Covering 335 acres and home to almost 3000 animals, Busch Gardens Tampa has something for everyone.

Don’t forget that Busch Gardens and SeaWorld are partners so a two park ticket might be an option for you.

Busch Gardens Tampa is split into two distinctive areas.

The Serengeti Plain which is the biggest outdoor zoo in Florida covering 65 acres and seen either by its’ trundling circumnavigating Serengeti Railway train or the Skyride.

The other 270 acres house attractions, rides and shows, restaurants and retail options.

These sections have been given the names of cities or countries in Africa: Morocco, Stanleyville, Jungala, Congo, Pantopia, Nairobi and finally Egypt.

Walking along the pathways of Busch Gardens Tampa is a pleasure in its’ own right with many animals on display. Alligators, elephants, meerkats, lions, tigers, kangaroos and pink flamingos to name but a few.

If you get to Busch Gardens early enough, you should have plenty of time to do and see everything on your must do and see list. Otherwise, you could be facing a return trip.

Set your alarm and don’t be late for what should hopefully be an experience of a lifetime.

Rides for Thrill Seekers at Busch Gardens Tampa

Falcon’s Fury is Busch Garden’s latest thrill addition, featuring a 335 feet, freestanding drop tower with you facing face down as you plummet from the top at 60 mph. Not for the faint hearted or high blood pressure candidates.
Height restriction – riders must be between 54” and 77”.

Cheetah Hunt is a 4,400 feet, dipping, twisting, climbing and looping track that hurtles its’ riders along at nearly 60 mph. Although a thrill ride, it is incredibly smooth and can soon amass a long line so get in early.
Height restriction – 48”

SheiKra climbs to a height of 200 feet before pausing, leaving its’ riders suspended, looking down a 90 degree drop. Then it plummets at 70 mph. To rub salt into the wound, it repeats the process seconds later on a slightly smaller scale. Awesome!
Height restriction – 54”

Voted one of the best coasters in the world, Kumba is near the rear of the park and could be worth visiting early before making your way back to the other rides, possibly avoiding lines.
Height restriction – 54”

My favorite ride is probably Montu, near the park entrance, which is a floorless coaster with 7 inversions with a 3.85Gs pull. It’s just major fun in any language.
Height restriction – 54”

Cobra’s Curse is Busch Gardens latest attraction that opened on June 17th 2016. This spin-coaster is the only one of its kind in the world and features an elevator and an 80 foot cobra.

Wannabe Thrill Seekers

The Scorpion speeds along at 50 mph, pulls you through a 360 degree spiral at 3 Gs and is one of only three roller coasters of its’ kind remaining in the world today. A thrilling and exciting ride for some of the younger, smaller members of the family.
Height restriction – 42”

Sand Serpent is a cute looking family ride but beware, it can be deceptively wicked. Great fun all the same.
Height restriction – 46” and 6 years of age. Between 46” and 6 years and 51” and 8 years must be accompanied by responsible person 14 years of age or older. Over 51” and 8 years of age or older may ride unaccompanied.

Air Grover is an exciting ride for kiddies who can be accompanied by a parent if they’re not too comfortable on their own. Or vice versa.
Height restriction – Riders must be at least 38” to ride. Those between 38” and 41” must be accompanied by a suitable adult. Over 41” and you’re good to go.

The Wild Surge will propel riders out of a 35 feet deep crater into the air above a cascading waterfall. Enjoy Jungala’s village from above and keep your eyes open for the animals in their local habitats nearby.
Height restriction – 38” tall if supervised or 42” unsupervised.

Jungle Flyers is an adventurous kiddies ride with different flight patterns taking riders up to 50 feet above Jungala and the surrounding animal habitats.
Height restriction: 48”, at least 6 years old and a maximum of 220lbs.

Get Wet Thrills at Busch Gardens Tampa

Congo River Rapids is an exciting white water rafting experience spinning and twirling its’ riders down the swiftly moving river.
Height restriction – 42”

Another water ride is Stanley Falls, a log-flume journey through bends, twists and turns culminating in a 40 feet drop into the foot of the Falls. I’m not saying you’ll get wet on this ride but the fact that plastic ponchos are on sale at the entrance is a bit of a clue.
Height restriction – Under 46” and 2 years of age must be accompanied. Over 46” and it’s you against the might of Stanley Falls on your own.

Tanganyika Tidal Wave is the third SPLASH ride, this time at the end of a fairly gentle cruise. A 55 foot waterfall drop ensures that you and any admiring bystanders will be thankful they had dipped into their pockets and bought ponchos. Or dripping and regretting they hadn’t.
Height restriction – 48”

Take it Easy on a Train Ride

If you feel your energy is starting to wane, make your way to one of the Serengeti Railway stations situated at the Congo, Nairobi and Stanleyville. Jump aboard the slow-moving train as it takes you on a mesmerizing journey through the 65 acres of the Serengeti Plain.

Marvel at all the  African animals, giraffe, zebra, ostrich, antelope and many more, in their own natural habitat.

Make sure you have your camera ready as the animals relax no more than a few yards away.

This under-an-hour trip is a wild animal eye opener and I saw more of them here than I did on a week-long safari in Kenya, Africa. Truth.

Take to the Skies

Another way of seeing Busch Gardens Tampa whilst taking a breather is Skyride, one of my favorites. The cable car floats serenely over the Crown Colony and Congo areas giving you a birdseye view of the animals below and Busch Gardens in all its’ glory.

Live Shows at Busch Gardens Tampa

Opening Night Critters is a fun-filled family tale featuring rescued animals, including a kangaroo, and a couple of hapless humans discovering just how intelligent these animals are. There is a meet and greet with cast members after the show when you can also get photographed with the stars.

Iceploration is a 30 minute show on ice starring world-class skaters, puppets, colorful costumes, original music  and even some animals. The message here is to put down all your modern technology and discover some of the world’s wonderful and exotic places such as the African Serengeti, Arctic, Amazon rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.

Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation is a sing-along fun fest with the stars of the movies including Alex, Gloria, King Julien, Mort and Skipper, Private, Kowalski and Rico. Join in and have a ball with music and songs performed by a live band.

Animal Attractions at Bush Gardens Tampa

Learn more about animals at the Animal Care Center. Watch the carers at work and maybe assist in an animal care experience.

Conservation is high on the agenda for all of the Busch Garden employees who look after more than 12,000 animals representing 300 species.

Discover how 4,000 lbs of food is distributed every day to the animals and scoffed with the minimum of fuss and table manners.

Visit the Cheetah Run (check to find out when they will be on view), Bird Gardens, Jambo Junction (help feed the animals and birds), Lory Landing (feed the birds, as Mary Poppins sang) then hop over to Walkabout Way for a touch of interacting with Australian kangaroos and wallabies.

Edge of Africa is a self guided walking tour around an enclosure with animals including lions no more than the width of a piece of glass away. Just don’t turn round suddenly to look through the glass and find a large male lion staring at you eye to eye behind it. 

Also along the same lines as Edge of Africa is Jungala, another self guided tour observing white Bengal tigers and orangutans, again in their natural habitats.

Is there anything quite as majestic as a white Bengal tiger?

Last but not least of these walkabout tours is Myombe Reserve, this time observing playful chimpanzees and stern gorillas.

Dining

Busch Gardens have an All Day Dining Deal. Otherwise, there’s plenty of dining venues to replace all the calories you’ve burned up during your jungle trek.

Restaurants:

• Zambia Smokehouse
• Crown Colony Cafe
• Zagora Cafe
• Bengal Bistro
• Dragon Fire Grill
• Garden Gate Cafe
• Lunch with Elmo and Friends

Sweets and Treats:

• Kettle Corn
• Kenya Kanteen
• SheiKra Sweet Treats
• Sultan’s Sweets
• Twisted Tails Pretzels

Refresh Market is a thirst quenching drinks outlet.

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