"This was absolutely awesome. Especially including the safari I felt like I transported to South Africa and the care for conservation and biodiversity does not go unnoticed. Took my boyfriend here from Orange County LA for his Birthday we had the best time EVER! And make sure you stop by Mkutano House for a sick lunch with elephants !"
Escondido · San Diego County · 1,800 Acres
San Diego Zoo Safari Park Tickets
The San Diego Zoo's 1,800-acre sister park in Escondido, where giraffes, rhinos and antelope share open savanna. The 1-Day Pass is sold by San Diego Zoo and includes the Africa Tram, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Official ticket
From
$78
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.4 / 5 333+ Reviews
- 1,800-Acre Park Escondido, San Diego County
- Official Pass Sold by San Diego Zoo
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Safari Park Ticket Includes
One visit to the Safari Park, the Africa Tram ride across the savanna, and the park's regularly scheduled shows.
Highlights
- Get nose to nose with the lions
- Feel the thrill of walking beside elephants in the immersive new Elephant Valley
- See over 140 bird species in the aviary
- Admire the majestic California condor
- Spend an amazing day on your "African Safari"
What's Included
- Entrance to The San Diego Zoo Safari Park
- Africa Tram Safari
- All shows
- Panda Ridge Access
How to Book Safari Park Tickets
Pick a day, book online, and scan your mobile ticket at the gate in Escondido.
Choose the Safari Park, or both parks
The 1-Day Pass covers one visit to the Safari Park with the Africa Tram. If you also want the Zoo in Balboa Park, the 2-park ticket covers one visit to each for $130 per person.
Pick your date
Choose the day at checkout. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before, which the park's own tickets do not allow.
Book and get a mobile ticket
Your ticket is sold by San Diego Zoo, the operator, and arrives by email for instant confirmation.
Drive to Escondido and scan in
The park is about 35 miles north of downtown San Diego. Park in the main lot ($20 a car), scan your ticket at the entrance and head for the Africa Tram first.
Photo Gallery
The Safari Park in Pictures
The savanna from the Africa Tram, the lion camp, the aviaries and the new Elephant Valley.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Compare Safari Park Ticket Options
The official 1-Day Pass next to the 2-park ticket and a city pass, with prices checked in October 2026.
| Feature | OFFICIAL TICKET Safari Park 1-Day Pass | Zoo + Safari Park 2-Day | Go City San Diego Pass Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (adult) | $78 | $130 | From $149 |
| Sold by | San Diego Zoo | San Diego Zoo | Go City |
| What's included | One Safari Park visit + Africa Tram + shows | One visit to each park (or two to either) + Africa Tram + Skyfari + guided bus tour | Zoo or Safari Park + 40+ other San Diego attractions |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before | Free up to 24 hours before | Not refundable |
| Best for | A savanna day with a car | Two days, both parks | Several big sights on one pass |
| Rating | 4.4 (333 reviews) | 4.7 (104 reviews) | 4.1 (91 reviews) |
| Check Dates | See the 2-Day Ticket | See the Pass |
Other Ways to Book the Safari Park
Add the Zoo on a second day for $130 in total, book the Zoo on its own, or fold the Safari Park into a city pass.
Safari Park Notes
Safari Park Tickets, Explained
What the ticket covers, when the 2-park ticket pays off, and how to plan a day 35 miles from the city.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is the Zoo’s second, much bigger site: about 1,800 acres of hills in the San Pasqual Valley near Escondido, where herds of giraffes, rhinos and antelope live together on open savanna instead of in separate enclosures. A Safari Park ticket is a different ticket from a San Diego Zoo ticket. One does not get you into the other, unless you buy the 2-park ticket.
What the 1-Day Pass covers
The ticket sold here is San Diego Zoo’s own 1-Day Pass, and GetYourGuide marks it as an official ticket. It includes:
- One visit to the Safari Park.
- The Africa Tram, a 2.5-mile guided ride around the savanna habitats. It is the park’s main event, so ride it early, before the line grows.
- All regularly scheduled shows and presentations.
It costs $78 per person on GetYourGuide, the same as the park’s own Any Day price, and you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before. The park’s own tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged once bought. The park also sells Value Days tickets online for $73 on selected dates, which are cheaper but just as non-refundable. (Prices checked in October 2026.)
When the 2-park ticket is the better buy
If you have two days in San Diego, the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park 2-Day Entry Ticket covers one visit to each park for $130 per person, against $156 for two separate 1-Day Passes. It also counts as two visits to either park if you would rather go to one twice. At the Zoo it includes the Skyfari tram and the guided bus tour, and at the Safari Park the Africa Tram.
Pick the ticket that fits your trip:
Safari Park only
Safari Park 1-Day Pass
The right ticket if the savanna is the point of the trip.
Check dates →Two days, both parks
Zoo + Safari Park 2-Day Ticket
Saves $26 against two 1-Day Passes, and covers the pandas at the Zoo.
See the 2-day ticket →Seeing several sights
Go City San Diego Pass Plus
Covers the Zoo or the Safari Park plus SeaWorld, LEGOLAND and the USS Midway. Not refundable.
See the pass →Prices, ratings and review counts from our October 2026 data check; operators use seasonal pricing, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.
The Zoo or the Safari Park?
They are run by the same organisation, but they are different days out. The Zoo in Balboa Park is close to downtown, dense and walkable, and it has the giant pandas. The Safari Park is a drive away and built around space: big mixed herds, the Africa Tram and, since 2026, the new Denny Sanford Elephant Valley, the largest project in the Alliance’s history. If you can only do one and the pandas matter, pick the Zoo. If you want the savanna feel and have a car, pick the Safari Park. Our Zoo vs Safari Park guide goes through the choice in detail.
Planning the day
- Getting there. The park is at 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, about 35 miles north of downtown San Diego, usually 45 minutes to an hour by car. There is no shuttle between the Zoo and the Safari Park.
- Parking. General parking is $20 per car, oversized vehicles $55, and preferred spaces start at $45. There are no in-and-out privileges. (Checked October 2026.)
- Hours. The park is generally open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with seasonal changes, so check the day you plan to go.
- How long to stay. Plan on most of a day. The Africa Tram alone takes a good part of an hour once you count the line, and the park is spread over hills.
- Deals by season. In October, children 11 and under get in free with a ticketed adult. In February, the Safari Park lets in guests aged 65 and over for free.
When you have picked your day, the Safari Park 1-Day Pass is the straightforward ticket: the operator’s own pass, with the Africa Tram and a refund window the park’s own tickets don’t give you.
Guest Reviews
What Visitors Say
4.4/5
from 333 verified visitors
"great time...of you only have time for one of the locations, personally, I would say go to the Balboa Park location, but both are awesome and well worth going to. Be aware, food and drink are very expensive and options aren't great, but tons of people just brought stuff with them. signs say no outside food or drink but people were coming in with coolers on wheels and no ones have them any trouble so it's apparently a rule that's not enforced. the place is huge, so plan on walking a good bit, but it really is a great zoo and worth the cost of entry all day long"
"Located 50 km from San Diego. Spacious and very well maintained. Very friendly staff. Be careful when buying tickets and don't confuse it with the San Diego Zoo, as happened to me😱 In the end, my daughters were happy because we went to both zoos."
"Rafting was great!! Frank was the best guide! Thanks for an epic trip"
"Excellent. Took our two grandkids and everyone, including the grandparents. Had a wonderful time."
"A+ for the experience! Very well organized, not too strenuous and the animals are amazing!"
"so much to do and so much fun, loved how the staff treated me and my daughter highly recommend"
"Amazing. Safari Park is the best animal experience in the world!"
Read all 333 verified reviews
See All ReviewsBook Your San Diego Zoo Safari Park Ticket
The official 1-Day Pass, sold by San Diego Zoo: one visit to the Safari Park, the Africa Tram and the scheduled shows, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from $78 per person.
Check Safari Park DatesSan Diego Zoo Safari Park: Questions Before You Book
The questions people ask most about Safari Park tickets, with answers checked in October 2026.
No. A San Diego Zoo 1-Day Pass is good for the Zoo in Balboa Park only, and a Safari Park 1-Day Pass is good for the Safari Park only. The one ticket that covers both is the 2-park ticket (the park calls it the 2-Visit Pass): one visit to the Zoo and one to the Safari Park, or two visits to either, for $130 per adult instead of $156 for two separate passes (checked October 2026).
The 1-Day Pass includes one visit to the Safari Park, the Africa Tram (a 2.5-mile guided ride around the savanna habitats) and all regularly scheduled shows and presentations. The park's paid add-ons, such as its small-group behind-the-scenes safaris, are extra and are booked with the park. Food, drinks and parking are not included.
The park's own Any Day 1-Day Pass costs $78 for ages 12 and up and $68 for children aged 3 to 11, and children 2 and under are free. Value Days tickets, sold online for selected dates only, cost $73 and $63. The ticket on this page is the same $78 pass sold through GetYourGuide, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before; the park's own tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged (prices checked October 2026).
General parking is $20 per car per day, oversized vehicles pay $55, and preferred parking starts at $45. Parking is first come, first served with no in-and-out privileges. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance members park free (checked October 2026).
Most visitors spend most of a day. The park covers about 1,800 acres of hills, the Africa Tram ride and its line take a good part of an hour, and the walking areas such as Elephant Valley, the lion camp and the aviaries are spread out. If you are driving from downtown San Diego, add 45 minutes to an hour each way.
No. The two parks are about 35 miles apart and there is no shuttle between them, so most visitors drive. Public transport to Escondido exists through the North County Transit District, but it takes much longer than driving.
It depends on what you want. The Zoo is close to downtown, compact and has the giant pandas. The Safari Park is a drive away but gives you open savanna, mixed herds and the Africa Tram. First-time visitors and families with young children usually start with the Zoo; anyone with a car and a second day should consider the 2-park ticket and do both.
The park is generally open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with seasonal changes such as later evenings during holiday events. Hours can change, so check the park's calendar for your date before you drive up.
Two regular ones. Every October, children 11 and under get in free with a ticketed adult (up to six children per adult). Every February, guests aged 65 and over get free admission to the Safari Park with a photo ID. Children 2 and under are always free.
The ticket on this page can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours before your visit. Tickets bought directly from the park are non-refundable and non-exchangeable once purchased.
Still have questions? Email us at info@san-diego-zoo-tickets.com