Grace Abounds Celebrating his 10th birthday at Clark Safari and Adventure Park is a dream come true for my firstborn. A true blue animal lover, we fondly call him our “animal expert”, he kept thanking me and his Dad for this family trip and said it was his best birthday ever!
Let me share our first family trip, which is also our homeschool field trip for 2023.
We live in the South and must brave the weekend journey to the North. We all woke up at 4 AM and left a little after 5 AM to traverse NLEX to get to Clark Safari. From our previous travels, we have already proven that leaving home in the wee hours of the morning and arriving when the gates open is the best way to enjoy our trip – to avoid the crowds and exposure to COVID. After a quick breakfast at Jollibee in Shell NLEX Northbound, we continued driving all the way to Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat, Pampanga where Clark Safari and Adventure Park is. We got there in less than an hour without any hassle.
Ticket Prices, Parking, and Admissions
- Parking is FREE. Clark Safari has a very spacious parking space for its visitors. It’s a good thing that we were there early. There were only around 5 cars, including ours, and we got to park very close to the entrance. A must for families visiting with little ones in strollers.
- Clark Safari is open from 8 AM to 6 PM. Their cut-off time for selling tickets and admitting visitors is at 5:30 PM.
- Admissions. Adults pay Php499 while kids get in for Php399. My husband inquired about a birthday promo for our son. We found out that there have to be 6 full-paying guests in our group so he can get in for free. Children 2 feet and below can visit for FREE.
- Senior citizens and PWD cardholders are entitled to 20% discount to their entrance tickets.
- NO food and drinks are allowed inside the park. They do allow guests to bring in water bottles. You need water to stay hydrated while going around the vast property. In case you get hungry, there are food stalls near the entrance.
- Pets are NOT allowed in the park.
- A tram ride is available at Php2,000 for a maximum of 9 guests for each trip. If you’re visiting with a big group and wanted to be comfortable touring the 23-hectare property, you may want to avail yourself of this ride.
Animal Encounters, Photos, and Souvenirs
Guests may feed some of the animals with the food sold by the zookeepers for Php50 per serving. Since we got there at around 8:30 AM, the feeds are not yet ready when we started our tour. We didn’t get to feed the rabbits and the sheep. But, our birthday boy was able to feed the bearcat in time for their photo together.
Animal encounters – feeding and having a photo with them – are available at varying prices.
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- Tiger encounter is priced at Php500. We didn’t get to do this since the zookeeper told us that their tiger is taking its time eating and getting ready.
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- Bearcat feeding and photo session – Php50. Our child was able to pet and feed this hairy cutie with slices of bananas and have a photo together while they were at it.
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- Albino Burmese Python encounter – Php50. At first, Kid 1 was reluctant to carry this massive reptile around his shoulders. Why it’s a snake with fangs and kept on flicking its tongue the whole time! But the zookeeper and photographer reassured us that it was fine and so we took their word for it. My son said that the python was heavy and cold. It looks like it was fond of him since it coiled its tail around his bag. It was a good thing that the zookeeper kept my kid safe the whole time.
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- Pony ride and photo session – Php50. For her part, Kid 2 rode on a pony named Shakira. My daughter waited patiently for this little horse to finish its morning meal so she can ride on it, pet it, and have a photo together. This pony is so clean, not stinky, and is used to being around children.
Photo printouts are available at Php200 apiece. Should you want to have prints of photos taken by the photographers during your animal encounters, head to the photoshop beside the souvenir shop. At the counter, the staff will let you choose which of the shots you would like to have printed. You may pay for your 7 in x 5 in prints with cash or via GCash.
T-shirts, mugs, slippers, as well as other mementos, are available at the souvenir shop.
What we love about Clark Safari and Adventure Park
- Spacious parking
- Clean surroundings
- The staff is all friendly and accommodating.
- The animal enclosures are clean and tidy.
- There are plenty of benches and tables for visitors to take a break from going around the park.
We’re so glad that we were able to push through with our Clark Safari and Adventure Park trip. We are thankful to GOD for a great weather, provision for all of our expenses (including toll fees and gas money), safety, and convenience. Also, we get to achieve one of the many goals listed on our family faith goals for 2023.
