An African safari in Mexico may not quite live up to the expectations of actually being in the wilds of Africa and experiencing the real thing but for those in North America, it certainly is a good alternative especially if you're on a budget.

Puebla is host to one of the most popular animal parks in Northern America and plays host to thousands of visitors a year. The African safari area is one of the more popular sections and has designated areas named after some of Africa's popular destinations.

Animals In The Wild

Animals are not restricted in cages yet while they appear to roam free within the park's boundaries, there is still an element of danger for those visitors who travel through in their vehicles. Like many free range parks, leaving vehicle windows down is an invitation for trouble. Watchful tour guides patrol the park but even they cannot keep an eye on everyone.

There is an alternative to driving your own vehicle through the park and that's taking the park bus which makes regular trips. It's definitely a safer option given you're guided by experienced tour operators

Outside Of Puebla

An African safari in Mexico doesn't mean restricting yourself to the Puebla park. Puebla has several attractions and day trips are very popular. One of the more recommended day trips is from Puebla to Cholula. While Cholula is a long way from Africa one of the similarities it has with the African continent is the pyramids.

One of the biggest tips for newcomers to Mexico is to be careful about renting cars. It takes people a little getting used to the Mexican driving landscape. Some of the restrictions are a little hard to come to terms with and if you're even slightly irritable, then give it a miss until you are completely comfortable with the driving regulations in Mexico. Yes, people from outside of Mexico do hire cars however, you'll find they have usually had a taste of this landscape before and are familiar with the driving conditions.

Meanwhile, if going on African safari in Mexico was your main mission, make sure you have plenty of film in your camera. While Puebla is a popular tourist destination, towns such as Cholula, Tlaxcala and Cuernavaca provide plenty of camera fodder.

Is it safe to travel to these areas? This is a question easily answered by simply staying on the main thoroughfares and not deviating from recommended paths. Don't go into an area if it looks like a potential trouble spot.

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