Summer Safari African Extravaganza at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives. – Thomas Berry

Each day is an adventure in our home…at least that’s what we aspire towards.  We love the outdoors, and summer is the perfect time to get out and about to explore, discover and learn about the world around us.  As a child, I remember our family trips to the zoo and the aquarium.  My father was an animal lover, and having watched the Discovery Channel over and over again, was often a wealth of information when it came to the natural world.

Locals and tourists looking to immerse themselves in the wild often frequent the San Diego Zoo.  But just an hour from downtown San Diego you’ll find a very different, but equally exciting experience.  The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, which spans 1800 acres and is home to over 400 species of animals, is the place to go for adventure, exploration, and discovery.

Caravan Safari

In addition to the 3500 animals that call the park their home, guests can embark on a variety of safaris which have guests soaring 160 feet above the ground through trees and over fields of rhinos, deer,and other animals during the Flightline Safari, rolling off-road on a Segway while getting close-up views of the Asian and African animals during the Rolling Safari, or climbing, swinging, and zipping through the trees in the brand new Jungle Ropes Safari.

In addition to the animal encounters and safaris offered by the park, the Summer Safari African Extravaganza is going on now through August 19th, 2012. Guests can join the African dancers, acrobats, and jugglers, be wowed by the pole climbing acrobats, enjoy African song and dance numbers, and engage in bead-making.  This is just a handful of the many free activities you’ll find this summer at the park.

At 5 pm each day, I highly recommend experiencing Shiley’s Cheetah Run where you’ll see the fastest land mammal run at unfathomable speeds. You can read about it here.

Here are some photos from our day at the park.

Animal Encounter:

Every day through the summer, guests can meet a variety of animals from 10 am to 12:30 pm and 4 pm to 6:30 pm at the Animal Ambassador Stage in Safari Base Camp.  This is your opportunity to get up close and ask questions from experienced, educated individuals with a passion for these animals.

If you happen to miss this time or you simply want to explore the park on your own, be sure to visit Lorikeet Landing for a unique opportunity to feed these beautiful birds.  Watch out, they’re quite friendly and you may even find a Lorikeet on your head!

Pole Climbing Acrobats

The way these Pole Climbing Acrobats scale the poles with ease is fascinating.  See them perform at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm at Safari Base Camp.

Beads galore!

Head over to Safari Base Camp for a lesson in the fine art of African Beading from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm daily.

Learning to drum!

While you’re in Safari Base Camp, drum or hula with the locals every day from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

Making memories!

As you can see, we had a fun, action-filled day learning, exploring, interacting, and making memories.  Here are some of my tips to make the most of your day at the park:

1.  Stay hydrated! It can get quite warm, particularly mid-day so stop often for rest breaks and refreshments.  I like Safari Base Camp because there are plenty of shaded areas.

2. Protect yourself!  Along with lathering on the sunscreen, pick up a free Safari Hat at Safari Base Camp early in the day.

3. Pace yourself!  The park is expansive so plan for times to rest.  I suggest breaking up the day by taking the Africa Tram Safari, which also gives you a unique vantage point to see these animals in their natural habitats.

It goes without saying that a camera is a must.  I have SO many photos from our day as the park is incredibly picturesque.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is open from 9 am to 7 pm during the summer.  For tickets and additional information, just visit the website.

No compensation was received for this post. Media tickets provided.

Photos: Rockin’ Mama

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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