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Safari West
Categories: Active Life Zoos Hotels & Travel Tours Zoos, Tours
3115 Porter Creek RdSanta Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 579-2551
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
About This Business:
Please take a look at the "filtered" reviews! If limousines or tour busses aren't your style, we provide quality wine tours from the comfort of your… read more »
178 reviews for Safari West
178 reviews in English
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Review from Meghan L.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012 8 photos
This place is really fantastic. We went on a Sunday for the 10AM adventure, the weather was so amazing, a little chilly at first but once the sun started to stick around it was quite nice.
The 45 minute walking tour was very informative and personal, I loved the flamingos and the trek through the bird aviary. There are so many beautiful animals.
Our tour all arrived early so we started early, which was nice.
The jeep trek was a blast, what a ride! We had an up close and personal with a giraffe and a Zebra. Our tour guide Debbi was pleasantly chatty and not overly cheesy. She stopped the vehicle every time she spotted an animal, gave us all time to snap photos and answer questions, I didn't feel rushed at all.
Coffee at the little cafe was a nice treat while we waiting to hop on our jeep, we had a chance to snack on our food we brought by the limur exposure after, very nice and a bit romantic if you get the area to yourself.
The jeep tour, in my opinion should have an age limit. We had one very cute youngster who cried most of the time, it was only mildly annoying but I felt for the parents who tried there hardest to keep him quiet while animals were around.
I plan on coming back for sure, and doing an overnight!
What a great Birthday Surprise this was for me! -
Review from Sharon T.
1/10/2012
I don't have to fly to Africa to see these animals? $68 per person?! WHAT A VALUE~!
We decided to do a low-key NYE this year and just do dinner, but I didn't want to waste away a good trip to Napa, so we booked a safari trip on New Year's Day. I've been to zoos, but this being a breeding reserve that drives you through the actual enclosures, it was a completely different experience!
There are two portions to the tour:
1.) The Jeep Tour - you'll be driven through the enclosures if your group arrives on time and your tour guide will educate you on the types of species they house and breed, some biology facts, and of course... they'll drive you in for the best photo-ops possible without endangering your safety. Luckily, our group did not have any children, so we were able to make "adult" jokes while spotting various animals with our guide. You have the option of sitting in the main cabin of the jeep or on the roof - but don't worry, even if seating is limited up top, your guide will rotate groups in and out so everyone gets a chance to enjoy the scenery.
Quick tip: if you sit up top on the jeep, keep an eye out for low hanging branches. Your guide will tell you it's okay to break it off so that it's not in your way anymore, but it's good to know if you're one to not pay attention.
3.) The Walking Tour - Again, you'll be able to walk around the the safari grounds and oogle animals, OR your guide can take you into certain animal enclosures for closer encounters. You're not allowed to pet or touch any of the animals, but for any photographers, it's a fun challenge practicing your shooting skills on a moving target.
Online, they say the tour lasts an avg. of 2 hours... but we somehow managed to stay for 4 hours! [There's so much to look at!]
Their gift shop is pretty cool too - I made out with some crystals to add to my tiny collection from elementary school [don't judge me!] and it was 20% off that day too.
I'd come back for sure when I have kids of my own. This BEATS a trip to the zoo ANY day, and it's not that much more $ to enjoy! -
Review from Jeanne L.
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had an amazing experience at my first safari. It was a 2.5 hour adventure that included a walking tour and jeep tour.
My friend and I were running late due to traffic but good thing they started with a walking tour followed by a jeep tour. We called to notify the front desk and they said that it wouldn't be an issue if we could make it before the jeep tour began. When we arrived, we checked in and the pleasant staff member walked us over to our tour group so we could get caught up.
We started with the different colored flamingo's and various species of birds, cheetahs and apes. Taking pictures of the animals could not be more perfect because the animals posed for us and even came close to the camera whenever there was a photo opp. My favorite animal was Frieda. She's was a small monkey that was playful and sassy. I had the chance to scratch her foot as she clung to the side of the cage but I didn't since it was prohibited to touch the animals.
The walking tour was about 30-40 minutes from the point we arrived. I was now ready for the exciting jeep tour. Each jeep was able to hold about 10 people. There was a top level with was on the roof of the jeep which was where I sat. It was awesome! Ladies, please where pants if you want to sit on the roof because this requires some climbing to get up there.
If anyone is planning to go in this cold weather, I would suggest you dress warm and comfortably. Our tour guide offered us blankets which we were most thankful for because it was freezing that day. Another recommendation is to have some snacks and drinks handy for this great tour because there are no pit stops. Some snacks and a hot thermal would have been perfect for the ride.
During our ride we saw a lot of the larger animals such as giraffes, zebras, various species of elk, buffaloes, rhinos, wilder beast, and more. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable in explaining each inhabitant and was attuned to our questions. Each new gate we approached was a mystery to what we would see next. I had a blast and this is definitely an experience I won't forget. -
Review from Judith A.
Santa Clara, CA
1/18/2012
Right after Christmas, as part of our 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration, we took our kids and grand kids for a two-night stay at Safari West. We started off the visit with a fabulous (and I mean fabulous!) barbecue dinner in the dining hall. Twelve of us stayed in four safari tents, and everyone was more than pleased with the accommodations, which included comfortable beds, private bathrooms, hardwood floors, space heaters, electric blankets, etc. It's a slightly rustic but very comfortable B&B! Breakfast was served in the dining hall, and included a nice spread of breakfast goodies. We went on the safari tour the first morning, and, because there were 12 in our party, we had the entire jeep to ourselves. We had a blast! Our guide, Sarah, was great! She really gave us a lot of information as we toured, and we loved seeing all the animals up close.
One thing we really appreciated was that the dining hall was open all night, so we were able to gather there in the evening and drink hot chocolate and play games to our hearts' content.
On the second morning, we went on a guided walking tour right after breakfast. We were able to see some of the behind-the-scenes areas, and really enjoyed ourselves. The giraffes were extremely friendly; because we were not allowed to pet them, we had to step back to avoid touching them.
All of us had a great time, and the grands think we should make this an annual family adventure! -
Review from Stella N.
Novato, CA
1/30/2012
I had an OK time. It was informative and definitely had a variety of animals. I booked the tour thinking this was an animal rescue place but it isn't. They wouldn't really say why they are breeding and raising the animals except that it's a business. I felt gulity as soon as I learned this, like I was contributing to something that takes wild animals out of their homes for movies or something.
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Review from Kel C.
9/29/2011
Safari West is a pretty awesome little getaway for a day trip with the family!
We were literally face-to-face with friendly giraffes, who thought munching on the hair of the people in our jeep would be a tasty replacement for leaves. Wildebeest and Zebra were scattered along the open reserve area. Two dusty rhinos flirted with each other in their enclosure and a knowledgeable tour guide fed us interesting facts while steering our jeep chaotically through the grass. The biggest cat they have here is a cheetah (four of them).
We took our very big cameras and very big telephoto lenses and got some amazing "wild" life shots. Well, as wild as we could get in the SF Bay Area.
$65 includes a 45 minute walking tour with cheetahs, birds, monkeys, and other critters, plus a two-hour guided safari. They also have fully equipped tents on premises for those that want the glamping experience (glamour camping). Bathrooms, running water, lamps, and queen sized beds included in the glamps. The animals are all well fed and well taken care of (which is why the cheetahs don't rip the heads off the gazelles next door).
Definitely recommended, especially for families. :) -
Review from Roselina R.
Milpitas, CA
9/4/2011 4 photos
SAFARI JEEP TOUR REVIEW
Say hello to my hoofed friends! We took an enjoyable open jeep tour of Santa Rosa's very own wild kingdom . . . minus the free roaming predators! :) One of the giraffes stood right next to our jeep. Too bad we weren't on the top seats of the jeep at the time (the top seat is rotated). It was still a great thrill though, because the giraffe stuck his head down and took a peak into our jeep. :)
The majority of the tour is filled with four legged hoofed friends. So, if you're looking for a predatory animal thrill this may not be for you. We all loved it though. The jeep gets close to many of the animals, so you have great views of them. The tour guide was very informative too, and I was surprised to learn that a few of the animals on the property are technically extinct!
The tour consists of a 2 hour jeep ride, and then a half an hour walking tour. There was a large hand raised bird that kept following us around when we were in the bird aviary. Near the end of the tour it was playing with my mother's shirt. :) Afterwards you are allowed to walk the grounds that are accessible for viewing. We forgot, but I meant to walk down to where this hand raised giraffe was hanging out at the edge of the fence. The tour guide said he was very friendly, so I'm sure we could have gotten some great shots of us with him.
This is a great experience! Some people may balk at the price $68.00/person, but I'm all for supporting free roaming happy animals, and conservation.
TIPS:
1. Take an early morning tour. This is the time of day when animals are normally more active. If it's a hot day, they will look for cover or shade for a reprieve from the heat.
2. Giraffes are part of the beginning of the tour, so if possible try to score a top seat of the jeep for the first round. The other animals are at eye level, so you get a better view of them face to face on the bottom seats.
3. Parts of the tour can get bumpy, so probably not recommended for really young children. The site suggests that at least children over 3-years of age would be best suited for the tour. -
Review from Jim T.
Hayward, CA
10/23/2011
Safari West was a pleasant surprise! I have been on other domestic safari tours, but this was way better by at least two stars. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the guide was terrific. There are lots of animals to see from your tent cabin, around the base camp, and on the tour.
The weather was sunny but not too hot. A recent rain made the hills green. Since it was late October the tent got a little cold at night. -
Review from andrew s.
Marysville, CA
12/20/2011
We spent one night in a tent and then did the Jeep tour the next day. I think that is the best way to do it. We got there before check in so we had plenty of time. Also they have plenty of animals to look at without being on a tour. We stayed in tent #12 at first I was a little concerned with the foot and jeep tour traffic but it was great to be right across from the animals especially the giraffes. You can see it all right from your deck.
The tent was warmer than expected and pretty nice inside, wood floors and lots of african atmosphere. If you plan on reading in the tent they are a bit dark so bring a light for reading. The tour was good also. The best part was riding up high as it was quieter, the Jeeps get a little noisy after a while. Also the kids on the tour were fine with all questions but pity the group if you get the annoying kid ala Jurrasic Park.
I recommend going to Santa Rosa for dinner as in the winter it is dark and 5pm so you need something to do. Also bring all the drinks and snacks you want so you can have your own happy hour on the deck and lunch after the tour. We brought a big cooler no questions asked. .
Finally for the price we even had the half off moonlight madness tent special sunday Dec 18 it is still pretty expensive. But $400 for three and a unique experience it was well worth it.
Now the one big caveat, our weather was perfect, sun and 60 degrees in Dec. However if it was windy, rainy, foggy, or hot in the summer it would have been much less enjoyable. -
Review from Carrie A.
I don't even know where to start. Great place for a *stay-cation* ~ you can be in the heart of the wine country, feel as if you are in the Serengeti, and not have to worry about anything eating YOU while you sleep.
I woke up each morning about 6 am so I could hear all the birds calling, the monkeys howling, the giraffe greeting me at the fence, and not a human around! (It was funny to walk past the tents and hear the other guests snoring!)
Since I'm a big bird-nerd, the large aviary was my absolute favorite. I wish they had a person on hand to give info about where all the birds are from, since the mammals were all from Africa, but the birds were from all over the world.
We did a safari tour, and our guide was a hoot! I can't pinpoint any one thing that made this place awesome, but it is a must-see! Years ago I did the tour only, but the best was staying in a safari tent so you can really experience it. Remember to bring binoculars, and for an overnight stay ~ a FLASHLIGHT to find your way back to your tent. (We brought two.) -
Review from Girish B.
San Jose, CA
7/24/2011
We stayed for 1 night at the Safari West and took at tour with our kids. The staff is very friendly and very nice.
Accommodations - 3 Stars - The tents are nice with comfortable beds and adequate amenities. However at $300+ per night, I don't think this is a good value for the money. Also, some of the tents that are the farthest away from the main office include a decent hike to get to them. You cannot take your vehicle upto the tents. Since the tents do not have a telephone or even an intercom, if you need to contact the office, you have to walk all the way to the office. Not having a phone is not a big deal, but they at least should have an intercom to communicate with the office. Overall, unless you truly want to experience living in a tent, I would skip the night stay and save your $300+ for something else.
The Safari Tour - 5 Stars - It was fantastic!! Our kids enjoyed being in the open jeep and also sitting on the top and getting up close and personal with the animals. Our tour guide Mr. Stephen was very knowledgeable and knew a lot about the various animals. He is trained in Africa to conduct safari tours and has spent significant time in Africa learning about the animals. I would highly recommend him as your tour guide.
Dinner - 2 stars - They offer a BBQ dinner on site for $30 per adult and about $18 per child and it does even include any soft drinks, only water and coffee. The dinner is below average and definitely not worth the money that they charge. The steak was better than the chicken and they ran out of grilled asparagus when about only half of the people there had got it. You are paying more for the convenience of having dinner on site than the dinner itself. I would avoid the dinner and go into town for dinner if you are spending the night there. It is a 10 mile drive into Santa Rosa, but you will probably get much better food for less. They have marshmallow roasting after dinner which is ok.
Catfish feeding - 1 star - After dinner they feed the left over chicken to the catfish in the lake. However, by the time this happens its almost 8:45 pm and it gets dark so that you can hardly see the fish in the lake. Complete waste of time.
Overall, I would recommend driving down there for the safari tour only. If you are from out of town, it may be better to stay in Santa Rosa or someplace else and only take the safari tour. You can roam the grounds before and after the tour so you are not likely to miss any of the important aspects of the place.
Again, there is nothing bad about the place, just that it does not justify the amount that they charge for accommodations and dinner. -
Review from sasha h.
I think I have found my calling in life - to open safari east. This place is amazing, I loved it, you actually feel like you are in a safari driving around in an open jeep and the views are amazing. 400+ acres of open land sectioned off into different areas for various animals. Maybe we got lucky but we saw a ton of active animals: zebra, antelope, rhino, sheep, buffalo, eland, cheetah, impala, oryxm, waterbuck. We also saw a baby zebra (so fuzzy), baby giraffe (still 6 ft tall) and baby wildebeast. You can tell the animals aren't stressed out and seem to be comfortable with the jeeps coming by. You get really close to the animals, if I put my hand out of the car I could have touched a zebra. They breed here, that is how they make their real money so they have some good looking animals that are well groomed and fed. Check out the masai giraffes, they are beautiful; there are only 80 in the country and this place has 3.
This place was so much fun, great for kids, adults, anyone really. You'll get cretivity points for bringing someone on a date here and you can go to calistoga for lunch after and visit some wineries
Couple pointers on how to maximize your experience:
-Take the morning tours (9am). The animals are more active in the morning before it gets really warm out
-This is the best time of year to go so try and go by the end of oct if you can
-Sitting on top of the jeep is the best view but they rotate people if more than 4 want to sit up there. You basically want to sit up top for the giraffes as sometimes they will get right up close to you or try to lick you. Figure out if your car is seeing the giraffes first or last and based on that try to strategically get yourself a top seat. If you are sitting below, sit in the back row
-Bring zoom lenses. There are quite a few distance shots - think 55 - 200mm lens
-Our tour took over 3 hours, possibly because everyone in our car wouldn't stop talking but nonetheless give yourself some extra time, they advertise its 2.5 hours
-It's a little chilly in the mornings, bring a jacket. They give blankets out but they are dirty -
Review from Bunny C.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011 2 photos
Beautiful Animals. Everyone looked generally healthy, although the cheetahs could've had larger pens, and the jeeps could've had less exhaust. Still completely fun and unexpected day trip from San Francisco. Colorful aviary. Roaming antelope, giraffe, cape buffalo, zeeebras!
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Review from Benay K.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
8/1/2011
Loved this place! The animals are all healthy and well cared for, the tour guide was extremely friendly, funny and very well informed. She even was able to answer off the wall questions about the animals. This was a great way to spend the day, if you love animals. Especially African animals. And I LOVED the gift shop. The prices were actually great, and we really enjoyed coming home with items that we didn't feel were over priced.
PS Aside from my husband and me, we had two 16 year olds and a 12 year old. We all equally loved it! -
Review from Raina C.
Monterey, CA
7/11/2011
Just had the best weekend here with my fiance.
He brought me here as a surprise trip for my birthday- and I couldn't have asked for anything better.
I felt like a kid all over again (btw cant wait to have kids and take them here- i think i said that 10 times during our trip!)
The staff are sooo friendly and just made our entire stay so enjoyable. The accommodations are perfect- still make you feel like your outdoors and in the outback with a toilet and shower! yay!
In the evening we thought we would watch the sunset with some wine and maybe some cheese and crackers. I asked if they had anything like that available and the sweet lady that i asked actually didn't find any cheese plates and made us one- when asked what we owed them for that she said "dont worry about it" that won me over. Such great hospitality, I would not hesitate to go back!
During our safari tour we had the most amazing guide- she was so knowledgeable about all the animals and really enthusiastic during the entire 3 hours.
I would recommend everyone going to experience Afrca in California! -
Review from Karna R.
Oakland, CA
9/7/2011
Wow! Totally amazing experience! Loved every minute!
My husband and I ordered up the "Romance Package" and stayed overnight in one of their Luxury Tents up on the hill with a lakefront view. Such an awesome surprise as to how nice the accommodations were. Massages in the room, jeep tour, wine and chocolate, dinner...overall a great 2 days. Would highly recommend this to folks that want to get away....kind of feel like you're camping, but in the most sophisticated way possible. The tent felt like an adult tree house. It's not cheap, but it was worth every penny. -
Review from Judy K.
Berkeley, CA
11/24/2011
Safari West is worth the trip. We got there and took a brief walking tour of serveral different animals and birds up close with our guide (Eli). Then loaded the Jeep and cruised around the park. The trip starts out a little slow (with many stops) and I thought I might get bored very soon (girls too perhaps). Just the first 3 areas have the smaller cages but you still drive through or next to them. I changed that attitude real quick and sure enough we started cruising up into the hills and continued the adventure. All the animals we saw were very close as if they put them there on purpose and No they were not in cages. We were in their cage! YES it's worth it. This is a different kind of zoo/reserve. Staff are friendly and helpful with information.
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Review from John B.
8/4/2011
You seriously can't get closer to the feel of being on a real safari unless you spend the money to go to Africa! One of the few things in wine country that is totally family friendly! Also, I definitely recommend it if you are a photographer- Much better pictures than you would get at a zoo.
At first, I thought it was going to be pretty disappointing. The first hour was just walking around and seeing caged animals. Admittedly, we could get very close to the cheetahs and monkeys, but it definitely didn't have the safari feel.
Our guide, Adrian, was incredibly knowledgeable but offered way more information about each animal than I ever had interest in. He was an ex-professional photographer.
It did get much better once we got on a Safari vehicle and started to see animals out in the open. It still was way to slow for my taste- too much sitting and looking at animals that weren't doing anything interesting and too detailed of info about each animal. But it was really cool to see these wild animals that close up! The giraffe actually came in and got friendly with the people on our truck. He apparently likes to lick people! We got to see buffalo, impalas, rhino, wildebeest, etc.
The most memorable of the 2 hour tour came at the very end. We were heading back and came upon an impala that had JUST given birth. Unfortunately, we scared the mother into running away. The baby tried to follow but didn't know how to walk yet. When it tried to get up, it fell down the embankment into the road, right in our way. The guide said it probably had just been born about half an hour ago! Poor thing kept trying to get up but its legs weren't strong enough yet! Eventually we VERY CAREFULLY went around him.
This is one of those experiences that will give you memories that will last a lifetime! -
Review from Haley S.
Fremont, CA
6/11/2011
Who knew you could go on a safari in California?!
Our guide, Stephen, was great! I loved the ride and I got a lot of amazing shots of the animals. For $68 per person, this is definately worth it. Our guide really did know his stuff and I learned a lot in those 3 hours.
We sat on the top during the giraffe part of the ride and this extremely curious giraffe kept walking up to us. He actually licked the face of one of the ladies on the top. He was super cute!
The only reason I have to bump this down to 4 stars, is that it was obvious that the cheetah's was bored of out their minds. They should NOT be kept in an area that small. These are wild animals and their little area was way too small for them. This is why I despise typical zoo's and why I wanted to visit Safari West, I really did think this place was different. Most of the other animals have larger areas to walk and run freely in, why treat the cheetah's like this?!
Hope this changes.....
Other than that, great experience! -
Review from Samer R.
San Jose, CA
7/4/2011
I don't know what s all the good fuss about this place. I guess most reviewers have never been on a real Safari before ! it s $68 / person and 2 hours + drive from San Jose, for me it wasn't just worth it. First of all, not enough animals ! their main excuse was that they are an exclusive African safari, well last I know Africa has Lions, Elephants, Hypos, Panthers, Crocodiles and much more... all those were missing !! really no cool animals that most kids are looking for...just a bunch of Antelopes mostly !
Also I didn't feel really close to the animals, some of the other Safaris have some trained animals to interact with the public... -
Review from Mona Lisa M.
San Jose, CA
7/4/2011
I celebrated my 24th birthday here last year with my boyfriend (it was his birthday gift to me) and we stayed the night at their luxurious bungalow safari tents + did the safari tour + had their dinner and breakfast so this is a review for all of them.
I think the concept is great for both families and for couples. We were impressed by the luxurious safari style bungalow tents we stayed in. There was running water and the bathroom was like any other one you would find in a normal hotel room (aside a fly swatter). There was a portable heater (which you really need in the morning when it's really cold). In place of a refrigerator there is an ice cooler.
The meals were not fancy 5-star restaurant quality but was perfectly appropriate for the setting (and the desert s'mores idea is fun for the kids and adults alike as you get to roast marshmallows by the fire pit). Breakfast is a less impressive but basic continental.
The tour - I was a bit disappointed that we missed the zebras on our tour BUT we got to witness a freshly born wildebeest that our guide discovered on our tour and announced on the walky-talky to the rest of the staff members so that was exciting. Some of the animals are much more in captivity than others but for a good portion it is a safari, not a zoo so that is the sort of thing you have to expect. I also liked how we had the option of taking turns riding on top of the jeep. -
Review from Emma F.
Redwood City, CA
8/12/2011
Took the safari tour with my daughter and grandchildren. It was a great experience. The safari "buses" hold about 12 people but everyone has a great view. Our tour guide, Bud, was really knowledgeable and entertaining, and some of the animals came really close.
The animals appear to be well taken care of, in a habitat as close to their native environment as possible, and the staff seem to care for their well-being. This is a LOT better than going to a zoo! -
Review from Susy S.
San Jose, CA
4/2/2011
Great place for kids and adults too! Interesting and enjoyable. Many photo-ops! Our tour guide Richard did a fine job engaging us in his information and letting our kids interrupt him. LOL As for the food? Not a good place for kids. The chicken was highly seasoned-HOT for all 6 of the kids we brought along. The tri-tip was medium rare at best medium..NOT suitable for young kids at all.
The tri-tip was left out and was COLD, As the server gave it to us. No warmer for it. Afterwards it sat out on a cutting board uncovered and sliced up.
Food was mediocre at best. Setting was lovely. Don't recommend eating here after the tour. Definitely, take the tour! Enjoyable and beautiful. -
Review from Sarah T.
Palo Alto, CA
5/20/2011 3 photos
My boyfriend decided to take me here for my 21st birthday since I love seeing animals and going to the zoo. We had the BEST experience!! It was truly awesome.
Our guide, Robert, was amazing. He was humorous, knowledgeable, and kept us entertained for 3 straight hours! You can tell that he cares about the animals. Definitely a tough job to be a guide, the road is rough to drive on and he had to repeatedly get out of the car to open/lock gates. Apparently he's also a good photographer as the picture he took for us turned out surprisingly well given the conditions. He knows what he's doing.
The animals there looked very well taken care of and happy! We had the opportunity to come into close contact with many of them. A baby crane walked with us for a while in the aviary, and he follows more obediently than my dog lol!! We also got to see a 2 days old baby monkey being carried by his mom, and also a 4 days old giraffe!! We watched the intimate interaction between the mother and the baby giraffe for a couple minutes, it was precious :). The non-threatening animals were in free roam and some giraffes were just standing in the middle of the road. Same with the zebras. In addition, we saw some animals that I've never seen before, and I've been to some large zoos(Beijing,SD wild animal park, to name a few). Now all they need is a honeybadger ;)
My favorite part was when Bulldozer, a super outgoing giraffe,came right up to us!! He kept licking Robert with his giant purple tongue too haha. I brought my no-zoom lenses and had trouble fitting him into the frame because he was so close!!
Oh a word about sitting on top of the jeep, it was fun but kind of scary at parts, the road was pretty bumpy and there were hills, like a crazy mouse twister ride. There are seat belts but my advice is, hold on to your hats, and HOLD ON TIGHT! -
Review from Mary D.
Hayward, CA
6/14/2011
Our guides were super friendly and gave great info on all the animals that we saw. It was cool to ride in the big open jeep... kinda reminded me of a Jurassic Park experience. :)
We went on a good day where it wasn't too hot or too cold. And it was nice to see the animals in their natural habitat -- or as natural as you can get for the Bay Area. ;) Most of them (mainly the vegetarian animals) roamed free within the grounds. Sometimes they were right next to the jeep! They weren't even afraid of us.
Very cool experience and I recommend it to anyone. -
Review from PAULINE G.
Boulder Creek, CA
7/15/2011
I took my 20yr old daughter on this tour and we both had a wonderful time. We were amazed at how close we were to some of the animals.
Dozer the giraffe came right up to the jeep; he was massive...so exciting.
We had a really funny tour guide name Bud, he told us alot of interesting facts of all the animals and their habitat.
The grounds are beautiful, too. After the jeep tour, we did a short walking tour of the bird aviaries, monkeys, etc. We did not know then but saw others had brought their own picnic to enjoy right there.
Cute snack bar that served sandwiches, beer & wine (WOW, I'm coming back for that! LOL) or you can reserve a luncheon that they offer.
Definitely going back with others that haven't seen this place, yet! -
Review from Mark W.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2011
Great experience. Lots of cool animals. Our guide was awesome and very informative too.
Dress warmly if you come during the winter, it does get cold in Napa!
Definitely try to sit in the top during the Giraffe portion. On my tour we started out with Giraffes. -
Review from Alena B.
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is amazing. Usually no matter how nice the fa ilities I feel bad for captive animals but not here. They have so many things to look at...birds, monkeys, lemurs, tortoises, gizelles, antelope, rhinos, giraffes and too many more to name. My family had a great time and out ages spanned from 2.5 years to 65 years old. Everyone thought it was fabulous. Our tour guide was teriffic and knew everything about everything. We started with a half hour walking tour where we saw porcopines and flamingos and monkeys and giraffes (to name just a few). Id say the jeep ride was about 2 hours and we drove all over Safari West's grounds past lakes and kinds and animals galore. The giraffes and zebras and wildabeasts just walk right alongside your jeep. Its a total rush. Id like to see them in the wild someday but Safari West just saved me thousands and tided me over for at least a decade. And here you are garunteed to see tons of animals where on a real safari its hit or miss.
I really don't see how you can beat this place or the experience you can have here anywhere on the west coast. The animals are well taken care of and the naturalists seem to care so much about them. I wish there were more places like this available so animals could be safe in an environment this well kept.
Please go here...it's worth the drive from anywhere in Nor Cal especially and I'd argue anywhere o. The west coast...worth the drive...worth the cost...memories we will treasure until we can come again!!! -
Review from Stephy L.
1/27/2011
This review is long overdue! But its worth it for a review.
My boyfriend and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary here for a weekend. A while ago my friend sent me a link to this place, it took us a long time to decide to come here and try it out. I mean, hello? Safari without the need to go to Africa? I wanna see whats its like!
We actually came here back in November 2010. Winter season = rainy season. sorta risky with the weather. So i made a reservation through the phone 2 weeks prior to arrival. The services through the phone was polite and it was easy and fast. They have 2 tours per day i believe, one at 10am and one at 2pm. I decided to book the one in the afternoon.
Since we live Millbrae/ Burlingame, we decided to stay a night prior to the day of safari. We didnt stay in the tents since it was quite expensive and didnt hear too much great reviews about it.
Safari West was a lotta fun!
Friendly Staff. Lots of unique animals to see. The jeep they take you on the tour is definitely badass. If you go on a nice day, sit on the top! The tour is about 3 hours long. You take a 45 min walking tour then you hop onto a jeep and explore around on the mountains! Make sure you bring a light-weight jacket if you go. It can get quite chilly by the time you head back down, which for us was around 4:45pm. I think this place is as close to nature as you can get, and the closest you'd be at a safari if you don't get to fly to Africa. My boyfriend and I had a really good experience. You're not allow to touch the animals but they can touch you!
Bring a camera and enjoy a day in nature. They don't cancel the tours unless it is pouring outside. So the tour is on, rain or shine.
I recommend renting a hotel or inn in the area if you want to stay overnight. My boyfriend and I stayed at the Best Western Garden Inn which was 15-20 mins away from Safari West.
I think I might want to visit again during summer hot days.
p.s. It might seem a bit pricy to some of you since the tour is around $68/person, but I think it is totally worth it! -
Review from Joe C.
3/1/2011
A Safari in California? And of all places..Santa Rosa?? No way.
Found this place through YELP and with all the good reviews thought to try it out since we were spending a night in Napa anyways.
Our tour guide pretty much made the experience great. She was super knowledgeable, extremely funny, and really seemed to enjoy her job.
Sitting on top of the jeeps were the best part. I recommend trying to be the 1st group up there as seeing the giraffes up close and personal was awesome!
Only drawback was that I wish there were more animals...when you're driving its mostly just farmland and a smattering of animals here and there. Too much space for the amount of animals presented.
A great detour for those in wine country! -
Review from artemis k.
Oakland, CA
4/29/2011
On the safari tour, I learned some fascinating things about the animals that I'd never heard before. The information was good and well-delivered by our tour guide. Safari West managed to make the tour informative yet upbeat, accommodating different ages, interests, and attention spans. Other highlights were the numerous exotic birds I had never seen before, what a collection! Also, a flirty and gorgeous giraffe named Bulldozer gave me a big sloppy kiss over the fence, which I thought was pretty special (the animals are allowed to touch you, but you can't touch them).
The downside is that the animals towards the front of the property are kept in enclosures that are way too small. It's very depressing. Especially the monkeys and the cheetahs, but others as well, including some of the birds. It's like a typical zoo in that regard. On the safari (driving) part of the tour, however, the animals have ample room to roam, not as much as in the wild, of course, but much closer to real life than you'll ever find in any zoo. The poor creatures in the small enclosures got me down. Those sad, bored cheetahs. If you can't let them out to roam in more expansive areas, like the antelopes and cape buffalo, then I don't think they should be kept at all unless they're injured and can't be released into the wild.
Also, our guide didn't talk about where the animals come from or what SW's goal is in keeping them. It's not a sanctuary, really. They don't rescue injured animals (except for some turtles). When someone asked our guide where the animals come from she kind of glossed over it, saying that they trade with other zoos, etc. From what I gathered, it seems as if they're keeping a small number of certain animals in hopes of supplementing the wild populations that are dwindling. But, again, it wasn't discussed much and I'm not sure how, when, and where this is actually happening w/ Safari West.
I liked staying in the tent. I wouldn't go in the colder months, however, even though with the window flaps closed and the space heater turned on it can get pretty warm in there. We were there at the end of April and it was fine. It's a unique experience to stay in a tent like that.
Overall, it's inspiring for both kids and adults to be able to get so close to amazing, wild (or semi-wild) animals and it does make you think about the plight of many of these animals in their natural habitats. But they really need to lose the small enclosures! I hope plans for expanding the front area are in the works! Also, take down the trophy heads in the dining room! This should be a new kind of safari, one that doesn't romanticize in any way the kind of trophy hunting that still goes on in many parts of Africa. -
Review from mong linh n.
San Jose, CA
8/1/2011
came here a few weeks back with just the perfect weather. it wasnt too hot!
we made prior reservations because you have to, and it was about $68 per person. (i still think its a little pricey for what was offered)
they stressed that we should arrive early, and we actually hit traffic otw, so i was sooo scared that we were not going to make it to our reservation. i called in to see what i can do because i thought we were going to be at least 20 mins late, and they said they were able to wait for us! PHEW**
so when you first arrive, you check in at their office. they assign you to your tour guide. the first 30 mins of the tour you just walk around near the front and check out their caged animals such as monkeys, birds, a fox, turtles, and a couple others. (exactly why it was ok to be late.) we could view all of this on our own time at the end if we wanted.
so the tour takes us around for the remainder of the 2.5 hours.
our guide, sarah, was not too much fun. she was nice, but she didnt have that high energy that made the tour FUN and interesting.
most of the animals we saw were redundant. they were all basically the same looking! just with no stripes...stripes...horns...no horns...you get the drift. =P no crazy animals here!
all the animals looked like they were all well taken care of, so thats kudo points to them. the giraffes were super cute! =)
hmm....i say they would be more worth if it were just at least $40-50. $68 is highly steep. i paid just a little bit more for disneyworlds animal kingdom, and that was definitely worth it! -
Review from Jennifer N.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/18/2011
I had an absolutely fabulous experience at Safari West. About 1 year ago I passed here while traveling on Porter Creek Road from Calistoga to Santa Rosa. I saved it for a special occasion, my birthday, and let me just say, it was truly the best birthday excursion I've taken!
We did the 3 hour safari experience and from the very first interaction with the staff, I can definitely say they've got their act together and have a very well oiled machine. Check-In was simple. My boyfriend and I arrived about 20 minutes prior to our safari time there were some things to do beforehand (the lemur island, gift shop and we could get a glimpse of some of the giraffes.) Reservations required-and it does fill up fast! I believe I got the last two slots for the Sunday tours.
The tour starts with a walking portion-it's not a far walk-you stop at the cheetahs, some monkeys and then in to the aviary. Our guide was informative and knowledgeable and hands down my favorite part of the walking tour was the aviary. Being it was late in the day, many of the animals were active, which was a huge bonus. If you can, I recommend going on a late afternoon tour-mine started at 4 for the walking portion.
The jeep tour portion started around 5 and the bf and I were lucky enough to snag a seat on top. I saw on other jeeps that they switched out the top riders-but on my jeep there was no one else who wanted to jump up there. The guide was a great driver-there were a few hairy bumps and hills but she handled them like a pro.
Awesome views of the giraffes (the one guy came right up to us!!) The rhinos were out and active towards the end of the tour and by far the coolest part of the ride was seeing the animals out in a wide open space, when we got to the antelope and cattle.
I highly recommend this for anyone who can get up to Santa Rosa. Best thing to do is get up to the area early, do some sightseeing in nearby Calistoga early in the day, then head up here late afternoon for a tour.
BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! -
Review from Pia V.
11/5/2010 215 photos
If my 200+ photos don't already tell you how much I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this place, then I don't know what will.
The drive up from SF was beautiful, and when we got there we were completely blown away. From the tour guide, to the animals, to the landscaping. EVERY SINGLE THING was breathtaking. I want to go back again and again, and spend a couple nights in one of their tents.
Just don't forget to pack the sunscreen! They have some there, but still better to pack your own ;).
Go! You won't regret it, it's worth every penny, you will fall in love ... I did.Listed in: Sightseeing, Getaway ...
-
Review from Jen H.
11/24/2010
BOOO to rainy weather! Regardless, it was a VERY pleasant experience!
From Redwood City, the drive was approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes. (there's no need for me to post pictures, since there are so many already!)
I don't recommend this experience for children under 5 years old. There was this little guy, about 2 years old, and he was screaming his head off when he got on the jeep! He thought we were going on a roller coaster ride!!! Unfortunately, the little fella and the mom ended up not going on the tour b/c the tour guide did not feel comfortable taking the screaming boy on a 2 hour, bumpy drive, which I personally thought was a good decision too.
My favorite part of the trip was the walking tour, especially going into the Giraffe house and bird cage. I have never been so close to Giraffes before! One almost licked me! The bird cage was amazing as well. Birds of all sorts were flying literally 3 inches from my head! (I was scared they were going to poop on me, but luckily none of them did!)
Will be back when the weather is warmer! -
Review from Carpe D.
San Francisco, CA
8/10/2011
The tents are absolutely amazing and the website realy doesn't do any justice to the place. They come with a deck and chairs and ours had a view of the lake it was really amazing. They have all amenities electricity etc and are really tastefully done. You are sadly reminded at night you are in a tent though there is no sound proofing at all and people are totally disrespectful the kids are awful in the morning I mean no need to think you will sleep in and take the 11.00 am tour that won't happen and we had earplugs...
The safari itself is great, I will go back with kids. We were on top of the jeep and had the best time!
I removed one star because they have such a great product but such a POOR customer service... When I called to book it's because their website was down and I was told that it was working "go try on another computer".. I said I did from home and work and it still doesn't work. She puts me on hold goes verify and said "yes we're down". How about an apology for assuming I was a dummie?? She told me I had to take the tour the morning after spending the night. I discovered there that it was false I couls have done it differently.
Arriving there the customer service is really not the best either. The lady at the front desk was not pleased to be there. The guy the next morning was nice though.... The peple driving the jeeps back and forth are nice and very helpful.
The guide was just enough nice.... -
Review from Shaun S.
Orinda, CA
9/22/2011
My wife and I took our 12 year old and 9 year old to Safari West last weekend for the day tour and absolutely loved it. Beautiful setting and facility.
The animals are all very well cared for, very healthy. Wide assortment of animals from giraffe to rhino, cape buffalo, zebra, cheetah, monkeys, dozen or more antelope, and a very slick bird aviary that you can walk through.
They drive you around in an open jeep (old army jeeps from the 50s) with stacked seating so everyone can see. The choice seat is up top over the driver - if you've got kids get that seat if you can - ours loved it.
The entire tour was about 2 hours including walking around the aviary and the cages. If I do it again I'll definitely plan to stay overnight - the dinner area (family style of some sort) looked great, the food smelled delicious and the cabins on stilts looked very cool.
I've seen a lot of animals done a half dozen or more african safaris (primarily Botswana) and I have to say that for $50 and an hour drive from SF this was the deal of the century.
Highly recommend you check it out. -
Review from Fancypants X.
San Francisco, CA
7/14/2010 11 photos
The *only* things stopping me from going on an African safari: $9000 & 9000 miles. Saturday, I found something a little more reasonable (& I didn't even need my passport); an hour & a half drive from SF & $68 gets you into Safari West.
We started with a half hour walk, seeing birds, a gorgeous cheetah, giraffes & a very dexterous monkey up close (he will never starve as long as he can grab grass like that!) Then the three of us (me, bf & my sister) piled into a jeep (leftovers Dodge Jeeps from the Korean War, we were told) with seven other people. The weather was in the 80's that day & some brave souls sat on the roof of the jeep. We stayed in the cab where it was much cooler
The 2.5 hour jeep ride took us so close (sometimes just a few feet away) to various antelope (a general term; there were 5 or 6 different types of antelope roaming & playing), zebras, rhinos, buffalo, gazelles, a few wildebeests (not as ugly as I thought) & one aggressive looking ostrich (I love that feeling of being frightened!) Various species coexist so peacefully in this vast rolling space. I wanted to reach out a pet them but the one rule here is the same rule at strip clubs: they can touch you but you can't touch them.
We passed by cabin tents where you can stay overnight--no tvs, its just you & nature. At the end of our tour, we saw a huge BBQ pit with a blazing fire set up. We inquired about dinner ($32/per person) but they were sold out so book your meal early if you are interested in eating there.
Other tips:
- bring water (they provide it but its good to have your own bottle)
- don't bring food on the tour b/c the animals can smell it on you
- wear sunscreen & closed toe shoes & bring a camera.
- their bathrooms are clean & they have a very cool gift shop
- the address on the website says 3115 Porter Creek Rd but their entrance is a mile down the road. Turn left at Franz Valley Rd.
I am a bona fide city girl with "go on an African Safari" on her Life's To-Do List. I'm not sure if Safari West counts since technically it wasn't in Africa, but it sure felt like the real thing. -
Review from Jennifer T.
San Mateo, CA
10/25/2010
I love Safari West - so much that I am looking into volunteer opportunities here! I came here for a friend's bday and did the whole tour. Even though it was in the rain, I still loved it. =) The animals all seemed so happy and clean unlike the depressed looking ones at the zoo. The best part is when we got to visit the giraffe barn (is it called a barn?) and saw them up close and personal! They were so cute and licking everyone, biting their hair, etc. Haha...My second favorite part was when an ostrich came up to us during the vehicle tour. It was kinda scary because he/she started to peck at our blanket but exciting at the same time. Since Safari West breeds animals, you'll get the chance to see many babies - baby giraffes, baby zebras, etc. So cute!
The only downside is that we came on a rainy day =(. The walking part was ok because it was only sprinkling. However, once we got on the jeep, it started to come down. My friends and I decided to sit on top during the first 1/2 of the trip and then had to come down for the second 1/2 because it got too cold. My jeans got soaked and my jacket was even damp. I was cheap and didn't want to spend $2.18 for a poncho but if you come on a rainy day, come with a raincoat or else buy a poncho!
I would recommend Safari West to everyone. =) -
Review from Karthik R.
Fremont, CA
11/25/2011
We went to Safari West to do a team building and mostly outing exercise from work and it was a fabulous experience. It is both a zoo and reserve and they have a good assortment of birds and african mammals. I liked that it's a good retrieve and although we didnt stay for the night, they have nice little cabins along a hill overlooking some great animal enclosures which is a great idea for families with kids. The safari runs every couple of hours or so in the summer and less frequent in winter. It lasts about 2-3 hours and covers much of their few 100 acres of reserve. The jeeps have roof top seats that I thoroughly enjoyed. They were otherwise clunky with bellowing smoke exhaust that has the potential to ruin the beautiful, serene and fresh atmosphere. The staff was very knowledgeable and had nice humour and entertaining. You could tell they were passionate about what they were doing. The giraffe were very friendly and naughty - especially if you were on the roof. The only thing was they only have a few predatory animals - there was cheetah but I wouldve liked to see lions and other big cats etc roaming in a reserve (much like what you get to see in India's national reserves). We had lunch in an open seating - the food was unusually good for a setting like this - good choice of salad, entre, fresh grilled chicken in open hearth, dessert, wine and beer and coffee. They also have a souvenir shop if you want to buy some memorabilia. Great experience and highly recommended for families with kids.
