Safari West Review

Great place to spend time with a group of your family. This ecosystems has to be shared!

This little slice of heaven is a beautiful escape with our without the kids!

I could hang out here all day! Such a delightful place. The Koi Pond is amazing!

Knowledgeable guide, great effort at social distancing with smaller groups. LOTS of adorable baby animals. . . Even the baby warthogs were cute. Loved the elegant giraffes, and several different kinds of antelope.

Very friendly staff and knowledgeable about the animals they care for. We were close to most of the animals and the open jeep was fun to ride on. Positive experience. My kids had lots of fun.

Photo ops beyond counting
Spread over very hilly pasture land between Santa Rosa and Calistoga
Concentrated open and closed spaces with extraordinarily colorful and arresting African bird species and small mammals. After 45 minutes walking through that area it's time to get on board the impregnable open touring truck to visit most of the African grazing animals you can think and even more you never knew existed. All identified and given in depth bios by the avuncular and entertaining guide-driver for roughly 90 minutes. Outdoor restaurant-grill area. Highly enjoyable experience offered by owners and staff who love the animals and love to share with you

So much fun learning about wild animals. Everyone we met who worked there always had a genuine smile on their faces, a were super friendly.

Safari West is a wonderful teaching opportunity for all age groups. Its was great to see animal conservation and the guides are very knowledgeable of the facility, the history, and of course all of the animals. The best exhibit is the avery (sp?) holding exotic animals

Fun times going on a safari ride and seeing the cheetahs and antelope felt like I was in Africa.

They cage the animals at night... and every other day

Good for all, and learning about Africa's animals. Wonderful lunch, must reservations.

One of 3 active geyers in the world which erupts on schedule. Also credited with being able to indicate earthquakes.

Had an amazing day - the safari was great and also informative, the guided walk around was equally nice and the food was good too. The guides are quite knowledgeable as well. It's not quite the real safari but that's not a comparison to be made. It makes for a good family outing but probably more entertaining for smaller kids as they won't miss the big cats.

It's ok. Not that great. You see the same animals as in the zoo ( zoo is close to home/ more animals). The ride on the "safari trucks" is a bit rough and the seats are uncomfortable. The "off road" is a dirt road that goes up and down hills to see 4 different animals.

It was the best day ever seeing all the animals and just having a good time

An amazing adventure. The service and attention was "5 star". Their knowledge of the animals and genuine care was evident at each step. We took our grandchildren there and made some wonderful memories we will all cherish.

While the terrain isn't flat, the wild life seems well adapted and the staff are wonderful. This is a really unique place that allows you to see African animals in a more natural environment rather than small cages at a zoo. My wife and I plan to go back.

Awesome place. They care so much about their animals. They allow for staying overnight and tour rides throughout the park. The employees are very knowledgeable.

The food was scrumptious!!! I had the fried chicken sliders which could eat everyday for the rest of my life! Also a pulled pork street taco which was so flavorful...
My husband had the mac and cheese which We both said omg when we tasted it. He also ordered the watermelon salad. Such a nice way to end the meal. I cant wait to come back! Sadly we live too far to make often enough. Great vibe and super attentive and nice servers!!! Thanks for a delightful meal before our trip home.

Fabulous overnight visit to celebrate a surprise 39th wedding anniversary in 2010. We stayed in a tent suite. Very comfortable. Fell asleep, after a great dinner, to the sound of Africa in the middle of Sonoma County. The following day culminated with a 4WD safari of the 400 acre African animal refuge for endangered species. Second set of photos (top dozen) were added after recent 2019 visit. Didn't spend the night this time. Just tour and lunch. Our guide; Richard, was very entertaining and awesomely informative. Lunch was delicious. Thank you Safari West!!!

Awesome guide (Jenna) and the animals seem well looked after. Felt like a real safari with the Korean war era jeeps!

Other than going on a real safari there is no better way to see these animals in my opinion. The guide was informative, the animals were close and great, the truck ride was rugged but added to the overall experience. You need to make a reservation as this is not a normal zoo. It's well worth the money. There is a restaurant and you can stay overnight in one of their tent cabins. Parking is free.

Just a really fun atmosphere delivering a remarkable experience.

This was such an amazing experience! We came here for my son's 7th birthday and it was great! Staff was so cheerful and awesome. Next time we go we will stay over night.

It s okay place. For kids it is great experience with the animals. They have overnight stay options which might be interesting for some adventure!

Great experience to see (mostly) African wildlife. Spending the night in one of their tent cabins is fun but can be chilly as heat is scarce inside except if you're in bed with the electric blanket blasting. Saw Dr Laurie Marker, a champion of cheetahs, give a presentation on the current status of that population - very poor. Your support of the Cheetah Conservation Fund would be appreciated.

Wonderful experience. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. The 2 hour safari ride was so enjoyable. All the animals seemed very happy and content. A walk through aviary and cheetah pathway was the cherry on top. I would revisit Safari West in a heartbeat!

Great place to see jirafas and antelopes roaming free

Very informative. Also pretty hot and dusty, but worth it.

Awesome place, great service and employees go above and beyond.... one of kind experience and just going there is like giving to charity because they take such good care of endangered species... I would highly recommend...

Got super closed to the Zebras & Ghiraffes for amazing pics

Loved it , staff was so friendly, really went out of their way to be accommodating. The giraffes stole the show ....

Very friendly staffs and you get to see the animals up close. We were able to see the Zebra right next to us.

Went on birthday in July 2019 it was as close as we can get to a real safari,the guide really knew his stuff totally worth the money

I would love to give a higher review but I don't know that I can. Our tour got a little wonky because of scheduling with the other group who was to be joining us, and our guide was noticably annoyed for most of the tour. Questions were mostly answered but in a way that made you feel rude for even asking anything. Most of this was on the walking tour, on the Safari portion it was a lot better and we saw a lot. Still just seemed automatic for our guide, like going through the steps, but the kids in the tour enjoyed it. This is an expensive event and I feel like being made to feel annoying for asking questions or participating is unfair after spending so much. I would not go back on this tour.

Amazing. The Safari tour was great fun. There were lots of animals to see, you get very close to a lot of them and our tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. If you're thinking about going, do it!

Fabulous experience. Jim was our guide. He gives an excellent tour and he was so great with our 4 1/2 year old grandson. We loved being able to get so close to the animals. In many cases we were in closer contact with them than we were on our African safari.

Great experience, stayed overnight. So fun and memorable. Unforgettable!! (Bring ear plugs if a lite sleeper)

I have really been wanting to come here , I really love it such an amazing experience got to see alot of animals up close definitely would come back and do this again

Beautiful place. We went from San Francisco (an hour and a half by car) and the truth was worth the trip. The animals are cared for and with a lot of space, some approach visitors, the guides are very good and the tour lasts about 3 and a half hours. I fully recommend, if you have time it is a very special and very rare place. An unforgettable experience!!

Oh my we had such an incredible time of course the day was perfect less than the other guy was absolutely overwhelmingly informative we loved it

Nice place with delicious food. The service is great. The best thing was the luxury tents. Amazing how they look from inside. Although this place is far far away from Africa, you can have the feeling that you are in the Savannah.
Romantic place, so I'd recommend it for couples but also good for families with small kids.

Great day alot of fun recommend for the whole family

everything was awesome went there at least 4 times. The food is out of this world! the tents were amazing and the service was great i would totally recommend it to any group of people.

Theres so many different animals and the people are really nice!

Words really can't describe how cool this place is, wonderful staff, awesome tour guide. To top it off, the real safari jeep!

We did the Overnight stay + Safari tour experience. The property was well adjusted to COVID times. The employees were very courteous and made us feel welcome. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and at the same time humble. Regarding the tents - afternoons are extremely hot (ceiling room fans are not helpful) while the night became extremely cold (heater was helpful for the night). The tent window flaps exist on both inside and outside and the outside ones are kept open to see outside from tent - might want to get the outside flaps closed (in addition to inside flaps) if you feel too cold - do check with the front desk. Giraffe strolling right within 50 feet of your tent is an awesome experience.

This is great , had a great time spending the night here!

Great hidden attraction. Well organized and friendly staff. Lots of animals to see.

The kids will love it and The entire staff is very knowledgeable and friendly.

1st class adventure. Great food & accommodations not to mention the grounds take you to Africa & the animals are wonderful. Enjoyed every minute of our stay & the staff is wonderful. Thank you for giving my family so many wonderful memories.

We got there too late in the afternoon to take a tour. We were unable to get prices in the gift shop and were told to go online for prices. No worries. Got to walk around the gift shop and cages out front. Very nice displays and lots of African artifacts on display and for sale.

Who knew you could take a safari in Northern CA? We had lots of fun. Beautiful birds, too.

Great and well maintained lodge. From check-in to check-out, everything was flawless. We stayed only for one night but feel like home away from home. Our guide (sorry forgot name but have one pic) was great. My son asked him many questions and he patiently answered all. My kids really missed the safari West.
Hope in future we will be back.

Kalpana & Manish Tyagi

We all had a super great day. Zack was our guide and he was the absolute best. He explained so much because of his extensive biological background. All in all was perfect. Thanks to all at Safari West. By the way, it was my third visit.

Absolutely hands down the best experience for kids and adults alike. This place is wonderful. The tour is fun, exciting, and educational. The tour guides are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. The "mini zoo" has interesting animals and the aviary is super cool - walking through puts you right in the middle of a different world. Stay for lunch as the food is excellent - it's a buffet but still excellent. My family and I will be back and I encourage you to take the kids (or yourself) there for a visit. What an amazing place!

Disappointed! If you enjoy sightseeing from the "safari" wagon, it's great. Not much diversity in animals and no animals up close. GO TO SAN DIEGO'S AFRICAN ANIMAL PARK, and you'll have memories for a lifetime.

The safari was amazing. The lunch buffet was average

I love this place!!! I have stayed here three times (and counting). Everyone is very knowledgeable and nice. The Jeep rides are great! Peter stayed behind during the fires to save this place. Props to him!!!

Amazing! I highly recommend safari west for educational family outings! It's great for all ages!

Didn't know this gem existed in the Bay Area more than worth stopping by and checking out

It's nice to be surrounded by nature and not that far from the city

Our tour guide had lots of good information to share about conservation, and was knowledgeable when answering questions.

Lots of interesting animals to see!

Just a fun place. Highly recommend for all animal lovers. I will never go to a Zoo again, when u can go here!

Best Valentine's Day Ever. It was beautiful to be among the animals without disturbing them, in a small group of 8. OUR TOUR GUIDE WAS AMAZING! TAD! Tad told the best stories/histories about each of the animals we got to see. He was knowledgeable, funny, patient, charming, and the Ostriches and Giraffes clearly thought he was amazing too. We got to spend the day at Safari West as they hosted an amazing, adults only, V-day experience with fresh oysters, filet mignon, grilled shrimp, endangered animal trivia, socializing, and best of all- LOS ANIMALES. GO NOW!

Different, unique and a wonderful way to spend the afternoon all while being close to home. Yet you feel so far away.

Great overnight adventure, fast cat Alley is a great addition to the Safari, and dinner was more than expected. Breakfast was equally satisfying!
Great experience!

Fun place to take the family. The food was good as well!

Just spent a womderful Sunday afternoon Valentines day celebration learning about the exotic animals!
Their anthropologists taught us a lot about how animals celebrate "THEIR" VALENTINES DAY...WOWZA...I learned so much. Their VALENTINES feast was absolutely gormet...and then there was this delish Vaslentines cake....that you g ot to share with your Valentine... a bsolutrly OUT OF THIS WORLD .
BUT....MOST IMPORTANTLY....
SAFARI WEST...has survived the devastating Sonoma fires. The roads leading up to the compound tell you the story. House after house destroyed by the fire... .and then you get to Safari West.
You'll see. Go visit and enjoy all of the wonderful animals...from porcupines, to cheetahs, to small desert foxes, to giraffes, rhinoceros, zebras,...the list is long....up to 875 animals right in your neighborhood!!!! THE BEST!!!

We had a great tour guide, Troy, and met many other amazing, friendly staff. Staff Falk passionately about the animals, and seem to really care. Cool animals, some really friendly and came right up to the car

We went in 2008 as part of a trip in the area. We had a great time. Facilities are a little rough around the edges, but the place is well run and I think it was worth the cost.

Being from San Diego, it's hard not to compair to our parks here. The place is probably similiar to drive through parks, though they are of course doing the driving. The vehicles do have some seating on the roof of the vehicle, which could be fun I think, but as the vehicle does go over rough ground in spots, it appeared to be a different experience from that location.

Staff was very friendly and helpful, and I think a visit here would not be disapointing.

Amazing experience and very informative, if you plan to go absolutely book the lunch, it was fantastic food and extra fun to stay longer and walk around for some more photos!

Great place to spend day with family and kids, enjoy the sun and wild life.

What a awesome adventure!! The safari was great, with lots of animals. Dinner was really good and had many gluten free items I could enjoy including homemade mac and cheese!! The lodging is fantastic, qualifying as glamping with the animals. The people were knowledgeable and friendly. I look forward to returning with my grandson when he gets a little older. Sort of pricey, yet worth it. The animals are well taken care of so you know where your money is going. I highly recommend it!!

Well worth the price of admission! 2 hours by jeep through the 400 acres, 45 minutes walking tour of the caged cats, primates, birds, and the desert fox. Robert answered all our questions and educated us with his vast knowledge. If you haven't yet visited, move this to the top of your bucket list!

An amazing adventure! The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and all the animals are amazing.

Fantastic and informative. Great place to bring kids and grandkids.

Absolutely amazing experience to see African animals in the backyard of Napa valley! Our tour guide, Ted, was extremely knowledgable and friendly. So happy to see all animals are living happily in their natural way. You can tell a zebra baby is super comfy when he kept lying on the ground, enjoying his sunbath time, and not frightened at all when our safari got close to him. Of course, you are not allowed to touch animals, which is great! It makes them feel more comfortable and safe. But, you might get a giraffe licking you. So technically speaking, you might still touch animals if they want to touch you.

We had a wonderful time! We went on the 1:00 tour and Richard was an awesome Tour guide. We had dinner at the Grill(on the property).We stayed overnight. The tents are pretty awesome, I would recommend staying the night!