Under the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Meraas has signed an agreement with Dubai Municipality to manage Dubai Safari.
Meraas has also appointed Parques Reunidos, a world-renowned operator of animal parks, to oversee the day-to-day running of the destination in line with international best practices.
The signing ceremony was attended by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation.
The unique public-private sector partnership aligns with Dubai’s Tourism Vision for 2020 that seeks to attract 20 million visitors per year to the Emirates.
It also supports Dubai’s preparations for Expo 2020 which will be held over a period of six months and is expected to attract about 25 million visitors, 70 percent of them from outside the country.
Dawood Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said The agreement with Meraas is the first partnership of its kind that Dubai Municipality is entering into with a private sector entity.
It presents a valuable opportunity to train Emirati talent in new fields as per the requirements of the local market, and develop additional skills in a variety of sectors in line with Dubai’s growth.
Al Hajri said given Meraas’s successful track record in managing ventures in diverse sectors, we are confident that this partnership will result in tangible outcomes, elevate the standards of operating tourism and leisure projects, and add value to the overall Dubai Safari experience.
Abdulla Al Habbai, Group Chairman of Meraas, said following this agreement, Dubai Safari has been included as a key value addition in Meraas’s comprehensive entertainment portfolio.
Meraas is dedicated to implementing the vision of our wise leadership of reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global tourist destination.
The agreement also aims to support wildlife conservation efforts, through developing the skills of the local community in relevant fields, including veterinary medicine, animal care and breeding he added.
Parques Reunidos will operate Dubai Safari in accordance with international standards on animal welfare, providing a safe and healthy environment for animals.
The operator will ensure that Dubai Safari offers exceptional experiences that surpass global benchmarks and is certified from concerned bodies.
The company will also collaborate with schools to organise educational programmes.
Parques Reunidos was among five global players that were considered to operate Dubai Safari.
It was chosen based on the positivity and adaptability it exhibited, and its team of over 300 staff members dedicated to animal care that can be mobilised to support Dubai Safari.
Parques Reunidos also offers global educational programmes aimed at raising awareness about wildlife and natural ecosystems.
In addition to operating the destination, Parques Reunidos will conduct studies of Dubai’s nature reserves, and provide consultation on the conservation and breeding of local endangered animal species including the Oryx and the Arabian Leopard.
Dubai Safari is one of Dubai's premier Eco-friendly projects to be a landmark entertainment destination in the region.
Dubai Safari, the new home for more than 2500 animals from all over the world, aims to be one of the top ten zoos internationally.
It is a leading tourist destination worldwide attracting recognition from the international community for its work in maintaining a high standard of animal welfare, nutrition and ethical conduct.
Dubai Safari is a project by Dubai Municipality, spread over 119 hectares will provide the best habitat for wildlife; different environment that suit various animals.
Come explore the Arabian Village, Asian village, African village, feel the thrill and excitement of an Open Safari or make new friends at the Children’s Farm. Relax by the valley; enjoy a picnic by the waterfall.
Watch a show or engage in activities in the theatre.
Objectives:
- Conservation, by protecting and preserving wild animals and their immediate environment.
- Education, by supporting knowledge share, awareness programs and sustainable initiatives.
- Research, by conducting and implementing researches and studies.
- Entertainment, by providing enjoyable activities and edutainment opportunities.
Dubai Safari, knows that a good zoo/park is not judged just on its collection size, but also on the quality of the collection and the expertise of the staff.
Plus the work it does in conservation and the breeding of endangered species.
With further expansion of Dubai Safari happening in the coming years, it is expected that not only will the collection grow, but also will the number of villages for our guests to visit.
Very soon we will be increasing the size of our Asian Village and adding two extra villages that will show case animals from Australia and South America.
Future Plans:
Zoomobile is a unique Dubai Safari vehicle equipped with state-of-the-art learning tools and aids for children.
Schools can request a visit by Zoomobile during school hours to provide students with a fun and engaging opportunity to discover exciting insights on wildlife and wildlife conservation, with a special invitation to visit Dubai Safari with their families.
Dubai Safari will welcome both local and international interns passionate about wildlife and related fields including zoology, veterinary studies, conservation and zoo keeping in addition to principals in managing a zoo/park.
To be eligible for an internship at Dubai Safari, interns must be between 15 and 25 years of age as they offer variety of coursers in:
- Basic Zoo keeping
- Conservation
- Veterinary Studies
- Guide Training
- Management in Zoos
Opening Hours
Open everyday of the year, including all holidays from
09:00 AM - 07:00 PM
Free Ticket for
Children (Under 3 years)
People of determination +2 Companions
*(Enter with your SANAD Card)
Seniors (Above 60 years)
*(Enter with your ID or Passport Copy)
Safari Village
The main attraction of the Dubai Safari is the Safari Village drive through. Here our guests are taken on a journey of discovery through Africa and then Asia in one of our comfortable buses.
You will be accompanied by one of our professionally trained guides that will not only explain what you are seeing but also answer your questions and feed your curiosity with interesting facts.
Some of the highlights of this unforgettable journey are the only drive through exhibits in the UAE, such as the hippo exhibit and the baboon canyon with over 70 baboons living as one large troop.
As you leave the baboons, you drive through the African grasslands where you will come face to face with hoof stock of all shapes and sizes, from giraffes to antelopes and zebras.
Just when you think that things can’t get any better, you enter into the largest drive through lion exhibit in the UAE.
Here big cats relax on cooled rocks as they watch not only our guests drive by, but also are able to view the antelopes grazing a safe distance away.
Just before leaving the African precinct you drive through the breeding group of White Rhinos.
Traveling over the bridge, you enter into Asia, where you drive though crocodile exhibit, another pioneer experience in UAE, after exiting these prehistoric animals, you once again enter into the Asian plains with deer and antelopes grazing and resting.
But don’t relax, because we are about to enter into the one of our biggest highlights, as we drive into our elephants exhibit holding the largest herd of elephants in the UAE.
Watch these Goliaths of the living world swim, play and even take a mud bath while our experienced guide talks you through what you are seeing.
Your next exciting drive through is the Tiger Falls, where you will be able to see these hunters of Asia up close and as you drive under the waterfall, our guide will once again explain what we have done to save these magnificent animals.
We exit the tigers to explore the Asian hills where you will see Thar and mountain goats, finishing the safari with our cheetah drive through, you are then dropped off close to one of our world class restaurants and the Elephant café.
Prominent Animals in this Village:
- Hippo
- Baboon
- Antelope
- Zebra
- Ground Hornbill
- Klipspringer
- Lion
- Cape Buffalo
- Rhino
- Nile Crocodile
- Elephants
- Tiger
- Striped Hyena
- Tahr Mouflon
- Deer
- Water Buffalo
- Cheetah
Arabian Village
This is the beginning of your Dubai Safari visit. Here, our tram takes you throughout the Arabian desert while our trained guide will point out the animals as you pass by, many of these beautiful creatures can now only be seen in captivity.
Our guide will explain not only the facts about these animals, but also what Dubai Safari Conservation team is doing to help bring these animals back into the wild.
Prominent Animals in this Village:
- Ostrich
- Mouflon
- Oryx
- Gazelle
- Ibex
- Arabian Wolf
- Saiga Antelope
African Village
This village is dedicated to the African mammals both large and small, from the world’s largest land mammal, the African Elephant to the tiny Meerkat.
You will have Dubai’s largest walk in Aviary where our valued guests can come in and relax in the world of flight with birds from all over the planet where the hardest thing here will be to keep track of how many birds are flying around.
The reptile house is not every ones cup of tea, but for those of you that have a fascination with these cold blooded animals, this house is a must to visit.
We haven’t forgotten the primates of Africa with the two great apes gorillas and chimpanzees on display in both an outside exhibit and a large indoor AC controlled exhibit.
Monkey and lemur islands are also spotted through the African Village. Another highlight of this area is the underwater viewing of our pygmy hippos where you can watch these secretive animals swimming up close to the glass.
As you walk around the village you will have our friendly guides approach you and tell you about our park and what you are seeing, they are also here to help you find the place where you want to go.
Don’t forget to pop into the large restaurant and enjoy a coffee or meal while you look out over the antelopes grazing.
Prominent Animals in this Village:
- Roan Antelope
- Lesser Flamingo
- Gerenuk Waterbuck
- Greater Flamingo
- Duiker
- Okapi
- Bongo
- Komodo Dragon
- Black & White Ruffed Lemur
- Ring-tailed Lemur
- Red Ruffed Lemur
- Pygmy Hippo
- Mandrill
- Gorilla House
- African elephant
- African Lion
Kid's Education
Dubai Safari is a fun-filled living classroom for young minds beginning to discover the world’s many wonders.
With kids being among the park’s most special visitors, every member of our multi-national team is highly trained to be child-friendly and make the Dubai Safari experience for every guest truly memorable.
The aim is to provide for our youngest visitors an immersive edutainment environment that engages their curiosity and inspires awe as they open their hearts and minds to the magnificent diversity of the wildlife inhabiting the park.
From being transported to another world with engaging animal stories from our expert guides to finding new and exciting adventures at every turn – Dubai Safari is a wonderfully enriching and enjoyable experience for kids as well as those young at heart.
Every trip to Dubai Safari also promises to enhance their sense of self-awareness and make them more mindful of their surroundings as they discover their different preferences for different animal species.
The environment also encourages them to overcome their fears and trepidation about certain animals, reptiles and insects.
In addition to Dubai Safari being a fun and safe place to learn, here are at least five reasons why the park is a highly effective educational tool for formal learning:
The animals are real: There is nothing better than an actual elephant to teach the concept of elephantness.
What is a trunk? What is big? What is an elephant? That can all be taught instantly by viewing a living, breathing elephant.
Animals have a universal appeal: Animals in general are attractive to many people particularly children.
The ultimate in inter-disciplinarianism: Animals can be the foundation of study for all academic areas, the hook that maintains enthusiasm for learning.
Different learning styles can easily be accommodated: Accommodating all learning styles at Dubai Safari is easily achievable. Auditory, Visual, and Tactile learners all have ample opportunities to explore and learn in their best mode.
Hands-on learning with real resources: With a living collection here in our own backyard, Dubai Safari is well-equipped as a practical classroom for hands-on education of young minds.
In line with the vision of the Government of Dubai, Dubai Safari provides the highest levels of care and support for people of determination.
Multiple and diverse services go into making this park a safe and inclusive space for all.
Architecture layouts, facilities, service centre’s and several other areas abide by international standards and experiences to ensure that Dubai Safari is accessible for people of determination.
Services and facilities for people of determination
- People of determination are exempted from entrance fee.
- Complimentary wheelchair service is offered at request.
- Two modern trains, five shuttle buses and two Safari vehicles are equipped to accommodate wheel chairs.
- Employees trained to assist and provide services to people of determination
- Convenient passages to enter and exit Dubai Safari.
- Reserved car parking.
- Integrated restrooms designed in line with accessibility needs.
- Easily accessible and seamlessly designed service counters
Tourism Observer
