Take a walk on the wild side at Camp Verde's Out of Africa Wildlife Park
When was the last time you got to attend a tiger pool party, heft the weight of a giant python in your hands, or receive a sloppy smooch from a gentle-eyed giraffe? Expect this, and much more, at Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, Arizona. This 104-acre wilderness property is a sanctuary to countless exotic animals, providing a sprawling desert environment similar to their native Serengeti.
Visitors will immediately see that only the greatest care and respect is shown to the animals in this park. Unlike a zoo, individual habitats haven't been built to certain specifications or given "authentic" touches.
The hot, dry landscape, with its rocky terrain, gently sloping hills, and great variety of desert vegetation feels just like home to these animals. So aside from building a shelter or two, all the park had to do was build some fences. Stroll past these areas - or hop onto one of the free trolleys that run every 15 minutes - and spy grizzly bears, hyenas, wolves, Bengal tigers, black leopards, and lions.
Up Close and Personal
Every ticket to the park includes a 30-minute narrated tour of the African Bush Safari aboard an open-air school bus painted to mimic some of nature's more colorfully patterned animals. This safari leads into a separate area of the park, where residents roam free. Zebras, antelope, ostriches, and a dozen other animals walk right up to the bus, curiously eyeing the two-legged visitors, and looking for treats. Everyone is given a carrot upon boarding the bus, so when that 14-foot-tall giraffe suddenly sticks her head in, she's rewarded by dozens of arms holding out crunchy snacks.
A variety of shows run throughout the day, including the Giant Snake Show, Creature Feature, and Tiger Splash, in which park employees entice a frisky tiger to frolic and play in the pool using a variety of large, inflatable toys and balloons. Also, be sure to visit the aviary and the Reptile Resort, and sink your teeth into lunch at the Jungle Hut Eatery. For the more adventurous types, try the thrilling new Predator Zip Line, the only zip-line tour on the planet where participants soar directly above wild animal habitats.
Out of Africa Wildlife Park
3505 Camp Verde Bridgeport Highway
Camp Verde, Arizona
928-567-2840
outofafricapark.com
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., seven days a week, excluding Thanksgiving and Christmas
Admission: Adults, $29.95; seniors, $27.95; children ages 3-12, $14.95
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