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South Bay Accent - Jun/Jul 2015

A 1,500-POUND CAPE buffalo, wellknown for its dangerous unpredictability when coming face to face with humans, is staring you down. Are those beads of sweat on your brow? Fortunately, you are in the safe confines of a jeep; the driver knows what to do and gingerly steers out of the way. What an eyeful: exotic, living wonders from the African savannah—not in Kenya, but in Santa Rosa. Northern California’s own Serengeti, Safari West, is one of the few places where you can see more than 700 African animals in one setting and sleep near them without feeling terrified. Founded in 1993 by Peter and Nancy Lang, the preserve offers daily open-air jeep tours that bump along throughout the 400-acre property. Kids must be at least 3 years old to go on 66 South Bay Accent the three-hour excursion. Younger ones can toddle around the grounds and delight in the many birds and smaller critters. Safari West also offers an educational component. Several times a month, a representative from a nonprofit organization shines the spotlight on a particular species. Scheduled talks for the summer and fall cover such topics as the bat, snow leopard and giraffe. Each year, more than 60,000 visitors from around the globe arrive for the multisensory animal kingdom experience. On view are cheetahs and silvery-cheeked hornbills, monkeys and Masai giraffes, warthogs and a herd of wildebeests—a fascinating world of big cats, hoofed mammals, rodents, birds and primates. An open-air aviary is home to an assortment of unusual feathered creatures sporting wild, rainbow plumage, lizard-like eyes and otherworldly beaks and claws. While you can spend the day walking around, riding in an open truck and savoring an excellent barbecue dinner, we recommend the total immersion package. You’ve already come this far, so spend one night or two in a luxury tent unique to Safari West. These special rooms are comfortable and attractive, featuring hardwood floors, an open-air shower, electricity, sumptuous beds and handmade furniture. The lightgreen canvas tents come directly from Africa, making your sojourn as authentic as possible. Further, the atmosphere is akin to being on a real African safari, complete with the nighttime noises and sounds of animals in their natural habitat. On Safari FROM LEFT: COURTESY OF SAFARI WEST; COURTESY OF HUNEWILL RANCH


South Bay Accent - Jun/Jul 2015
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