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Safari West 

Safari, So Good

One of Santa Rosa’s most unique sights is Safari West (a k a the Sonoma Serengeti), a 400-acre wilderness that is home to more than 900 animals representing 90 different species. Visitors from the around the globe head to Safari West to be up close and personal with the likes of zebras, giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, monkeys, lemurs, exotic birds and dozens of other majestic creatures both big and small. The mission of Safari West is to protect and preserve these often-endangered creatures while giving visitors the chance to be educated and experience these beauties firsthand.

Visitors can choose to glamp in one of 30 on-site luxury tents imported from Botswana, each equipped with a bathroom, a private deck, lush linens and electricity—basically all of the comforts of home save the wildlife that is wandering nearby. (Tip: the calls of the wild make for a noisy night, so pack sound-cancelling earphones if you need total quiet.) Or visitors can book a safari, an experience that lasts nearly three hours and transports adventurers to an African savannah via an open-air safari vehicle. The knowledgeable guide kicks off the tour walking through the lower grounds with the small safari group, visiting the aviary, monkeys, porcupines, big cats and more. Then, the group gets cozy in the vehicle as it rolls close enough to the animals that you can hear them chewing their hay or the swish of their tail.

Before turning in for the night, after a busy day adventuring among the animals, safari guests all gather for a hearty, comforting meal and mingling with fellow guests at the Savannah Café. To end the night, s’mores by the fire—a fitting finale for a night on the Sonoma Serengeti.