From primates to the largest land mammals, Dubai Safari Park will soon open to public and on Sunday, September 29, it gave the media an exclusive look into what to expect.
The park opens for its sixth season on Tuesday, October 1, and has a long lineup of animal encounters that Nature lovers can enjoy, from feeding lemurs and baby rhinos to workshops young, aspiring wildlife rangers.
Here is what you can expect.
What's new at Dubai Safari Park?
On September 25, the park announced the arrival of three newborns — a white rhino and twin moon bears, following the park’s endangered species breeding programme.
Moon bears are classified as vulnerable and white rhinos are listed as near threatened by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, and the park is going to get visitors involved by giving them a chance to name the three new arrivals.
At a lemur feeding during the special event on Sunday, families got a chance to interact with these primates, that are native to Madagascar, and learn about their gentle, fun side. Rangers across the park make sure that visitors learn about the need to respect animals and their space and guide them on the best way to interact.
The park’s six zones cover wildlife from the Arabian peninsula, Asia and Africa, along with the chance for children to interact with farm animals and families to enjoy their time in the sun at a dedicated open park.
The different enclosures at Dubai Safari Park are:
Arabian Desert Safari
Arabian Desert Safari is a drive-through attraction, which will give you a glimpse into the historic nomadic desert of the Arabian Peninsula. Here you can expect to see the Arabian Wolf, the Arabia Oryx, and the Sand Gazelle.
Asian Village
The Asian Village will take you through the diverse wildlife of Asia, from forests to pristine ponds. Here you can expect to see the Moon Bear, the Gibbon, as well as Mandarin ducks.
Explorer Village
The Safari Village drive through is the main attraction of the Dubai Safari, where you will be taken on a bus to spot animals from Asia and Africa, including cheetahs, hippos, giraffes, impalas, and zebras.
African Village
With the African Elephant being the ‘hero animal’ of this pavilion, visitors can expect to see magnificent creatures from the African continent, including white lions, gorillas, and hyenas.
Kids Farm
The kids farm, as the name suggests, is a great experience for children, allowing them to interact with farm animals, including sheep, donkeys, ponies, goats, ducks, and birds.
Al Wadi
Al Wadi, which is Arabic for ‘the valley’, allows visitors to relax and have a picnic, with options to eat either at restaurants or to grab a snack from outlets.
Spanning over 119-hectares – or around 166 football fields – the park also provides the option to buy tickets with a train pass. which takes visitors from one enclosure to another.
What is the cost of Dubai Safari Park tickets?
There are various packages offered by Dubai Safari Park, based on what the visitors would like to do. Prices are not inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) of five per cent:
Safari Park Pass
Adult - Dh50
Child - Dh20 (Age group 3 to 12 years)
It gives you access to all offers a walking tour through Al Wadi to African, Asian and Explorer villages, in addition to live shows, children’s farm and 15 minutes’ shuttle tour at the Arabian Desert zone.
Safari Park Pass with train
This ticket gives you unlimited access to a shuttle train through all the six
Adult - Dh75
Children - Dh45
Explorer Safari tour add-on:
You can also add on an Explorer Safari experience, which gives you a 35-45 minute ride on a Safari bus through the Explorer Village:
Add-on price: Dh50
Apart from these tickets, you can also purchase animal feeding experiences, which range from Dh20 to Dh50 or group packages for safaris, behind the scenes access or wildlife photography.
How can I reach Dubai Safari Park?
The Dubai Safari Park is located in the Al Warqa 4 district, off E44, Ras Al Khor Road. To reach the park, you would need to first take E311 – Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road – and take Exit 52. The exit will be number 52, regardless of whether you are coming from the direction of Sharjah or Abu Dhabi. The exit will take you towards Dragon Mart, which will fall on your right. Follow directions for Dubai Safari Park, which will fall on the left side of the road. Take a u-turn from the first roundabout to reach Dubai Safari Park, which will then be on your right.
