Just about everyone knows about the awesomeness of the San Diego Zoo, but I hadn’t heard of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park until we moved here. We first went about a year ago, but I had been wanting to go back to see the recently completed Tiger Trail, and to see the baby rhino. So, a few weeks ago, we drove out to Escondido for an adventure.
The Safari Park is similar in some ways to the regular San Diego Zoo, but the design is more spread out and there is a huge savanna-like area where several types of animals all hang out together. Visitors can look out over that area from where Toby and I are standing below, or pay extra for a caravan safari that involves riding in the back of a truck through the savanna and hand-feeding giraffes (and sometimes rhinos). We did the caravan safari the first time we were there, and it was fantastic. You feel a little bit like you’re entering Jurassic Park when you drive in and they clang the gates behind you, but putting palm fronds in a giraffe’s mouth is pretty surreal.
There are also some other safaris available — including one that involves sleeping in tents at the zoo overnight — but on this trip, we just walked around the park and didn’t do any extras.
Our first stop was the Tiger Trail, which has several tigers in different enclosures to look at. Lots of people were clumped around the first tiger, but we were able to see three tigers along the trail, including this gorgeous guy (or girl?).
As excited as I was about the tigers, the reason we wanted to go ASAP was to see the baby rhino, Chutti. He was born Nov. 27 and had been nursed by his mother at first, but when he wasn’t gaining weight like he needed to, keepers took him to hand raise (and hand feed) him. He hangs out with a cow named Moo Moo Kitty so he won’t get sad. It’s basically the cutest thing ever. You can watch a video of the pair here.
Since it is a Safari Park, there aren’t any penguins or polar bears or other cold-weather animals. But they do have some bald eagles (both were injured, so they can’t fly), gorillas, flamingos, condors, lions and elephants.
We were able to see an elephant being fed and checked by a zoo keeper, which was amazing. She would just signal and the elephant would put its foot up, turn around, lift its trunk or do whatever she wanted it to do.
I decided to be thematic, as usual, and wore my elephant shirt (with a tank top underneath, since it’s obviously transparent!) and my New Balances, since I knew we would do tons of walking. There is a tram that you can take around the park, but we skipped it so we could get a little exercise. Even without going on one of the special safaris, it was a really fun day. If you’re in the area, please consider driving out to Escondido to check it out. And say hello to Chutti for us!
Outfit details: Shirt: J.Crew for David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (gray or white), Jeans: American Eagle (old), Shoes: New Balance (old, similar here and here) Necklace: Madewell (old, similar here), Bag: Kate Spade (old), Sunglasses: Kate Spade, Bracelet: Purchased at Cameron Trading Post in Arizona, Earrings: Purchased in Italy