Safari West: A Taste of Africa in Wine Country

SAFARI WEST

A Taste of Africa in the Heart of Wine Country

 BY MARISA MCCANN

Photo by Ray Mabry

A safari tour may be the ultimate bucket-list experience. It promises a brush with something magnificent and wild – a chance to glimpse a majestic southern white rhino, a herd of ambling giraffes, or a graceful gazelle break into a run. But these rare encounters do not require an international trip to the African Serengeti, rather a short jaunt to California’s Wine Country.

Since 1993, Safari West Wildlife Preserve has brought the African safari experience closer to home. Nestled in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains in Santa Rosa, California, this wildlife preserve is home to 900 animals from over 90 unique species, all roaming throughout the pristine 400-acre property. Founded by animal care experts and lifelong conservationists Peter and Dr. Nancy Lang, Safari West was the first step in the couple’s shared dream to introduce guests of all ages to wildlife education and conservation through an authentic safari adventure. Built from scratch on an abandoned winery and vineyard property, the Langs have grown their vision into a reality over the past two and a half decades. “Safari West is more than just a business to us,” said Nancy. “It’s our life’s work.” At the core of the Safari West experience is the safari tour, a three-hour guided exploration by way of converted troop carriers. Away from crowds, one can take in the sights and sounds of the “Sonoma Serengeti” while riding through expansive, mixed-species enclosures. “We truly don’t know where we’ll find herds each day or what they’ll be up to when we do,” said Public Relations Director Aphrodite Caserta. “It’s never, ‘next up the zebra’ and always ‘next up, whatever we find next.” This element of surprise mimics an experience only found in the wild and goes far beyond a traditional zoo visit or any drivethrough park, leaving adventurists feeling excited, informed, and above all, inspired.

For nature and animal-loving couples or families looking to fully immerse themselves in the unique and exotic world that Safari West has created, overnight camping is also available on the property. Thirty heavy-duty tents imported from Lobatse, Botswana, offer a combination of luxury with African-inspired comfort and design. Perched on high platforms with private decks, each tent provides vistas from above of all of Mother Nature’s beauty at work. Guests do not have to venture far from their secluded hideaways to view lemurs hanging from trees or antelope prancing across the wooded and grass-filled terrain, and nearby ponds and aviaries always teem with colorful birds like African and American flamingos. “We have been offering ‘glamping’ even before it was trendy,” said Nancy. “Our luxury campsite makes it feel like you’re in the jungle or on an African plain – waking up to the sounds of animals just outside.”

Photo by Sarah-Jane Tarr

Conservation Conscious

While wildlife education is an essential component of any Safari West experience, it is just the beginning of the preserve’s big-picture mission. Stemming from Peter and Nancy’s shared sentiment as stewards of African wildlife, Safari West upholds a deep commitment to conservation. “We’re not just interested in introducing people to animals,” said Nancy. “We want our guests to go home with an understanding of what’s at stake out there in our shared natural world and what all of us can do as individuals to help preserve and protect it.” Beyond the safari, conservation education takes center stage in countless private behindthe-scenes tours, including cheetah barn visits and face-to-face rhino encounters led by trained naturalist ambassadors. Through these unrivaled and unpredictable wildlife viewing programs, Safari West visitors intimately share the passion from which the preserve was founded.

Photo by Cheryl Crowley

While Safari West does their part to educate and inspire at home, they also support a wide range of conservation organizations worldwide. Associated non-profits include the Sahara Conservation Fund, working to reintroduce scimitar-horned oryx and addax antelope to the deserts of North Africa, and the Marine Mammal Center, working to conserve sea lions and seals on the California coastline.

In addition to their world-class wildlife preserve, the Langs established the Safari West Wildlife Foundation. This charitable non-profit is dedicated to making Safari West and its animal inhabitants accessible to students everywhere. Through grantdriven programs, like grade-specific day camps and research internships, students of all ages are able to develop a deeper appreciation of the natural environment and wildlife conservation.

The foundation has recently taken the wonder of Safari West into the digital age with their new Safari West Live! program, which emerged as a result of Covid-19. Partnering with children’s hospitals and underserved schools across the country, Safari West Live! broadcasts high-quality, livestream safari tours, bringing the excitement of being on a safari to the computer screens of youth virtually everywhere.

King Safari Tent // Photo by Ray Mabry

Plan Your Visit

Safari West is one of the best venues for those who seek to embark on an African wildlife safari short of boarding a plane and flying there. A visit offers much of what one would expect of an African safari – guided open-air drive to see wildlife up close, luxe accommodations via canvas tents, and awe-inspiring wilderness views. The preserve is extremely accessible, located at the epicenter of California wine country and within a minute’s drive of the region’s finest wineries. Safari tours are offered daily year-round (excluding major holidays), and overnight stays are available daily from March through December. Private experiences, such as the “Winos and Rhinos” and “Brews and Buffalo” tours which blend impressive, locally sourced wine and craft beer with a rugged adventure, are also available year-round.

Safari tent at night // Photo by Ray Mabry