Sample the Serengeti much closer to home

Have an authentic safari experience in the heart of Monterey County in California. Elephants roam alongside zebras, while lions roar in the distance. Seems like a day out on the plains of the Serengeti, right? The scene may be similar, but these sights and sounds are about 10,000 miles away from Africa in this county along California’s coast.

With traditional safaris to countries like Tanzania and Kenya costing upwards of $10,000 per person (not including flights), it’s nearly impossible for most people to have an authentic camping expedition and see the wildlife that live there. That’s why a few creative individuals decided to bring that safari adventure to Northern California. The Monterey Zoo (seemonterey.com) in Salinas pioneered the idea in 2000, offering nightly stays in eight bungalows with fun names like “Leopard’s Lair” right on the property where the animals live, calling it Vision Quest Safari Bed & Breakfast (wildthingsinc.com). Prices start at $250 per cabin and include a tour of the facility, a continental breakfast delivered via elephant and visits with animals out on afternoon walks. Visitors can amplify their experience with other tours.

Owner and animal trainer Charlie Sammut came up with the idea after realizing that one of the only other ways to have close encounters with exotic animals, and closely connect to them, was an expensive trek outside the country.

“As humans, we can’t be sympathetic or understand something we haven’t had direct contact with,” says Sammut. “I was lucky enough to have gone on safari in Africa, but most people aren’t. So, I wanted to bring a taste of that here.”

That sampling is pretty close to the real deal. Expect to listen to the lions and tigers roaring only yards from your canvas-walled hotel suite while you sleep at night, and awake to an endless view of grasslands where buffalo, elephants and an ostrich enjoy their morning meal. Simply walking out your front door to your porch is as far as you need to go to get a glimpse into life on the Serengeti.

Each African tent-style bungalow was intricately created using materials and designs similar to an actual safari abode, but guests still get some comforts of home they’d rather not give up. Heated blankets and space heaters provide warmth on chillier nights, while comfortable furniture, a TV and complete bathroom facilities with hot water make it feel like a true vacation rather than totally roughing it. And every room has a view overlooking the elephant playpen.

Each morning between 9 and 10 a.m., two of the elephants walk to each of the tents and “serve” a continental breakfast. Though the staff actually sets up a delicious meal including bagels, fruit, pastries and yogurt, it’s the morning greeting from African elephants Paula or Kristi that’s the real treat. Before you feast, the trainers instruct you how to properly feed carrots to one of the gentle giants right from the porch of your bungalow.

If that’s not enough oneon-one time with the adorable creatures, the property offers several other up-close experiences. Guests and day visitors have the option to book the Pachyderm Package Tour, a two-hour experience that includes a walking guided tour and the opportunity to help the staff bathe the elephants.

Later on in the day, two of the zoo’s creatures, including a binturong (a mammal that’s also called a bearcat) named Doc and a capybara (large rodent) named Chip, take their daily walk past your private bungalow, with trainers on hand to answer any questions you may have about the breeds.

Guests even get the chance to put the animals to bed. The Crunch Time and Butch’s Bedtime packages let you help safely feed the lions and tigers, or give the elephants their nighttime snacks and medications if