Step Into Elephant Valley at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park have a brand-new stomping ground, Denny Sanford Elephant Valley, one of San Diego's 26 Things to See and Do in 2026. Located in Escondido, the Safari Park is the sister park to the San Diego Zoo and is well worth a day trip, just about a 35-minute drive from downtown San Diego. The park’s biggest project since it opened more than 50 years ago offers visitors an experience where they’ll venture through a dynamic savanna environment—where more than 300 different plants that are native to Africa, including the rare kokerboom tree, were curated by the park’s horticulturalists—surrounded by elephants on multiple sides.

Elephant Valley has been meticulously designed to generate greater empathy, understanding and appreciation for elephants, while igniting a desire to protect them and their native habitats. Surrounded by African savanna elephants on multiple sides, you will encounter what it feels like to share common ground with the herd. Walking beside the world's largest land mammal, you will notice the intricacies of the elephants' wrinkled skin and long eyelashes and create a connection with one of the most powerful, sensitive, and complex animals on the planet. Walking over the bridge to reach the other side of the valley, you will notice an elephant passageway directly beneath their feet. This underpass is like wildlife corridors in native habitats. 

How to Get Even Closer at Elephant Valley

Enhance your visit with these exclusive, upgrade experiences—each expert-guided tour offers new ways to connect with the world's largest land mammal. Please note: these tours require separate admission in addition to general park entry.

• Walking with Elephants - Perk your ears up for this guided walking tour through the all-new Elephant Valley. Your expert guide will share stories of the elephant herd, highlights from their dynamic habitats, extraordinary plant life, and global conservation work
• Sip & Stroll: Elephant Valley - Walk step by step with the African elephant herd and enjoy a welcome drink through the all-new Elephant Valley. You’ll learn about these gentle giants and global conservation efforts across our Savanna Conservation Hub before ending your journey with another beverage at the iconic Mkutano House. It’s the perfect mix of wildlife and wonder.
• Behind the Scenes Safari: Saving Giants – Embark on a guided journey with exclusive behind-the-scenes areas to gain remarkable insights into these massive mammals.

At the heart of Elephant Valley is the two-story restaurant Mkutano House, uniquely positioned directly alongside one of Elephant Valley’s two expansive watering holes, a 240,000-gallon oasis where the herd wades, swims and plays—a profound experience for those who pay witness to their natural bonding behavior.

Inspired by the rich and varied culinary traditions across Africa's many regions and blending them with global influences, the first-floor restaurant offers a harmonious fusion of familiar flavors with bold notes from around the world. The Ona Lounge offers sweeping views from the second floor as you sip on refreshments crafted with premium spirits sourced from local distilleries from across Africa.

And for those looking for a grab-and-go option, Tu Grill offers tasty skewers, a variety of sides, and refreshing smoothies that can be enjoyed at the nearby Mkutano Park, a gathering place to learn from educators about the awe-inspiring wildlife of the region.

While you journey through Elephant Valley, you can easily see how how the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s ongoing global conservation efforts are celebrated with these notable highlights:

• The Zoo partners with BeadWORKS Kenya, a social enterprise of the Northern Rangelands Trust, which empowers women artisans from seminomadic, pastoralist communities to earn reliable incomes by practicing traditional beading techniques. Colorful, beaded talking sticks inspired by traditional Samburu artistry serve as distinctive location markers and storytelling points throughout the area. Mkutano House is beautifully decorated with handmade artifacts crafted by BeadWORKS Kenya artisans.
• Expert horticulturists and arborists have curated the rich plant life in Elephant Valley to authentically recreate the sights, sounds, and scents of Africa’s savannas and grasslands. Over 350 individual plants, including rare and endangered African species, have been specially grown for Elephant Valley.
• Elephant Valley bridges the vital work happening in San Diego to the collaborative elephant conservation initiatives San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports in the African savanna. African savanna elephants are currently listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species due in large part to the rise of human-elephant conflict across range countries. Research conducted in Africa and with the Safari Park’s elephant herd provide an opportunity to advance technologies and approaches to monitor and protect elephants in the wild, and support coexistence. Increasing knowledge of elephant health needs and the complexity of their social behaviors has equipped the organization and its partners with valuable insight into what successful conservation outcomes look like for the species.