Safari park opens in Al Ain - in pictures

Tickets for the safari experience cost Dh200 for a seat on a vehicle that allows great views of the animals.

Alternatively, Nissan Patrol 4x4s, seating six passengers, can be rented for private trips at a cost of Dh1,000 per vehicle. A full circuit of the safari area will take between 45 minutes and an hour.

The safari extends over 217 hectares – the size of 304 football pitches.

The safari is not just home to Arabian and African animals, such as the scimitar oryx, springbok, eland, blesbok, giraffe, zebra and lion, but also to 38 native and African plants.

Looking out the windows of the tour vehicle, seeing only wild animals among grass and sand, with mountains in the distance, it is easy to forget that this is in the heart of a modern city.

“The experience will be unique, being driven entirely by Emirati tour guides. This will emphasise local traditions and warm hospitality, drawing on an unrivalled passion for the UAE’s proud heritage,” Al Ain Zoo director general Ghanim Al Hajeri says.

From Wednesday, nature and animal lovers will no longer have to travel thousands of kilometres to experience an African safari.

Many more species will be introduced, including crocodiles and hippos, housed in an enclosure that makes it possible to view them both above and under the water, says Al Ain Zoo safari manager Luke Brown, from Zimbabwe.

Zebra are one of many wild animals that visitors to Al Ain Safari at Al Ain Zoo will be able to admire. The safari park extends over 217 hectares, with more than 250 animals roaming freely. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

The world’s largest man-made safari park is opening its doors in Al Ain, giving visitors the chance to get up close and personal with more than 250 animals, all in a natural habitat. Photos: Mona Al Marzooqi / The National