The Dubai Safari Park has introduced a special summer pass ticket and for the first time the facility will remain open to public during the summer months. This was revealed by the Dubai Municipality on the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) on Monday.
“Last year we trialled this experience and studied the sleeping and feeding patterns of our animals,” said Ahmed Ibrahim AlZarouni, Head of Public Parks and Recreational Facilities Department at Dubai Municipality.
“It was a success last year, so this year we wanted to open it to public. We wanted to choose the best time of the day for the animals to come out without being affected by the heat. Based on that, we are opening just limited daily batches of tickets available to small groups of up to 10 people.”
The summer pass will operate in the non-seasonal months from June to September, featuring three experiences- Summer Tours, Summer Safari Journey, and Walk In The Wild. The tours are a two-hour private experience hosted once in the morning and evening. It includes the safari experience as well as different animal encounters.
The Safari Journey offers two adventures in a private, air-conditioned vehicle accommodating up to 10 guests. It is the 90-minute guided Walk in the Wild tour that will give thrill-seekers the opportunity to have an up-close encounter with wildlife in the early morning. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature, observe animals in their natural habitats and capture memorable photos.
Also Read: Riyadh Air is strengthening its fleet with new purchase orders in preparation for its launch in 2025
Soaring visitor numbers
Home to over 3,000 animals and 300 different species, Dubai Safari Park has seen a huge surge in visitor and sales number. During 2023, the park witnessed 755 per cent growth in travel trade sales.
Encompasses six zones- Al Wadi, African Village, Explorer Village, Arabian Desert Safari, Asian Village and Kids’ Farm- the 119 hectare park also hosts daily educational presentations at scheduled times throughout the day.
Dubai Safari Park also undertakes a wide range of welfare and conservation strategies to help animals and native fauna thrive. The park also contributes to the conservation of endangered and vulnerable species through international breeding programmes and external rescue missions, while numerous innovative technologies are integrated into the Park’s physical infrastructure to ensure animals are comfortable throughout the year.
Animals’ comfort
According to Ahmed, a lot goes into making sure that the animals stay comfortable throughout the year. “Our animals come from all over the world from various habitats, temperatures and parts of the world,” said Ahmed. “We try to recreate that here. Their areas are temperature controlled and specifically designed to make sure they have everything they may need to stay comfortable.”
He gave the example of the elephants in the park. “We have built a huge pool built for them to play around in,” he said. “They need the mud to play in so this pool mimics the actual animal habitat.”
