virginia park safari

Virginia Safari Park

229 Safari Lane, Natural Bridge, VA 24578 Phone: (540) 291-3205

www.virginiasafaripark.com

180 Acre Drive-Thru Adventure featuring over 1,000 free roaming animals from around the world. Come feed, pet, and enjoy!

Drive through or take a public tractor-driven wagon.

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Virginia Safari Park – 180 Acre Drive-Thru Adventure

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I-81 Exit 180 or 180 B

Safari Village features 10 acres of walk-thru exhibits including Tiger Territory and cheetahs, Giraffe Feeding Station, petting area, Kangaroo Walk-About, free flight bird aviary, reptile house, monkeys & more!

Gift shop, picnic shelter, wheelchair accessible. Credit cards accepted. Adult, senior, child and group rates. Active military discount with ID. No pets allowed; non-smoking facility.

SAFARI DRIVE-THRU

Drive along 3 miles of road in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. With the Blue Ridge Mountains as your backdrop, animals of all sizes, shapes and colors approach your vehicle in search of a tasty bucket of feed!

• Llamas, camels, antelope, deer, bison, ostrich, elk, zebra and many more animals!

SAFARI VILLAGE WALK-THRU AREA & PETTING ZOO

Stroll along the pathways where you will find a wide variety of exhibits everyone can enjoy!

• Feed goats, potbelly-piglets and baby llamas in the petting area.
• Feed giraffes directly out of your hand!
• Enter select habitats for an interactive experience you will never forget!

540-291-3205

september, 2024

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Getting To the Valley – Train

Amtrak  – You can reach the Valley directly by train by traveling to the Amtrak station in Staunton, or indirectly by traveling to stations in short driving distance in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, the Washington, D.C. area, and in Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, West Virginia.  Also see  Amtrak Virginia .

Getting To the Valley – Plane

Airports within the Shenandoah Valley

If you are travelling by air, you can skip the rental car and schedule a private car service with Shenandoah Shores Management Group (SSMG). Our experienced drivers will pick you up from the airport and drop you off at your destination. And they can safely drive you to any other locations in the area.

Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport  Weyer’s Cave, VA (SHD) Roanoke Regional Airport   Roanoke, VA (ROA)

Airports a short driving distance from the Shenandoah Valley Baltimore Washington International Airport  (take I-70 west to I-81, then go south) Ronald Reagan National Airport  (Arlington) (take US-50, Va-7, or I-66 west to the Valley) Washington Dulles Airport  (take US-50, Va-7, or I-66 west to the Valley) Richmond International Airport  (take I-64 west to the Valley) Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport  (take I-64 west to the Valley) Blue Ridge Regional Airport  (Martinsville, Virginia)

Getting To the Valley – Car

Interstate 81 is the main north-south route to and through the Shenandoah Valley.

From the Northeast take Interstate 76 or Interstate 78 west to Interstate 81 south.

From the Northwest take Interstate 76 east to Interstate 70. At Hagerstown, MD take Interstate 81 south into the Shenandoah Valley.

To reach the Valley from the east, the main highways are Interstate 66, which brings you directly from the Washington, D.C. area and connects with I-81 near Strasburg, VA.

Interstate 64, which brings you directly from Richmond and connects with I-81 near Staunton. From the west, I-64 is again the most direct route, coming from West Virginia and linking to I-81 near Lexington, VA.

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Virginia Safari Park

There’s a place right around the corner nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains and teeming with wild animals. At Virginia Safari Park, a meandering driving path winds through 180 acres of wildlife. The park aims to replicate a natural habitat for the animals as much as possible. Emphasizing human-animal communication, the park lets visitors feed the animals directly, right from their cars. Virginia Safari Park has been recognized as a great family outing and was recently awarded sixth place in the “Top 10 Animal Attractions in the U.S.” list by FamilyFun magazine.

For a compelling alternative to driving, check out the 10-acre village walk-through. This area comprises a giraffe feeding station that’s raised to bring visitors eye-to-eye with the long-necked animals; the tiger territory, an area featuring Bengal tigers; a budgie adventure aviary where visitors can feed vibrant birds that like to rest on hands; a kangaroo walk-about where visitors can observe the fun marsupials; and a petting area with goats, pigs, chickens and llamas. There are a number of other exhibits in the village as well as wagon rides. / Natural Bridge; virginiasafaripark.com; Admission: $17.95 for adults, $16.95 for seniors, $11.95 for children, free for children 1 year and under; additional $6.50 per person for wagon rides

2015 Summer Guide

(July 2015)

Virginia Safari Park

180 Acre Drive-Thru Adventure featuring over 1,000 free roaming animals from around the world. Come feed, pet, and enjoy! Active military receives a FREE bucket of animal feed! Check website for admission rates and seasonal hours of operation.

229 Safari Lane Natural Bridge, VA 24578

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Virginia Safari Park

Unlike any zoo you’ve ever been to, this is 180 acres of drive-through Safari adventure, featuring 1000 free-roaming animals. Llamas, camels, antelope, deer, bison, ostrich, elk, zebra, and more might approach your vehicle looking for a bucket of feed. Safari Village also includes 10 acres of walk-thru exhibits.

virginiasafaripark.com 229 Safari LN, Natural Bridge, VA 24578 540-291-3205

10 Animals You'll See At The Virginia Safari Park

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Virginia Safari Park is a drive-through safari adventure with a Village Walk-Thru option. This wildlife safari park is a great attraction to add to your bucket list.

What sets this safari park apart from zoos and other parks is its mission. Virginia Safari Park emphasizes the importance of conservation, and the animals in their care are not there solely for entertainment purposes but for conservation and education purposes as well.

Of course, the wide array of animals is also an appeal. With over 80 different species, Virginia Safari Park cares for a wide variety of animals, including birds, cats, turtles, monkeys, rhinos, and kangaroos. This article includes a list of ten amazing animals you will see when visiting Virginia Safari Park.

• Address: 229 Safari Ln, Natural Bridge, VA 24578
• Hours: Monday-Sunday 9 am-5 pm
• Cost: Adult (13-64)- $26.95, Senior (65+)- $24.95, Children (2-12)- $18.95, Under 1-free
• Nearby hotel: Natural Bridge Historic Hotel and Conference Center, 15 Appledore Ln, Natural Bridge, VA 24578

Related: The Best U.S. Zoos Offer More Than Self-Guided Tours

One of Virginia Safari Park’s featured animals is the giraffe, more specifically, the reticulated giraffe. This type of giraffe is known for being the smallest of the nine giraffe subspecies.

When visiting the safari park, visitors are able to feed the giraffes while embarking on the Village Walk-Thru. Romaine lettuce leaves are available for purchase, and many visitors enjoy feeding these leafy greens to the animals. When feeding these gentle giants, simply place the lettuce in your hand, and the giraffes will scoop it up with their long tongues!

9 African Penguin

Another must-see animal at Virginia Safari Park is the African penguin. This park is home to a whole group of penguins. Something special about this safari park is visitors have the option to meet the penguins up close! For $40, an animal care specialist will take you inside the penguin enclosure. While interacting with the penguins, the animal care specialist will share information on how the birds are cared for. This special meet-and-greet option is titled Penguin Encounter.

• Times: 11:15 am and 3 pm daily
• Cost: $40 per person
• Important: check in 30 minutes before the scheduled Penguin Encounter

Virginia Safari Park is also home to the Southern White Rhino. The Southern White Rhino is native to Africa and has a typical lifespan of 40-50 years. This magnificent creature is also the second largest land mammal on Earth !

Similar to the African penguins, visitors can also meet the Southern White Rhino up close. The park’s Rhino Encounter package retails for $50, including a close-up encounter with the stunning animal and an information session with an animal care specialist. While some people opt for overnight zoos , these animal encounters offered at Virginia Safari Park are a great, beginner-friendly way to interact with wildlife.

• Time: 1 pm daily
• Cost: $50 per person
• Important: check in 30 minutes before the scheduled Rhino Encounter

The safari park also boasts adorable marsupials, such as the kangaroo. Part of the park’s Village Walk-Thru trail is the Kangaroo Walk-About, an area where you can observe these cute creatures. The Walk-About features a viewing area where you can watch the kangaroos jump and prance around.

Both mother kangaroos and joeys (their babies) can be spotted at the safari park. A joey typically sits inside its mother’s pouch, so keep an eye out for babies poking out of the mother kangaroos’ pouches.

6 Giant Anteater

Virginia Safari Park also cares for many giant anteaters, also known as ant bears. Native to Central and South America, this mammal can survive in various habitats. Giant anteaters also have quite an appetite, eating around 35,000 ants and termites each day !

Giant anteaters are currently considered a vulnerable species due to their native habitat declining in size. Virginia Safari Park, among other parks and organizations, works to protect this species and give them access to a safe space to live.

Related: These Are The World's Best Zoos To Visit In 2022

5 King Vulture

This Central and South American bird, scientifically known as sarcoramphus papa, can also be found at Virginia Safari Park. King vultures can grow to 2.5 feet tall and weigh 8 pounds, making them one of the largest New World vultures .

With unique physical features and coloring, these king vultures are a must-see. These birds don black, white, and gray feathers, but the most striking feature is their colorful faces. Their faces and beaks include hues of purple, red, orange, blue, and yellow.

4 Dromedary Camel

Virginia Safari Park is also home to the dromedary camel, the tallest species of camel. These mammals are over 7 feet tall and can weigh up to 1,600 pounds . One of the park's resident camels is Jasper, a charming animal and fan favorite on the park's Instagram account.

Having adapted to the desert landscape, dromedary camels have two rows of eyelashes to keep sand out of their eyes. Their footpads are also designed to walk over the desert sands. Virginia Safari Park works hard to ensure their dromedary camels are comfortable in their park environment.

Related to the anteater, the sloth is another animal found at Virginia Safari Park. Two sloths, Flash and Priscilla, currently reside at the park. These two sloths engage in typical sloth behavior, including moving at a slow pace, hanging onto tree branches upside down, and sleeping.

Sloths are also part of the Animal Encounter program. Visitors who sign up for the Sloth Encounter can meet and feed Flash and Priscilla, as well as learn more about these creatures from an animal care specialist.

• Time: 2 pm daily
• Important: check-in 30 minutes before the scheduled Sloth Encounter

2 Bengal tiger

Arguably one of the coolest animals at the safari park is the Bengal tiger. Virginia Safari Park’s mission is to help conserve wildlife and protect species. The Bengal tiger is a prime example of one such species that is currently endangered and needs protection. In India, where these tigers live in the wild, tiger reserves are created . At Virginia Safari Park, the tigers live in carefully crafted habitats that are kept up by care specialists. The two tigers currently residing at the park are named Nikita and Indira.

1 King Cheetah

The number one must-see animal at Virginia Safari Park is the king cheetah. In fact, Virginia Safari Park is the only zoo in America with a king cheetah. It is also estimated that there are as few as ten king cheetahs left in the wild . King cheetahs are endangered and the rarest African cat.

Virginia Safari Park actually cares for two king cheetahs, siblings Sully and Shani. Instead of sporting typical cheetah spots, these king cheetahs’ coats display splotchy patterns.

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Virginia Safari Park – Natural Bridge, VA

Virginia Safari Park is located in Natural Bridge, Virginia at 229 Safari Lane.  It is very close to Interstate 81, making it a great place to stop on a road trip through Virginia. There are plenty of signs along the highway, leading to the safari park.  

When arriving, admission is charged as you pull in.  Tickets can be purchased online to ensure entry on a particular day. Note the last car entry is permitted an hour and a half before closing time. You can also purchase buckets of animal feed and sticks to feed the budgies online or at the entrance gate.  

After entering the park, it’s possible to park at the gift shop to use the restrooms before heading through the drive-thru safari.

There is an option to feed from a wagon, but we chose to go through the Safari in our own car.  This can be very messy, but full of laughs and fun!  The animals are very smart, some will stand in front of your car to get you to stop, while others will approach the windows from the side.  

If arriving fairly close to opening, and the animals can be very interactive.  The animals will eat right out of the food buckets, but be careful because they can take the bucket right out of your hand.

During the Safari, we saw and fed many animals, including ostriches, llamas, deer, elk, pot-bellied pigs, and many more.  The drive-thru portion took about an hour on a non-busy weekday.

After driving through the safari, there’s a village to walk thru. Park at the gift shop, and head to the village entrance. The village has kangaroos, reptiles, giraffes, tigers, goats, and more.

Budgie Adventure Aviary

A highlight of the walk-thru village is the budgie (parakeets) adventure aviary. Budgie feeding sticks are available at the gift shop or outpost gift shop.

Tips for visiting Virginia Safari Park

Ask for extra buckets at the cashier.  Then, use the extra buckets to put a smaller amount of feed in to offer to the animals.  They will most likely eat all that is offered and you’ll run out of food quickly if you offer full buckets.

Your car will need to be vacuumed after the Safari, as the animals are not neat eaters!

Post Author: karenbeth24

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Natural bridge hotel amenities & policies, about the natural bridge hotel in virginia, weddings & elopements, natural bridge event planning & catering, family / military reunions, colonial dining room at natural bridge hotel, visit the red fox tavern in natural bridge, things to do in natural bridge, the caverns at natural bridge, visit the history museum at natural bridge, the virginia opry in natural bridge, events & happenings, trademark collection, join wyndham rewards, experience the unique virginia safari park.

There is so much to do when you visit Natural Bridge, including exploring the Virginia Safari Park ! This Natural Bridge zoon is drive -thru a zoo with hundreds of free-roaming animals.   This unique experience gives you the opportunity to  get up close and personal with the animals and feed the m  right from your car.  From a farm petting zoo to penguins to rhinos,  this safari park packs a lot into a day at the zoo .  

You can easily spend an entire day at the safari, but you’ll need to fi ll  the rest of your trip to  the Blue Ridge  Mountains . Get our complimentary Vacation Guide to start planning your wildest getaway yet!

GET THE VACATION GUIDE TODAY!  

Everything  Y ou  N eed to  K now  About   Virginia Safari Park  

What to  expect.

The  park  is 180 acres with the main attraction being the  3+ mile  S afari  D rive-thru.   There is also the Safari V illage which is more like a traditional zoo where you walk around and view the animals.  

What Can You  Do?  

When you first enter the park, buy some animal feed  and hit  the  Safari Drive-thru. Feed the free-roaming animals like camels ,  elk , and  ostriches.   This can take a while because the animals are known to lay in the middle of the road for as long as they like.  Once you make it through, park  your  car  and enter the S afari Village. You’ll have the chance  to feed gira ffes and budgie s, observe the tiger territory, pet farm animals, visit the penguins, and walk among kangaroos! For an extra fee, you can also have an up-close encounter with rhinos, sloths, or penguins. If you get hungry, there is a café with concession stand food.

How Much Is It?  

Adults are $29.95, while seniors 65 and older sa ve two dollars on their tickets. Kids between the age s of two and 12 are $21.95, and k ids under two are free. Prices can vary by the season, so be sure to check their website for any changes to their tickets.

When Can You Go?  

Virginia Safari Park is open seven days a week from March t hrough  November.  Hours vary based on the season, but the park always opens at 9 a.m. and closes anytime between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The last car is typically admitted an hour and a half before closing.   C heck  the hours  and get details before your visit .  

What Else Do You Need to Know?  

Your  ticket is  g ood all day, so you can leave the park for lunch and come back.  For  the Safari Drive-thru, a ll cars must have doors, and doors must remain closed. You can’t bring in your own animal feed or any pets.  

Relax at the Natural  Bridge Hotel

After you take a walk on the wild side, you’ll want a place to rest. Natural Bridge H otel is perfect because we’re just five miles from Virginia Safari Park! To make the most out of your adventure with the family , we recommend our Family Fun Outdoor Package . This package includes overnight accommodations, breakfast each morning , and two adult and two  child   tickets to the Natural Bridge State Park and the Caverns at Natural Bridge. If it’s just you and that special someone, we have several   other packages available.

We offer comfortable  Main Inn Rooms ,  Premium Second-Floor Balcony Rooms ,  Guest Rooms on Cottage Hill , and Veranda Rooms . With more than 150 rooms to choose from, you’re sure to find  the  one  for you !

Check our availability to start planning your adventure in Natural Bridge!

Southern White Rhino

King cheetah, two-toed sloth, giant anteater, reticulated giraffe, quick facts, featured animals.

Learn more about some of our most popular resident animals – including king cheetahs and rhinos. Discover their diet, their native habitats and what you can do to help them thrive in the wild.

We LOVE Virginia Safari Park. There are so many animals to see and feed,”

Other Animals

In addition to our featured animals above, the Virginia Safari Park is home to 80 other species. You’ll have a chance to observe pythons, monkeys, owls, tortoises and other animals on our grounds.

Our Mission

Children of all ages love to learn about our animals. Print coloring pages and find out about educational group visits. Learn more

Conservation

At Virginia Safari Park, we have continuing partnerships with international organizations that help endangered animals in the wild. Read about these conservation efforts. Learn more