with her beautiful voice, thank you, we will surely be back very soon.

Always enjoy the Wild Animal Park. Took our grandson for the first of many visits. He enjoyed it as much as we all did! We will be back soon!

Always a place full of new trails, we love it!! Full of plants of all colors, there are 20 thousand paths to explore!!!

We had a fun time seeing so many different animals (platypus, kangaroo, tigers lions, cheetahs....) and enjoyed the holiday lights this year at the San Diego Safari Park.

Nice time of year to go. Wasn’t crowded. Food was okay, but it’s a zoo and priority should be welfare and care of animals, no gourmet food.

Love the park. Maps were very hard to work with. Easily got lost. Even the volunteers were confused at times but mostly were very helpful. Lots of walking and walking.

We bought a go city pass for san diego while visiting from Idaho and arrived at the safari park a little over an hour before closing. The staff and volunteers were so help in helping us find where we wanted to go quickly and giving us tips on the best way to see the most things possible. We absolutely loved the platypus and the kangaroos. Such an amazing experience.

It was a beautiful day at the Safari Park. The Animals were very active and close enough to the viewing areas for great photos.

Everything was great the only thing was my maps took me to the wrong direction and I went to the employee's parking lot. I tried to ask the lady there a question but she kept ignoring me and told me how to get to the main entrance. I've been to the safari park many times. I mapped out a coffee shop but my maps didn't realize it was inside the park. The lady was rude and was maybe having a bad day. I was really upset because of this and it messed up the beginning part of my day but the rest of our visit was awesome. I love taking my family to the San Diego safari park zoo. We look forward to our next visit.

I spent a wonderful time in Safari... everything is clean, proper and beautiful.
San Diego in general is a great city with many activities. People

We love this incredible place. So much love and care for the animals- natural, large enclosures, San Diego knows how to zoo- both here up in Escondido and down at the Zoo in Balboa Park. Truly safari like experience, and we love the conservation mission and hub work. We go with our 5 & 6 year old and they love it. No stroller necessary at that age but wear good walking shoes. Summers are very hot but have the kids bring or wear a suit for the splash pads.

Everyone was very nice. Volunteers were helpful. Hillary and Doug were the guide and driver for our Delux Safari tour and were fantastic. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting the park.

Visiting the San Diego Safari Park was an unforgettable experience. The park is beautifully designed, offering a natural and open environment where animals have plenty of space to roam. Unlike traditional zoos, the Safari Park allows you to feel as if you are truly on an African or Asian adventure, with wide landscapes and breathtaking views.

Went specifically for the holiday lights to the safari park. Fantastic job well done, will be going to the SD zoo to see their show

I arrived as the gates opened and was treated to a near empty park suitable for a brisk walk around the park’s perimeter. Made my way to the park’s far reaches (cactus garden) and was impressed by the variety of succulents and the view this section of the park afforded me.

Great day.. more than I expected.. 70 years young and I walked the entire park. Lots of places to sit and rest. Tram ride was very informative 👌

Park employees and volunteers are great. Friendly and always willing to help visitors. Food options are good. The only negative would be the price of preferred parking. $50 is high and even $30 with membership is high. When you have elderly parents that aren't "disabled" hiking up that hill is still tough.

Loved a lot of the park. Navigating is a little challenging...the signs leave a bit to be desired...its easy to get lost, but that's also an interesting part of the park;it feels very much like the native environment. The balloon ride is awesome. The tram was fun. The elephant exhibit, currently under construction, was very disappointing....making people wait for 50 mins for a single.peak at the elephants....rediculous....a limited pathway would be a better temporary solution.

Overall, though, enjoyed the experience and consider this park to be nicer than the SD zoo.

As always it was a fun time. Best thing about this visit was the staff of The Oasis and barking deer pizza were amazing with food allergies for our kid. They made sure all was good and she ate it all. Thank you

We liked the Safari Park more than the regular San Diego. They are different concepts. I would compare this to a Disney’s Animal Kingdom and I felt this was better. If you are taking an Uber from San Diego it will run you close to $100.

The Safari Park is stunning! It is beautifully kept and the scenery has a stunning! It is pricey for a family but you can spend a good 5+ hours there. Parking is extra (!!). The themed areas are well thought out. The Savannah tram is great and probably the hi-light overall. There was one show at 10:30am only so make sure you don’t miss it (presume the shows are dependent on the time of year too). Completely different experience to the San Diego Zoo which we visited previously. A great day out.

Beautiful light displays all around. Very calm and friendly experience for all ages to enjoy. Even got to see the platypus!

Went on a weekday and was able to see everything at a comfortable pace with no lines. Its a huge park - in total we walked about 6.5 miles (17,000 steps) to see everything in the 7 hours we were there (with 1 hr for lunch). Exhibits are a bit further apart and less dense than I'd typically expect from a zoo, so expect a lot of walking

Park staff extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Highlights were the Africa Tram and mini tour to see the elephants. Aside from variety of animals, there were several interesting gardens too. The official zoo app was great for navigation. We ate at the watering hole at kijamiioverlook, food was surprisingly good, with an excellent view.

Overall very impressed with the experience!

Good time with kids! Like the safety, best use of time, wide range, location, foods, helpful staffs, good smiles and kid friendly!

Just one suggestion, along with the apps, better to have more path directions across the park could be helpful.

Great place for your own paced walking tour to see animals in their habitat. Beautiful park & well cared for animals. More animal signs throughout park would better assist guests' knowledge& experience.. Directional signage needs a lot of improvement to clearly identify the paths back to front of the park, shops & exit. Lots of paths loop but others don't so identifying paths would help guests navigate easier. More strategically positioned water refill stations or drink kiosks would be helpful on hot days especially when navigation to exit isn't clearly marked. Tram was very nice to rest & get a narrative tour of the animals & any seat is a good view.

Awesome organization. Great experience. The price is compensated for by the work they do for conservation. We need more places like this.

We had such an incredible time. The staff and volunteers made the experience so much more enjoyable. They were kind and informative and a joy to interact with. We will definitely be back!

I really enjoyed the experience with the lowland gorillas. It is wonderful to be able to watch them tool around in their every day life. Just amazing!
Oh! And the bonsai exhibit! Be still my heart! ❤️
I was very disappointed to have to pay additional for parking. We got a two-for price online for the zoo and wildlife park. Both are fab but then BAM - an xtra $20 for parking at the wildlife park. (Free parking at the zoo)
That being said, I am very happy to have an opportunity to visit the San Diego Zoo Wildlife park and learn about all the breeding and research that happens there. The world is a better place thanks to the work that goes on at that facility.

One of The best place to visit in San Diego we all loved the place and atmosphere and staffs were great lots of volunteers to guide and make your visit memorable

We got to the Safari Park around 11 am. We started with the African Safari Tram ride which was a 25 minute guided tour. It was fantastic. After the tour we spent 4+ hours walking around the park and saw many more animals. The safari park is larger than the zoo and has less animals in total numbers. But, the beauty of the safari park is learning about the efforts to protect, help, grow the animal populations, especially any endangered species. It was definitely warmer at the safari park - it’s a 45 minute drive from the San Diego area out into a desert area. Plan to arrive early and pace yourself throughout the day.

My wife and I went together, and had a great time. She loved the giraffes. Although we did not get to see the elephants due to them not being in the front, I still felt like we saw enough that we enjoyed our day. We had lots of fun.

Haven’t been in a long time, still amuse me as the first time.
We’re planning to return over and over again.
Stop doing what you are doing and go to experience San Diego zoo allliance.

We are members and we always enjoy our visits! The staff is great and there is always a new animal to see or a new baby! We road the Tram and the animals were so active!

Seeing an actual platypus swimming around and diving and climbing was a highlight!!! And the ‘roos! And the staff interactions were awesome. Australian walkabout for the win!

Get there at opening and head straight for the Africa Tram and then the ballon ride up to 400ft. Definitely worth taking the kids to

Always a great place to visit! Esspecially if you like/ love to travel solo!
Highly remmended for solo tavellers or for families!

Zoo staff were friendly, caring, and informative. We had a great safari, and enjoyed walking around the other areas at our own pace. It is a very large park, so plan on comfortable walking shoes, and plenty of sunscreen or a sun hat. You may have to go up and down some hilly areas. We didn't see everything we wanted to see, so we will plan another trip down the road.

Haven't been in SO many years. Here for a wedding. Came a day early to spend a day to enjoy the park. So worth it. We had such a great day. Saw everything!

It has been a few years since my last visit and the improvements at the Safari Park are excellent. It was a great experience.

First time at the San Diego Safari Park for my girlfriend's birthday, and it was an amazing experience! We went on a safari excursion and our tour guide Olivia was just exceptional, dad jokes and all. We learned a lot but it did not feel like a lecture. You can tell the guides are passionate about the park and what it does in terms of conservation and protection of species. The Africa Tram was a also fun. Definitely an experience to be. Had by anyone who has the oppportunity.

We are members and come often but we come every year at Christmas as our Christmas get away and to see Santa. Santa was wonderful today, long with his helpers. I am still disappointed that you changed the rules a few years ago and long long allow employees to take family pictures on personal cameras it just seems like a money grab with Santa when he is a money grab everywhere else too. But this year the light and festivities start so late, hardly any days. I did appreciate at least Santa was there is weekend but we were bummed the winter wonder was only the weekend before Christmas.

We did two tours today at the Park. The first one was the zipline! The tour was incredible and the zipline was a blast! Even if you’re not into ziplining, consider signing up for it just for the tour. Ryan and Cindy were awesome! Very knowledgeable and funny!! The second tour was the Sips and Behind the Scenes tour. Sophia did such a great job taking us to places in the zoo you’d never be able to go without this opportunity. She, too, was very knowledgeable and funny. And we had a few cocktails, great way to end the day! Don’t shy away from the tours at the Park. They show you unique parts of the park which is so fun!!

We always have a great time! We go at least once a month. Arrive early before ethe crowds and remember to get a drink to support the critters.

I’m thrilled with the conservation work that the park is doing. zoos make me so sad, but this park at least has more space for the animals than zoos. I would make them more entertained with toys for treats if possible. The tigers looked pretty bored

We had a great experience, I love the park and the volunteers are always so friendly, kind and make the experience even better.

We enjoyed our morning at the Safari Park. We splurged and took the Wildlife Safari excursion in the truck (it's as close as I'll ever get to an African Safari!). It was neat driving thru their enclosure and watching the wildlife in their natural habitat. Steve drove us and Magda did a great job educating us about each of the different animals. The park has done a great job in making it realistic for the animals. We also enjoyed seeing the platypus and walking with the kangaroos. Worth the cost!

The guides in the park are So knowledgeable-really made our visit so much better than just reading the signs throughout the place. I would highly recommend the ballon ride experience-it’s breathtaking.
Next time I’ll book a behind the scenes tour for an extra up close with these amazing animals.

Great place to visit for the day or for a few hours. Staff are all very knowledgeable. Always a pleasant visit. Plus the walking is an added health benefit. We get our daily steps in.

We had such a great time at the safari park! We went on a Sunday and it wasn’t too crowded, the place is very spread out! We really spent the whole day here. Food was great! All of the exhibits were large and informative, the volunteers at the sites are so educational and helpful!! 10/10 recommend!!! We used the 3 park pass from SeaWorld for our admission and price was great for all 3!

The safari park makes you feel like you are somewhere out of the country! & not just in Escondido, each exhibit it perfectly excuted & unique to each animal which is beautiful

We loved the zoo! Two platypus, three tigers, a whole savannah with African animals. Amazing! People were super nice, too, from the stores to the carousel to the Australian cafe. Will certainly be back.

Love this park! Exhibits are well maintained with optimal viewing experience. Staff and volunteers plentiful to share information about the animals. Will always stop here when on the area.

It was are first time going with are family.and we love it .it was amazing going on the tram we learn new things we had a lovely experience we took amazing pictures of the animals with the family a beautiful memories for the kids

Absolutely stunning park with the most informative and helpful guides. We learned so much during our short visit, and we left with a great appreciation for their work. This is NOT your typical zoo, they truly care for their animals and each and every guest. We can’t wait to come back!

ITT was great to see all the animals it wasn’t that hot. It was clean all staff where friendly animals were awake totally relaxed & I totally recommend it all staff were able to accommodate my family & my needs

Wish there were more opportunities for adults only. Food is so so. Experience surrounding animals is great. Guides are so good.

My middle schoolers went to a lab that the safari park did and enjoyed it very much while we traverse the park. Such a fun day.

Another beautiful day at Safari Park. Loved getting to see the Elephants and Kayla was a great guide! The park is always clean and everyone that works there is friendly! Love having a membership!

This event was great! The kids are 12 to 6. We all enjoyed the animal tours, the evening activities, and the show. I highly recommend this activity!

What a gem! This Safari Park is beautiful. The Park is very nicely laid out and has a great interactive map to help plan your visit! Plenty of volunteers to answer questions and help. Great facilities & very clean. Plenty of space that you don’t feel crowded. Great spaces for young children to play. Shaded spots for rests with a baby as well. Animals were easily visible. The tram ride around Safari was very informative and well done!

We took the photo safari Abby and Chris were amazing. It was great getting out in the actual habitat. Every employee we encountered was friendly, helpful and happy.

We are new residents. It’s our first visit and we came in to go to the Balloon Safari. It was amazing. The parking was easy, the entry was simple. The crowd flowed in easily. The park and its facilities were are extremely clean. The Balloon Safari staff were kind and even with a wait it was comfortable. We enjoyed spotting some birds and a fox on the way in and out. Excited to go back!

A great way to spend the day with the family! Fresh air, beautiful sights and lots of animals. Our lunch was really good too Mawazo Cafe.

What a great environment! Fantastic grouping of aminals from around the world. The tigers are always treat! Disappointed that the Australian area doesn't have Koala's though, kinda missed the mark there! Still awesome anyway though. Every member of the staff were friendly and helpful... where did you get that many Superstars? We will be back and will recommend to all of my friends! Thanks for doing the important work that you do and letting us experience it. Thank you!

It was a lot fun, the tram was probably favoritest, I hope we can keep raising awarness to endangered species and make people more educated and raise efforts to conserve our wildlife for the feesable future. Also the tigers are amazing to see !!!😊😁😉🐯🐯🐯
Oh and I cant forget the bird exhibition it feels magical. !!!🦜🦩🪿🐦‍⬛🦚!!!!

Friendly staff and seemed knowledgeable when we asked questions. Many parking stalls were super tight (not for normal cars; maybe ok for tiny Smart Cars) but fortunately we parked lower in a normal size parking stall (only slightly farther walk).
Definitely a lot of walking but we knew that (good exercise). Glad there are a number of areas that had water misters spraying to keep it cooler as it does get hot in the summer. Nice to see areas for tigers, kangaroos, bald eagle, birds. Platypus exhibit was interesting but hard to see as it was so dark. Wish we could have seen the elephants closer rather than so far away (maybe after construction done). I thought there would be zebras but none. Tram was nice to see various animals from a distance (rhinoceros, giraffes) but was a treat to see near the end of the ride a much closer view of a giraffe. Glad we went for first time, not sure would come again at $68.40 (AAA 10% discount) per ticket, $20 parking, and food/drinks expensive. But I understand the park has a lot of staff to pay and hope the nature and conservation efforts are helped funded from visitors.

Great experience, everyone was so nice. helpful, and knowledgeable. Wasn't busy at all around this time of year. Definitely coming back. Thank you Safari Park. You never disappoint.

We had such an amazing time here. The staff was incredibly helpful with planning a route and telling us about the animals. All of the enclosures were very nice for the animals as well! I would also highly recommend the tram ride! We will for sure be back!

First time going to the wild animal park. Workers made the visit a breeze and wore super helpful. The volunteers wore also as helpful and very knowledgeable about the animals. Would go back.

The staff were helpful, friendly and kind. The tram experience was perfect. Animal life is majestic. I love the SD Zoo and Wild Animal Park!

It was a lot of fun especially the safari ride. Getting to see so many animals and getting to hear so much about each one of them from the comfort of a trolley was very convenient and fun especially when you have little ones running around.

The park itself is cool, however the price is ridiculous. On top of the ticket price this place steals another $20 to park the car. Just kind of bugged me that we spent hundreds of dollars to get passes and they still want $20 to park. Cant afford to eat or drink here but that's another story. Really just a place for people with lots of money to hang out.

So fun! The staff is amazing and so helpful. The platypus, Egyptian vulture, and albino kangaroo are adorable. Definitely a great place to visit

Today it was very warm and a lot of the animals were hiding, but we enjoyed our visit, and the staff is VERY nice. It was great scenery to walk today. We will come again.

The view is beautiful, the animals are rich and diverse, there are also many shops along the way to buy drinks and heat removal, the only disadvantage is that some projects will be in line for a long time, and the toilet is a little bit less.

Enjoy walking through the park. I feel so safe walking around. I enjoy going to lunch at the watering hole and seeing all the animals as they eat my lunch.

Our experience at the San Diego Safari Park was 100/10
My family had a wonderful time and loved our visit. Left with a new view and a positive impact on trying to make a difference for our Mother Earth. ❤️

The most picturesque facility you can visit. All areas are very clean and well taken of and staff is amazing. Everyone is so helpful and accommodating. Enjoyed our visit more than any other attraction in the area

We started with the tram ride. The guide was knowledgeable and gave a great narration and a few jokes. The park is huge and has great habitats for the animals. We watched the aviary show and saw the gorilla feeding time. We were lucky the platypus exhibit was not busy so it was not timed. Since they are nocturnal, we did have a hard time seeing them but they did swim pass us a few times. There are many docents throughout the park, happily explaining the animals. They also have a large botanical garden and they rescue endangered plants. We enjoyed their bonsai exhibits, many are over 100 years old. Overall a great experience here.

The whole park was so clean and very well kept. I loved how spacious and happy each exhibit was. The tram ride was amazing, a little rushed it felt like but still worth $20 for priority! Loved the Elephant walk and love seeing all of the construction taking place which means upkeep and update! 10000000/10.

We went to the San Diego Zoological Safari Park on Thanksgiving Giving Day. It was a beautiful day in the mid 70s. Many volunteers and staff gave us extra information about the animals like Tiger Diana who is very curious. We spent 6 hours there and had a delicious tomato flat bread. I will go back soon.

We consistently bring our 2 year-old granddaughter to the park, and always have a wonderful time. Your senior citizen docents are ALWAYS kind, polite, informative, and a pleasure to speak with. Your paid employees… not so much. Today, at the gate, I presented my pass (on my phone) and my OFFICIAL CA driver’s license (on the official CDL app), as usual. The employee told me I must show my “official” DL, which I did. Then he indicated that he needed to see the plastic card. When I indicated that it was in my car, he said it would “let it slide … just this once”. He made me feel as if I was doing something illegal just trying to enter the park!!! Not a great first impression Safari Park!

Staff was so friendly and knowledgeable about the animals. Animals seem happy and content. Happy to support the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park

Had an awesome trip. Had a minor mishap this time though. Thank you Chris for your medical prowess! We'll be back soon....

We visited the safari after 14 years and the experience was equally good. The African team, the newly opened Australian walk, tiger walk, aviary, etc. were beautiful. Clean facilities and friendly staff plus great weather made the experience even better.

A must do in San Diego. It’s such a nice park, easy to navigate and so much to see. The tram ride is awesome. It’s so cool to see the animals roaming around so freely.

Spent today at the safari park to enjoy the last of the Wild Holidays as well as visit some of our favorite animals. Surprised by a newborn giraffe; a great tram ride in the morning with Carol followed by an incredible afternoon tram ride with Layney; splendid conversations with many volunteers and employees; great performances by the bat eared foxes and the sand cat. Could not ask for a better start to 2026, or a better Saturday in general. Thanks!

All the zoo workers and volunteers were so helpful and enthusiastic about their park. The animals, exhibits, and landscape were top tier.

The staffs were friendly and inviting. The food prices are affordable and we love that more exhibits are open. We actually had an annual pass in the past and skipped a few years but we miss the vibe and serenity of this park and its tranquil environment for the animals so we are back! The kids although older now, still enjoy learning about the animals and critters.

Always a wonderful day learning and observing our planet's greatest treasures! The park is beautiful to stroll around and see so many species. My favorites are the Tigers and The Australian outback Kangaroos.
The tram is also really nice as you see so many animals out in a natural habitat setting.
Definitely a must see place!

It has been a blast! We where here 12 years ago for the first time just my wife and I. Today we brought my entire family (my 85 years old mom visiting from Italy and brother) has been amazing!! Thank you also for accommodating with a wheelchair my mom! I really appreciated

We had wonderful time at the Zoo. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The grounds were beautifully kept and the animals looked well kept and healthy. The whole experience was amazing. Our 3 boys (15,21&27yo) and my wife Krissy and I learned so much today. I cant believe we have lived in California for so long and we have never been there. We will be back soon!!

Perfect weather! The 90min safari was fantastic. Just the best day. We learned a lot from our safari guide Neva (I hope I spelled her name correctly ). I highly recommend doing a safari. Totally worth the $$$.

We did two safaris, the roar and snore and sips on the savanna, and it was a great time! Lots of very knowledgeable guides and impressive exhibits.

Great to have the Wildlife Champion pass for parking and walking right on the tram. Disappointed we couldn’t get even a glimpse of the elephants. Great day overall. Where were the lions and condors??

Was nice but really dissatisfied that we were required to stand in a separate line just to view Elephants!
Also, the Lions were NOT on habitat?!

Going to the safari park is always great but they've added some new exhibits and tours to make it even better. If you're being kiddos it's perfect but as adults it also pretty amazing. Definitely going to try a camp out there!

This place is breathtakingly beautiful!! They truly care about the animals and their environment! And we love the app with a map to navigate the park!

The San Diego Safari Park Christmas Lights experience was absolutely magical, and it could not have been a more perfect setting for a proposal. From the moment we entered, the entire park was transformed into a glowing winter wonderland—elegant light displays woven through the natural landscape, festive music in the air, and a calm, romantic atmosphere that felt both intimate and grand.

Walking through the illuminated paths with exotic animals nearby made the evening feel truly unique—far beyond a typical holiday light show. The lights were tasteful, immersive, and beautifully designed to complement the park rather than overpower it. Every turn felt cinematic.

Proposing during this visit was unforgettable. The combination of soft lighting, peaceful surroundings, and the sheer scale of the park created an emotional moment that felt timeless. It was private enough to feel personal, yet special enough to feel monumental. The staff were kind, professional, and genuinely added to the experience with their warmth.

This is not just a Christmas event—it is an experience. For couples, families, or anyone looking to create a once-in-a-lifetime memory, the Safari Park Christmas Lights are absolutely worth it. I will remember this night for the rest of my life.

Highly recommended, and thank you for a magical night! Happy holidays!

Just got home from san diego safari park with my wife and we had a wonderful time seeing all the animals and enjoying the holiday festivities and lighting thru out the park. Enjoyed the lovely weather along with some really good food.

I finally got to see the tree kangaroo after many visits!! That was exciting! Also visited the aviaries and just be around cool birds! Was a fun day!

We went on the Big Cat - Behind the Scenes, it was incredible!
Stand just in the other side of the glass from 3 300 pound lions, getting to learn about their care and diet.

It was lovely to see the animals in action and to learn a lot about them through the tours. The tour guide was fantastic and shared so much interesting facts about them.

Everything was amazing like always. The only exception was the soft pretzel from the stand near the balloon. It was very tough in texture, almost like it was from the night before and just warm up. Hopefully that doesn't happen again became love our soft pretzels.

A beautiful zoo to visit animals roaming with plenty of space. Went on a Monday and it was very quiet, allowing for easy access to view all enclosures.

World class park, great experience!
We had so much fun , saw lots of rare animals.
All the staff are kind and helpful.
Will be our annual event!

It was a wonderful day. Everyone was so polite and helpful. Employee Tom at the carousel was very helpful and kind. Brandon on the cart safari was amazing. He was so incredibly knowledgeable about every animal and the history of the park. Thank you for making our day so special.

Knowledgeable and friendly staff made this visit great. Wish there was some type of shade on the long wooden walkways. Deluxe Safari was amazing! Olivia kept was informed and entertained. Andrew started us off with his smile and energy.

The experience visiting the zoo was incredible. The volunteers were very helpful with information and directions. The staff we encountered were also above and beyond the typical employees. All in all we had a great day even though the cheetahs did not show!

We enjoy visiting this time of year as the animals are usually active throughout the day, mainly because of the cooler temperatures. San Diego zoo and safari park are also less crowded as it is a week before schools are on winter break.

A better experience than we could have imagined. Beautiful scenery, happy animals, and such welcoming and helpful staff. Lots of good exercise in a gorgeous backdrop. If you can, do a tour. They are well worth the money for a once in a lifetime opportunity for up close and personal animal encounters.

Great day, we included the deluxe cart tour. Our driver, Brandon, was really great. Knowledgeable, interesting, engaging. Really made the experience worthwhile and interesting.

I have been to a lot of zoos, and this is the best expierence i’ve ever had I want to go back tomorrow. Amazing Volunteers that really went above and beyond with explaination, advising what to see and fabulous conversation. I went alone but this would be amazing for kids, for couples, anyone who has the time should come to the Safari Park.

Plan ahead of time and reserve one of the tours. I took the 90min tour and it was a great experience my whole family will never forget.

Very warm day, but we arrived as soon as the park opened, and were able to see all of the animal habitats before the serious heat set in.

Great experience. Went during daylight and caught the last tram ride, then enjoyed the Wild Holidays nighttime’s great fundécor!

Everyone was so knowledgeable and helpful. Be prepared to walk a lot and wear sunscreen but it is worth it. There's places to rest everywhere and if you buy a cup or water bottle, you can refill it in every rest stop. There's so much to say but puting it simply, the park and the work they do for the animals is amazing.

As first timers, we loved it! What a beautiful property. The waterfalls, the fauna, and of course the wildlife were amazing. We chose to just take the African tram and it was perfectly fine and allowed us to see so much more of the park. We also really appreciated all of the employees who were spread out around the park sharing info about the animals. Great day!!!

We got the opportunity to preview elephant t Valley which opens to all on March 5th! It is so beautiful!
All the rest of the park is great too!

It is a great place but I feel like some of the employees could have better customer service. Today I went solo with a stroller for my 16 month old and struggled opening the aviary doors while a staff member was just standing there watching me. Then right behind me was an elderly lady pushing a wheel chair with someone in it, she struggled doing the same thing. The Safari park staff member just watched us both struggle and said “oh just so you know it is easier if you turn around to open the door.” I was kinda just laughing to myself like “or if you made yourself useful and got the door for us since you are literally just standing there.”

I love the Safari Park. It's a great space to walk around and has a few playground for kids all around the park.
You definitely need to dress appropriately. Escondido is usually 10 degrees hotter than other areas of San Diego County. It's summer. Wear clothes that you can stay as cool as possible in, bring fans, wear hats and sunscreen. There is a splash pad for kids. Bring a towel and extra clothes for them and maybe for yourself because you're going to need to get your kid(s) if you want to move on to other areas.
If you want to ride the African Tram, last boarding is 4pm (or, I'm guessing an hour before closing).
Shoutout to Mei Youk (sorry, may have misspelled her name) for helping me find my way to the Watering Hole.

Shows were ok. The lagoon lights should have danced with music too
. The food and merchandise should be less expensive. Maybe should have more production shows like knot's Merry farm.