Africam Safari — Attraction in Puebla

Inaugurated in 1972, Africam Safari is well worth the visit to the Mexican state of Puebla, a three-hour drive from Mexico City. Today this safari park is home to more than 2,500 animals, employs more than 300 people and is considered the biggest zoo in Latin America.

Be ready to spend close to three hours visiting Africam and taking wonderful pictures of the King of the Jungle, elephants, giraffes, orangutans, buffalos, aardvarks, ostriches, flamingos, australian parakeets, turtles, snakes, camels, hippopotami, lemurs, llamas, deer, elks, lynxes, panthers, and many more.

There are lots of souvenirs you can buy for family and friends. And if you collect t-shirts of the places you visit, my favorite is the fluorescent t-shirt with the legend “Night Tours”.

If you wonder where the name Africam comes from, I´ll answer your question, it is the combination of two words- Africa and the first three letters of the founder's last name “Camacho”, and believe me, the story behind Carlos Camacho Espiritú is quite as fascinating as that of Africam.

Here are 5 fascinating facts of Carlos Camacho Espiritú legend:

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR- He was born into a humble family with 14 siblings in Puebla, Mexico. His father had a very modest job repairing shoes and Carlos never finished grade school. But this never stopped him and decades later, he would become an extremely successful entrepreneur owning radio stations, a helicopter and a tech company, pharmacies in the U.S.A. and Mexico and, of course, Africam.

ILLEGAL ALIEN TO U.S. FORCES AIRCRAFT CAPTAIN- At 16-years old, he migrated to L.A. as an illegal alien pursuing the American Dream. He was deported back to Mexico and a few years later returned to the U.S., completed his military service, earned the rank of Captain, becoming an American citizen and eventually marrying a native Californian, Louise Wardle, with whom he had six daughters and two sons.

RADIO ANNOUNCER TO LABORATORY FOUNDER- In L.A., he leased the 2 to 6 a.m. slot of a radio station directed to listeners of Mexican origin. He capitalized on this platform to create “Laboratorios Mayo” specializing in selling medicaments to latin americans. This entrepreneurship would make him wealthy and provide the resources to launch his other businesses.

SURVIVE! (Sobrevivientes de los Andes)- He produced 9 films, among them the 1976 thriller, Survive!- “the story of a Uruguayan rugby team that crashes in the Andes Mountains and has to survive the extremely cold temperatures and rough climate. As some of the people die, the survivors are forced to make a terrible decision between starvation and cannibalism” (Wikipedia).

FATAL TIGER ATTACK- On the 28th of october of 1976, Captain Carlos Camacho died as a result of injuries sustained by the attack of a tiger, while protecting a family which foolishly got out of the...

Africam Safari is a unique and thrilling wildlife park located near Puebla, Mexico. It offers visitors an immersive safari experience, allowing them to observe a diverse range of animal species in a natural and spacious setting.

Spanning over 300 hectares, Africam Safari is home to more than 5,000 animals from various continents, including Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The park aims to provide a habitat that closely resembles the natural environments of these animals, promoting their well-being and conservation.

One of the highlights of Africam Safari is the safari drive, where visitors can embark on a guided tour through the park in their own vehicle or on a specialized safari bus. This allows for up-close encounters with free-roaming animals, such as giraffes, zebras, elephants, rhinos, and lions. The experience of seeing these majestic creatures in a natural environment is truly awe-inspiring and provides a deeper appreciation for wildlife conservation.

In addition to the safari drive, Africam Safari offers other attractions and activities. The park features walk-through areas where visitors can observe a variety of animals, including monkeys, birds, and reptiles. There are also entertaining shows and interactive exhibits that provide educational insights into the behaviors and characteristics of different species.

For those seeking a more hands-on experience, Africam Safari offers special encounters and feeding experiences with select animals. These unique opportunities allow visitors to get even closer to the wildlife and learn about their individual stories and conservation efforts.

Africam Safari is committed to animal welfare and conservation. The park actively participates in breeding programs and rehabilitation initiatives, contributing to the preservation of endangered species and promoting environmental education. Visitors can learn about these conservation efforts and the importance of protecting wildlife and their habitats.

The park also provides various amenities, including restaurants, picnic areas, and playgrounds, making it a great destination for families and nature enthusiasts. It offers a well-rounded experience that combines adventure, education, and entertainment.

In summary, Africam Safari offers a thrilling and immersive wildlife experience near Puebla. With its diverse animal collection, safari drives, interactive exhibits, and commitment to conservation, it provides visitors with a unique opportunity to connect with nature and learn about the importance of wildlife preservation. A visit to Africam Safari is a memorable adventure that fosters a deeper appreciation for the incredible diversity of our planet's...

Africam Safari (yes Africam with an "m") is a must when visiting Puebla, being -as far as I know- the only open area / drive thru zoo in Mexico. And as such I expected to see all animals in open areas or at least large containment sections, I'll explain later. You start off driving through a path surrounded by different animals, the entrance is beautiful, easy and fairly quick, they even have an app with a map and bluetooth markers throughout the park explaining what you should be seeing as you drive, some animals come really close to your car giving you great photo opportunities. They've designed the park in such a way that you have three or four resting areas with food, gift shops, and bathrooms as you progress through the map, and at the last stop, you park your car and walk through the rest of the zoo, with petting areas and educational signs all over. I truly loved the experience the staff is very friendly and I understand that maintaining a zoo requires a great deal of logistics and investment while they also provide a great educational ground to the community, but the big felines seemed like they were displaying signs of stress, the lions were all walking in a never-ending circle (like 15 to 20 of them), behavior I've never seen in documentaries, you always see them resting in the shade under the hot sun (we were there during the hottest time of the day), I'm not an expert but it felt weird. Then when we saw the two beautiful jaguars and the black panther, they were displaying the same behavior, walking back and forth like a caged animal or just standing and staring into the emptiness, these last three felines were in a very reduced area, it seemed like the turtles had a bigger space. I'm also aware the sometimes these animals might be rescued from circuses or private keepers and these behaviors stay with them for the rest of their lives so I'm not judging the park's capacity or knowledge for keeping these animals, I'm just mentioning what it...