A Magical Nebraska Safari Full Of Exotic Animals You Can Feed

A snack cup should not have this much power.

One second, everyone is calm. Next second, the whole car is suddenly negotiating who gets to feed the animals first.

A safari like this gives Nebraska the kind of wild-card family outing people immediately start talking about before they even leave.

Animal encounters have a way of making everyone act a little younger. Kids get louder. Adults forget they were pretending to be calm.

Then an animal walks up for a bite and the whole day becomes a story.

A place like this is not just about watching from a distance. It lets visitors feel close enough to remember the moment.

That is where the magic starts.

The Story Behind Pete’s Safari

Pete’s Safari began with a single animal named Willie, a camel who became the heart of what would eventually grow into one of Nebraska’s most beloved exotic animal parks.

The safari is located at 2070 S Engleman Rd, Alda, NE 68810, sitting on open land that feels a world away from the typical zoo experience.

The founder, who grew up on an exotic animal ranch, brought a lifetime of knowledge and genuine love for animals to every corner of the property.

What makes this place feel different is the personal touch woven into everything, from the handwritten animal signs to the way the space is laid out so visitors never feel rushed or overwhelmed.

The park has grown steadily over the years, adding species from North Africa, South America, Australia, Madagascar, and beyond.

Families who visit often say it feels less like a tourist attraction and more like spending an afternoon with someone who truly cares about the animals they keep.

Over 40 Species From Around The World

Walking through Pete’s Safari feels a bit like taking a trip around the world without ever leaving Nebraska.

The park is home to over 40 different animal species, sourced from regions as varied as North Africa, the Arctic, South America, Australia, and Madagascar.

Each animal comes with its own story, and the informational signs placed throughout the park help visitors understand where each creature originates and what makes it unique.

Kids and adults alike tend to slow down and read them, turning the visit into something genuinely educational without feeling like a classroom.

The variety here is part of what makes a visit so engaging.

Guests might find themselves standing next to a cavy from South America one moment and watching an emu from Australia strut past the next.

The layout keeps animals close together, so the experience never requires long walks between exhibits.

Everything feels compact and accessible, which makes it easy to see every animal during a single visit without feeling exhausted by the end of the afternoon.

Feeding The Animals By Hand

Few things match the excitement of having a camel eat right out of your hand.

At Pete’s Safari, feeding the animals is not just allowed, it is one of the main highlights of the visit and something guests of all ages tend to remember long after they leave.

Food cups are available for purchase on-site, making it easy to jump right into the experience without needing to bring anything special.

The animals are clearly accustomed to being fed by visitors, which means they approach calmly and without much hesitation, creating a relaxed and enjoyable interaction rather than a stressful one.

Some animals can be fed through specially designed feeding shoots, which add a fun mechanical element that younger kids especially seem to love.

Others accept food directly from an open palm, which gives the encounter a more intimate feel.

Popcorn has been noted as a crowd favorite among the animals, and purchasing a larger food package tends to extend the visit considerably since so many of the animals are enthusiastic and willing participants in the feeding experience.

Animals From All Over The World Such As Emus From Australia

Emus are one of those animals that look almost cartoonish until you are standing next to one and realize just how tall and solid they actually are.

Pete’s Safari includes emus among its diverse lineup, giving visitors a chance to observe these large flightless birds from Australia in a setting that feels surprisingly intimate for such an unusual creature.

Standing at nearly five feet tall and capable of running at high speeds, emus have a prehistoric quality to their appearance that tends to fascinate kids and adults alike.

Their small wings, powerful legs, and curious eyes make them one of the more memorable animals to encounter during a walk through the park.

The emus tend to be active and alert during visiting hours, which makes them engaging subjects to watch even from a short distance.

Their behavior, which can range from calm and curious to surprisingly assertive, keeps observers on their toes in the best possible way.

For families who want to talk about what makes each animal unique, the emu is a natural conversation starter that opens up broader discussions about flightless birds and the wildlife of the Southern Hemisphere.

Small Animal Encounters

Not every memorable animal encounter at Pete’s Safari involves an exotic giant.

Cavies, which are large relatives of the guinea pig native to South America, offer a different kind of charm that tends to resonate especially with younger visitors who may feel more comfortable around smaller animals.

Their round, compact bodies and calm temperament make them approachable in a way that some of the larger animals simply are not.

Spending time near the cavy enclosure gives kids a chance to slow down and observe animal behavior at a gentler pace, which can be a welcome contrast to the more high-energy moments elsewhere in the park.

Pete’s Safari does a thoughtful job of balancing the dramatic with the understated throughout its animal lineup, and the cavies are a good example of that balance in action.

Not every visitor notices them right away, but those who stop to spend a few minutes in this area often find it to be one of the quieter and more pleasant moments of the visit.

Small animals have a way of drawing out patience and attentiveness in kids that bigger animals sometimes do not.

Ostriches And Other Large Exotic Birds

Ostriches are the largest birds on earth, and encountering one at close range has a way of recalibrating expectations about what a bird can be.

Pete’s Safari includes ostriches among its collection of large exotic animals, and their sheer scale tends to generate a strong reaction from visitors who have never stood near one before.

An adult ostrich can stand over eight feet tall and weigh more than 300 pounds, which means the experience of being near one feels more like encountering a large mammal than a typical bird.

Their long necks, powerful legs, and surprisingly expressive eyes make them one of the more dramatic exhibits in the park from a purely visual standpoint.

For families interested in African wildlife specifically, the ostrich represents one of the continent’s most iconic species and pairs naturally with the zebras and camels elsewhere in the park to create a loose but coherent safari theme.

Watching an ostrich move around its enclosure reveals a surprising grace that photographs alone cannot fully capture.

The exhibit tends to hold visitor attention longer than expected, particularly among kids who are old enough to appreciate the biology and evolutionary history of flightless birds.

Admission Pricing And What To Expect

One of the most frequently praised aspects of Pete’s Safari is how accessible it is from a cost standpoint.

General admission is listed at $10 for adults ages 16 through 64 and $10 for kids ages 1 through 15, with a reduced rate of $8 available for seniors ages 65 and older as well as veterans.

For a family looking for a full afternoon of entertainment that includes hands-on animal interaction, educational signage, and the option to upgrade to special encounters, that pricing structure offers considerable value.

The cost of food cups for feeding the animals is separate from admission, so budgeting a small additional amount for that is a practical consideration worth making in advance.

Special encounters with the sloth and ring-tailed lemurs carry an additional fee beyond the standard admission price, and those experiences tend to book interest quickly on busy weekend days.

Arriving with a clear sense of which add-ons the family wants to prioritize helps the visit flow more smoothly.

The overall affordability of Pete’s Safari makes it a realistic option for families who want a memorable outing without spending the kind of money typically associated with large commercial animal attractions.

Operating Hours And When To Visit

Timing a visit to Pete’s Safari requires a bit of planning since the park operates on a limited schedule.

Regular hours run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., which means weekday visitors will need to plan around that Friday-through-Sunday window.

Arriving earlier in the operating window rather than later tends to be a practical approach, particularly during warmer months when the animals are most active and the crowds have not yet peaked.

The park is located in Alda, Nebraska, which sits near Grand Island, making it a convenient stop for visitors already traveling through the central part of the state.

Checking the official website at petessafari.org or calling ahead at (308) 833-0735 are the most reliable ways to verify that the park is open and operating before arrival.

Planning around the published schedule ensures the visit goes smoothly from the very first step through the gate.