Just an hour away from Orlando is Busch Gardens Tampa! Busch Gardens is the best of both worlds, wrapping a first class theme park and zoo all in one! Busch Gardens Tampa not only has amazing roller coasters, cool animals to see, but also up close animal experiences to enjoy in the parks. A few days ago, I got to experience the Serengeti Safari which is an up close safari tour which gives you an up close experience with some animals that are commonly found in Africa. Some of the animals that you get to see up close are rhinos,ostriches, zebras, and giraffes! I wanted to share some details about the tour as well as what I thought about the experience!
First off here are some things you should know about the tour:
- The tour takes place in the back of a slow moving truck and you are standing the entire time so be prepared for that. Also there are no water or bathroom breaks on this tour so make sure you grab a drink and use the bathroom before you start the tour.
- The price for the tour is between $29.00 and $39.00 depending on the time of year, so check the website for current pricing
- This tour is very popular and fills up quickly so make sure you book your tour online before you go to the parks
- Tours are at different times of the day, so pick the one you want. I prefer the earlier tours as they do not seem to be as busy and the animals seem to be more active.
- BRING YOUR CAMERA for some amazing pictures! If you do not bring your camera, there is a camera person on board to get some photos for you to purchase.
- No bags are allowed on this tour but there are lockers provided for free!
Now on to my experience on the tour. We met at the Serengeti Outpost about 15 minutes prior to the tour time where I checked in. After checking in for the tour, I met with my tour guide. Once everyone was there and checked in, we went over what to expect on the tour, some safety information, and then we made our way over to the truck. Once on the truck we went over the safety information again and before we knew it we were off into the savannah. The truck ride was smooth and slow so no need to worry about your safety on this tour! We went into 2 different parts of the savannah which held different animals. You can see most of the animals from the train, however you do get to see some different animals that cannot be seen from the train and you get super close to them as well!!!
We saw a wide variety of animals on the savannah including black rhino, ostrich, two types of zebras and a ton of giraffes! The savannah was home to a few new babies and we got to see them along the way as well! My favorites were the baby giraffes! The best part of this tour was being able to spend some time up close with some of the giraffes and actually get to feed them. I have been to some places before to feed giraffes and this was not like anything I have experienced before. Places that I have fed before was one or two pieces of food, however on this tour we were given a ton of food to give to the more than happy giraffes. During the feeding the photographer is there to get pictures of you and your party with the giraffes. We spend a good bit of time (around 10 minutes) with the giraffes. The giraffe that came over to the truck was excited to be spend some time with us, but when the food ran out so did the time with the giraffe!
I absolutely loved the Serengeti Safari. I had a great experience with some amazing animals. For the price, you do get a lot of time with some real awesome animals that you do not get to interact with often! I love how Busch Gardens and SeaWorld are both committed to showcasing amazing animal interactions to help foster the love for these amazing animals. I also love how something as small as a 10 minute interaction with a giraffe can really change a person but that is what happens to me each and every time I have an interaction at one of these parks. At the end of the day if you love animals, want to get a closer look at them, or want an unforgettable experience then I highly recommend the Serengeti Safari at Busch Gardens Tampa!
So what about you? Have you ever been on this tour? If so, what did you think? If not, will you be doing the tour the next time you are at Busch Gardens Tampa?? Comment below and let me know!
Jason Mayhew
My name is Jason Mayhew, and I am the owner of OFF On The Go. When not traveling with the website, I own my own marketing and PR company, J Mayhew Marketing. I have the best job where I get to travel the world and showcase the most amazing and unique experiences!
