The Living Desert: A glance at the deserts of the world

The Living Desert is a wildlife adventure park that provides a glimpse into various deserts from around the world. The Living Desert has created the perfect blend of animals and plant life (part arboretum, part zoo) to make you feel as though you’re experiencing a desert far, far away.

From Africa to North America, you’ll see mammals such as giraffes, Ankole long-horn cattle, cheetah, camels, javelina, Mexican wolves, mountain lions, to porcupine. There are also bird and reptile exhibits to explore. Each habitat is thoughtfully designed to emulate the natural geographic terrain from the animals’ origin.

Located in the Palo Verde Garden center is one of the largest model train displays I’ve ever seen. With replicas of Mt. Rushmore, small towns, waterfalls and sawmills, young and old will be memorized by the intricate detail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Musj9E5EReQ

There are 1800 acres to explore at the Living Desert, so I might recommend purchasing a pass on the shuttle, which makes various stops throughout the park every 10-15 minutes and is narrated by the driver.

The current star attraction at the Living Desert is so darn cute…a baby giraffe. Born in late October, this female calf weighed in at 111lbs and was 5’7″ tall at birth. A fully grown giraffe will grow to 16′ tall and weigh an average of 2400lbs.

If you’ve been to the Living Desert before, please post a comment below and let my readers and me know what you enjoy most. Please share this post and video with friends and family by clicking one of the “share” icons at the bottom of this post.

Visiting The Living Desert:

Winter Hours: 9am-5pm (October 1st through May 31st).
Summer Hours: 8am -1:30pm ( June 1st through September 30)
Admission: $12.50 adults, $7.50 children
Web: www.LivingDesert.org
Address: 47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert
Phone: 760-346-5694

Mike Shubic

Mike Shubic is a seasoned road trip travel video blogger, traversing the byways of the world looking for those hidden gems of the road. From unique destinations, unexpected discoveries, creative cuisine, intriguing inns to exciting attractions…the road is his page. The experiences are his ink. And every 300 miles, a new chapter begins. Whether you live vicariously or by example, Mike will do the exploring so you can have an adventure.

2 Comments

Judy aka Drifty Wright says:

December 28, 2011 at 8:42 pm

My family and friends and I LOVE everything about The Living Desert!! The landscaping with all the wonderful plants is amazing! The exhibits for the animals are large and well thought out with plenty of room. The ambiance of The Living Desert is beautiful and peaceful and I cannot forget to mention how friendly and helpful everyone is who works or volunteers there!! It takes us two hours to get there as we live in North San Diego County but believe me when I say, “It is so worth it!” If you get a chance to go there–don’t hesitate!!
1. Mike's Road Trip says:
  
  December 28, 2011 at 8:56 pm
  
  Hey Judy, thanks for posting the comment…I’m sure my readers will enjoy it. Stop by again. Thanks!