A safari in the Bay Area? Let’s go. I learned of Safari West shortly after we moved to the Bay Area in 1994. Yet, we had never gone because the weather was either too cold or too hot, we were too busy working, or later, we were too busy traveling to other states.

On May 30, 2023, all that busyness and all that travel finally cleared a path for experiencing something closer to home. We packed our bags, loaded up the car, and drove north to Sonoma, California, and Safari West.

We’re used to towing our living quarters behind us wherever we go. So, when I saw the tent cabin on stilts, I wondered what sort of accommodations we’d find behind the door.

A cozy bed, electricity, and a heater was going to work out just fine. A private bath with a sink, toilet, and shower hid behind the African mask door. Unfortunately, no heater in there.

Dinner was a few hours away, so we walked around the grounds, marveling at the flowers, trees, and shrubs that graced the little valley and the surrounding hills. Birds. So many birds. Sweet-tuned birds, chatty-irritating birds. Birds that soared in the sky and birds contained in the aviary. And one bird in particular that sounded like a primate baby with colic.

Off in the distance, antelope grazed on the grass and giraffes nibbled on hay. The giraffes curiously looked at the guests who stared back at the spotted creatures with long legs and long necks.

And flamingos. What would a wildlife preserve be without plenty of flamingos dipping into a pond to find life-sustaining food?

Time for dinner, we headed to the Savannah Cafe where plates of fruit awaited our arrival and we ordered drinks. Someone lit the fire pit while cooks arranged the buffet food in chafing dishes and bowls.

I selected a bit of salad, mac and cheese, roast potatoes, asparagus sprigs and chicken and ribs. The food tasted as good as it looked. Isn’t that always the case when eating outdoors?

If campfires didn’t set me to coughing, it would have been fun to stay and roast marshmallows. Instead, we found a trail and walked around a bit more before heading back to our tent cabin.

With our bellies full and our legs tired, we settled in for the night, and the colicky primate-bird serenaded us all night long.

The next morning, we woke to May-Gray-June-Gloom foggy skies that roll over the hills into the valleys this time of year. Thank goodness the continental breakfast was served inside the Elephant Room, saving us from shivers as we ate our meal.

Even the flamingos huddled together to keep themselves warm.

We explored more of the preserve while waiting for our tour to begin. We found this little lake or pond, colorful flowers, and sculptures I thought were real from afar.

Our safari began with a walk through the Amani Oasis Aviary as our guide pointed out the different birds and animals sequestered—as much for their own protection as ours—behind heavy-duty chain wire fencing.

Then we boarded our truck and rocked and rolled across the grounds up and down hills and all around. Our driver stopped at various places for us to snap photos as long as we all stayed inside the vehicle.

Otto, the baby rhino, was born April 2, 2023. He was named after founder Peter Lang’s father. Yes, that Otto Lang who was a famous ski instructor inducted into the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1978. He also produced and/or directed several movies and TV shows, including four episodes of Daktari in 1966, which I thought fit in nicely with Otto’s name and the preserve.

For several minutes we watched the hawk in the photo below drag his prey away from potential robbers intent on stealing the hawk’s prize.

We missed seeing the birth of the Wildebeest on the left side of the photo below by only a few minutes. The birth was the talk of the preserve over the radio as the news traveled through the airwaves.

Safari West is a private wildlife preserve founded by Peter and Nancy Lang in the 1990s. They converted 400 rolling acres in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains into a world-class wildlife preserve. As the preserve actively promotes conservation and environmental education, they believe the knowledge that guests acquire on the tours will help them make better choices regarding the environment and wildlife conservation.

A quote from their mission statement: “At Safari West it’s all about the animals, always has been, always will be.”

Besides the standard safari, they also offer private tours, photo workshops, behind the scenes and wild adventures, and other programs. Meeting and retreat accommodations are available for businesses, groups, and celebrations.

Although the prices for overnight stays and the safari may seem steep, after learning about the nearly 1,000 animals that share the 400-acre preserve and considering the care and feeding required, the cost seems just about right.

We would have spent much more for the privilege to fight crowds and stand in hour-long lines at Disneyland, and I doubt we will ever travel to Africa to go on safari. So, I’ll be content to have experienced this one in Santa Rosa, California. We may even come back some day for another tour.

Next up: An impromptu trip to La Paz, Baja California Sur.

Safe Travels