When imagining Wine Country in beautiful Northern California, it is easy to picture the perfectly aligned rows in the vineyards, the grand wineries that look like castles, the vistas of foothills and mountains, and… an African safari?!

Yes, you read that right – there is a wildlife preserve over 400 acres in size right in the heart of the Sonoma Serengeti! Okay okay, it’s Sonoma County… but still, how cool is that?! I’ve been to Safari West once before quite a few years ago, and I remember having such a blast. When it came time to planning our Wine Country weekend getaway, I knew that this was an experience we couldn’t miss!

Safari West is an African Wildlife Preserve that houses over 90 different species. The preserve is split into 3 main sections: (1) a safari where you get to ride around the preserve in an open air jeep-like vehicle, (2) their lower premises, where you are allowed to walk around and see their aviary, primates, and more, (3) an African tent camp area where guests can stay overnight!

Needless to say, I loved the safari, since you get to drive around the entire property to search for the wildlife. The “safari” section of the preserve has double fencing around some enclosures (just in case), so the animals are able to roam around as they please within the designated area. This means that you aren’t guaranteed to see every animal or species, but with almost 1000 animals in total, you’re sure to still get the full safari experience!

During the safari, you get to ride in ^^ this guy! It seats 12 people comfortably, and the guide will stop throughout the drive to let different pairs ride on the very top! The terrain is bumpy and rough, making the ride feel like a roller coaster at times – but in all the best ways. The wind in your hair, the trees and sky right above… it’s such an amazing experience being able to watch zebras, antelope, buffalo, and giraffes graze, wander, and do their thing. Just make sure you watch out for low hanging branches!

Our guide was funny and incredibly knowledgeable. He was able to educate us on each animal, their eating habits, and where they came from. After the safari tour, he took us on a walking tour of their lower premises. We enjoyed taking a peek at the flamingo pond, followed by a walk through the aviary. There was a funny little bird who was raised in Safari West who likes to join the walking tours, so he walked around with us as if he were showing us his home 🙂 From there, we continued the tour to see lemurs, monkeys, cheetahs, and a huge tortoise!

After a full morning of animal sightseeing, we ate at the Savannah Cafe, located onsite – the pulled pork was my fave! Sitting back and relaxing while enjoying a bottle of wine from Rosenblum Cellars was a perfect way to remind us that we are, in fact, in Wine Country.

I highly recommend swinging by Safari West as a quick detour on your way to Napa or Sonoma! Make sure to make a reservation in advance, as they don’t allow walk-ins. I, for one, am excited to come back again soon – and hopefully have a chance to stay overnight for a safari glamping experience!