An all-new safari experience is coming to St. Louis in 2027. Get up close and personal with giraffes, rhinos, and kangaroos, take a stroll through native Missouri nature trails, or even spend the night in the wild.
WildCare Park, a forthcoming safari park and conservation center from the St. Louis Zoo, will bring a fresh experience to its Midwestern visitors. The park sits on 425 acres of land near Spanish Lake, and will house 20–30 unique species and approximately 250 animals when it opens in three years.
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“Being able to go on safari and into the wild to see these species in their natural habitat might not be possible for everybody,” curator Martha Fischer says. “To bring that opportunity and that experience to St. Louis, where you can go on a safari with giraffes and zebras and antelope—all the fun stuff you would see on a safari—and have it right here in St. Louis will be really exciting.”
Here’s what you can look forward to seeing and experiencing at WildCare Park.
The safaris
Guests will pile into open-air vehicles driven by trained zoo guides and embark upon either of two driving safaris: a savanna adventure or a journey into the woodlands. The savanna safari sits on 101 acres of grassland, where approximately 10–15 species and 100 adult animals will roam. Although the giraffes are expected to be the superstars of this safari, guests can expect to see large herds of exotic animals, such as zebras, addax, antelope, ostriches, eland, and others living together on the expansive land.
Can’t get enough of the giraffes? Try the giraffe feeding exhibit, where you’ll be at eye-level with the majestic creatures. Purchase greens and get up close and personal with these long-necked friends.
“There’s nothing quite like having a big giraffe come up to you,” Fischer says with a laugh. “They’re beautiful. To be able to have that experience is really memorable, which is what we’re trying to do at WildCare Park: build memories.”
The woodland safari’s crowning jewel may be the white rhino, a new species for the St. Louis Zoo. The woodlands’ 63 acres will contain 8–10 white rhinos and 30 other hoofed mammals.
Guests can choose to experience the safari in large, medium, or small safari vehicles—each at a different price point. The large vehicles will include multiple groups of guests and will last about 30 minutes. The smaller the vehicle, the longer the safari will last.
“Every time guests come out, it will be a truly unique experience, because the animals are always going to be doing something different,” architect Leslie Garner says.
Stretch your legs with a half-mile walking safari, where guests can meander at their own pace through a habitat housing red kangaroos and wallabies. Although guests will not be permitted to wander from the path, they may encounter one of these animals hopping across the walkway. Visitors will also be able to look into the kangaroo barn and witness how these creatures are cared for.
Other experiences at WildCare Park
WildCare Park isn’t merely home to exotic animals like giraffes, rhinos, and kangaroos. The park will help guests immerse themselves in a unique ecosystem created with native plants. In the northern region of the park, the Nature Play Area will feature 1.5 miles of trails featuring trees, shrubs, birds, and other creatures all native to Missouri.
The indoor Zoo Museum will offer a different kind of experience: a high-tech AR or VR interactive experience, designed to educate guests on the animals that will call WildCare Park home.
Want to wake up with giraffes at your doorstep? Ten glamping cabins will reside on the park’s property, modeled after similar structures at a Kenyan safari. The cabins will give guests the chance to sleep comfortably in the wild.
A 300-person events center is also being constructed on the park grounds. This space, surrounded by lush landscapes and roaming animals, will be available to rent for work conferences, weddings, and other events.
And, after a long day, grab a bite to eat at the park’s on-site restaurant.
Making an impact
WildCare Park—which could fit the St. Louis Zoo on its property four times—will bring an entirely new experience to St. Louis. Fischer and Garner are proud of the park’s extensive conservation efforts and excited for the day it finally opens to the public.
“I’m excited for the guests to see it when we open,” Garner says. “I’ve loved seeing the vision of WildCare Park develop as we head towards 2027.”
In a recent press release by the St. Louis Zoo, it was also estimated that WildCare Park would generate over $660 million in economic activity across the St. Louis region over a 10-year period. The report estimates that 421,900 guests will visit each year, and the park will generate an annual average of 384 jobs.
“WildCare Park will bring with it a major tourism boost for our region and an economic boost for north St. Louis County,” St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said in the release. “The Zoo is a favorite of locals, as well as a national tourist destination, and WildCare Park will join the list of must-sees when in the St. Louis region.”
