Hello and welcome to episode 13 of the Ready Set Depart podcast! We are so glad you’re here.

If you caught episode 12, you know we talked all about the San Diego Zoo. Today, we’re heading 30 miles northeast to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido. A totally different experience, and one that’s been tricky for us in the past. But after some trial and error (and help from the volunteers), we’ve cracked the code and we’re excited to share how to make your day smoother, cooler, and a lot more fun.

Our plan will help you not be like us and walk for at least 30 minutes, without a lot of people around, not seeing any animals, and thinking you might never find civilization again. 

And hey—if you’re heading to the Safari Park with kids, we made a fun little scavenger hunt you can download from our website at readysetdepart.com/13. It’s a great way to keep little ones engaged while you explore. Plus, it gives them something to look forward to at each stop.

But first, let’s talk about how to plan your day by answering some questions.

What day should you go to the Safari Park?

Well, honestly, the coolest day you can find while in San Diego. Escondido is always 15-20 degrees hotter than San Diego. So if it’s 70° in San Diego, it will probably be around 90° in Escondido. A hat, water bottles, and cooling towels are a must.

Should you get tickets online?

You don’t have to, but I would. It just makes it a bit easier when you get there.

Do you need to download the app?

I normally love technology but this app is SO HARD TO USE! If you have a specific animal you want to see, it can show you how to get there, but other than that, it’s not helpful at all! I always recommend the paper map, BUT the last time we were at the Safari Park, they didn’t have any out, which was so sad! You can still get the map from their website, so if you can’t find a paper map, download that along with our travel plan here!

Do you have to pay for parking?

Yes you do, unless you have the Wild Protector level of the membership, then parking is free. There is a lot of parking at the Safari park but it’s all at the bottom of a hill so you will start the day off pushing your stroller up a hill. There is preferred parking for a fee that is at the top of the hill, so that might be a good way to save some energy. 

On particularly busy days, they do run a bus from the bottom of the parking lot to the entrance so watch for that as well!

Is this like a Disney day of walking?

Almost! We walk about 5-6 miles when we visit the whole Safari Park.

Ok, you’ve made it through the gate, now let’s talk about how to make the most of your day.

While you can go to the Zoo any time of day in my opinion, the Safari Park is one place you need to be at when it opens. They suggest you will be there 4-6 hours and when it’s only open for 8 hours, that doesn’t give a lot of wiggle room. 

Remember, the Safari Park is about 45 minutes northeast of San Diego so add that into your planning for the day.

Don’t forget to download our Safari Park map from our website - readysetdepart.com/13 - so you won’t get lost.

The app doesn’t show this, but there are locator poles throughout the Safari Park that show where you are compared to the old paper map (and our plan). 

The locator poles have a number on the top that corresponds to a number on the map. It also has arrows to different places so they are super helpful.

Now that you know where you are, it’s time to head to the African Tram. It’s to the right once you get to the Nairobi Village. (Locator Poles 3 and 4)

Getting to the African Tram first thing, which is included in your ticket, is the way to go for a few reasons. First, you won’t have to wait as long and second, the animals are often more active when it’s cooler.

The African Tram is like a safari through the African Savannah. You can see giraffes, rhinoceroses, wildebeest, antelopes, you name it! It is worth the effort to go see it.

But let's talk a little more about why you would want to go first. Well, most people go slowly down to the Tram. They look at the animals, and meander, so the wait time can get really long towards late morning. But if you head that way first, you’ll be able to basically walk on. Because who wants to stand in a hot line with grouchy kids, and adults? Not me!

The African Tram doesn’t open right as the park opens so you might have to wait a bit there but it’s a lot less of a wait time than you’d normally have.

Once you get on the Tram, try to sit on the left side. There are habitats on both sides, but most of the habitats are on the left, so that’s the best place for pictures!

The Tram takes about 25 minutes but the drivers are really knowledgeable about the animals and it’s a definite must in our opinion.

After the tram, head left (or down the hill) towards the cheetahs. 

They used to have a cheetah run every day for anyone that was there, but now you can only see that in the early morning, before the park opens, for an extra fee. But you can get a chance to see the Cheetahs in their enclosure. They are often sleeping but sometimes you may hear them chirp. Since they aren’t “big cats,” they don’t roar, but they do chirp. You have to listen hard, but he does chirp!

You’ll now wander through the African Outpost heading towards the Okapi. 

These are my favorite zoo animals. They look like a horse, a giraffe, and a zebra had a baby and it is amazing! They are technically related to giraffes and they were only identified to Western scientists in 1901, long after scientists thought they had found all big mammals! 

After the okapi, you’ll find your way back to the elevator (location post 10) so take that up and walk towards the gorillas (location post 7). Then you’ll make your way back where you started in Nairobi Village.

While you’re in Nairobi Village, you can get some food or do a little shopping. There’s also a cute Conservation Carousel that you can ride - for a fee.

But once you’ve done that, it’s time to do the other half of the Safari Park. So head towards location post 2, over the bridge and on to location post 17. Here, you’ll be able to choose to go left for the Walkabout Australia or right to Tiger Trail. We suggest you go left. That way you’ll walk down the big Arbor Walk rather than up it. 

Walkabout Australia has a couple of really interesting things. There’s the Wollemi Pine that is one of the rarest plants in the world and a living fossil. There’s the cassowary that looks more like a dinosaur than a bird. There are kangaroos and wallabies that are always a good time. But the animal I want to talk more about is the platypus.

The Safari Park is the ONLY place in the world outside of their native Australia where you can see platypus. So cool! Sometimes there’s a line to see them, but they’re worth it. Because they are nocturnal, the area is kept very dark so they are active. Almost everyone has remarked how small they are. I think we all expect a beaver size animal when in fact, they’re less than half that size.

Platypus are cool for a couple of reasons. First, they are mammals that lay eggs. They are one of the only venomous mammals with the males having a spur that delivers a painful venom. They are just so cool!

So definitely make sure to go inside their cave and see what they’re up to!

After the Walkabout, you’ll go through the World Gardens which is full of cactus and other desert dwelling plants. You can walk straight through or up into the garden. For plant nerds like me, it’s worth the trek through the garden. But, make sure to watch for snakes. This is a prime rattlesnake area.

Condor ridge is next on your trek, but first you’ll see the BigHorn Sheep living their best lives up on the wall. If you’re at the Safari Park in the spring, watch for the adorable babies!

The American Condors are a sight to behold! They are the largest flying bird in North America and the second largest overall. Their wingspan is 9.5 feet. That’s as long as two ironing boards.

The American Condors are a conservation win. In 1982, there were only 23 surviving condors left. They were all taken into captivity to try to build the population the right way. The San Diego Wildlife Alliance, who is the parent company of the Safari Park and the Zoo, led the way to try to save this species. And they did. While the population isn’t back to what it used to be - they used to be seen all the way to Florida - there are now about 347 American Condors flying in California. I hear they are a sight to behold! I look forward to seeing one in the wild some day.

Ok, back to the tour.

After the condors, you’ll turn left at location post 19 and go down the Arbor Walk, which is the reason you want to go through the Walkabout Australia first! This boardwalk will take you to the Tiger Trail.

There are a few tiger enclosures that are home to at least 3 critically endangered Sumatran Tigers. As I write this, there is a 9 month old tiger cub making everyone smile there. Can you believe how big a 9 month old tiger cub is?

Past the tigers, you’ll find your way back to location post 17, where you go back over the bridge and find yourself in Nairobi Village once again.

It is a big park, but so worth it. One thing that I always forget to bring is binoculars. They’d be great for both the Zoo and the Safari park, but I think they’d get more use at the park.

When I was researching for this podcast, I found a place where you can watch live cams from both the Zoo and the Safari park. You can watch the Giant Pandas, Koalas, Tigers, and Platypus, plus a few more! So if you have a little zoologist or you just like animals too, check those out. Here's the link.

So remember:

• It’s going to be hot, so dress accordingly.

• Bring water, cooling towels, and those little fans!

• Go to the African Tram first thing—it gets crowded fast.

• Okapis are cool! (Seriously, go see them.)

• Go through Walkabout Australia before you see the tigers—you’ll thank yourself on the downhill.

• Wait in line for the platypus—it’s the only place outside Australia to see them!

• Condors are massive and a conservation success story.

• It’s going to be a lot of walking, but you’ll enjoy it.

• Download our map ahead of time—the app won’t help much.

• If you have a stroller or small kids, spring for preferred parking.

• Bring binoculars—you’ll spot more and feel like a safari pro.

• Keep an eye out for locator poles—they’ll help you know where you are.

If you loved this episode, be sure to grab our Safari Park route map and scavenger hunt. And if you know someone headed to San Diego this summer, share this episode with them—it could save them some serious steps (and sweat). See you next time! 

And now it’s time for some T.I.P.S.