My family and I have not stepped inside a zoo for many years, but when we had a collective slice of time last Saturday morning, we headed to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to take a safari excursion and get a peek at the park’s new features.

In L.A., we charged up our car and let our newly licensed 17-year-old son, Sol, take the wheel for the 2 1/2-hour drive. On the navigation screen, he punched in the address — 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido — but before he pulled off, I handed him a foldable, laminated Rand McNally map of Southern California so that he could visually grasp where he was going. We live so much on the inside of our screens that our sense of spatial awareness continues to slip away.

Sol opened up the flaps of the map. “Wow, how much did this thing cost?” he asked, incredulous.

“It’s not an ancient relic,” I said. “It was $9.99 and I got it from Staples.”

“Wow,” he said again, his eyes wildly scanning the spread-out map, not knowing where to land.

“Find Los Angeles first,” I said. “Then, go south to find San Diego and Escondido, but take a look at all the towns we’ll pass through first before we get there. It’s like a preview of the drive, and it helps you get your bearings, I think.”

This quick exploration of our route was a prelude to our day of learning through excursion.

Jurassic Park vibes

We had not visited the San Diego Zoo Safari Park since Sol was in elementary school, but driving into the the park, with its jungle-like canopies of trees, elicited a refreshing familiarity. “It makes me want to watch “Jurassic Park” when we get back home,” my husband, Marcus, said.

“Well, Steven Spielberg was influenced by the Safari Park,” our guide, Delaney, told us. The entrance to the fictional Jurassic Park in the movie echoes the entrance to Safari Park, which was opened in 1972 and serves as the sister location to the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park. The Escondido-based park, which mostly houses animals from arid environments, spans more than 1,800 acres that dip and rise like the savannas in Africa and Southeast Asia. It is home to more than 3,100 animals representing over 340 species.

Safari Excursions

While visitors have always been able to enjoy watching the animals by boarding a tram, Safari Excursions is the newest structure at Safari Park. Arriving a little early for our “cart safari” tour, my family and I lounged in the open-air, immersive gathering spot designed with a nod to a Kenyan safari camp, with exposed wood beams, lush greenery, wooden stools, rich textiles and bright wall paintings and textiles.

We listened to the sounds of birds and insects float in and out of the cool, airy space, allowed the photographer to take a family photo of us and discussed which animals we each were excited to see. While we were just a party of three, the lounge area can easily fit large groups of people at one time.

The safari excursions are an additional cost after the paying for park entrance. Options include:

Cart Safari – guided 1-hour cart tour of park highlights for $82 per person

Wildlife Safari – guided 1-hour tour in the back of an open-air truck that rides inside a savanna wildlife habitat for $118 per person (ages 3 and up).

Deluxe Wildlife Safari – For 90 minutes, guests get to venture into habitats representing Africa and/or Asia for up-close views of wildlife for $143 per person (ages 6 and up).

Behind-the-Scenes Safari – This guided 90-minute tour takes you to areas not available to the public, with opportunities to get up close to wildlife for $118 per person (ages 3 and up).

Behind-the-Scenes: Elite Adventure Safari – Here, guests can explore the park on a 3.5-hour tour to learn about how staff cares for wildlife, then hop onto a safari truck and tour the savanna. Some walking required. Cost: $80 per person (ages 3 and up).

We opted for the cart safari, hopping on the cart with a chatty and extremely knowledgeable Delaney as she drove us first around the “Asia” savanna before looping around the outskirts of “Africa.” We marveled at the massiveness of the rhinos and elephants, envied the lions lounging across fields of grass, waved at Frank the gorilla as he rested his foot on a tree stump and watched us watching him.

I asked Delaney how animal activists in recent years have responded to the safari park. While some activists believe that all animals should only live in the wild, in their original habitats, others — after taking a more intimate safari tour — develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the park’s role in conserving endangered species and extending the life of vulnerable animals through extensive healthcare even while aiming to replicate the animals’ natural environments.

One such success story is Msituni,a four-year old giraffe born at the park who was unable to walk. After months of critical care that included giraffe-sized orthotic leg braces, she gained the strength to walk around 11 months old. We watched Msituni and her older and taller fellow giraffes munch on twigs while Delaney explained that their enviably long eyelashes help keep flies and gnats out of their eyes.

Another source of great pride is that park is home to the rarest breed of horse in the world: the Przewalski’s horse — a critically endangered species of wild horse that was categorized as extinct in the wild until 1996. In recent years, scientists have used tools such as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Biodiversity Bank to expand the strength of the species’ population. 

Roar & Snore: Glamping with Wildlife

Speaking of eyes, if you love the parks so much you’d like to close your own eyes and spend the night our in the wild, consider checking out the new “Roar & Snore” glamping option. The premium tents feature a queen-sized bed and two portable cots to comfortably sleep four.

The tents overlook the savanna habitat where rhinos, giraffes and other wildlife roam freely. The adults-only option allows guests to explore the park after dark, enjoy classic camp activities and hear stories about San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s conservation work around the globe. Cost: $245/person

Unique Safaris

If you like wine or beer with your safari, you’ll want to check out these features:

Sips on the Savanna: Wine Wildlife Safari, Mimosa Wildlife Safari and Craft Beer Wildlife Safari. Enjoy sipping a delicious beverage among the wildlife of the African savanna. Begin with a meet and greet mingle and your first drink in a souvenir aluminum glass. Next, board a covered, open-air safari truck and venture into an expansive habitat for up-close views of giraffe, antelope and more. Then it’s off to a breathtaking viewpoint for more drinks and savory snacks while taking in the sights and sounds of African wildlife.

Note that Wine Wildlife Safari is offered in the winter, Mimosa Wildlife Safari is offered in the summer and Craft Beer Wildlife Saffari is offered in the fall.  

Another unique option is the Behind the Scenes: Wild Cat Adventure. Guests can spend the morning visiting the wild cats of the Safari Park. See the park’s wild cats, peek into some of the wildlife care areas to learn what it takes to look after these diverse cats and hear stories about the park’s current conservation projects while traveling in a tour cart with a personal guide. 

Cassandra Lane is Editor in Chief of L.A. Parent.