The long, multi-car trams had a rigid canopy and open sides so that animals could be viewed in comfort. The cars sat three across, so the middle person always had the least desirable view. If you can get to the tram early, as we did here, it will be much less crowded than in the middle of the day.

The tram's first reveal of the park included African grazing animals with low rolling hills behind. The park itself lay in a valley surrounded by hills.

The Caravan safari was a separate tour that was offered for closeup views of animals. It was tailored for photographers but was vastly more expensive than the tram. The tram cost $40 per adult, whereas the caravan cost $130 per adult.

The tour next passed by a huge artificial lake along the shore of which were found many birds, mostly flamingos.

A closeup of the flamingos on the shoreline of the lake. Other less scenic birds were there too, such as mallard ducks.

The tram passed near, but not close enough to, the rhinoceros enclosure. The enclosure was surrounded by mature trees, a stout fence, and separated from the road by a berm.

Just off to the right of the tram were two large Hooded Vultures perched on rocks. The Hooded vulture ranges from Mauritania to South Africa and inhabits Open woodlands and savanna. This bird is not threatened.

The tram looped back and past an enclosure with giraffe and oryx. The animals gathered nearby because of the presence of food and water.

African Wild asses were also seen in the enclosure. A line of them were on their way down to the water to drink. African wild asses are well suited to life in a desert. They have a tough digestive systems which can break down desert vegetation and extract moisture from that food efficiently.

White pelicans nested on a small island out in the lake. Here, a classic nest could be seen atop the point of the island.

A gathering of wildebeest, also called gnu, relaxed on the grassy part of the wide enclosure. The name wildebeest means "wild beast" in the language Afrikaans. Wildebeests gather in enormous herds of up to a million animals. Newborn calves can stand about 3 to 5 minutes after they are born, and can them run with their mother and the herd. Wildebeests have a life span of up to 20 years in captivity.

In case you wondered why the Caravan Safari cost so much, just look at how near it took those photographers to the giraffe. This shot of them close was taken through a long telephoto lens.

The tour ended by passing near the lion enclosure with its abandoned Range Rover. Other paths were available to walk much closer to the lions.

The ride ended after a half hour and unloaded past many folks trapped in a line maze waiting to board. By mid-afternoon the wait could almost match the duration of the ride. Note that you can buy a five-day pass at San Diego's Balboa Park which includes all fourteen museums and the zoo with the tram ride included for free.