Did you know that September 20-26 is World Rhino Week? And you don’t need to go to Africa to celebrate it. Virginia Safari Park is offering a one-of-a-kind wildlife experience to educate visitors about these magnificent animals.
A $150 ticket Includes full-day admission to the Park, a 30-minute tour and visit with the Park’s adult rhinos and two baby rhinos in the Rhino Complex. Your guide will give you one-on-one time with the rhinos, teach you about these endangered animals, answer your questions, and of course take your photo. Digital proofs will be emailed to you to share with all your friends. Most importantly, a portion of all proceeds will be donated to rhino conservation. Space is limited; click here for more information.
Located in Natural Bridge*, near Lexington, the Park is about a three-hour drive from Washington, DC. Species roaming the 180-acre complex 
include: llamas, bison, ostriches, giraffes, peacocks, zebras, elk, deer, kangaroos and others. A recent, and rare addition is the King Cheetah. Once thought to be a separate subspecies, the King Cheetah possesses rare recessive genes. It exhibits a unique, blotchy coat pattern instead of the more common defined spots. The Virginia Safari Park is the only place in the country that visitors can see a King Cheetah “in person.”
Most visitors interact with the Park’s inhabitants by feeding them along the slow, three-mile drive where animals of almost any sort will poke their nose through your window in search of a snack. The park has a specialty grain that visitors can use to feed the animals.
Visitors on the Drive-Thru cannot exit their vehicles, so social distancing is more or less inherent.
Visitors can also walk a 10-acre zoo called Safari Village. Featured there are Tiger Territory and Cheetahs, a Giraffe Feeding Station, Petting Area, Kangaroo Walk-About, a Bird Aviary, Reptile House and more. In all, more 1,000 animals inhabit the park.
Educating people about wildlife in a fun way is a fundamental part of the Park’s mission. The park offers guided, special-rate tours for public, private and home-schooled students with teachers and/or chaperones.
Amenities at the park include an extensive gift shop and the Watering Hole café, serving hot dogs, pizza, nachos and other delights.
Weekend tickets must be bought online. https://www.virginiasafaripark.com/visitor-information/tickets-and-hours
No on-site sales will be available.
Note: In due consideration to COVID-19 prevention, the Park is following strict physical distancing practices, and intensified cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
*Note: Virginia Safari Park is NOT associated with Natural Bridge Zoo.
All photos courtesy Virginia Safari Park