Summary
With over 200 animals to feed, pet, and experience, you can take private tours, and view daily wildlife shows. We have fun for all ages!
Animal Encounters – Extras
All animal encounters on this page are available at Sustainable Safari at Maplewood Mall.
What is there to do at Sustainable Safari®?
Your admission ticket lets guests view, feed, and pet most of the Safari’s animals. The Safari features over 100 wildlife species!
Animal Encounters or “Extras“ allow guests to hold, feed, or enter the animal’s exhibit with the assistance of a Safari Guide.
Animal Encounters – Extras to do at the Safari
Holdings
Hold an animal for 4 minutes. Pricing and age limits vary.
Feedings
Receive food to feed an animal up close! Pricing, age limits, and feeding times vary.
Experiences
Enter the animal exhibit and experience the animals up close.
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Holdings
Sit and hold an animal in your arms for 3-4 minutes. Pricing and age limits vary.
Cuddle with a Joey (Baby Kangaroo)
$10 | Ages 5+
Snuggle with a Joey (baby red kangaroo) for 4 minutes. (Ages 5 and up.)
Hold a Tortoise
$5 | Ages 5+
Cradle a tortoise in your hands. See for yourself how cute they are. (Ages 5 and up.)
Hold a Snake
$5 | Ages 5+
Holding a snake can be a lot of fun! Our snakes are familiar with people and are used to being held and petted. They are beautiful and strange creatures when examined closely. (Ages 5 and up.)
Hold a Large Snake
$10 | Ages 10+
Hold a giant snake! About three feet long, meet our friendly Columbian red-tailed Boa named Julius Squeezer. (Ages 10 and up.)
Feedings
We give you special food to feed these animals up close!
The Tree House
Feed Stick $4.00 | ALL ages
Our Parakeet Encounter holds about 200 birds. When you have a seed stick ($4), the birds visit you dozens at a time. (All Ages.)
Feed an Alligator
$7 | Ages 5+
Use a “pole” feeding helper to feed the American alligators. We provide the carnivorous shrimp snack for this feeding. (Ages 5 and up.)
Baby Deer Bottle Feeding
$10 | Ages 5+
Bottle-feed the adorable family of fawns. These young deer will be happy to see you coming with their food bottle! (Ages 5 and up.)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Lemur Feeding
$7 | Ages 5+
Meet our Ring-tailed Lemur family with this specialized feeding experience! Lemurs are highly social primates from Madagascar and are known to live in groups of up to 30. (Ages 5 and up.)
Experiences
Enter the animal exhibit, experience the animal up close, and feed our friends their favorite snacks.
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Guinea Pig Village
$5 | Ages 5+
Take a journey into the Guinea Pig Village! Feed and pet these cute little villagers. (Ages 5 and up.)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Cottontail Cove – Bunny Rabbit Experience
$5 | Ages 5+
Relax with the floppy and adorable Rex and Flemish giant rabbits in the rabbit exhibit. Their fur is exceptionally soft, and they will warm your heart. (Ages 5 and up.)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Capybara Experience
$10 | Ages 5+
Venture into the Capybara habitat! Capybaras are the largest rodent in the world. They are known for their friendly interactions with humans and other animal species in the wild. (Ages 5 and up.)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Baby Binturong Experience
$35 | Ages 18+
Enter the exhibit and experience a baby Binturong/Bearcat! This rambunctious and adorable experience is available for a limited time only. (Ages 18 and up.)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
EXPLORE and SAVE with Pouch Packages
Pouch Packages
Explore the Safari at your own pace, with multiple Animal Encounters for the whole family! Meet our critters with the Pouch Packages.
$25-$130 (+Admission) | Per person
(Ages 5 and up.)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Pouch Packages
The Joey Adventure – Pouch Package
$25 + Admission Per Person
(Ages 5 and up.)
Choose The Joey Adventure Pouch Package and experience Sustainable Safari® with your young joey!
- 1 Tortoise Holding
- 1 Bunny Experience
- 1 Baby Kangaroo Holding
- 1 Guinea Pig Village
- 1 Large Feed Cup Included ($12 Value)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
*No Reservations Required! Purchase your Pouch Package with admission.
The Happy Capy – Pouch Package
$33 + Admission Per Person
(Ages 5 and up.)
Get ready for a cuteness overload! The Happy Capy is perfect for capybara and rodent lovers.
- 2 Tree House Seed Sticks
- 1 Capybara Experience
- 1 Baby Kangaroo Holding
- 1 Guinea Pig Village Experience
- 1 Large Feed Cup Included ($12 Value)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
*No Reservations Required! Purchase your Pouch Package with admission.
Hold Me – Pouch Package
$40 + Admission Per Person
(Ages 5 and up.)
- ALL Available Animal Holdings
- 1 Alligator Feeding
- 1 Large Feed Cup Included ($12 Value)
*No Reservations Required! Purchase your Pouch Package with admission.
Feed Me – Pouch Package
$65 + Admission Per Person
(Ages 5 and up.)
- All Available Animal Feeding Experiences
- 1 Family Feed Cup Included ($25 Value)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
*No Reservations Required! Purchase your Pouch Package with admission.
Safari Bob’s Choice – Pouch Package
$130 + Admission Per Person
(Ages 10 and up.)
Includes All Available Holdings, Feedings, and Experiences!
Includes Family Feed Cup ($25 Value with 4 Tree House Seed Sticks)
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
*No Reservations Required! Purchase your Pouch Package with admission.
| Pouch Package Description (Applies to all Pouch Package Options) |
|---|
| Explore the Safari with a pouch of Animal Encounter Tokens to redeem different animal Holdings, Feedings, and Experiences. |
| Price Range: $25-$130 + Admission Per Person. |
| Ages: 5-10 and up. (Age 10 is required for the large snake holding.) |
| Time: Each animal token has a set time. Animal Holding, Feeding, and Experience tokens last up to 4 minutes per token. (The total time for each Pouch Package is based on how many tokens are in that pouch, but you can complete each animal encounter as you explore the Safari.) |
Do you want the entire Safari Experience?
Guided Safari Tour
$180 (+Admission) Per person | Ages 10 and up
Do you want the whole Safari experience? Spend 90 minutes behind the scenes and explore the Safari with the professional Safari Guides! Have fun with up-close specialized animal encounters. Interact with most of the Safari animal species.
For all Experiences and Feedings that bring you into the animal’s exhibit, closed shoes are required. (No open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, or crocs.)
Accessibility + Animal Encounters
Animal encounters with the wheelchair icon are accessible by most standard-size wheelchairs. The encounter entry/doorway measurements exceed the minimum accessible measurement of 32 inches.
Safari Location & Hours
Sustainable Safari® at Maplewood Mall
3001 White Bear Avenue N,
Maplewood, MN 55109
We are located on the 2nd Floor at the southwest end of the Mall. Park in Kohl’s upper-level parking lot and enter Maplewood Mall door #2.
Safari Hours:
Sunday 12 pm-6 pm
Monday 11 am-7 pm
Tuesday 11 am-7 pm
Wednesday 11 am-7 pm
Thursday 11 am-7 pm
Friday 11 am-7 pm
Saturday 11 am-7 pm
We are closed on the following federal holidays for our animals and employees to enjoy their time off with their families. Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Day.
Sustainable Safari and the Maplewood Mall entrances are wheelchair accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sustainable Safari’s most frequently asked questions. Click on the arrow to see the answer to each question.
How much is admission?
Adult – $15.50 Child – $15.50
All paid-entry receive:
- ALL DAY Safari Entry FREE Same Day Re-entry
- Includes $3.00 Feed Cup
- Kids 4 & Under FREE
- $2.00 OFF: Seniors, Military, First Responders, Educators *Must bring official ID
When is Sustainable Safari® open?
Safari Hours:
Sunday 12 pm-6 pm
Monday 11 am-7 pm
Tuesday 11 am-7 pm
Wednesday 11 am-7 pm
Thursday 11 am-7 pm
Friday 11 am-7 pm
Saturday 11 am-7 pm
We are closed on the following federal holidays for our animals and employees to enjoy their time off with their families. Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Day.
Are reservations required?
Nope! Reservations are not required for general admission. If you wish you take a Guided Safari Tour, you can make a reservation by booking online or in-store. You can also contact us about birthday parties and more!
Is the Safari inside or outside of the mall?
Sustainable Safari® is located inside Maplewood Mall on the second floor at the Southwest end of the Mall. Park in Kohl’s upper-level parking lot and enter Maplewood Mall door #2.
Sustainable Safari®
Maplewood Mall
3001 White Bear Avenue N,
Maplewood, MN 55109
How long are the one-on-one experiences with animals?
Each animal species’ experience has a variable length of time. Sometimes it’s up to the animal! Most holdings last 3-5 minutes.
How long is a regular visit to Sustainable Safari®?
Anywhere from one hour to four hours or all day. The Safari is entirely self-guided; it depends on how much time you spend at each animal exhibit. With dozens of species to view and interact with, plan at least a few hours of your day around the Safari to receive the entire experience. We stamp your hand for easy re-entry. All paid admission includes an all-day pass!
Are capybaras currently available at Sustainable Safari®?
Yes! The capybara is always available to feed, pet, and interact with at Sustainable Safari. Multiple families are rotated from our farm to the Safari.