African Safari Experience Just a State Away

It is not necessary to travel by plane to participate in an African safari when the spirit of Africa lives in Santa Rosa, California. Less than a six-hour drive from southern Oregon, the Safari West Wildlife Preserve has the climate, vegetation, forestry, water resources and live animals for a true adventure in the wild.

Tucked into the Sonoma Wine Country, Safari West is hardly a well-kept secret as more than 60,000 people a year make the trek to the 400-acre site where 400-plus animals have dominion. For founder Peter Lang, the preserve is anything but a zoo and should never be compared to a drive-through park. Instead, the wildlife preserve and tented safari camp is a place to honor exotic and endangered wildlife and provide an experience in which nature - not deadlines - dictates the pace.

“At Safari West, we let visitors discover that wild creatures are perfect as they are. We lure people away from computer screens that show flat, cold, photos of cheetahs and draw them close enough in person to feel her hot breath as a purr rumbles out of her chest,” says Aphrodite Caserta, director media/public relations and marketing.

Lang founded the preserve in 1972 as a private ranch for breeding and species propagation. In 1979, it became one of only six U.S. facilities to attain the American Zoo and Aquarium certification as a Related Organization. Finally, in 1993, Lange and his wife, Dr. Nancy Lang, officially welcomed adults and children to their North American safari adventure.

Often referred to as the Sonoma Serengeti, Safari West is the only preserve in the world that combines education, tours, research and overnight lodging in close proximity to exotic wildlife. The 31 luxury safari tent cabins and one cottage offer the ultimate in rooms with views as giraffes, antelopes and other wild animals are observed from the deck or from an open door or window inside the custom canvas structure.

The two-bedroom cottage sleeps up to eight and includes a kitchenette. The tents were imported from Africa and built on high wooden platforms. Each features handmade wood furnishing, a plush bed with soft linens and a full bathroom with hot water for showers. Up to five overnight guests per cabin are also treated to first class, African-themed meals, including a continental breakfast and Ranch Style BBQ dining in the Savannah Café.

For overnighters, daytime escapades include The Classic Safari Adventure tour taken in an authentic safari vehicle. The tour lasts up to three hours and includes narration from one of the facility’s resident naturalists. Along the way, passengers encounter exotic and endangered wildlife and learn about the histories and habits of the gazelle, white rhino, ostrich and other African species. Following the driving tour, guests walk through Safari West’s inner compound which features cheetah, primates and birds.

The preserve also offers various tour packages. For example, the African Queen Safari Trek for groups from 40 to 100 is the cost-efficient tour, lasting 90 minutes. Guests board the African Queen, a 25-foot-long trailer adapted with benches and a thatched grass roof for a journey through the preserve’s grasslands and lake. They are also treated to the walking tour that winds through the facility’s inner compound.

The Private Wine and Cheese Safari Drives provide a specialty option where up to 10 guests get a customized tour, along with a basket of snacks and wine. Safari West also provides unique settings for corporate meetings, weddings, holiday celebrations, anniversaries, family vacations and other events.

More than just a touring preserve, Safari West represents 23 African species for breeding. The propagation program involves both animal parent rearing and hand-rearing methods to ensure survivability. In addition, the staff at Safari West has extensive experience in avian egg incubation and is involved in cooperative incubation research projects with the San Francisco Zoo.

Safari West is closely associated with conservation education and research, with its owners supporting lifelong learning. The preserve has established relationships with the University of California at Davis and Santa Rosa Junior College to promote animal and veterinary sciences.

For more information, visit www.safariwest.com or call 1-800-616-2695.