Sharjah Safari, the vast wildlife park in the UAE's emirate of Sharjah, has reopened for its fifth season as of September 21, and there's plenty fresh for returning visitors this time around.
The headline addition is a batch of six radiated tortoise hatchlings, born in early September. Radiated tortoises are critically endangered, so the arrivals are a genuine win for the park's breeding programmes — and they're on view in the Spiny Forest zone. They're part of a bigger baby boom too: the park logged 186 births in the second quarter of 2026 alone, with summer newcomers including South African giraffes, elephants, lions, oryx, blue wildebeest, impala, nyala and zebra.
The park's leadership frames this season as a step up in its conservation mission. Aisha Rashid Deemas, chairperson of Sharjah's Environment and Protected Areas Authority, says the aim is to blend observation, education and hands-on engagement so visitors come away understanding why wildlife protection matters — not just snapping photos from a jeep.
One of the more interesting changes for this season: exclusive behind-the-scenes tours running at selected times, letting you see the daily animal care and specialist work that keeps the place running. If you've ever wondered what it takes to feed a giraffe or care for a lion, this is your in.
Practically, the park is open daily from 8.30am to 6pm, and pricing comes in three tiers. Bronze starts at Dhs15 for children and Dhs40 for adults; Silver is Dhs50 and Dhs120; Golden seats run Dhs120 and Dhs275. Prefer your own vehicle? Private six-seaters cost Dhs1,500, nine-seaters Dhs2,250 and 15-seaters Dhs3,500. Bookings and details are on the official site, sharjahsafari.ae.
For travellers in the UAE, this is an easy day trip that undercuts Dubai's pricier attractions — the entry-level ticket is remarkably cheap, and even the top tier is less than many city theme parks. It's a solid pick for families with kids, wildlife photographers and anyone who'd rather see conservation in action than another mall. Going in the morning opening hours also helps you beat both the crowds and the midday heat.
