There are two vital components to the perfect summer day trip: the journey and the destination. The journey to Eudora Wildlife Safari Park from the greater Bluffton/Hilton Head Island metroplex is one that lets you truly appreciate the Palmetto State. Apart from a brief stretch on I-95, the majority of the route snakes through back roads that showcase sights from rolling cornfields to picturesque small-town Main streets.
In places, the blacktop is little more than islands of asphalt held together by patching tar. But you know you’re getting close when the blacktop disappears altogether, transitioning to a sandy ribbon of dust through rows of loblolly pines and red cedars.
A giraffe reaches past the enclosure for a tasty leaf at Eudora Wildlife Safari Park.
And that’s when the true fun begins. Because that dusty trail winds through 150 acres of animal encounters that are unlike anything else you’ll find no matter where in the state you travel.
“It’s amazing how things lined up, being where we are,” said Mark Nisbet, the park’s owner. “You draw a circle two hours around us and you hit all the major populated areas in South Carolina. It’s easy to get to.”
Eudora Wildlife Safari Park is the coolest place in South Carolina you’ve never heard of.
A blackbuck antelope blends in with his surroundings.
The main attraction is the nearly three-mile-long trail that weaves around the park, traversing grasslands and forests that mimic the creatures’ natural habitat. As you roll through at a leisurely 5 mph, windows down to greet an entire zoo’s worth of animals who come right up to your car, you’ll encounter herds of exotic animals from around the world. It’s a wild experience in every sense of the word, one that takes you around the world without leaving your car.
Opening the park was the culmination of a long journey for Nisbet and his family. He’d spent 30 years working with exotic animals, putting on educational shows that traveled all over the Southeast. “We started out with just 30 acres with camels, a few zebras, and animals we used in the educational show,” he said. “They all lived out in the pasture, and we always thought someday we’d open the park.”
CH2’s Maggie Washo has an unforgettable experience with Ellie the giraffe.
Opportunity struck when the world shut down in 2020.
“We were down in Florida when the pandemic started developing. All the events we had were cancelled and the kids were home from school. We had folks who worked for us who were from this area and we saw that safari parks across the country were doing well,” Nisbet said. “It was kind of the perfect storm.”
A zebra approaches the car looking for tasty snacks.
During the era of social distancing and compulsory isolation, it was the perfect escape for families looking to get out of the house.
“The first weekend we had 15 cars,” Nisbet said. “By the second week, the half-mile dirt road that leads to our farm was bumper to bumper to get in. The next week, it was a two-hour wait to get into the park.”
A ring-tailed Lemur says hello
The word was out, and Nisbet was able to not only realize his long-held dream of opening a safari park, but he was able to invest back into his business.
The herd now totals around 400 animals, by Nisbet’s reckoning. And they represent a global coalition of some of the most fascinating animals you’ll ever get to feed from your hands. There are the American Bison, whose trademark move is putting their entire heads in your car and wagging their tongues at you until you feed them. The Blackbuck Antelope, who love a good scratch between the horns as much as they love carrot sticks (which is a lot). The ostriches, who are shameless treat thieves not above snaking their entire neck into your car in pursuit of food.
An African Watusi shows off his giant horns.
And among the herd, you’ll start to notice which ones have this whole safari park thing figured out. One particularly robust Brahman likes to camp out by the entrance, wedging himself between your vehicle and the gate so you’re forced to feed him until he’s had his fill.
The addaxes and Scimitar oryxes will sneakily position one of their flock in front of your car, leaving you stuck until everyone has eaten. And then there’s Scary Larry, a feisty ostrich who can be found zigzagging across the park in pursuit of the most generous drivers on the trail.
Safari Jevon on the hunt for kangaroos.
Of course, it can be a little bit harrowing to see the swinging antlers of a Texas Longhorn mere inches from your car’s paint job, but there are alternative ways to take in the park.
“If you get a big group, the wagon tour is really nice because you get to experience it with all of your friends and we have a safari guide on there as well,” Nisbet said.
A sleepy Binturong (also known as a bearcat) opens one eye to check out visitors to the park.
Whichever way you experience it, make sure you buy extra food. They’ll tell you that you only need two per person, but it’s very easy to run out early. Especially if Scary Larry is feeling feisty that day.
Eudora Wildlife Safari Park is located at 219 Salem Lane in Salley. Visit eudorasafaripark.com to learn more and book tickets.
CH2’s Jevon Daly & Maggie Washo check out the concession stand and gift shop.
Meet the starts of the Show:
Here’s the full rundown of the animals you’ll meet during a trip to Eudora Wildlife Safari Park:
Giraffe, Blackbuck Antelope, Emu, Water Buffalo, Texas Longhorn, Aoudad, Ostrich, American Bison, Grant’s Zebra, Nilgai, Wildebeest, Dromedary Camel, African Watusi, Miniature Zebu, Rhea, Brahman, Poitou Donkey, Tibetan Yak, Miniature Donkey, Bactrian Camel, Scottish Highlander, Belted Galloway, Addax, Llama, Alpaca, Scimitar Oryx, Gir, Eland, Miniature Hereford
Parakeets perched in their enclosure
A highland cow
Wildebeests
A sleepy kangaroo takes a mid-day nap.
Hungry Emus
