1. Elephant Valley

    1. Elephant Valley

    0

    Escondido, CA

    Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Elephant Valley

    4.3 (13 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Elephant Valley Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Elephant Valley

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos - Elephant Valley

    Kandy F.

    We were so excited to come check out the new renovation of the Elephant Valley at the SD Zoo Safari Park! It was still closed in January when we came last. The elephants are fun to watch. The early morning was watching them eat. It's crazy to say I enjoy watching them eat. Sometimes you'll see them all together. Sometimes you'll see them all spread out in different areas. They are massive beautiful creatures. We came around a couple of hours later. It was getting hot out already. We watched them put dirt on themselves. That must have been their way of putting on sunscreen! ;) It's fun to watch the elephants interact with each other. A very relaxing time!

    Minna N.

    What a beautiful new exhibit at San Diego Safari Park Escondido California. We've been a countless number of times and love how you really feel like you're fully immersed into the elephant habitat and walking among the gentle Giants. Because of the new opening, attendance on the weekends is extremely high, so be patient when walking through. On the plus side, avoid and go to the other exhibits for a more quiet experience.

    Jenna S.

    All the elephants were happy and the valley was great and there were misters to cool you down .

    Beef kabobs and fries from Mkutano food place in Elephant valley
    Kira C.

    Opening day of Elephant Valley was crowded, but they had excellent crowd control and performances all around the park! The Elephant valley is vast with plenty of room for the elephants on both sides with an under pathway through where people could walk, the elephants are so close and they had toys all over! They looked incredible happy and comfortable! Their is also a restaurant right there overlooking the elephants right by their watering hole that serves amazing food! A restraint with a 45 day reservation period, plus special sky lounge access for $10 per person! Definitely will be going their in the near future!! It was a beautiful, well thought out Elephant habitat with plenty of native trees and foliage and great design!!

    I was very excited to "walk with the elephants," by the way it looked online, and the price I paid. But I was disappointed. It ended up being a group of use walking along the same path as others not part of the group, with the tour guide stopping at different intervals giving facts about the elephants. The guide was nice and the information was interesting, but it wasn't much more than others who were walking the same way as us (except for one angle). Others who didn't pay an extra $50 could also hear the guide, for the most part. It was a bit disorganized. Families had children running around while we walked. This was not worth another $100 (tickets for 2), on top of the park admission. I'm sorry but we expected something a little more personal and up close. I recommend lowering the price or stepping up the experience. There was a video on social media of people walking along a path next to the elephants, it was misleading. And I understand that we can't be right there with them, but again, nothing much more than if we had just walked ourselves. Maybe also add a takeaway gift.

    Marcus F.

    This was my first visit to Elephant Valley even though I've been to the Wild Animal Park for decades. Perhaps the reason that I keep missing it is because this attraction's location is off the beaten path and away from the highly trafficked trails that most tourists take. There are two main elephant viewing areas. One is from the Elephant patio and the other is along service road outside Tembo Stadium. Both offer unique perspectives and if you like elephants you need to look at both locations. Back in the day you would be able to see the Elephants from the park's old WGASA (who gives a shit anyway) electric monorail.

    An elephant posing for us.

    See all

    17 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 14
    Thanks 8
    Love this 20
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenna S.
    32
    38
    15

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    27 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kira C.
    1
    28
    159

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lia R.
    0
    11
    1

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Vicki C.
    1297
    835
    1506

    8 years ago

    Helpful 30
    Thanks 0
    Love this 35
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Elephant Valley

    Review Highlights - Elephant Valley

    Highly recommend visiting at the San Diego safari park.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Zoos 460 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    San Diego Zoo Safari Park

    San Diego Zoo Safari Park

    4.2
    (3k reviews)
    0.2 mi

    It's been decades since I was last at the Safari Park. Back then it was with my son, now, with my…read moregrandson and the park is better than ever!!! The botanicals have matured and the dedicated staff had created a unique environment and experience in Escondido. The staff and volunteers are friendly and helpful. You can tell that they love being there to share their love for plants and animals. The paths are well planned for you to enjoy walking to the different parts of the world that we live in. The animals are beautiful to see. There is a lot to see and learn. I loved how to explore and learn about the diverse and unique environments of the planet. Interactive exhibits are placed around the paths, giving insights into the environments the animals live in. You leave with a unique appreciation and insight into how diverse the planet is. Lots of paid parking. Many "watering holes" for refreshments and food are available along the paths. Definitely a return visit call!!

    If you've not been on a safari, this would be a good start for an experience and kids would enjoy…read moreit, as well as adults. Warning: it's a huge safari park so expect to walk a lot! Bring a stroller or a wagon for young kids as it'll be a lot to carry them if you don't. Another pro tip is that if you have a few days, you can easily spend two, maybe three days here at this Safari park if your kids love to just look at the animals and/or engage the volunteer park service members with questions. They are ready to answer and engage your kids! Fantastic. When: we went twice at the end of June, once a Sunday and on a Tuesday. Experience: due to the June gloom, weather was nice and very tolerable compared to the usual summer heat. It was mostly in the low 70s to maybe mid 80s by the end of the day. So not bad for this time of the year, though a usual one. Because of this nice weather, we were able to just stay at the Safari park for the whole day or most families with kids would leave by lunch or after lunch when the mid day heat would have turned them out of the park. Pro tip: start with the Africa Tram upon arrival. You gotta make your way towards the end of the park so to get in line as the line only gets longer by the minute. It's a 25 mins loop but what an amazing experience of the African Savannah with all the wildlife minus predators. Start early as wildlife is most active when it's cool and morning, since the day heat would gradually begin to turn them towards tree shades and being less active. Both days we went on the tram, once at 11 and the second time at 9. Be strategic with what you will cover due to the size of the safari park. Determine it by location so you're not doubling your walk - of course unless you're trying to get more steps. For family with kids who love zoos and animals, and you're planning to go to the safari park or SD zoo for at least 3 times altogether, get a membership! It pays off with three visits for a family of 4. Some membership levels have perks such as PRIORITY boarding at Africa Tram (allowed us to bypass a 90 minutes line on Sunday and a 45 minutes line on Tuesday) and the priority boarding applies to the guided tour bus at SD zoo. At Safari park, you also get preferred parking for free! For family of four with two adult guests on a day, we got the wildlife champion membership and the wildlife explorer for the kids. This gave us access to all the perks and fully utilized the membership. And since we're planning to go again before membership expires, this is the best way to go to both Safari park and zoo! Weekends is busier and all stores and cafes are open, but weekdays with less visitors have some stores and cafes open on limited hours which is fair. It gives you different experiences between the two.

    Photos
    I love her
    I love her
    Nom nom. Adorable Giraffe getting his munch on. | IG @moniquedao
    Nom nom. Adorable Giraffe getting his munch on. | IG @moniquedao
    Salmon-crested Cockatoo, star of the park | IG @moniquedao

    See all

    Salmon-crested Cockatoo, star of the park | IG @moniquedao
    Wild Wonders

    Wild Wonders

    4.8
    (121 reviews)
    18.6 mi

    A beautiful wildlife preservation site where you can enjoy animal encounters with exotic animals!…read more - PARKING - We parked on the hill past the entrance of the business, and walked down. Pretty steep but it's a short walk. - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - Book your visit online! There are group rates and additional attendee rates, so just make sure you have the right count of people! Staff was very friendly from start to finish, and I loved seeing the enthusiasm shine through their work. It's not a huge site, so not a ton of walking involved, but there are some steps if you're worried about accessibility. Make sure to wear closed toed shoes! - EXPERIENCE - We booked a Wallaby encounter, and initially I thought it was only going to be a single animal experience but I was pleasantly surprised we were taken on a tour around the area! We did get to feed and pet the Wallaby, but we also walked to see all the different animals in captivity. They also brought out some animals for us to pet and see up close! - OVERALL - A wonderful wildlife preservation site, and amazing staff to take care of them all!

    We spent our anniversary here for their Sip & Paint event. Great different wines to sip and snacks…read moreto snack on. Great staff. And we had a blast! Great group of attending people too, had a lot of laughs together. The painting teacher walks you through the techniques so even though I'm not even good at stick figures, I didn't do that bad! My cheetah looks more like a racoon, but that's ok ha. Mine is on the right & my wife's on the left.

    Photos
    Sabi, the Serval cat.
    Sabi, the Serval cat.
    This one was a total ham.
    This one was a total ham.
    Cheetah

    See all

    Cheetah
    EcoVivarium

    EcoVivarium

    4.7
    (152 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    What an incredible experience! It was so amazing to see so many reptiles and be able to actually…read morehold them and interact with them in their habitats. We wouldn't have had such an amazing time without our amazing tour guide. Rachel did such a great job teaching our kids the right ways to interact with the animals and you can tell that she really loves what she does. She was really patient with our kids and made this an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend! *full warning, the outside of the building looks a little sketchy at first because it's an old building, but don't let that deter you*

    Would you like to learn about incredible reptiles up close and support a good cause? The…read moreEcoVivarium is the perfect place! For $25 you can get a behind the scenes tour that introduces you to a variety of turtles, snakes, and lizards that call the EcoVivarium home. They also have birthday party visits, host events, and as I learned from my friend Trish, can help teachers get set up with a reptile in the classroom. My first conversation with Susan at the EcoVivarium was heartfelt, as I was calling to see if they might be interested in the donation of our decommissioned aquarium. The setup was only four years old and housed our previous beloved 26 year old fish named Puff that had recently passed away. Susan was kind, expressed her condolences and shared that they would appreciate our donation. Chun P and I met Rachel and Donald on a Sunday and after we brought our items in from the car were treated to meeting some terrific reptiles. Many of the inhabitants at the EcoVivarium have sad stories, some had suffered abuse, some were abandoned, and others were victims of trafficking that were confiscated and brought in by the department of fish and game. Susan has created a safe space and her staff and volunteers give their all to make sure they live a better life. I'm looking forward to visiting again soon and supporting this worthy endeavor!

    Photos
    Bearded Dragon
    Bearded Dragon
    EcoVivarium
    Python wrangling!

    See all

    Python wrangling!
    Butterfly Jungle

    Butterfly Jungle

    3.5
    (6 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    Annual spring exhibit that's known for butterfly interactions and long-ass lines…read more Is it worth it? If you've seen it once you can probably skip it. The problem isn't butterfly jungle, it's the poor timing of butterfly season which is during spring break for SoCal schools. Even during midweek it was 20 minutes waiting. During a Saturday you're looking at an hour. There is one large viewing aviary loaded with butterflies. There are plenty of opportunities to have butterflies land on you if you're patient. I would say that adults were having more fun with this experience than the kids. - There are two mandatory butterfly checking stations before you can leave Butterfly Jungle. If you think TSA searches are embarrassing just wait for the security checks here.

    I come every year to this exhibit, and whether I pay for priority viewing or not, the wait time is…read moresoooo long for maybe ten minutes of wandering the enclosure. It's basically a 2-hour wait if you don't pay, and upwards of an hour if you do. Overall, I don't recommend this exhibit. It's too crowded as it is. Joking, not joking! Well, my best tip is to wear bright colors. Butterflies always land on me when I wear red or hot pink. P.S.- Fun fact: It sounds cruel, but the birds they keep there are to eat the butterflies when the exhibit ends. Enjoy~ Pros: - great photo ops Cons: - humid inside - long lines - priority viewing oversold

    Photos
    Apparently this guy wasn't supposed to be here...
    Apparently this guy wasn't supposed to be here...
    Butterfly Jungle
    Completely packed with people

    See all

    Completely packed with people
    Garden of Eden Mobile Petting Zoo

    Garden of Eden Mobile Petting Zoo

    4.9
    (79 reviews)
    22.8 mi

    Wonderful experience! We booked for a children's party. Shawneen was prompt and clear with…read morecommunication. She very knowledgeable about each of the animals and gave me a little background on them all which I felt was a testament to how much they are cared for. Booking was a breeze. The trailer arrived well before our scheduled petting zoo time for set up, everything was thoughtfully arranged for safety but also so that it would photograph nicely. Shawneen did an excellent job explaining etiquette for everyone and gave parents helpful pointers to ensure the little one's were comfortable and having a great time. After cleanup, there was no sign whatsoever that a whole bunch of farm animals had been present only moments before. I really wouldn't change a thing, we loved this experience, our guests loved this experience, and I would recommend it to anyone considering.

    Shawneen and all her furry friends are such sweethearts! We had her come out for a company event-…read moreFall Festival for our program families! We had kiddos of all ages and abilities- she catered to each one's needs and guided them in properly petting or feeding each animal. She is also very knowledgeable of each animal and their breeds- it's really nice to learn the "why" behind how they look or "why" you have to pet them a certain way. Each animal is unique and very good with kids! During the event I got to walk a goat like if it was a dog and carry a chicken by my side! HIGHLY recommend her team and furry friends for your next event! I know we will definitely be reaching out to her again for our future events :)

    Photos
    Garden of Eden Mobile Petting Zoo
    Garden of Eden Mobile Petting Zoo
    Alpaca and chicken

    See all

    Alpaca and chicken

    Elephant Valley - zoos - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...