I had already spent a full day at the Safari Park by the time I went outside to wait by those same picnic tables where I’d started, something like 7 hours earlier.
This was a very well-run machine. People came and got to check their luggage in (which was waiting for us at our tents once we got to check out).
There were a couple of trainers holding animals we could pet, even out by the picnic tables, before the night “officially” started.
Once we all got inside the park, we got tram-tours on the way to the campground. We even passed a teeny itsy bitty (well, for hippo standards) hippo that had just been born soon before our tram ride. (Nature!)
Once we got to the campground, we had an amazing dinner filled with delicious vegetarian options. (Yum!)
We got split into various groups, and the groups got to do various activities in different orders.
There was a walking tour, an animal presentation, and some smore-making. And we rotated who did what to make the big group more manageable mini-groups.
We went on a walking tour first. Safari Park is so huge. I’d seen so much throughout the day, and yet I still say new stuff on the walking tour.
At the animal presentation, we got to learn some new facts about some lesser-known animals and everybody (who wanted to) got to pet them!
Then we had smores. (I feel like there’s sugar everywhere nowdays… I need to settle it down a notch – but I still had part of one!) I’d never made a smore before (as far as I can remember). So, that was fun!
They are most certainly not lying in the sleepover materials when they say you’ll fall asleep to the sounds of the wilderness. They were sounds of animals in this vast space as we drifted to sleep.
(Note: Even though it was the *summer* in *San Diego*, it was still cold in a tent at night! Bring warm stuff… (If you’re me. Granted, I’m cold all the time.))
In the morning, we had some breakfast, walked around a little, and that was the night…
By the end of the Roar ‘n’ Snore, I’d spent 24 hours in Safari Park… and I’m still not even confident enough to say that I saw 3/4 of it. That place is HUGE! I would highly recommend going back… And I’d love to go back right now!
Once the Roar ‘n’ Snore was over, it was off to the VIP tour of the zoo.