Ever wanted to sleep in a tent next to animals? You don’t need to fly to Africa for it. At San Diego Zoo Safari Park, you can camp (or glamp) overnight and wake up to the sounds of animals.
Some of the tents are located right next to the new Elephant Valley area, which is scheduled to open to the public on March 5, 2026. While the Safari Park has cared for this herd of African elephants for years, they recently revamped the elephant habitat so there are more trees, plants, and walkways that let you look at the elephants closer than before.
The new Elephant Valley will also have a restaurant called Mkutano House. We tried some of the food and they were actually quite good. The menu was more elevated and creative than I expected with dishes like black cod with coconut curry and couscous. The outdoor dining area also offers views of the strolling elephants.
Camp overnight at the Safari Park with Roar & Snore Safari
Tents for the Roar and Snore at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
(Fiona Chandra)
Visiting the park for a day is great, but extending your visit to an overnight stay is even better. San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers a Roar & Snore Safari experience, where you can stay overnight at the designated camp area. The camp area is next to Elephant Valley as well as the rhinoceros habitat. It’s also a short walk to the lions’ habitat.
There are a few different tent and safari options, starting with a classic tent where you have to bring your own sleeping bags. I’m more of a glamper, so our tent was a premium tent that sleeps 5. It came with a queen bed, a bunk bed plus a trundle bed. They also provide sleeping bags for those sleeping in the bunk bed and there is a portable heater in the tent, so we definitely stayed warm through the night.
Inside the tent at Safari Park
(Fiona Chandra)
Our premium tent area was right next to the Elephant Valley and we could see the elephants from our window! There is a central area for toilets and sinks, but there is no shower. It’s only a one-night stay, anyway. The cheapest tent option starts at $205 per person, which includes dinner, breakfast, and special tours of the park described below.
Campers get special access to the Safari Park
The perks of camping overnight here is the after-hours access to the safari park. After the included dinner (burgers, hot dogs, or grilled chicken), guests go in groups for a guided night walk through the park. We visited the Sumatran tigers, the bald eagle, and attempted to spot a platypus. The guide uses red light so as not to bother the animals (most mammals are dichromats and can’t see red).
A tiger at the Safari Park
(Fiona Chandra)
In the morning, campers can wake up early and visit the lions’ habitat before the park opens to the public. It’s an early morning call for breakfast, but that’s because campers also get to go on the first safari tram tour of the day. After the tram tour, there was a special meet-and-greet with a couple of the wildlife ambassadors. During my experience, the ambassadors were the red river hog, Iggy, and a cute echidna.
While you need to pay for admission on the day of check-in, you can return on check-out day to explore the park again at your leisure. The Safari Park is large so we certainly took advantage of the free second day admission.
To see more of the experience, check out my Reel on Instagram below.