Out of Africa Wildlife Park sits on the high-desert grasslands near Camp Verde, about ninety minutes north of Phoenix, and it fills a gap no zoo quite covers: African lions, tigers, giraffes and rhinos roaming large habitats, with safari-style tours, animal shows and a famous predator feeding experience. It pairs naturally with the Verde Valley towns, and it works as a full day for animal-loving groups of any age.
Getting there from the Valley
The park sits just off I-17 near the Camp Verde exits, roughly 90 miles north of downtown Phoenix for a drive of about an hour and a half. The route is the straightforward I-17 run past Black Canyon City and Sunset Point, and the SR-260 west turnoff leads to the park entrance within minutes. Morning departures beat both the heat and the I-17 weekend buildup, and the park's shows run on a fixed daily schedule, so arriving at opening lets the group catch the full program instead of chasing it.
Safari tours and the shows
The guided safari tours are the core of the visit: open-air vehicles rolling through large habitats with keepers narrating the animals' stories, from the lion prides to the giraffe tower to the white rhinos. The tours run multiple times daily and the popular slots fill, so booking the safari window at ticket purchase locks the day's structure. The animal shows run through the day with the predator feeding as the signature event, and the schedule board at entry plus the keeper talks fill the gaps between. The reptile and small-animal encounters give younger kids close-up moments while the big habitats impress the teenagers.
Close encounters worth booking
Beyond general admission, the park sells a menu of close encounters: feeding giraffes, meeting smaller animals with keepers, and the supervised predator experiences that draw visitors from across the country. These carry separate fees, limited daily capacity and age minimums, so they need advance booking rather than day-of hope. Groups celebrating birthdays or hosting out-of-town guests should pick one signature encounter and build the day around it, because stacking two premium experiences plus the safari plus the shows makes a long hot day for younger kids.
Tickets, membership and timing
General admission covers the grounds, the shows and the keeper talks, with the safari and encounters priced above. Morning entry gives the animals at their most active: predators move in the cool hours and rest through the midday heat, which is exactly the pattern to plan around. Spring and fall bring the best combination of active animals and comfortable walking weather; summer demands the earliest arrival, constant hydration and a midday indoor break; winter days run crisp with excellent visibility and thin crowds. Holiday weekends and spring break fill the safari slots first.
Walking the grounds
The park spreads across rolling terrain with real distances between habitats, so this is a walking day: comfortable shoes, hats and sunscreen are the uniform. The paths are generally manageable for strollers and wheelchairs with effort on the grades, and benches and shade structures sit at sensible intervals. The layout loops rather than dead-ends, which means a steady circuit with show breaks works better than crisscrossing. Water stations and the cafe cover refills and lunch, though packing extra water in summer is still wise.
What to pack for the park
Binoculars elevate the whole visit, turning distant rhinos into faces and napping lions into expressions. Cameras with zoom lenses earn their weight here more than at any Valley attraction. Sun protection is non-negotiable on the exposed paths, and a light layer handles the morning-to-afternoon swing in the cooler months. Kids' field guides or the park's own materials turn the keeper talks into a game, and a portable charger keeps the photo documentation going through the predator feeding finale.
Pairing the park with the Verde Valley
The location near Camp Verde makes combos easy. Cottonwood's Old Town tasting rooms and restaurants sit twenty minutes west for the adults' half of the day, Jerome's hillside galleries climb fifteen minutes beyond that, and the Tuzigoot pueblo ruins and Dead Horse Ranch trails fill a morning before the park opens. The Bisbee day trip guide and Kartchner Caverns day trip guide pages cover southern-Arizona day trips in the same spirit, the Phoenix Zoo family shuttle guide page covers the in-town zoo for the second animal day, and the Fountain Hills day trip guide and Wickenburg day trip guide pages cover more northerly day-trip options.
Getting to the park without the I-17 drive
Ninety minutes of I-17 each way plus a full walking day is a lot to ask of the group's designated driver, which is why safari days ride well in a shuttle. A private ride carries the coolers and camera gear, waits through the shows and encounters, and drives the return while the kids reenact the predator feeding in the back seat. The Phoenix airport shuttle page page covers Valley-wide group pickup for day trips, and the Sky Harbor airport shuttle guide page covers airport arrivals when the wildlife fans fly in.
Visitor questions
How far is Out of Africa Wildlife Park from Phoenix?
About 90 miles north near the Camp Verde exits off I-17, roughly an hour and a half. Arrive at opening to catch the full daily show schedule.
What is the best part of Out of Africa?
The guided safari tours through the large habitats plus the predator feeding show. Premium close encounters like giraffe feeding need advance booking.
How long should you spend at Out of Africa?
A full day covers the safari, the shows and the grounds. Morning brings the most active animals; midday heat quiets the predators.
What else is near Out of Africa?
Cottonwood's Old Town is twenty minutes west, Jerome fifteen minutes beyond that, with Tuzigoot ruins and Dead Horse Ranch trails nearby.
Out of Africa is the rare park that impresses teenagers and toddlers equally. Book the safari window early, arrive at opening, and let someone else drive I-17.
