Name: Safari West
Address: 3115 Porter Creek Road, Mark West Springs, Mark West Springs, Mark West Springs, 95404, United States of America
Rating: 9

Smoking areas

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Garden

Terrace

No elevators

General

Accessibility features

Wheelchair Accessible

Wheelchair access to restaurant

Accessibility

Safe-deposit box

Concierge services

Luggage storage

Services and amenities

Restaurant

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Tour assistance

Tourist services

Hiking

Recreation

Free parking

Parking

Beauty and wellness

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Extra decontamination measures

Additional measures against COVID-19

Health and Safety Measures

Location

At the hotel

Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport

Safari West

Mark West Springs

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

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king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

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not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

We stayed one night at Safari West. We decided that the glamping option was the best so we stayed in a tent. 
The tents are situated 100 ft  or so apart to provide privacy and to minimize neighbor noises. Our tent had a king bed and matching “African themed” furniture.

Pros
Tents are large and have quality furniture

Guest vehicles are not allowed in the tent areas or near attractions.

On site vehicles can take guests and luggage to and from their tent/room.

Dinner is served  outside in banquet format and offers several options. The food was plentiful and very tasty. The provided breakfast was good as well. 

The safaris use modified old military vehicles and can hold up to 13 guests. 

The vehicle portion of the safari lasts around two hours and is very enjoyable.  Our driver/guide was great. 

Cons

Tents have single walled canvas sides and double walled roofs that do not retain heat that well.

Even though we went in September the tent was freezing when we woke.

The provided space heater doesn’t work that well for the large interior space. 

Animal noises are loud and can be continuous throughout the night. 

Wi-Fi is very spotty and cellular service is not available for Verizon customers. 

Rooms and tents do not have TVs , phones or USB ports.

We had a wonderful time. Regardless of the season, bring some warm clothes to deal with chilly morning weather.  Also bring earplugs and a flashlight. Distant tents are best for avoiding animal noises at night. Our tent was #22.

Fun stay

What an amazing slice of heaven! All the staff was very friendly, you should be proud! Nate was so nice at Checkin and very knowledgeable. He answered all of my kids questions throughout the night. The flashlights for walking around were very smart. We loved walking around and talking with the animals on property. I am sad we did not stay longer and tried out the safari. The tent was very comfortable and the animals very vocal throughout the night. However it added to the experience. We loved looking at the animals from our porch. Tent #2 was perfect for our family of four and provided a nice view. We will definitely be back and for a couple days to get the full experience! Thank you! Don’t forget to partake in the nightly s’mores if they have it!

Amazing place

we enjoyed our stay as the room was tasefully done in organic materials with eco concerns and good quality.
the staff were eceptionally helpful, and friendly.
The thoughtful care and love of African large animals was evident throughout.the guides were wellprepared and safety trained.

Unique decor and excellent arrangements

(Late review - actual time of travel was in October 2020 during the Pandemic).

With travel severely limited these days, my husband and I celebrated our birthdays and anniversary at Safari West. My nephew and his wife had gone in September to celebrate her birthday, and they completely enjoyed their experience.

In a nutshell, we had heaps of fun. Our tent was perfectly situated along the edge where the animals had access to the watering trough, so we had a close up of several animals who came to drink. Our tent was very spacious and comfortable, albeit at little chilly as temps dropped to 37F overnight. There was a space heater, but it made such a rattle that we decided against using it. Despite the temps, we were toasty warm under the covers and dual controlled electric blanket. The "window" shades were open so when we woke up, the compound is the first thing we would see. It was just so chilly! We could see our breath as we poked our noses out from beneath the blankets. We turned in early (8pm) and listened to the cacophony of birds and primates howling and screeching until 11pm then - silence.

Tip for those not used to sleeping in a tent: tuck the clothes you are going to wear the next morning under the blankets. They will be nice and warm in the morning. Trust me on this!

Dinner was a nice affair. The tables are large so it was easy to be physically distant. Before the pandemic, it was buffet style. To accommodate that, the servers offer the buffet menu and you can choose what items you would like to try. It could be as much or as little as you wish, and I suspect that you can get seconds if you are still hungry. They started off with a fruit and cheese platter, followed by a crisp green salad, then a choice of mains and sides. For dessert we opted for just one; it was big enough for two to share.  

Know that the menu is not terribly vegan/vegetarian friendly. That is just how it is. I do not believe they offer tent service for dinner, but you can bring your own food to eat at your tent if you wish. Breakfast is complimentary, and they offer a limited hot and cold breakfast.

Zach was our tour guide. We were a total of three parties on our jeep which was outfitted with acrylic partitions between seats - a family of four up top, and an older couple at the front, while hubs and I sat at the back of the jeep. Zach spoke mainly on the conservation side of things, and we learned quite a lot about the animals, their current habitats on the reserve and in the wild, as well as their survival rate in the wild. Halfway through the tour, we were given the opportunity to switch seats and give us a chance to sit up top, but as the temps heated up we found the shade of the jeep quite comfortable and declined to move. I think the kids were quite content to ride in the open and hopefully come face to face with a giraffe.

There are a couple of tent options designed for couples or families. Antelope Alley has some great views of the grounds. We didn't have the opportunity to walk the grounds to Base Camp but I'm sure they have some great views as well.

Note: If you have a qualified service animal you might be able to negotiate a stay with your pet, but it's in the best interest of all animals involved to leave them at home.

For a different kind of adventure, consider The Sonoma Serengeti for a couples getaway or a family outing. Best for the kids to be at least 4 years old in order to appreciate the tour. You're in a very bouncy jeep for 2 to 2-1/2 hours and the terrain can be a bit rough. We didn't spot any seat belts in the seats inside the jeep, but noticed they are available on the top tier.

A Great Staycation

We had a blast staying in our cabins at Safari West. We went in December and the heated blankets were a treasure. If you go in the winter, bring warm clothes so you can walk around a bit at night, the sky is filled with stars! The beds were comfortable and we enjoyed that we could open and close the window flaps as we pleased. Our cabin looked over the giraffe area, which was amazing! The tours were fun and we got to see so many different animals. Who knew that cheetahs could purr!?

Girls Glamping Getaway

We stayed 2 nights in Tent 17 on Antelope Alley! This is LUXURY camping! king bed, bathroom with hot shower! Electric blanket for those cold nights, space heater, comfy bed! They provide you an ice chest with ice and water bottles. They will take you and your luggage directly to your Tent. Very Friendly staff. Meals are great- they include a fruit appetizer tray at dinner and your choice of brisket, or smoked chicken, very yummy Mac n Cheese, salad, vegetables and desert- brownie sundae one night and a frozen lemon pie. From our deck that had a table, chairs and umbrella- we watched Giraffes and Antelope roaming. We could see Flamingos in the distance. This was an easy walk to the Savanah Cafe for meals and where you catch the tour.  We had WiFi at this location. But who really needs electronics with the wildlife all around!?  Now we don’t need to go to Africa - we can see all the animals right here in Sonoma!  Kids would Love this place!  They are VERY COVID SAFE!

Absolutely a Great Adventure!

Planned an overnight stay for my husband’s birthday.  Considering I scheduled 4 days out Safari West was great in getting us scheduled for a Safari tour and then dinner arrangements.  The Safari was so fun.  I saw baby giraffes running, a one week old baby lemur, and rhinos taking mud baths!  Our tent was a doubles because no kings were available but it was lovely and better than expected.  They are strictly following Covid guidelines which means less people and separated at meals.  Very clean and careful.  This was a highlight and I highly recommend.  Not cheap but worth it.  Tips:  Bring your favorite beverages as they have an ice chest outside on your patio and will provide ice.  Also bring cards or games to play in your deck as the wifi is super spotty and I had no cell reception.  It was a total unplug and refreshing!! Enjoy and flexible.  Nights are chilly dress warm and mornings too.  

Better than imagined 

I’ve heard about Safari West for years but never made it here- I was missing out!! I stayed in Tent18 which is apparently the best one on property for views. It has a comfy Queen bed and a bathroom. There’s no TV since the noise would disrupt the animals. It’s fully electric and there is a bathroom with a small shower. The electric blanket came in handy since this is a canvas tent and it got a little chilly. This was a one in a lifetime opportunity for sure. The staff is all amazing as well!! Definitely take a safari and explore the property with a guide! 

Loving the Glamping Life 

I have visited Safari West both as a day trip and as an overnight stay ... if you have the time and budget and can find availability, it's definitely worth the overnight stay!

We were able to secure Tent #18 which we felt was one of the best options available ... it's in the "front row" directly overlooking Antelope Alley as well as the Giraffe Pen a bit further away.  You can view wildlife up close right from your window or deck!  Antelopes (and similar) will come right up to the fence just a few feet away from the cabin to access the strategically placed watering trough.  A bit further down the hill is the main complex and giraffe pen.  This particular tent may have the best views of wildlife of any in the park.   

As far as the room itself, "tent" is a bit of a misnomer ... it's more of a rustic cabin with wooden floor, a comfortable bed and full bathroom with running water.  Be aware that regardless of how hot it might get during the day, it can get very cold at night ... fortunately the rooms come equipped with space heaters and electric blankets.  Decor is African and overall it's very nice!

As far as why it's better to spend the night ... the main reason is that Santa Rosa can get very hot during the day when the tours are running so the animals can be lying low in the shade.  Spending the night means being in the park during dawn and dusk when much of the wildlife tends to be more active.  Spending the night also allows you many more opportunities to view the animals (at least the ones near the main lodge and facility).

The park serves dinner (extra) and breakfast and also has a snack bar open during the day.  The restaurant has a nice selection of local wines!

Of course, the Safari Tour itself is the main attraction with giraffes, rhinos, zebras, ostriches, antelope, flamingos and other exotic birds, cheetahs, tortoises and many others.  It's an extremely fun and memorable experience!

A Must Do Experience - Definitely Worth Staying the Night!

This is an experience to remember. It's a happy, natural environment. It felt like we went on Safari!
The real excitement is seeing all of these wild animals up close. It's not anything like going to the zoo.
Bring your camera!

Safari West

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