Out of Africa, Into Arizona
By Rebecca Antioco

If you’ve always wanted to canoodle with a reticulated giraffe, cavort with a zebra, or observe big cats at play, you’ll be glad there is a place like Out of Africa Wildlife Park. Situated on 104 acres in Camp Verde, the park relocated from its 16-acre locale at Fort McDowell in May, after the lease ran out on the old property. Most of the tram drivers and tour guides are longtime employees of the park, and are knowledgeable not only about the species, but the specific animals that you will see. They’ll call the animals by name and know how and when they came to Out of Africa.

The park is divided in two, keeping predators and prey animals a safe distance from one another. Lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, wolves, servals and hyenas populate the rolling hills of the Wildlife Preserve, accessible on foot or via tram. Raised platforms around the enclosed predator areas provide great vantage points for photos, while keeping visitors a safe distance away. Trams loop the Preserve continuously, allowing visitors to linger near a favorite animal or wait for a Kodak moment to present itself. For real excitement, visit the park on Wednesday, Friday or Sunday at 3 p.m., when the predators are fed.

On the Serengeti Safari side, Kibo and Pilgrim, two reticulated giraffes, eagerly await the approach of the Mercedes Unimog packed with visitors. More accurately, they anticipate the distribution of the biscuits aboard the Unimog. Kibo ducks his head and snakes his long tongue into the vehicle, grabbing the treat from a delighted guest. On the other side, at the urging of fellow passengers, a woman gingerly holds a biscuit between her teeth and squeals with (delight? surprise? disgust? all of the above?) as Pilgrim deftly licks the snack into his own mouth. All the while, a zebra lingers, then darts in and out of the brush to retrieve the biscuits tossed on the ground for him. In this area, visitors also encounter wildebeest, sable and various native birds, who drop in for a visit and a free meal. All the while, you can look up onto the hillsides and see the predator surveying their domain.

The park’s newest arrival is Jubilee, a baby tiger who can be seen frolicking with her best friend, Boma the English mastiff. Jubilee will be a part the popular Tiger Splash when it opens at Out of Africa later this year. The park itself is an ever-evolving and changing project, but visitors looking for a close encounter with the wild, without traveling halfway around the world, will be delighted.

If you go…

Out of Africa Wild Animal Park
Located 3 miles west of I-17 on Hwy. 260 in Camp Verde. Take exit 287 toward Cottonwood. Turn left on Verde Valley Justice Center Rd., then immediately right into the park. The park is than 30 minutes south of Sedona and about an hour and 15 minutes north of the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

928-567-2840
www.outofafricapark.com

Admission: $28; $20 (ages 3 to 12); $26 (ages 65+)
Annual memberships available.

Open Wednesday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(Admission closes at 4 p.m.)
Closed Monday and Tuesday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and July 4th.