Winter is a strange and beautiful season here at Safari West. Everything slows down, calms down, grows a little quieter. The animals seem relaxed and tranquil as they cluster under the oaks to watch the morning mists come curling around the hills. When the winter rains come in, falling softly on earth parched by a long summer, we see the different species react in various ways. Some of our animals do as we humans do and stay inside. We find our rhinos, Mufasa and Aesha, peering out from their house, munching casually on a breakfast of hay and alfalfa as they watch their mud wallow swell with rain. The zebras on the other hand, like playful children, spend days splashing through puddles; their normally sleek and shiny coats tousled and mud-spattered as they frolic in a very different, very wet world.

For us humans, winter at Safari West is a time to catch up on projects. This winter, we had two big projects, the large aviary, and the tent camp. We decided to complete a total renewal and refurbishment of our glamping experience. One by one, each of our thirty luxury tent-cabins was stripped down to the floorboards. The handmade hardwood floors were sanded down and resurfaced and we worked up from there. Once all the features and furniture had been polished and perfected, we added a final touch, draping each and every tent-cabin in brand new canvas. We exchanged each aging tent with a custom-made replacement freshly delivered from Lobatswe, Botswana. Our luxurious tent camp, first put up in 1999, is brand new all over again!

As that project was underway we also began a complete facelift on our large aviary. It’s only recently reopened with all new paved walkways and a stunning, many-tiered waterway. The birds have already made the freshly completed aviary their home and nest building is well underway. If you’ve been here in years past, you’ll no doubt recall the experience of walking through this tranquil sanctuary. We’ve named the upgraded aviary the Amani Oasis; a peaceful haven in the midst of our Sonoma Serengeti.

The first of March marked the passing of winter and the eagerly anticipated onset of spring. To celebrate this, each year we treat the first as our traditional grand re-opening. Starting in March, we see our crowds swell in size and enthusiasm and in response, we offer additional tour times: 9 and 10 am as well as 1 and 2 pm. School field trips arrive one after the other to clamber aboard the Nairobi or the African Queen for a scholarly trek experience. Most exciting of all, the first marked the reopening of the all new Safari West tent-camp!

Spring is in the air here at Safari West. Between our courting animals, the new and improved Amani Oasis and the stunningly upgraded tent-cabins, we are surrounded by beauty. We welcome you to join us this season and experience the wonder for yourself. Reserve a tour or camp site now through safariwest.com or by calling 1-800-616-2695 and be one of the first to enjoy an overnight adventure and the ultimate safari experience!