Why Every Family Needs to Visit Safari West
Safari West is a little-known safari and glamping site located in the middle of Northern California wine country. It’s an amazing kid-friendly getaway from San Francisco that will leave the entire family feeling like they just visited a completely different continent.
Jeep Safari and Glamping at
Safari West
Safari West a secluded wildlife preserve and luxury glamping site located in the middle of California wine country.
For any animal-loving kids in your family, this is the easy getaway destination for you. It’ll leave you feeling like you just visited the a whole different coutry. No passports required.
As with most glamping sites you might come across, Safari West pampers its guests in outdoor luxury with its spacious canvas tents, comfortable beds, well-kept grounds, and wonderful customer service.
However, what makes Safari West truly special is it’s spectacular, on-site Jeep safaris that transports you to a place feels like the African Serengeti.
Safari West covers over 400 acres of land dedicated to wildlife conservation. In fact, according to their website, their mission is,
“…to actively promote conservation and environmental
education while imparting knowledge that helps each
individual make well-informed choices in regard to the environment and
wildlife conservation.
At Safari West, it’s all about the animals. Always has been, always will be.”
In this post, we’ll cover all you need to know and expect from a visit to Safari West, and we’ll see just how special this Northern California gem truly is.
Stick around to the end because we’ll dive into some easy tricks to make your visit to Safari West truly comfortable, stress-free, and memorable for the entire family!
What is
Safari West?
Safari West is a 400-acre wildlife preserve in Northern California whose primary mission is animal and environmental conservation.
Safari West carries out their mission by giving the guest a safari-like adventure in open air jeeps. During this tour, guests will journey through the huge property in order to witness the beautiful animals that reside on the preserve.
In addition, for an added adventure, guest have the option to spend the night at Safari West in glamping-style tents and wake up to the sounds of the animals the following morning.
Where is Safari West?
Safari West is a located 66 miles north of San Francisco in the city of Santa Rosa, which is right in the middle of one of Northern California’s wine countries.
It is only takes about a 90-minute drive to get there from San Francisco. Because of this, it is an extremely easy and family-friendly getaway that will take you worlds away from the busy city.
What to Expect During Your Stay
Here are all the things you can expect to find and enjoy during your time at Safari West.
I promise you, this special place is one you and your family won’t want to skip out on.
The Jeep Safari
The main attraction at Safari West is their 3-hour African Safari Tour.
This tour starts off on foot in the aviary where you’ll learn about the resident birds as they fly and walk around you in the enclosure.
After that you’ll hop onto an open-air safari jeep and head out on an excursion led by a highly-trained and very knowledgable tour guide.
On the jeep tour, you’ll get up close and personal with animals like giraffes, rhinos, zebras, and wildebeests. There are over 90 species of animals living at Safari West, so there is no shortage of wildlife to see on this journey.
Since roads can be a little bumpy and the entire tour is quite long, only guest 4 years of age and older are allowed to get on this jeep safari.
Animal Enclosures
While the Jeep Safari is definitely the biggest draw to Safari West, it isn’t the only way to encounter the beautiful animals at the preserve. There are many spacious animal enclosures that can also get you really great opportunities to admire the wildlife during your visit.
The Amani Oasis Aviary is an enclosed area where the park’s birds reside. Here, you and the kids will get to watch the graceful cranes and ibis fly overhead.
The safari walk features other large enclosures that give you great opportunities to observe more animals at the park. As you stroll through this area, your family will love coming across animals like majestic cheetahs, playful monkeys, and pink flamingos.
At Safari West, you’ll have plenty of chances to check out all the wildlife that wasn’t viewable on the jeep tour.
The Tents
The first word that comes to mind when trying to describe the over-night tents at Safari West is “luxurious.”
Spending the night in on of these spacious tents is an adventure in itself. It’ll be one of the best glamping experiences you and your family will ever expereince.
Each safari-tent has it’s own private deck that has outdoor furniture and patio umbrella. It’s the perfect place to share meals, enjoy a good book, and just bask the peaceful surroundings around you.
Each tent also comes with it’s very own bathroom, complete with flushing toiling, sink with running water, and stand-up shower. After a long day, this en-suite gives you a clean and private space to clean up before turning in.
And because these at made out of canvas, you’ll get to experiences all the wondrous sounds of the wildlife as you doze off at night and as you rise in the morning.
Accomodations
The accommodations of the safari tents are very well-kept and extremely cozy.
The beds, bedding, and pillows are so plush and comfortable, you’d think you were staying at a hotel. On cold nights the layered linens, blankets, and electric space heater will keep your whole family warm all night long.
Another great thing is that there’s no need to pack your own towels or toiletries on this stay. Every tent comes with fluffy clean towels, wash cloths, and travel-size toiletries for you to use.
Then, during warmer days, each tent has an overhead fan that you can easily turn on with a switch.
When the sun goes down and the sky is dark, the electric lamps inside and outside your tent will provide plenty of light whether you’re reading a book in bed or enjoying a glass of wine outside on the deck.
On-site Dining
There are a couple of places inside Safari West were you can grab something eat.
The first is Deliah’s which is a small walk-up window that serves up light food and beverages.
For a fuller meal, however, the Savannah Cafe cooks up an amazing spread of food. Their delicious meals are freshly cooked before it getting served up buffet-style by super helpful staff.
On the menu there are starters like cheese, fruit, and salad. For the main dish, your family will fill their bellies with flavorful BBQ pork, BBQ chicken, vegetables, potatoes, and macaroni n cheese. To end the meal, you’ll satisfy your sweet teeth with an all-time favorite: ice cream sundaes.
Keep in mind that no walk-ups can be accommodated at the Savannah Cafe and reservations can only be made as part of a safari and/or overnight reservation.
What's Included in Your Stay
- Continental breakfast: eggs, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, pasties, juices, milk, coffee, and teas.
- Marshmallow-roasting and s’more-making at the community campfire.
- Access to the safari walk
- Each tent comes with a set of flash lights for you to borrow during your stay.
- Each tent comes with an ice chest with ice where you can store your perishable food.
Customer Service
The customer service at Safari West is, without a doubt, is top-notch. From booking to check out, they make it a priority to provide their guest with the very best care.
Since cars are not allowed inside the reserve, they must stay in the parking lot, which is pretty far from the over-night tents.
To make the Safari West experience more enjoyable from the very start, upon arrival, an amazing Safari West staff member picks you up from your car, helps you load your belongings into a jeep, and drives you to your tent.
Once at the tent, they make sure you and your family have your flashlights, ice, and everything you need before they leave to enjoy your stay.
Things to Know for an Unforgettable Trip to
Safari West
- Remember that only guests 4 years and older are able to experience the safari tours.
- Take slow, leisurely walks around the park. It’s super fun and you might spot free-roaming peacocks, turkeys, and other animals.
- Bring your favorite books, card games, board games, and easy crafts.
- Bring glow sticks to play with at night.
- Bring kids binoculars to use during the jeep safari.
- Kid-friendly headlamps are fun for exploring the camp grounds when it gets dark.
- Download a stargazing app to help kids identify constellations at night.
- Bring a bluetooth speaker to play relaxing, soft music in your tent. No loud music. It’s a nature reserve, after all.
- No cooking is allowed at Safari West. Bring easy meals that require little to no prep work: pre-made sandwiches, cheese boards, muffins, fruit, etc.
- You will have an ice cooler and ice at your tent to store some perishables over night.
- Bring battery-operated puck lights to serve as night lights for kiddos who might be afraid of the dark at bedtime.
- Bring your kids’ favorite stuffed animal or blanket to create a welcoming bed for them to sleep in at night.
- For grown-ups, bring a bottle of your favorite wine to enjoy on the patio while the sun sets.
- Bring ear plugs to wear at night if you’re sensitive to noise. All that separates you and the sounds of the animals is the thin canvas of the tent.
- There is very limited cell service at Safari West. Take this time to unplug from technology and reconnect with the family.
- The most pleasant weather at the park tends to be during May and June.
In Conclusion
Safari West is Great Family Fun
Safari West is one-hundred percent worth it and should be a bucket list destination for any family visiting Northern California.
At this special wildlife preserve you’ll feel like you’re on a completely different part of the world without even having to board a long plane ride or renew your passport.
You’ll experience superb customer service, plush accommodations, unique overnight tents, open-air jeep safaris, and some of the best family experiences that you and your kids will never forget.
Plus, you’ll walk away with more appreciation and love for the precious wildlife we share this this Earth with.
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