The 3 verbs of this zone·Explore · Conserve · Connect
Signature species
elephants
giraffes
zebras
antelope
ostriches
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Guest experience
giraffe feeding
safari overlooks
shaded paths
savannah cafe
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Role in the zoo
A blockbuster wildlife zone with high family appeal, anchoring the journey with the largest land animals on the continent.
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Zone highlights
Largest planned wildlife zone in the park, with elevated and ground-level viewing
Daily giraffe feeding as a flagship guest moment
Designed so families circulate without ever crossing service paths
Active field-station partnership with named African conservation programs
Sunrise and sunset programming windows that re-light the entire plain
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Points of interest
Numbered against the cartographic vignette above.
1
Savannah Overlook
Elevated viewing deck above the open plain — first sightline as guests arrive at the zone.
2
Giraffe Feeding Platform
Eye-level platform where hosts hand-feed the giraffe herd at scheduled times.
3
Watering Hole
Shared zebra, antelope, and ostrich habitat staged around a central rock-lined pool.
4
Acacia Walk
Shaded path of native acacia and umbrella thorn linking the overlook to the cafe.
5
Savannah Cafe
Sit-down dining with herd-view seating and locally-sourced southern African menu cues.
6
Elephant Habitat
Mixed-age herd with deep wallow, browse stations, and a research observation hide for keepers.
7
Sunset Boma
Open-air timber boma used for evening private events and conservation storytelling.
8
Field-Station Hide
Working research outpost styled like a Maasai Mara field camp — visible to guests, with monthly open hours.
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From the master plan
A continent in one walk
The African Savannah zone is built to feel like a sunrise drive through the open
plains. From the moment guests step under the acacia gate, the sightlines open
to a quarter-mile of grassland staged with the iconic five — elephants,
giraffes, zebras, antelope, and ostriches — sharing the same dust, water, and
shade lines.
Designed around three guest moments
The deck’s three verbs for this zone — Explore, Conserve, Connect — drive
every design decision in the masterplan:
Explore — wander open landscapes and discover iconic wildlife up close,
framed by raised overlooks and ground-level walking trails.
Conserve — protect habitat and wildlife through education, research, and
active partnership with on-the-ground African field programs.
Connect — create the kind of unforgettable, eye-level moments — the
giraffe-feeding platform especially — that inspire a lifelong sense of
stewardship.
Why this zone anchors the journey
African Savannah is intentionally the second stop after the Entrance Plaza. The
spec frames it as a blockbuster with high family appeal: it delivers the
emotional payoff guests came for, while the calmer, more atmospheric zones
deeper in the park reward the rest of the day.
A working field station, not a stage set
Behind the public-facing acacia line sits a working field-station hide —
modeled on the real Maasai Mara research camps the project’s conservation
partners run. Keepers, vets, and visiting researchers cycle through it on the
same rhythm as the herd; once a month, the hide opens to guests for a fifty-
minute behind-the-glass program. The deck named conservation as the second of
the zone’s three verbs for a reason: the field station is the receipt.
