Serengeti Safari at Busch Gardens Tampa – Meet Your Favorite Wild Friends!
It’s no surprise that Busch Garden Tampa is rated the #1 thing to do in Tampa on TripAdvisor. But with all there is to do at Busch Gardens Tampa, one of the biggest attractions you want to prioritize is the Serengeti Safari.
This award-winning 30-minute off-road tour is popular for a reason. It combines amazing photo opportunities with memories that will last a lifetime.
Explore Serengeti Safari’s Scenery in a Safari Truck
The adventure starts in an open-air off-roading truck, not unlike the Jeep drive-through set up of Jurassic Park. Although, we promise, the Serengeti Safari is completely safe – no dinosaurs in sight here! However, since the truck is open-air, there is a danger of sunburn, so just be sure to lather up on SPF 100, especially if you’re touring on a hot, summer day! (Honestly, that just makes the tour all the more authentic.)
You and your tour group will embark on a safari across the Busch Gardens Serengeti Plain, a wide expanse of the wildest 65 acres you’ll ever see. You’ll find yourself completely immersed in another world as the wind whips through your hair and breathtaking scenery stretches out before you. With rolling grasslands and fairly sparse shrubbery, it really does bear a striking resemblance to the actual Serengeti!
(Hey, Alexa, play “Africa” by Toto!)
Experience African Wildlife Like Never Before
One of the main highlights of the tour is how it features a unique, up-close look at the furry, leathery, and generally docile denizens of Africa. You’ll be led by an expert guide, who can tell you interesting facts about all the animals you see, helping you make the most of the sights and sounds. Asking questions is highly encouraged! Then you can impress your friends and family with all of your pictures and nifty, newfound knowledge!
For example, did you know a zebra’s stripes are as unique as your fingerprints? Each zebra is completely different! Additionally, even though their coat is black and white, their skin is totally black beneath those stylish stripes.1 (Are you impressed??)
In addition to hearing zebra facts, you’ll also get to see zebras. But that’s not all! Friendly antelope also roams these plains, as well as wildebeest (also known as gnu), and feathery, flightless ostriches. There are even several rhinos at Busch Gardens, although, as solitary creatures, it’s possible they’ll be busy hiding behind rocks instead of parading out in the open. If you get to glimpse one, consider yourself very lucky!
It’s a can’t-miss chance to see fascinating animals much closer, and in a far more natural setting, than you can at the zoo. Because the animals essentially get to roam as they please within the Serengeti, every tour will be different, so it’s something worth doing again and again!
Face-to-Face with the Serengeti’s Gentlest Giant
The tour comes complete with a once-in-a-lifetime giraffe feeding experience. While it’s not a 100% guarantee you’ll get to feed a giraffe (the animals aren’t made to do anything they don’t want to do; not like you could actually make a giraffe do anything!), chances for a feeding time are pretty high. With positive reinforcement in the form of lettuce or other leafy greens, the giraffes are generally as eager for this portion of the tour as you are! Visitors report giraffes loping toward the truck before they’ve even come to a complete stop!2
When it’s time to offer your greens to this god of the Serengeti, you’ll stand face to face with the bespotted creature and let it take the leaves from your hand with an incredibly long and dexterous tongue! As you marvel and as it munches, your guide will fill you in on all there is to know about these beautiful animals and their diets, lifestyles, and habitats. Oftentimes you can even stroke the giraffe’s neck and may earn yourself an affectionate nuzzle (or long-tongued kiss!) in the process. Don’t be shy!
Know Before You Go
Book a Babysitter
This tour only allows attendees ages 5 and up, so unfortunately, your littlest kiddos will have to stay at home for this one. That’s probably for the best since an off-road open-air tour vehicle and an up-close look at large animals might be a tad bit overwhelming for the little ones. However, it’ll strike wonder in the hearts of older children and adults alike, so we definitely recommend bringing kids if they’re old enough to stay safe and enjoy the tour! This experience is liable to create some lifelong animal lovers who genuinely care about the world around them.
Plan Ahead
Since this experience is so highly sought after and is reasonably price for what you get, we recommend making reservations in advance if you can. It’s not required, but it is encouraged. Since space is limited, if you’re traveling with a big group and want to make sure you can take the tour together, it really does pay to plan ahead.
One TripAdvisor reviewer advised booking your safari early in the day because it can get incredibly busy later in the day, meaning you’ll have less space in the vehicle to spread out and enjoy your adventure. (And you might have cooler weather in the morning, too, which is really nice depending on the time of year!) We think it definitely can’t hurt to try for a less busy time of day for the sake of comfort!
Don’t Forget Your Camera!
You won’t want to forget a single second of your Serengeti Safari, so seriously, double-check that you’ve got your camera (or smartphone) with you. After all, how often do you get to feed a giraffe?? #Serengeti selfie!
You might even want to bring your GoPro to capture your amazing, up-close animal experiences in National Geographic documentary-style!
Regardless of how you choose to capture your memories, we know you’ll want to look back at them again and again!
Have you ever fed a giraffe? Does it sound scary or exhilarating to you? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover Image
Photo: Unsplash
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