Safari West
Safari West
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Have a wild adventure at Safari West, home to nearly 1,000 creatures. There are several fun wildlife excursions you can pick from: join a safari adventure, go behind the scenes on a guided tour, or even come face-to-face with some massive inhabitants. Can’t get enough? Spend the night in a luxurious safari tent, equipped with all the creature comforts you’ll need but without any of the distractions (no phones and televisions). School breaks and weekends get busy, so visit at other times for fewer crowds. – Tripadvisor
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Safari West and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
1 within 5 kms
Attractions
59 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- PharmerjessEureka, California150 contributionsYou won’t regret checking it out!We booked a Safari tour, dinner and stayed one night. Would 100% recommend doing the safari. I enjoyed staying in the tents. However, they are up a hill and some tents are quite the walk. The walk up to the tends could use hand rails. They do offer help getting your luggage up and back to the car. Dinner was yummy and they accommodated my dietary allergies.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 22 October 2023
- 2muchplanningPlacerville, California5 contributionsBeautiful Experience for Animal LoversWe took the 2 p.m., 3 hour Safari tour. It was a lovely trip and worth the cost for us. The animals were beautiful and it was fun to ride around amongst the beautiful green rolling hills. We booked on a Friday in the winter, so although plenty of people and full, I could see how the summer months could be stifling and feel overcrowded. We went after days of rain, so the hills were green, the creeks flowing, and the animals excited to be out in the sun with the new spring growth. Thinking it was a midweek, and less crowded, the process of splitting people into groups for the tours, seemed to take longer than it should have. We were told to check in at 1:45 & we didn't get into our tour to close to 2:30. Maybe during the busier times, they have more employees and it goes a bit faster. We also booked the buffet lunch before the tour. The lunch was tasty enough for the price, and you get plenty of food. For vegetarians, there wasn't a lot of extra choices. However, there was plentiful green salad & asparagus with mushrooms. My husband said the asparagus was too salty. The potato salad was full of mayonnaise, and they put sugar and pineapple in the ranch beans. If you're a meet eater, there was plenty of BBQ chicken and pulled pork, with little white rolls that you could make sandwiches out of. The tea, coffee, and hot chocolate was included. The plus about eating lunch there is you get more time to look out at the animals, which is really what you're paying for. Again, all of the outside tables were full, so busier times you would have to eat inside. The cost for booking on line, tour and lunch came to $274.27. Somewhat pricey for an afternoon. The bonus is, you can walk around as much as you want for that price. So we got there early and viewed all of the animals that were caged. Pretty much what you will get to see if you spend the night. Although, I'm sure the sunrises and sunsets looking out at the animals is beautiful. They put the giraffes in the barn at night, so you won't be looking out at them. Santa Rosa is close enough that you could find more cost effective lodging if you're worried about the expense. If money is not a concern, I'd be into spending the night. More time watching animals is always a good thing.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 February 2024
- BamaliciousWinter Haven, Florida201 contributionsBest safari tour we have ever been on !!Our tour guide was Robert and he took us on a 1 hr walk tour to see the caged animals he was very informative on each animal. Then came the fun part of the whole tour the 2hr jeep ride !!! We got to sit in the back row by ourselves which was comfy and roomy . The riding tour was amazing we saw so many animals up close and personal. It was cold but he provided us with blankets . Just when you think you’re done with the tour another gate is open and another it just keeps going all over the property.When it was over we looked at each other and said that’s the best tour we have ever been on and we tipped well. Please tip your guides it’s a lot of work on them for 3 hours ! Our last stop was the gift shop it had cute stuff at reasonable prices. Book your safari tour today you will love it!!Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 March 2024
- Ken F1 contributionA fine Safari West visitThis was our first visit and well worth the effort. Denice, our guide, was one of the best I have experienced. She had an abundance of knowledge of the animals, even their names, and the history of the ranch. The facility has an incredible array of animals and birds. The walk was great with up close visits of the many birds at the facility. Although no lions, there were two Cheeta's to view. With the many Gazelles, Antelope and Wildebeests at the facility I can understand the absence of lions. Our lunch was the best. Ken Fowler, Novato, CAVisited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 17 June 2024
- Eat-TravelNowSan Francisco, California231 contributionsFun and a learning experience.The tour guide can make or break a tour. We were lucky to have Cyndy who was full of knowledge and fun. Visiting after Labor Day meant fewer crowds and the two of us were fortunate to to get a private tour. It was fun and we learned a lot along the 2 hour drive. It was exciting getting up close to the giraffes and zebras. The next time we go, we'll spend a night in their glamping tent.Visited September 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 4 September 2024
- Mike LPortland, Oregon135 contributions"Behind the Scenes" tour for the WIN!This is a review for the "Behind the Scenes" tour that my family and went on. We decided to do this instead of the jeep/ safari ride out into the park as it was much more interactive with the animals. It was FANTASTIC! My family and I had the best time and it was such a unique experience to feed the warthogs, giraffes, porcupines and birds with Megan (our Safari West guide). I HIGHLY recommend this for any one but especially as a family activity as it is one I will always remember! Just Amazing!Visited September 2024Travelled with familyWritten 18 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
1,844 reviews
Excellent
1,437
Very good
316
Average
48
Poor
25
Terrible
18
fvillota1222
Hayward, CA411 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Fambam and I did the one night stay and Safari. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. We went during a bad time it was during a heat wave (100+). We stayed in a king bed tent with double sized bunk beds. Bathroom was very spacious. There was on one small ceiling fan which didn’t help to much. If you go during the cold months each bed has heating blankets.
We did Dinner reservations it was good but I don’t think it was worth the price maybe if it was buffet like some reviews were saying. It was a sit down dinner and you get a fruit plate for the table each person get a salad, one entree plate which had 2 ribs, chicken and macaroni cheese with a side of potatoes. End with a dessert. You also get to order what you want for breakfast the next day since breakfast was included.
We had a great time with our safari guide Richard. He was very knowledgeable friendly and funny. Highly recommended!!! If you get him give him a great tip he deserves it
We did Dinner reservations it was good but I don’t think it was worth the price maybe if it was buffet like some reviews were saying. It was a sit down dinner and you get a fruit plate for the table each person get a salad, one entree plate which had 2 ribs, chicken and macaroni cheese with a side of potatoes. End with a dessert. You also get to order what you want for breakfast the next day since breakfast was included.
We had a great time with our safari guide Richard. He was very knowledgeable friendly and funny. Highly recommended!!! If you get him give him a great tip he deserves it
Written 21 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan R
Morgan Hill, CA850 contributions
Feb 2020
After parking in their free lot, at 2pm we started our safari for our 3 hour tour. We had 12 people in our vehicle along with the very knowledgeable driver, Robert. Our trip driving around was over 2 hours, seeing many animals over the 100+ acre property. Mostly from Africa, this is about as natural as you will see these animals without going to Africa yourself. Many plant eating animals are in free roam areas. At the end of the vehicle tour, then we went on a walking tour to see some of the caged animals (seemed too small for the animals) and many fascinating birds. This time of year, they were busy building nests high above us in the trees. Highly recommend this trip. Take a jacket and take a good camera. We rotated to the top of the vehicle, where 3 of us could get the best views, although all seats were great.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2muchplanning
Placerville, CA5 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We took the 2 p.m., 3 hour Safari tour. It was a lovely trip and worth the cost for us. The animals were beautiful and it was fun to ride around amongst the beautiful green rolling hills. We booked on a Friday in the winter, so although plenty of people and full, I could see how the summer months could be stifling and feel overcrowded. We went after days of rain, so the hills were green, the creeks flowing, and the animals excited to be out in the sun with the new spring growth. Thinking it was a midweek, and less crowded, the process of splitting people into groups for the tours, seemed to take longer than it should have. We were told to check in at 1:45 & we didn't get into our tour to close to 2:30. Maybe during the busier times, they have more employees and it goes a bit faster.
We also booked the buffet lunch before the tour. The lunch was tasty enough for the price, and you get plenty of food. For vegetarians, there wasn't a lot of extra choices. However, there was plentiful green salad & asparagus with mushrooms. My husband said the asparagus was too salty. The potato salad was full of mayonnaise, and they put sugar and pineapple in the ranch beans. If you're a meet eater, there was plenty of BBQ chicken and pulled pork, with little white rolls that you could make sandwiches out of. The tea, coffee, and hot chocolate was included. The plus about eating lunch there is you get more time to look out at the animals, which is really what you're paying for. Again, all of the outside tables were full, so busier times you would have to eat inside.
The cost for booking on line, tour and lunch came to $274.27. Somewhat pricey for an afternoon. The bonus is, you can walk around as much as you want for that price. So we got there early and viewed all of the animals that were caged. Pretty much what you will get to see if you spend the night. Although, I'm sure the sunrises and sunsets looking out at the animals is beautiful. They put the giraffes in the barn at night, so you won't be looking out at them. Santa Rosa is close enough that you could find more cost effective lodging if you're worried about the expense. If money is not a concern, I'd be into spending the night. More time watching animals is always a good thing.
We also booked the buffet lunch before the tour. The lunch was tasty enough for the price, and you get plenty of food. For vegetarians, there wasn't a lot of extra choices. However, there was plentiful green salad & asparagus with mushrooms. My husband said the asparagus was too salty. The potato salad was full of mayonnaise, and they put sugar and pineapple in the ranch beans. If you're a meet eater, there was plenty of BBQ chicken and pulled pork, with little white rolls that you could make sandwiches out of. The tea, coffee, and hot chocolate was included. The plus about eating lunch there is you get more time to look out at the animals, which is really what you're paying for. Again, all of the outside tables were full, so busier times you would have to eat inside.
The cost for booking on line, tour and lunch came to $274.27. Somewhat pricey for an afternoon. The bonus is, you can walk around as much as you want for that price. So we got there early and viewed all of the animals that were caged. Pretty much what you will get to see if you spend the night. Although, I'm sure the sunrises and sunsets looking out at the animals is beautiful. They put the giraffes in the barn at night, so you won't be looking out at them. Santa Rosa is close enough that you could find more cost effective lodging if you're worried about the expense. If money is not a concern, I'd be into spending the night. More time watching animals is always a good thing.
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grnbug2000
Phoenix, AZ41 contributions
Sept 2020 • Solo
This was a great tour with tour guide Alex! The animals are coming right up to the Jeep and it was made even more remarkable by the extensive knowledge of our guide Alex! Due to COVID the tour is limited to 8 people. Our Jeep had 7. Masks are required at all times as well even outside. The tour was over 2.5 hrs and included a walking portion and the Jeep tour with a quick break in between. If you can please stay at the park overnight in an amazing glamping style tent! You won’t regret it!!!the pics look orange due to the fires in CA although they are not in this area.
Written 10 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eric L
Phoenix, AZ26 contributions
Dec 2019
We were in the general area to see family, and wanted to do something unique for NYE, and stumbled upon this. It was really fun to stay on site in the tents. The glamping is quite beautiful, and we enjoyed hearing the animals all night, and feeling part of it. Be aware that that is ultimately a zoo, and not a safari experience with wildlife, but it's still a lot of fun, educational, and you get to see and experience interesting animals up close.
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Winkylee12
Camarillo123 contributions
Mar 2020
Safari West offers day tours and also overnight experiences. I have done both. You see many animals in a natural setting instead of cages like a zoo. Very knowledgeable staff and very friendly.
Written 12 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer R
9 contributions
July 2023 • Family
Arrived at park without reservation due to not realizing we needed one. Upon approaching the girl at the front desk we were greeted with rudeness. Trying to allow time to see if the attitude would change, I asked if my family could get in later and was given more snark with a price sheet as if insinuating in silence “are you sure you can afford this?”. As another person approached, we were again rudely asked to MOVE aside. It was like torture trying to get out of her another opportunity for us to visit the park. We ultimately decided to leave. Our departing comment from staff was to firmly insist we don’t take it upon ourselves to wander around the park ourselves. SERIOUSLY?!?! Who would do that? For future reference to management, if they bother to read this, I would suggest training the staff to ask in this situation for any other future openings with even a hint of politeness would be helpful.
Written 6 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monica N
Morgan Hill, CA3 contributions
July 2022
Wonderful Adventure!
My son ( 7 years old) and I have gone two years in a row. We live in the bay area and I am a solo mom, so this is a perfect trip for us. This year my mom came and she said it was one of the most awesome experiences.
Lodging
The "tents" are quite luxurious in my opinion. Sure, no AC or TV but thats not what you are there for. The tents are very spacious, have many gorgeous details and the beds are so comfortable. You can look out and see the animals from many tents and you cannot beat the ambiance. My son was 6 and 7 on the trips and enjoyed brining some dolls and art supplies for the evening. When you stay overnight you get to wander the grounds and see many of the animals.
The Animals!
The animals all look so happy and content. One year we splurged for the behind the Scenes and it was 100% worth it! My son got to feed several animals and it was core memory material. I also enjoyed feeding the giraffes : )
There is a large variety of animals and all the employees are very knowledgeable and kind.
The Tour
The jeep tour is so amazing. You get up close like you would on an African safari. You can take turns riding on the top for added adventure. Of course my son loved that part.
My son ( 7 years old) and I have gone two years in a row. We live in the bay area and I am a solo mom, so this is a perfect trip for us. This year my mom came and she said it was one of the most awesome experiences.
Lodging
The "tents" are quite luxurious in my opinion. Sure, no AC or TV but thats not what you are there for. The tents are very spacious, have many gorgeous details and the beds are so comfortable. You can look out and see the animals from many tents and you cannot beat the ambiance. My son was 6 and 7 on the trips and enjoyed brining some dolls and art supplies for the evening. When you stay overnight you get to wander the grounds and see many of the animals.
The Animals!
The animals all look so happy and content. One year we splurged for the behind the Scenes and it was 100% worth it! My son got to feed several animals and it was core memory material. I also enjoyed feeding the giraffes : )
There is a large variety of animals and all the employees are very knowledgeable and kind.
The Tour
The jeep tour is so amazing. You get up close like you would on an African safari. You can take turns riding on the top for added adventure. Of course my son loved that part.
Written 23 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Albert S
4 contributions
May 2022
My wife and I just returned from a visit to Safari West and it was so delightful that I am eager to share our experience with others. First, the property is expansive and exceptionally well maintained, clearly with the best interests of the animals paramount. There are hundreds of animals big & small in a natural setting and our guide, Lindsey, was one of the best-informed and interesting guides we have ever experienced. She was fabulous. We also stayed in one of the glamping tents overnight and it was a fun & unique experience (it can be loud with animals overnight so bring earwear, and I recommend bringing in a cooler of whatever you'd like to drink). The food is not fancy but it is delicious and the staff was energetic and amiable. Kids seemed to be having a wonderful time. I highly recommend the entire experience -- you will love it.
Written 25 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maggsd
Bellevue, WA204 contributions
Feb 2023
We booked the Safari for a bachelorette party surprise for our friend who is a biologist! We thought it would be a great surprise and it was. I thought the guides were very knowledgable and passionate about their jobs. I have been on several safari's in Africa and learned more at Safari West! That being said, I think that the safari cars are a cool concept but they are incredibly slow & hard for the guides to start. The tour also felt long - 3.5 hours. I thought we would be driving a little more and less stops. I think they could do the same tour in 2 or 2.5 hours and have it be just as enjoyable. That is the reason why I'm giving 4 instead of 5 stars. The highlight was definitely driving through the giraffe encounter - if you can ask to be sat on the top of the car for this I'd highly recommend that!
Written 26 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are there restrictions on what you can bring to the park for safari tours and day trip
Written 14 June 2021
My children are too young to ride on the safari tour. Would the walking tour alone be worth it? We plan on staying the night. Thanks in advance
Written 22 May 2021
Hi there,
In answer to your question, the current cancellation policy is included below. If you have further questions please call our reservations team at 707-566-3667. They'll be happy to help you out. Thanks!
CANCELLATION POLICY
We are more than happy to help you reschedule your exploration or provide you a gift card for the full value so that you can reschedule at your leisure.
We are happy to reschedule any existing reservation, regardless of the date, at no cost.
We are happy to cancel any existing reservation and provide you the full balance of the booking on a Safari West Gift Card at no cost.
All fees normally associated with cancellations will be waived for the duration of the coronavirus crisis.
Written 15 July 2020
Is dinner worth the price? How far are outside restaurants from the venue. Thinking that maybe we can see other things after the Safari and not stay the whole day there.
Written 21 February 2020
I didn’t have dinner there so I can’t comment on worth of it.
The park isn’t isolated. You can hop in your car and be in the next town in a few minutes
Written 22 February 2020
Would you think it best to stay one night or two, in order to get the best experience? Also, where are the hillside tents located vs. the antelope alley tents vs. the base camp ones? We'd be looking for perhaps a more secluded (romantic?) one for my wife and me....
Written 27 September 2019
One night was great. We did Keeper Of The Day which included overnight stay, lunch two days, dinner and breakfast.
Written 7 January 2020
Im curious if the 83$ for an adult ticket includes lunch after or before the guided tour??
Written 30 August 2019
Lunch is an additional $15 per person and Dinner is $29 per person.
Written 3 September 2019
We will be in Calistoga for Christmas. So I was thinking after Christmas since we are in the neighborhood we could spend the night here. My husband can’t go on the tours- to bumpy however we would like to spend the night- So are the animals still active at night in late December? can hear them?
Written 20 August 2019
Hi, thanks for your question. The animals are usually unpredictable and can act up because of noises or irritations or a number of any other reasons. Think of this as an adventure and prepare accordingly. Earplugs are helpful but won't completely block out the sound. It might be a sleepless night but worth the experience.
Written 20 August 2019
We have 8 adults and two kids ages 9 and 7. Wondering if doing the private adventure is worth the extra price? Does the jeep ever stop during the tour to let you watch the animals and take pictures or does it just keep going?
Written 17 July 2019
A private tour would be fun. They stop at the various sites and talk about the animals. We played with the giraffes or maybe it is better to say the giraffes played with us. There is also some caged cats and animals to see.
Written 11 August 2019
Other than the safari tour, and other specialty activities for purchase, what is available? We are planning to stay for two nights, and will take a private safari, but what do we do the rest of the time? Are we free to walk around the grounds? Are there other amenities? The website is not very helpful in this regard.
Written 8 July 2019
You can watch the animals close to the living area, including the cheetah, lemurs, and various birds. Meals are good, but I would think two nights too long.
Written 9 July 2019
…
Showing results 1-10 of 51
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing