It has been three months since the opening of Dubai’s newest attraction…the Dubai Safari Park.
I decided to delay my first visit to the park until the dust settled and it was worth the wait! Even though the 120-hectare wildlife park in Al Warqa area is not fully finished, there is plenty to keep you entertained.
Once fully complete, 2500 animals will call this place their home. I was happy to see spacious and nicely designed enclosures with the well-being of the animals kept in mind. They even have Air Conditioning to keep them cool ( if you travel to Dubai in summer you know what I mean 🙂 )
TIP: ARRIVE EARLY TO AVOID QUEUES AND MID-DAY HEAT!
The entire park is divided into five zones. One of them is the actual Safari tour and for this, you need to purchase a separate ticket or purchase combo ticket at the entrance ( see details at the end of this post ).
Transport between the different zones is serviced by buses and open trams.
ZONES :
- Arabian Village: Take a 15min ride on the open train through sand dunes and watch animals native to the Middle East region, such as Oryx, Gazelles, and Antelopes.
- Asian Village: Spot a Moon Bears, Gibbons or Komodo Dragons. The Sea Lion theatre is not open yet.
- African Village: Walk between massive Baobab trees, visit UAE largest Aviary and Reptile house in this self-walking zone filled with fun things to do and see. If you love Meerkats same as I do, this is the place for you 🙂
- Wadi Area: Beautifully landscaped valley with a river, walking paths and lush greenery. Perfect for a picnic or a nap under the trees.
- Safari Village: Exciting 40min Safari drive-through water and land. Watch carefully for White Rhinos, Tigers, Girrafes, and Crocodiles. Easily the highlight of the day!
ARABIAN VILLAGE
ASIAN VILLAGE
AFRICAN VILLAGE
WADI AREA
SAFARI VILLAGE
The Good :
- Beautifully landscaped park with a huge amount of greenery
- Affordable entrance fee
- Friendly staff
- Large and very enjoyable Safari with a lot of animals
- Two huge play areas for Kids
Not So Good :
- It was dirty during my visit, buses full of rubbish, chewing gums etc. Hmmm
- No restaurants are open yet, but they have food trucks.
- Food trucks only accept cash ( except one )
- The glass viewing panels into the animals enclosures were scratched and dirty, it was difficult to take a decent shot
Currently, the Spanish global park operator Parques Reunidos is taking over the Dubai Safari’s day-to-day operations, so we should see some improvements soon !
INFO :
- Tickets: AED 50 / Kids 20 & Combo with Safari AED 85 / Kids AED 30
- Open daily from 9am till 7pm
- Accessible by car only – from Dubai Marina 40min / Dubai Downtown 20min
- Area – Al Warqa / opposite Dragon Mart
VERDICT :
Despite few “glitches”, I have really enjoyed my time in the park and spent more than four hours discovering all the different areas, exhibits and interactive experiences. It is a perfect place to escape the city, relax and have a fun day out for a very fair price!
THANK YOU FOR VISITING
COME BACK SOON & don’t forget to follow
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