The Serengeti Night Safari Tour was a seasonal offering held in the cooler months on select evenings. Along with a safari tour on out the plain with a giraffe feeding, this adults-only offering typically includes appetizers and drinks. Serengeti Night Safari was an after-hours separately ticketed event, which did not include or require daytime admission. The tour was last offered in early 2017.
History
As of November 2011, the Serengeti Night Safari Tour was being offered on select Friday and Saturday evenings beginning after sunset. It began with heavy hors d’oeuvres and a selection of beer and soft drinks, along with a chance to mingle and meet with the tour guides. The safari tour included hand-feeding giraffes and a campfire experience. The tour was open to adults 21 and over only, and cost $60 per person.
The park advertised the tour on their Twitter account as being available in early March 2012 on a Saturday evening.
In early January 2013, the park again advertised the Serengeti Night Safari Tour was returning on select evenings for a limited time. It was described as a two-and-a-half-hour experience for those 21 and over only. The experience began with hors d’oeuvres like spanakopita, pinwheel sandwiches, assorted cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a variety of drinks were available. Tour guides Charles and Emily gathered guests for a group photo before heading out to spot wildlife in the night. Spotlights with special red-filters were used while out on tour to better see the wildlife in the Edge of Africa area.
Next up was a safari on the Serengeti in an open-air truck, complete with night vision monoculars to aid in seeing the animals. After hand-feeding giraffes, guests returned to the starting point for desserts and a nightcap. Pricing at this point was listed as $69 per person. The park advertised the tour as being available in mid-April 2013 as well.
For Valentine’s Day 2014, the park offered a special adults-only Serengeti Night Safari called Valentine Night Safari: Love in the Wild. The night included dinner for two at Crown Colony Restaurant where couples were seated at their own table for a steak or seafood meal, a walk through the Edge of Africa to explore the night time habits of lions, hyenas, and hippos, a safari with details on the romantic side of some of the Serengeti animals, a gathering around a roaring bonfire with tales of love on the wild side, and a nightcap and dessert before the end of the evening. The special experience was sold out by February 4.
Serengeti Night Safari returned in 2015 on most Saturday nights beginning January 17 and continuing through June 20. It was billed as a two-and-a-half-hour blend of entertainment and education, available for guests ages 21 and over. Like previous years, the experience began with hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and storytelling, followed by a walking safari through the Edge of Africa. Next, guests headed out on the Serengeti in an open safari truck for a tour, including up-close time with giraffes. Afterward, dessert and drinks were served again to cap off the night. Pricing was listed as $69 plus tax.
Once again for Valentine’s Day 2015, the special Valentine Night Safari: Love on the Wild Side returned on February 13 and 14. Dinner entrees included Salmon Beurre Blanc and Petite Filet Mignon with Sauce Bernaise.
The Serengeti Night Safari returned on select nights in early 2016, including a Valentine Night Safari.
The tour returned on February 4, 2017, for a limited time. It was advertised as a 2 1/2 hour tour, with appetizers and beverages at Serengeti Overlook followed by a walking tour of Edge of Africa and safari truck tour on the Serengeti Plain. That was followed by storytime around a campfire on the plain, and ending the night back at Serengeti Overlook with coffee and dessert.
The Valentine Night Safari also returned in 2017 and was available on two dates. Price was $250 per couple and was listed as a three hour trip into the exotic world of animal courtship. All participants were required to be 21 or over.
Additional details on the Serengeti Night Safari may be added in the future.
Sources:
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | Nov 22 2011 – accessed 4/8/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa | Jan 29 2014 – accessed 6/23/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa | Serengeti Night Safari – accessed 6/23/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa | Jan 7 2015 – accessed 7/11/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa | Jan 28 2015 – accessed 7/14/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa | Feb 5 2015 – accessed 7/14/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | Jan 18 2016 – accessed 7/29/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | Feb 21 2017 – accessed 8/5/2018
Twitter – @BuschGardens | Mar 3 2012 – accessed 12/21/2018
Busch Gardens Tampa | Jan 5 2013 – accessed 1/23/2019
Twitter – @BuschGardens | Apr 16 2013 – accessed 1/27/2019
Twitter – @BuschGardens | Feb 4 2014 – accessed 4/28/2019
Twitter – @BuschGardens | Feb 2 2016 – accessed 6/30/2019
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | Valentine Night Safari – accessed 7/8/2019
Twitter – @BuschGardens | Feb 8 2017 – accessed 7/8/2019
Twitter – @androckb | Jan 7 2015 – accessed 10/27/2020
Last updated: October 27, 2020