Busch Gardens Tampa Bay continues to bring back and add new animal care tours since the extended closure earlier this year. There are now seven tours available to guests, including two recent additions – VIP Rhino Safari and Hippo Insider Tour.
The VIP Rhino Safari debuted at the beginning of December and is actually a new version of a former limited-time tour offering known as the Endangered Species Tour. Just like the previous tour, the new VIP Rhino Safari allows guests to get up-close with a black rhino and feed giraffes on the Serengeti Plain at Busch Gardens.
The experience lasts about 45 minutes, and guests must be ages five or above to participate. The price for the tour is $299 for up to four guests and is available on Thursdays through Sundays until January 3, 2021. Pass member discounts of up to 20% do apply. Wheelchairs can not be accommodated on the tour due to requiring walking on uneven surfaces and climbing stairs.
The other addition to the lineup is the Hippo Insider Tour, allowing guests to get up close and behind the scenes access at the hippopotamus habitat in Edge of Africa. While this is a brand new tour, guests were previously able to take the Heart of Africa Tour that included stops at the hippo, lion, and cheetah habitats. That tour has not returned following the park closure earlier this year.
The tour is approximately 30 minutes long and is available for guests ages eight and above. Hippo Insider is not wheelchair accessible, but the website does state that with advance notice accommodations will be made so that everyone can enjoy the tour.
The Hippo Insider Tour ranges in price between $29.99 and $39.99 depending on the date chosen, with pass member discounts of up to 20% applicable. The tour is available beginning December 18, where it will run daily through January 3 and then change to being offered Thursdays through Sundays through the end of March 2021.
Other tours currently available include the Serengeti Safari, Sloth Encounter, Elephant Insider, Aldabra Insider, and Penguin Insider. All tours have been modified to reduce capacity, encourage physical distancing, and require all guests to wear proper face coverings at all times. For more information on all of the tours currently available at Busch Gardens Tampa, visit the park’s website.
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