San Diego Safari Park Deluxe Cart Safari Review
The San Diego Safari Park isn’t just “safari” by name; there are quite a few upgraded safari experiences that allow you to explore habitats, learn about conservation efforts, and get even closer to the animals.
Out of all the safari upgrades to pick from, one that stands out is the Deluxe Cart Safari. Priced under $100, this tour takes you around the Savanna of the San Diego Safari Park, exploring both the Asian and African sides so you can see rhinos, antelope, giraffes, and more.
Below, I share a full review of my experience, explain how to compares to the Regular Cart Safari tour, and whether or not it’s worth it.
Want to know exactly how the Deluxe Cart Safari compares to the Deluxe Wildlife Safari instead? Check out my Deluxe Cart Safari vs Deluxe Wildlife Safari Tour Review.
san diego safari park deluxe cart safari review
The Deluxe Cart Safari is a private, small-group tour that takes you deep into the Savanna habitat, allowing you to get up close and personal with African and Asian animals like giraffes, black rhinos, white rhinos, Przewalski’s horses, antelope, and wildebeest.
With a small group of 8, the tour is intimate, cozy, and interactive. You’re able to ask questions, stop for photos, and the tour guide expertly shares fun facts and anecdotes about the animals as you drive around. The cart itself is open-air, modern, and makes for a smooth ride.
The Savanna habitat takes up a large part (300 acres) of the San Diego Safari Park, and while the open habitat format is best for animals, it can be hard to see certain species from afar. The Deluxe Cart tour gets you very close to some animals you can’t really see from the park (like the Przewalski's horse, which I had never seen before after years of visiting).
As someone who has been to the Safari Park numerous times, I’ve found that you never really get the best look of the rhinos when you’re walking around. Taking the Deluxe Cart tour, though, gets you surprisingly close and truly makes the experience worth it.
If the Savanna is the one part of the Safari Park you feel like you haven’t really seen or explored, the Deluxe Cart tour fills the gap. Plus, you are driven around so you have plenty of energy to explore the rest of the park before or after your tour.
what the experience was like
check-in process
You check in near base camp; it is clearly marked and there are also volunteers nearby to help guide you if needed. The check-in site is near the front of the park, just a 5-10 minute walk from the entrance which makes it convenient if you book an early morning tour.
Make sure to check in 5-10 minutes before your tour starts.
the cart
The cart is open-air, clean, well-maintained, and makes for a smooth, peaceful ride. There are three rows plus a back row that faces outward (so you ride backwards).
The tour is for 8 people max, and we all sat in the cart comfortably without feeling cramped. You’re able to hear the tour guide clearly, and ours was both knowledgeable and engaging. My tour guide was Sammy and he was amazing!
Comparing the cart to the Wildlife Safari truck tour, the cart feels very intimate and luxurious. It’s like you’re getting exclusive behind-the-scenes access, whereas the Wildlife Safari feels like you’re with the animals and part of the exhibit since you go inside the Savanna (check out my Safari Park Deluxe Wildlife Safari Review for more info).
animals you see
When you take the Deluxe Cart Tour, you explore both the African and Asian sides of the safari. Animals we saw include:
Black rhinos
White rhinos
Giraffes
Multiple species of antelope
Wildebeest
Flamingo
Two species of oryx
Somali wild ass
Przewalski's horse
Quick glimpse of the cheetah
Also we saw a Californian deer in the wild! The Safari Park is surrounded by open acreage, and we saw a California mule deer eating right next to the fence; seeing that contrast of local animals with the park’s gazelle just feet behind was so incredible to see.
the tour
Our tour guide, Sammy, was great! He mixed fun facts with education and it was polished without seeming rehearsed. He answered questions, engaged with the 8 of us, and packed a lot into the 1.5 hours we were together. It was fun to see him get excited about how close the rhinos were, too, and reminded us how special this experience was, since animal viewing isn’t guaranteed on any tour.
I’m not the biggest fan of guided tours, but this was the perfect mix of talking without overloading us, and I learned a few facts I didn’t know before.
what makes the deluxe cart safari different from the regular cart safari?
The Deluxe Cart Tour covers both the African and Asian sides of the Savanna; the regular tour covers only the Asian side. Other key differences and similarities:
The group size is the same for each tour (8 people).
The Deluxe Cart Safari tour costs $94 and up. Pricing for the Regular Cart Safari starts at $64.
Pricing varies by day (value, standard, and peak days).
Go on a value day if you can; not only is it cheaper, but the park itself tends to be less crowded.
Tour length: 1.5 hours for Deluxe, 1 hour for Regular Cart Safari. Deluxe is longer because you explore an extra side of the Savanna.
Both tours move at a comfortable pace and are dictated by the animals, in a way. You stop and see everything, but if some animals are closer or doing something cute (ex: the rhinos got close to the fence on our tour), you will stay a little longer to see them “in the wild.”
You do not feed the animals on either tour.
You might get out of the cart on either tour for photos (just depends on the animals). We stopped once on our Deluxe Cart tour to take photos in front of the rhinos.
We did not walk around on the Deluxe Cart tour.
The Safari Park prioritizes conservation and the comfort of animals. You aren’t guaranteed to see specific animals on either tour; sign up for the first or last tour of the day for the best chances of seeing the animals active and engaged.
As such, photo opportunities are different for every tour/ time slot.
It’s more common to take pictures of the animals than take pictures with the animals (unless it’s a selfie or your guide stops for everyone to get out, like we did with the rhinos.
The Deluxe tour shows you more animals; it doesn’t mean you get closer to the animals.
The tour guide is mic’ed up and shares lots of information, but you are able to ask questions, too.
Ultimately, choosing between the Deluxe and Regular Cart Safaris depends on what you want to see. I found the Deluxe to be worth it because you explore all of the Savanna; the regular is confined to the Asian side.
However, if you are on a budget, the regular Cart Safari still lets you see lots of animals (more than the free African tram).
is the deluxe cart safari worth it?
Ultimately, the Deluxe Cart Safari is worth it and such a hidden gem of the San Diego Safari Park. You see so much for under $100, and while you have to pay for general admission to the park separately, the Cart Safari lets you see a whole habitat that is hard to see just walking around.
The Deluxe Cart Safari specifically shows you both the Asian and African sides of the Savanna, and is worth the extra fee/ half hour compared to the Regular Cart tour.
If you are a first time visitor or don’t want to walk as much, the Cart Safari is ideal and something I would do again in the future. As I mentioned, I’ve been to the park numerous times over the years and it wasn’t until I took the Cart Safari that I was able to really see the rhinos up close, and because I did the Deluxe version, I saw both the black and white rhinos. There are no words for how you feel seeing such massive animals that close - it’s a once in a lifetime experience and I am grateful for it.
For children and families, I think it depends. If your child is engaged, they will enjoy it, but for littles, I personally recommend doing the free Africa tram and making time for the free daily presentation (typically in the afternoon) instead. $100 isn’t cheap, and the Savanna animals are still in an open habitat at the end of the day, so you have to search for some of the animals; they are made to blend in as part of their survival, after all. The young child on my tour (around 3 years old) had a hard time seeing some and 1.5 hours was too long for him; he got restless and hungry 30 minutes in, so even the regular Cart Safari would’ve been a stretch.
That said, if you are a little more adventurous, you may prefer the Wildlife Safari which takes you into the exhibits (versus staying on a paved path) in an open-air truck. Check out my Deluxe Wildlife Safari Review for more information, or see how it compares side by side to the Deluxe Cart Tour here.
best parts of the deluxe cart safari
Upgraded, private experience
Small group (max 8 people)
Amazing tour guide that mixes education with fun facts
Ability to explore parts of the Savanna that are hard to see just walking around the park
Little to no walking
Lots of photo opportunities
Packs a lot in 1.5 hours, but doesn’t drag
cons
Less adventurous than the Wildlife Safari
You don’t get as close as you do with the Wildlife Safari
Animal visibility varies and is not guaranteed
Website says it’s for all ages, but some kids may have a hard time focusing for the full 1.5 hours
tips to know before you go
Check the calendar before you book; they use flex pricing so there are peak, value, and standard prices.
Going on a value day will save you money; you still get the same experience.
The best time to book a tour is at the beginning or end of the day (first or last tour).
You will see more animal activity on cool, cloudy, or rainy days. May grey and June gloom is better than peak August heat.
Keep in mind that the Safari Park is located in Escondido - it gets very hot!
The carts are not air conditioned or covered so wear weather-appropriate clothing. Wear sunscreen, too.
Bring a camera! Photos are encouraged and they might stop the cart once or twice for you to get out and take a photo with the animal (separated by the fencing, of course).
We only got out of the cart for photos; there was no walking around at all.
Go to the bathroom before; you will not be able to stop during the tour.
Eat before; you cannot eat during the tour (but can bring water).
Check in 5-10 minutes before your tour starts.
The tour guide wears a mic for this tour, so you will be able to hear wherever you sit.
The cart is three rows facing forward; the last row faces out (you ride backwards). Sit in any row, there really isn’t a bad seat.
I can’t speak for every tour, but when I went, a seat on the left side was better for photos/ seeing most animals.
If you bring a child, seat them in the middle.
All ages are welcome, including children.
I recommend ages 5 or 6 and up. There was a child around the age of 3 on our tour who had a hard time staying engaged for the 1.5 hours. As an alternative, I recommend the daily presentation. It’s free and around 20 minutes in length.
Overall, the Deluxe Cart Safari Tour is one of the hidden gems of the San Diego Safari Park. For around $100, you get a private tour of the Savanna and a chance to see many hard-to-spot animals up close, making for lots of photo opportunities and stories you’ll retell for years to come.
