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    Elephant Valley

    4.8 (8 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Reviews With Photos

    Beautiful face.
    Bryan And G.

    I love elephants and one of favorite places to see them is at San Diego Zoo Safari Park. We rode the tram, and saw giraffes and rhinos. Derek was the guide, and driver. He was excellent, stopping the tram in different spots. He was very knowledgeable able the park and the animals. At the top of the tram ride, we were ahead of schedule. Derek turned off the tram, allowing for us to hear nature, and take pictures of the beautiful reflection of the animal in the water. He has to have been one of the best divers in a long time!!! It was then off we go to the Hot Air Balloon. I rode the hot air balloon. I loved the balloon. While it is not the day to see them on the ground, it was the day to see elephants from the Hot Air Balloon. Interestingly, they are busily working hard on a new elephant enclosure. We can hardly wait for that! We have seen elephants on previous visits, and we are looking forward to the NEW Elephant's Valley!!! It is quite something to see wild animals in what is their natural habitats!!!

    Marcus F.

    This was my first visit to Elephant Valley even though I've been to the Wild Animal Park for decades. Perhaps the reason that I keep missing it is because this attraction's location is off the beaten path and away from the highly trafficked trails that most tourists take. There are two main elephant viewing areas. One is from the Elephant patio and the other is along service road outside Tembo Stadium. Both offer unique perspectives and if you like elephants you need to look at both locations. Back in the day you would be able to see the Elephants from the park's old WGASA (who gives a shit anyway) electric monorail.

    An elephant posing for us.

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    2 months ago

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    19 days ago

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    2 months ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    San Diego Zoo Safari Park - I love her

    San Diego Zoo Safari Park

    4.2(2.9k reviews)
    0.2 mi

    The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is absolutely massive. This place is extremely huge, and honestly you…read morecould spend an entire day here and still not see everything. We showed up pretty late, so we were only able to do the Safari tour, which is one of the main attractions, but it was completely worth it. The way the Safari is laid out is unbelievable. Traveling through the park and seeing all the animals spread out across these huge open areas really makes you feel like you're on an actual safari. There's so much room and space for the animals to graze and move around naturally, and it was amazing seeing how different animals interacted with each other or how the sections were designed to feel natural and immersive. They also have a zip line that runs across the safari area and a hot air balloon that goes up and down over the park, plus plenty of other attractions and exhibits that we didn't even get a chance to see. Definitely worth checking out, especially the guided Safari tour portion. One important thing to note -- if you're searching for it online or using GPS, make sure you search for the "Safari Park" and not just the San Diego Zoo. The Safari Park is located up in the hills and is a completely different location from the actual zoo in downtown San Diego.

    This was my first time going here, I've been to the San Diego Zoo twice. The Safari Park is about…read more36-40 mins away from the San Diego Zoo. It's a very scenic ride. We went on a Sunday and it was busy. With SD Zoo, you feel more cramped and crowded when it's super busy. At the Safari Park, it's more spaced out so you're not walking shoulder to shoulder with people. For general parking it's $20 for all day. Preferred parking is $45. If you park in the general section, be prepared to walk up a steep hill. For the admission, it's $78 for an adult and $68 for a child. We paid $130 for the multi day/multi park for adults. We spent 6 hrs here and that's including lunch. If you save your aluminum cup, I think it's $3 for refills. Be expected to pay for exorbitant prices for the food. Food portions weren't tiny so that's a plus. They have a free African tram that's about 25 mins long. The line can get very long depending on what time you line up. They have a Journey into the Wild presentation that is worth checking out. There is only one showing at 1 pm in the Benbough Amphitheater. It runs for about 20 mins. I would get there early to get good seats. If you have extra money, they have experiences that you can pay for. They range from $32 to $760 depending on what you're interested in. One of the highlights is being so close to the kangaroos without any fences.

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    San Diego Zoo Safari Park - I love her

    I love her

    San Diego Zoo Safari Park - One of the many shaded gift shops with bathrooms throughout the zoo. This one was near the Australian section of the zoo.

    One of the many shaded gift shops with bathrooms throughout the zoo. This one was near the Australian section of the zoo.

    San Diego Zoo Safari Park - ENTRANCE to, Tiger Park.

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    ENTRANCE to, Tiger Park.

    Wild Wonders - Great learning experience

    Wild Wonders

    4.8(121 reviews)
    18.6 mi

    We celebrated our daughters 9th birthday with family and friends at Wild Wonders and it was such an…read moreenjoyable experience. The animals were well cared for, the staff were kind, knowledgeable and professional, and the interaction with their animals was a memorable experience. It was a lot of fun too. We ended our party with a picnic at Wild Wonders and the area provided was clean, spacious, shaded and overlooking a nice view. Couldn't have asked for a better birthday for our daughter.

    A beautiful wildlife preservation site where you can enjoy animal encounters with exotic animals!…read more - PARKING - We parked on the hill past the entrance of the business, and walked down. Pretty steep but it's a short walk. - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - Book your visit online! There are group rates and additional attendee rates, so just make sure you have the right count of people! Staff was very friendly from start to finish, and I loved seeing the enthusiasm shine through their work. It's not a huge site, so not a ton of walking involved, but there are some steps if you're worried about accessibility. Make sure to wear closed toed shoes! - EXPERIENCE - We booked a Wallaby encounter, and initially I thought it was only going to be a single animal experience but I was pleasantly surprised we were taken on a tour around the area! We did get to feed and pet the Wallaby, but we also walked to see all the different animals in captivity. They also brought out some animals for us to pet and see up close! - OVERALL - A wonderful wildlife preservation site, and amazing staff to take care of them all!

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    Wild Wonders - Sabi, the Serval cat.

    Sabi, the Serval cat.

    Wild Wonders
    Wild Wonders

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    EcoVivarium - Small turtle

    EcoVivarium

    4.7(149 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    Would you like to learn about incredible reptiles up close and support a good cause? The…read moreEcoVivarium is the perfect place! For $25 you can get a behind the scenes tour that introduces you to a variety of turtles, snakes, and lizards that call the EcoVivarium home. They also have birthday party visits, host events, and as I learned from my friend Trish, can help teachers get set up with a reptile in the classroom. My first conversation with Susan at the EcoVivarium was heartfelt, as I was calling to see if they might be interested in the donation of our decommissioned aquarium. The setup was only four years old and housed our previous beloved 26 year old fish named Puff that had recently passed away. Susan was kind, expressed her condolences and shared that they would appreciate our donation. Chun P and I met Rachel and Donald on a Sunday and after we brought our items in from the car were treated to meeting some terrific reptiles. Many of the inhabitants at the EcoVivarium have sad stories, some had suffered abuse, some were abandoned, and others were victims of trafficking that were confiscated and brought in by the department of fish and game. Susan has created a safe space and her staff and volunteers give their all to make sure they live a better life. I'm looking forward to visiting again soon and supporting this worthy endeavor!

    Some heros and heroines wear capes and possess superpowers...and some are simply kind hearted…read morevolunteer regular people trying to make a difference. I recently donated my 50 gallon fish tank and stand to this nonprofit. They care for abandoned and injured reptiles such as snakes, lizards, dragons, turtles, tortoises, and more. I got to meet some friendly reptilian creatures, and even hold and pet them. With very limited resources and small army of volunteers, EcoVivarium does it's best to make it difference in this cruel world. Rachel and Donald were both very friendly and knowledgeable. Make a donation, take a $25 tour, hire them for a birthday party or educational school visit, and perhaps see if there are any friendly reptiles available for adoption before you buy from Petco or Petsmart.

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    EcoVivarium - Python wrangling!

    Python wrangling!

    EcoVivarium
    EcoVivarium

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    Butterfly Jungle

    Butterfly Jungle

    3.5(6 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    Annual spring exhibit that's known for butterfly interactions and long-ass lines…read more Is it worth it? If you've seen it once you can probably skip it. The problem isn't butterfly jungle, it's the poor timing of butterfly season which is during spring break for SoCal schools. Even during midweek it was 20 minutes waiting. During a Saturday you're looking at an hour. There is one large viewing aviary loaded with butterflies. There are plenty of opportunities to have butterflies land on you if you're patient. I would say that adults were having more fun with this experience than the kids. - There are two mandatory butterfly checking stations before you can leave Butterfly Jungle. If you think TSA searches are embarrassing just wait for the security checks here.

    I come every year to this exhibit, and whether I pay for priority viewing or not, the wait time is…read moresoooo long for maybe ten minutes of wandering the enclosure. It's basically a 2-hour wait if you don't pay, and upwards of an hour if you do. Overall, I don't recommend this exhibit. It's too crowded as it is. Joking, not joking! Well, my best tip is to wear bright colors. Butterflies always land on me when I wear red or hot pink. P.S.- Fun fact: It sounds cruel, but the birds they keep there are to eat the butterflies when the exhibit ends. Enjoy~ Pros: - great photo ops Cons: - humid inside - long lines - priority viewing oversold

    Photos
    Butterfly Jungle - Apparently this guy wasn't supposed to be here...

    Apparently this guy wasn't supposed to be here...

    Butterfly Jungle
    Butterfly Jungle - Completely packed with people

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    Completely packed with people

    Elephant Valley - zoos - Updated May 2026

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