Want to see elephants roaming in the wild but can’t quite make it to Africa? Your dreams are closer than you think. Australia is in fact home to the world’s largest open-range safari park, where a mighty herd of elephants and plenty of endangered species roam free.
Spanning more than 1,500 hectares, Monarto Safari Park is so huge that you could fit every major Aussie zoo inside it and still have room to spare. Pretty wild! The park houses more than 500 exotic and native animals, with heaps of epic experiences that’ll make you feel like you’re on your very own African safari. Plus, you can even stay at the park’s luxury safari lodge, which is set to open in late May 2025. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Monarto Safari Park.
Where is Monarto Safari Park?
Monarto Safari Park is located in the small South Australian town of Monarto, just an hour’s drive east of Adelaide CBD. For those without a car, LinkSA runs direct buses to Monarto Safari Park on weekdays, departing from Adelaide CBD in the morning and returning in the mid-afternoon.
How big is Monarto Safari Park?
Covering more than 1,500 hectares of open plains, Monarto is the largest safari experience outside of Africa and the biggest open-range zoo in Australia.
What animals can you see at Monarto Safari Park?
You can spot more than 500 exotic and Australian native animals roaming around Monarto Safari Park. The park’s safari-style habitats are designed to mimic the open savannahs of Africa, where you can find giraffes, elephants, lions, hyenas and even critically endangered black rhinos in a natural setting.
More than 70 per cent of the species at Monarto are threatened with extinction in the wild, and the park plays a big role in breeding these rare animals. Its native breeding facility helps maintain a vital insurance population of Tasmanian devils and has successfully bred the greater bilby, black-flanked rock wallaby and mainland tammar wallaby.
What to do at Monarto Safari Park?
You can explore the open plains of the park on foot, with more than 12 kilometres of walking trails winding through the park. There’s also a free hop-on, hop-off shuttle bus, which loops past all the major animal viewing platforms.
Make the most of your visit by catching free keeper talks about giraffes, meerkats, chimpanzees and white rhinos, or come face to face with animals by booking an epic animal encounter.
Can you stay at Monarto Safari Park?
Yes, a luxury resort is set to open next door to the park on May 28, 2025. Monarto Safari Resort will feature 78 African-inspired hotel rooms and 20 glamping tents in a separate lodge, both overlooking the expansive plains of Monarto’s new Wild Africa precinct. The resort will also feature a world-class spa, thermal plunge pool, ice bath and sauna, conference, function and restaurant spaces and two outdoor swimming pools.
How to get Monarto Safari Park tickets?
Tickets are $49 for adults, $27 for children aged four to 14, and free for little ones under four. Family passes start at $125 and are available on the website here.
Members of Taronga Zoo, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Perth Zoo and Zoos Victoria can enjoy free entry to Monarto Safari Park by providing a valid interstate member card and a valid photo ID.