It gets 2 stars for caring for the animals. Sadly the location only had 9 cats today, our tour was 25 people and the cats were not very active. The grounds have seen better days.. I can see how this was beautiful back in the day. Nice sculptures around the property I would have given more stars if it weren't for the "Director" Chris. He was very rude when we pulled in, made distasteful remarks and although he led the Q&A afterward, he was very self centered and smug. Not really answering the questions from the attendees. Sadly this location is very worn out and tired. read more

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I agree with the prior review of Pam. Except I would give no stars if I could. I went to the tour with about 25 people and the director, Chris was not too friendly to say the least. He is more interested in bragging about himself and his book instead of educating the group about the animals. He is also rude. I recommend just contributing if you want, and not wasting your time. Immediately upon entering, you are requested to sign a release of liability. There are only two Outhouse toilets to use which were disgusting. You are told once you walk into the gate, there are no restrooms for the two hour tour. You will only see a few sleeping tigers. We only saw 5 tigers, two of which walked around. It was blistering hot and they offered cold water bottles at the end of the tour. We had to listen to Chris' boring stories for over an hour in extremely hot weather. The tiger tour was less than an hour which was less than the boring stories of Chris. I DO NOT RECOMMEND. The place is run down and appears to almost be closing. There were only 8 tigers there. You are better off staying home and watching Youtube videos. It is 3.5 hours I will never get back!!!!! read more

An experience I will never ever forget. I just want to start off by saying that anyone who complains about not seeing the animals misses the point entirely. Consider your visit an offering, no matter the outcome. As one of the very knowledgable guides (Chris) explained, these animals are here out of necessity. This is not a zoo, or a carnival where they parade the animals around or try to get them to perform for visitors. This is a blessing for these traumatized animals, who come here either injured and rejected by their pack, or unable to fend for themselves in the wild because they were born in captivity. We had plenty of glimpses of lions and tigers and bobcats, when they chose to grace us with their presence. Q&A session at the end is wonderful, and Chris was very patient with all of our questions. I couldn't be more grateful and moved for having had this experience, and for the work they do here. It is truly God's work. read more

The first thing you have to realize is this a foundation that takes care of animals which would otherwise be euthanized. I went because my girlfriend loves big cats. It may be a bit misleading that we thought they had about 60 animals. They have the capacity for that many cats but there were only 16 cats when we took the tour. For the most part most of the cats were hiding in their spacious runs. We got a good look at two of the tigers and the lynx. I could partially see the pumas. Those cats were very impressive. Scary. Be prepared if you go late spring or summer. It is hot. Have plenty of water. The tour actually doesn't last the 2 to 2 1/2 hours as advertised and there is shade to be had so I stayed comfortable in the heat. There are no amenities except for restrooms. If you think you will get hungry come prepared with your own food. They have a dedicated staff of volunteers and 4 paid employees. The staff were all very nice. Running an rescue facility is expensive. They survive on donations hence the tours. It's not a zoo. I repeat it's not a zoo. The welfare of the animals is first and foremost so don't be disappointed if you don't get good looks at all the animals. We got great looks at about 5 of the animals. That was plenty for me. If you're an animal lover please take the time and go on a tour. If you're overnighting I would recommend the Valencia/Santa Clarita area. There are a number of nice hotels and restaurants located in the area. By the way Vasquez Rocks is close by so make it a day and check out the rocks where many movies have filmed read more

The tour was great and you got close to the cats but it was a hot day and the animals were not active. Well the tigers were active. We brought a lunch and sat and ate by the lake ( picnic style) while you got to ask questions about the cats or facilities. Once all the questions where answered the owner tippy herself came out to thank you for visiting and supporting the facility. You also got to ask tippy questions as well. I love that she lives on the property with all the cats. Wish they still had the elephants tho. I would like to go back but would try the sunset tour to see if the animals are more active and for cooler weather. read more

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Went to a Sunset Safari at Shambala Preserve. It was $150 a head for a tour and dinner. I am giving it 4 stars because this and other animal sanctuaries are a wonderful cause, but the visit itself was less stellar. Firstly, it took months for them to charge my credit card for the reservation. I followed up after a couple weeks had passed, and they said we'll get around to it eventually. Not very organized. More weeks passed and I started to write it off as not happening and finally the charge appeared. I never received an email confirmation, but did eventually receive a letter thanking me for the donation. When arriving, look out for the Shambala flag at the guest driveway which is about a quarter mile BEFORE our GPS directions said to turn. We booked the sunset tour because many animals are more active at sunset, and we got a few good photos of tigers but overall the tour was very rushed. The group was given like, 60 seconds to view each animal before the docents told us to quickly move on. The docents were not particularly friendly. One particular male docent kept shouting at these poor slow seniors "walk faster" and "close the gap" and he said other snippy things that were unwelcoming. No one in the group was violating any of their safety guidelines, everyone was on good behavior and we were all there to admire and support these beautiful animals so there was no need for rudeness. Although the lions were photo shy, we heard them roaring as the sun went down which was cool. The provided dinner was a selection of 5 or 6 vegetarian salads. There was also a Q&A with Chris, director of the preserve, and Ms. Tippi Hedren made an appearance but did not speak, which was disappointing but perhaps she was under the weather. However she kindly stayed for photos with the guests. read more

What a wonderful place and staff! Loved visiting this place and what a great cause... Will continue supporting! The tour guides, especially Andrea are fantastic and very knowledgeable, in regards to the history of each animal. Tippi is awesome for starting this organization....continue the excellent work, Roar Foundation! read more

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Shambala is a fantastic place to visit and see big cats up-close. I had never been to Shambala before but based on what I had read, it sounded like a really cool place to experience. I signed up for the Safari Tour. (I was able to call and put my name on the list rather than send in a reservation form via mail.) We got there 30 minutes before the tours started and checked in. They give each person a raffle ticket and a sticker that assigns you to a specific tour group. At noon, they had us all walk in together. The entrance takes you right through by several animals, including a tiger, a cougar, and several small cats. They went over the rules quickly, the big rule being stay behind the ropes, which are 4 feet away from the cages. We then broke off into 3 tour groups of about 20-or-so people. The walking tour lasts for about an hour, during which you get to see all of the animals pretty up-close. You'll hear lots of roaring all around and you'll see lions, tigers, leopards, and cervals. Some cats were sleeping but several were active and walked right up to the fences to greet people. There is so much to see and it is so cool! At all times there will be a chainlink fence in between you and the animals, which is frustrating if you want to get a nice clear picture of the animals, but necessary considering the preserve is there to educate people about how dangerous these animals are. (A great picture is probably not worth being mauled by a giant cat.) After the tour, you have lunch at the picnic area by the lake. If you bring a lunch, you can keep it in a cooler and at the beginning they'll take everyone's lunches in on a cart and set them under a shaded gazebo in the picnic area. While we were eating, one of the tigers was splashing around in the lake within his enclosure near us. It was so cool to see! There are also a lot of interesting birds nearby, including a crane and lots of ravens. After lunch, Tippi Hedren gave us all a talk and told us some stories. During the tour, they asked us to save a lot of questions for her at the end because they were "great stories that everyone should hear". However, she didn't seem to know many of these "great stories", so that was a bit of a letdown. Overall, this day was absolutely great. I really enjoyed myself, took a bunch of great pictures, and learned a lot about the cats. PROS: Great tour, get to see cats up-close, can bring a lunch to eat by the lake, really cool environment, free and available parking (dirt lot), clean port-a-potty toilets CONS: Visiting is bit expensive, talk at the end is drawn-out, there is no shade to sit in while Tippi talks My advice... Definitely visit Shambala. Bring sunscreen, a hat, a camera, and lunch in a cooler. Then, get ready for an awesome time! read more

Roar Foundation Shambala Preserve - Zoos Near Me - Acton, California

AMAZING PLACE TO VISIT! today was my first time, and i did not know what to expect so first you go, sign in, sign waiver, buy raffle tickets if youd like, get your group color, hear a little about the place then head in for the tour my day had 3 groups of about 20-25 people. each seperte so we dont get in the way and go through the whole area in about 2 hours. there were a looot of big cats! and some small ones from ocelots, panthers, mountain lions, tigers, lions most of the lions were sleeping but all the rest were wide awake and running up to us'! it was amazing seeing them, with the guided and informative tour at the end, we had our sac lunches/picnic and got a presentation/speak with Tippy herself! the raffle was a small dissapointment b/c it was only 2 posters given away...i was thinking like stuffed animals, foods,shirts, etc but oh well and the only thing i didnt like was that you had to be 4 feet from the fences..which seemed a bit far but i know people are stupid and will put their hands through but still for $50 donation it is deffinately worth contributing and visit g again! read more

A great secret in LA county. This preserve is like a zoo for big and medium cats (lions, tigers, cougar, black panther, serval, bobcat, etc,) but much more up close and personal. Seeing these animals in a zoo keeps them at a distance. The Shambala Preserve is just as safe but allows you to get closer which gives a very real and palpable sensation of apex species in the wild. This was my second rescue/preserve and now I have much less interest in zoos. Zoos have a staged atmosphere whereas the ambiance here is simplified and feral. (Less like disneyland) Granted the tours are at noon, typically cats are sleeping, you will still see some of the cats playing, sleeping, moving around, (staring at you...) and you are likely to hear the lions or tigers roaring which is a very unique feeling ! My advice: skip the zoo, which is the industrial & kitsch version of a preserve or rescue. read more

We went out not knowing what to expect of a little place in Acton but this place is really nice. The staff are excellent, very informative and pleasant. The enclosures for the cats are very spacious and look comfortable. Downside the cats have lots of places to hide so if you're not lucky you might miss one. At the end during the Q&A Tippi comes out and talks to everyone and answers any and all questions. Had a wonderful time thank you to everyone there! read more

My husband and I went to this wonderful cat sanctuary over the last weekend, my experience was amazing! The large cats are magnificent, a beautiful place as well. I was impressed by all the knowledge the staff shared with us and that they truly only care for the welfare of their cats! The staff there were great, I will return again! They have programs and events so for those cat lovers out there go check them out!! read more

Husband & I visited today and overall the mission of Shambala to stay hands off and simply provide the best environment possible for the large cats is why you want to go.. I just wish our guide was a bit more knowledgeable about the animals-- Lisa, Love Tour', didn't seem comfortable yet with the tour; needing others assistance often for cat ages and weight (basic info) & not yet successful in managing a large group (25).. Also, constant promoting of other events (more expensive) isn't making the tour better.. Again, let's talk more about the animals. Also, wish the volunteers in the gift shop were made aware of the prices on certain items or at least have everything marked. A bit more organization and education of the volunteers would make this experience more valuable. If the money didn't go to such a great cause I wouldn't find the tour worth $50. Please do go but know what to expect. read more

We had a great tour of the Shambala Preserve in Acton today. Everything was ideal: the guide, the weather, the animals, and the love and devotion we witnessed towards the Big Cats from all the volunteers and staff who were there. It was an excellent day! read more

The worst experience of my life!! You see no animals!! They mislead and lie to you... Treat the animals horrible!! You stand there in the desert heat, hearing the host talk about the cats, that you can't see {because they are exhausted and hot..hiding...In each and every cage} It's the biggest scam. At the end of the joke of a tour, I decided to leave and go to my car, so to not deal with the b/s anymore. At a point, I came back to the gate, asked for some water, the lady went out of her way to ignore me, go inside, pretend I wasn't outside getting heat stroke. And after, almost fainting...unable to call 911 do to no Wi-Fi that worked.. I screamed...a guy came out, and the previous rude lady..rudely joking...both went back their marry way...still not bringing my water...Finally, after much difficulty did they let my family out..unlock the door and slipped a water through the locked cage to me, like I was an animal. They knew I needed water, ignored me.. Very rude people!! Don't Go!! I almost had to go to the er... They need to be closed... It wasn't until my family had to pleed with them, 《while they sat on their ass.》still pretending they didn't know I was even out there..did they let my family out...slipping me a water..since they knew their were witnesses. Bad bad karma I'm a very honest, nice and caring person, and the way the staff was to me was very inexceptable..let alone to all the people they scam to come there, knowing that it's all an entire lie... They claim it last longer than it does, they don't tell you to bring your own food. You may see 3 tiger's sleeping, very far away.. Even with the best camera, you are screwed... It's 50 dollars to possibly die in the heat, having their joke of employees try to get you to spend, spend , and spend... And literally put your life in their hands.. read more

This Preserve is amazing. To see these beautiful cats up close, in an environment with no stress. Not made to perform, if one was sleeping out of sight, they simply say he/she is napping or is shy. The respect that these beautiful cats receive and deserve is awesome. The cats we saw were amazing. you get to really see how powerful and beautiful these animals are and how they deserve our respect and a safe place to live unafraid of mistreatment or abuse. to look at there faces and know they have a safe environment to live and are truly loved, cared for and respected is what they all deserve read more

The facility is run by quite a few staff and volunteers who take care of the grounds and the animals. Tippi Hedren, actress and activist, lives on the premises. She is a wonderful advocate for the big cats and continually tries to pass federal legislation to protect them from the fur trade, captive breeding, etc. Unfortunately much legislation has not been passed to protect these animals because of the very powerful lobbying of the circuses, zoos, animal parks, etc. Tours must be reserved in advance. You may bring lunch to the facility. No children or pets are allowed. I was disappointed by one particular tour guide who continued to make references to eating animals and visiting the circus and zoo. Not everyone who goes to this rescue facility realizes that these animals (and other animals) are the victims of the entertainment, fashion, and food industries. Rather than saying the reason why these animals have X, Y, and Z health and behavioral issues is because of the way they were abused at those facilities, she continued to say, "when you go to the circus, you'll see X, Y, Z..." NO! I'm sorry, "when you go to the circus" is not appropriate. She should be telling everyone NOT to go to the circus. Also, there is a Muskogee duck that lives on the facility in their man made river. Rather than letting people know that this beautiful bird is brutally tortured and farmed for eating, she jokingly said, "this is the Peking duck you eat". The cages of the facility vary in sizes and the animals are rotated every few months. However, some of the cages are TINY. When asked about the sizes of the small cages, the same tour guide said, "they don't need more space, all they do is sleep," Maybe she's not aware that the animals in the wild actually hunt and walk and run. When confronted that the cages appeared too small, she snapped back, "well the industry standards say that these are big enough." Umm, really? Well did you ask the tiger that's pacing back and forth if he has enough space? Because he doesn't look so happy. There are some cages that are huge, with plenty of places to climb and move. Luckily the animals get a chance to rotate and experience the other enclosures. The facility has 60 cats, 72 acres and spends $75,000/month. Donations are needed in order to keep the facility in operation. Although my tour guide did not impress me, the facility is an important part of these animals' lives. Because of this facility, these animals no longer live in fear or physical pain. Because of this facility, non-animal rights people can come and learn about these animals and the advocacy that still needs to be done. read more

So beautiful!! I spent such a wonderful day here and loved every informative minute of it! The staff was very friendly, kind and seemed like one big happy family! Can't wait to go again. The grounds were beautiful as were all the animals on the reserve read more

I think it is amazing this place has been taking in abused/sick animals used in roadside zoos and circuses for over 40 years. I also think it's amazing Tippi Hedren has passed legislation to protect these animals and continues to do so. Only issues I had with going here was the heat (it was around 100 degrees) and the much too long talk given by Tippi at the end of the tour. At times I pondered whether the enclosures were large enough but I think one has to realize it is impossible to imitate the wild and none of these animals were ever born in the wild to begin with. Not to mention they're getting a much better quality of life here at Shambala than in the zoo or circus they came from. I was also, admittedly, horrified when a very old jaguar named "Boo" came stumbling out of his cat house with a lame body from severe arthritis. Despite his old age and condition, however, he did seem to still be interested in life and was very active. I guess why I mentioned the very few hang ups I had is because I want to point out that the lives of these animals have not been all roses and butterflies. Thanks to Tippi and everyone who works/volunteers there though, the animals have a really great thing going for them and I would really recommend supporting them by visiting and/or becoming a member. TIP: On the website, it says you have to sometimes reserve a month in advance but I was able to call on a Friday and attend the next day. read more

Still doing a great job trying to educate the public and rescuing animals. Keep up the great work Tippi.

This place is AWESOME! You really get the perspective of how big these cats are :) You are pretty much 4 feet away from their cages. So cute but yet so dangerous as the workers at Shambala will tell you...The workers at Shambala are very informative. I enjoyed our tour. You can tell that that the guides LOVE what they do...I learned a lot and enjoyed looking at these beautiful cats. read more

Fantastic place to visit!! The cats are so well cared for and the volunteers are very knowledgeable and caring. Highly recommend.

This is a must for animal lovers!! The park houses an array of tigers and lions, as well as various other felines. The $50 ticket is donated to the foundation to help educate and relocate big cats who are misplaced. They support a no touching policy for interacting with the animals. This has been proven to be a dangerous habit for attempting to domesticate these beautiful animals. The tour takes you closer to these magnificent cats then you ever would get at a zoo. The grounds are serene, and they even offer an overnight stay at the park!! It is also owned and operated by famed Hollywood actress Tipi Hedron. You won't be disappointed!! read more

Great place! Our tour guide Lisa was very upbeat and knowledgeable it made up for "the elephant man" tour guide (I forgot his name ) Everytime he talked to the crowd he'd use a condescending, nasty voice and sounded so impatient and mad (so unecessary) it really took me back a bit and people in the crowd were rolling their eyes when he seemed agitated at the crowd when all we were doing was listening. I usually don't complain but it was exciting for us to be there (my wife is crazy about tigers)so if Tippy reads this- tell that guy to "ease up and smile " and let it be fun for everyone. We will for sure go back. read more

Awesome Wildlife Preservation! Fun! Educational! This Preserve is Great for the whole Family, you feel safe while you are there, and the big Cats and this Sanctuary are just AMAZING!!! Please give donations, This Preserve is RUN PROFESSIONALLY, and they WORK VERY HARD, and they make you feel safe, unlike another Sanctuary that I know!!! read more

Waited two months to get get in and cost $100.00 for two people. I was thought disappointed and will not go back or recommend this place to anyone. There were more empty enclosures there. We walked the compound for about an hour and was told that there were about 23 big cars there we only saw about 4 cats. After the guided we all sat around for a Q&A which lasted over on hour, way to long, and Chris ,someone that helps run the compound, was very smug and one thing that he told us all was that he was glad that the cats were not out for us to see. I did not pay $100.00 to see empty enclosures . Again I will never go back again, nor will I recommend Shambala to anyone else. read more

I highly suggest visiting the "Roar Foundation; Shambala Preserve" in L.A. county, CA. You'll see tigers, lions, cougars, bob cats, and more. They are in large open natural secured enclosures, not like a typical zoo! All large cats were rescued from private owners, circuses, small horrible zoos, and/or brought there after being injured in the wild. Most of your entrance fee goes to the animals since it's a non profit org. They have a great gift shop that sells cool things too. Former actress, Tippi Hedren (google her if you're under 30) lives on the premises and started the foundation for large cats. Many times she talks to the tour groups and poses for pictures as well! Must be 18 and older to attend. This place is PURRRRRFECT! read more

Honestly such an awful place. The workers are extremely unpleasant. Will not visit ever again. If you plan on visiting, good luck. The big cats were constantly pacing along the fences-you could just tell they were in distress. read more

We had a wonderful time taking this tour. The animals were gorgeous and very active. The guides were informative and truly passionate about what they do. The groups are kept small and children under 18 are not allowed on the tour. Highly recommend to everyone who loves the big cats. read more

Beautiful cats that are well taken care of. Thank you Tippi Hedren for your passion and generosity . Your babies are stunning. You can see the respect between human and animal. Not cheap but worth it! read more

Truly a wonderful place for the Lions and Tigers who call Shambala home, live out the rest of their lives in a most natural, dignified way. The time, money, understanding and dedication of Miss Hedren and all who work/volunteer at Shambala for these most magnificent animals is truly remarkable. We felt very privileged to be able to walk the grounds and be educated on why these animals are there and how they are cared for. read more

the whole experience is appr 3hr. visited on nov 15,2009 a very chilly and windy day at the preserve. tippi came out bundled up and talked after the tour was finished. theres a small gift shop there, metro link passes by the preserve . shambala is a very interesting unique experience. yes would go again and bring coffee or hot tea and a heavier coat just in case. read more