How to Experience the Sonoma Serengeti
It’s been a rough year for the tourism industry. But the folks at Safari West in Santa Rosa, California got hit harder than most. If it wasn’t the pandemic impacting their operations, it was wildfires and the residual smoke that made air quality unbearable for weeks.
It’s remarkable enough that a 400-acre African safari exists in Northern California. Giraffe, lemur, rhinos, zebras. Not exactly what jumps to mind when you think of wine country.
Since its opening in 1993, Safari West has weathered other serious hardships. In 2017, a fast-moving wildlife lapped at its door. After evacuating the staff and guests at Safari West, co-founder Peter Lang stayed behind to care for the animals. It was a close call. Peter spent 10 hours putting out fires with a hose. Some equipment was damaged, but Peter’s heroism saved all 1,000 animals.
2021 brings new hope for Safari West. After on and off closures in 2020, Safari West reopened its doors in February.
We visited Safari West late last year, in the dwindling days of summer. When plans for an actual African safari dried up last year, we found a much closer alternative. Our two rules for summer 2020 travel were to keep our trips within driving distance and to stay on the West Coast. Loaded up with face masks, disinfectant wipes, and hand sanitizer, we hit the road, looking for places that allowed for both social distancing and family fun. We hit the jackpot at Safari West.
Accommodations at Safari West
SafariWest is one of the originals as far as glamping goes. About 25 years ago, Safari West added a few overnight tents to the property. Today it boasts 30 of them. The tents are imported from Botswana, providing for an authentic African safari stay.
Each tent sits on a wooden platform with a private porch, offering a good place for wildlife viewing. The canvas walls of the tent can be zipped down, becoming windows, allowing in sunlight and fresh air.
Inside you’ll find polished hardwood floors and hand-hewn furniture. Like carved wooden beds with cushy bedding and electric blankets.
Each tent has a bathroom that includes a sink, toilet and shower. Towels and toiletries are provided.
Tents can sleep from two to six people depending on the bedding arrangement.
KidTripster Tip: You should know that it can get pretty noisy at night at Safari West. The animals may not sleep when you’re sleeping. And some of the birds get loud after dark. I found the sounds mostly soothing. The noise was a reminder that we were somewhere else. After months of being confined to our home, we welcomed the ruckus outside our tent. Bring ear plugs if you’re sensitive to noise.
Tents cost between $285-$400 per night depending on the season.
Dining at Safari West
Your overnight stay includes continental breakfast at Savannah Cafe.
Be sure to have dinner at the Savannah Cafe, too. The experience is fashioned after a South African Braai which is something like an American barbecue. Meats are cooked in a wood-fired grill. Dinner includes a cheese plate, salad, main courses and sides, and dessert. Of course, you’ll also find a great selection of local Sonoma and Napa county wines.
The staff is accommodating of food allergies. I have celiac disease and was able to eat just about everything, even the mac ’n cheese.
Reservations are required for dining at the Savannah Cafe.
KidTripster Tip: Typically meals are served buffet style. However, due to COVID, that’s no longer the case. Instead you’ll order off a menu.
The Safari Adventure at Safari West
We haven’t even mentioned the safari yet. It’s the signature experience of any visit to Safari West and it’s a big tourist attraction in this area. Many guests visit just for the day, to participate in the safari.
You’ll climb aboard a safari jeep and head out into the Sonoma Serengeti in search of wildebeest, buffalo, impala giraffe and even rhinos. There are 90 unique species roaming the preserve.
The safari lasts for 3-hours. An expert guide will steer you up close to the animals, providing extra information about them.
Our guide had the unique perspective of also being a guide in Africa. We learned a lot from him about the animals as well as the plants on the preserve. He patiently answered our many questions.
After you’re done with the driving part of the tour, you’ll take a safari walk though the Amani Oasis Aviary filled with colorful birds. Some of the smaller animals, that don’t roam free on the preserve, are available for viewing, too. We saw a tiny, baby monkey on our visit.
Prices vary by age, day and month. A child’s ticket ranges from $45-$50, an adult ticket costs between $93-$128. Advance reservations are required.
Guests must be at least 4 years old for the Classic Safari Adventure. (There’s no minimum age when booking a private safari.)
There are some other behind-the-scenes experiences available, too. Check the website for details about current offerings.
During our visit we had the opportunity to feed the giraffes. In additional to having long necks, we found out that they also have really long tongues. We enjoyed getting up close to these interesting animals. They seemed as curious about us as we were about them.
Getting To Safari West
Safari West is located about 75 miles north of San Francisco in the hills of Sonoma County, about 15 minutes outside Santa Rosa, California.
You can day trip to Safari West from San Francisco. If you chose to spend the night in the Bay Area, check out our picks for the top 10 stays for families. There’s plenty to keep families busy, see our suggestions for our top 10 plays and 13 things to do with teens.
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