The family spent the weekend at Camp Verde and explored the local area. We visited both Montezuma’s Castle and Fort Verde and checked out the Out of Africa Wildlife Park. They’re a bunch to see at this zoo, and we didn’t see it all. They have shows and a safari you can go on, and you get a close encounter with animals at this zoo which is great.
There are many options to select for your visit to the park, from shows to memorable encounters. It is best to research what you want to see because you won’t be able to see it all.
Transportation
The park has shuttle buses that will pick you up at the ticket station and take you to any of the many stops around the zoo. The zoo is on a hill, so we took the shuttle to the topmost shuttle stop and started our adventure.
We got off the shuttle bus at station three, which put us next to the reptiles and between the leopards and tigers. We then started down the road and enjoyed the animals. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to see everything (if that is possible in one trip).
What Animals Do They Have?
They have a bunch of animals, but not all are from Africa. They have Bengal tiger, Siberian tiger, Water Buffalo, Wolf, and bears. You can see a complete list here.
You can get close to the animals at this zoo. The tigers aren’t far away, and it is probably the closest I have ever been to a tiger.
Jeep Safari Tour
We loaded up in a converted bus that didn’t have glass in the windows and took off on the Safari Tour. This is a 30-minute tour through one of their wide-open areas with many animal species. They had zebras, giraffes, antelope, and many more that I can’t remember the name of. The bus driver also doubles as the narrator of the adventure. The Safari Tour is included in your general admission ticket, so make sure to go on it. It is well worth it so you can get close to animals, and bring your camera for those animal pictures.
As we slowly drove through the encloser, the driver talked about the different animals we saw. She stops, throws out “treats” that the animals love, and the animals come closer to the bus. As you can see from my pictures, they get close to the bus, and the giraffes will get really close.
Special Encounters
They have several different unique encounters you can sign up for. For example, VIP Behind the Scenes Tour, Feed a Tiger, and SuperMog Adventure tour. These cost extra, and you can get more information here. We did not do any of the special encounters, but maybe next time we visit.
Shows
During the day, the Wildlife Zoo performs shows, such as the Tiger Splash and Creature Feature, which showcases some of the different animals, the Giant Snake Show, and Preator Feed. When you arrive, you should check the schedule of the show you want to see, or you can see the schedule here.
Food
There are several eating places sprinkled throughout the zoo. They carry the usual food like sandwiches, burgers, and hotdogs. There are also carts around the park where you can buy some water or candy if you want.
Conclusion
With tons of things for the entire family to see at this zoo, you might want to put it on your list of places to see, from the shows and memorable encounters to just visiting each animal. We didn’t see everything when we visited because we needed more time and didn’t check the schedule. It is essential to check out the show schedule because we missed out on a few shows.
If you go during the summer months, I advise you to go early. It can get hot walking around the zoo, and there isn’t much shade. Also, if you search the internet, you can probably find discount tickets to help with the cost of the zoo.
