This place is tucked away in Occidental in Sonoma County. We had an amazing tour with Barbara, Rob, and Steve! They are the kindest people! This was such an incredible and memorable experience! We saw 17 wild cats on our tour, which included cheetahs, clouded leopard, black leopard, sand cat, bobcat, and so much more! I loved that they had a good mix of large and small wild cats. The tours are by reservation only and you can reach out to schedule a tour. They keep group sizes to no more than 8 people as to not overwhelm the wild cats. The tour was extremely informative and you will learn a lot about these incredible animals. Their facility is super clean and they love and care deeply about these wild cats. The tours are meant to educate the public about the decreasing population of wild cats around the world and provide funding for worldwide wild cat conservation projects. It was so incredible to see these amazing animals up close. There are light refreshments halfway through the tour and merchandise you can purchase at the end of the tour. Highly recommend reaching out to book a tour with them or go to one of their open house events! read more

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We were with a group of 6. We were not sure what to expect. Honestly, we set the bar low. We figured that it would be a decent experience and we'd be in and out in two hours. We were wrong. Wow, the experience was exceptional. The big cats are in very nice, well maintained, and impeccably clean enclosures. Every cat looked healthy and well cared for. The owners and team provided tremendous insights into each cat. We were there about 3.5 hours and we enjoyed every moment. We could get closer than one could get in any zoo-like experience. Yet, they had firm rules to keep everyone a safe distance from protruding claws. We also viewed the cheetah run. While interesting and memorable, it may be better to skip that element and just provide a greater donation. We are fortunate that people make the personal and professional commitments needed to preserve these amazing animals. All of us look forward to going back and contributing to their effort. read more

Had such a beautiful time on a private tour with Barbara, Steve, and Rob meeting the special cats and learning about them and the challenges for their species' survival. Each cat's unique personalities shone through and it was a joy to see them interact with their guardians and their environments. Highly recommended! What a joy to see these animals up close. Loved hearing cheetahs purr! read more

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Amazing experience !!! Barbara, Rob and Jeff are extremely knowledgeable and they are making this a really unique experience. We visited many facilities that keep big and small cats, but their place is by far the most informative ever. You will find out a lot of interesting and funny info about their cats. Anyone 6 years old and above can enjoy seeing and learning in close proximity about small and bigger cats. Their facility is super clean, all the cats are well kept and you will encounter them in the safest way possible at close proximity. read more

Hidden on joy road in Occidental CA, this conservancy is by appointment only, go online same name. Barb and Rob Dicely have committed their lives to the education and conserving cat species from cheetahs, snow leopards, cougars, bobcats, fishing cats to tiny sand cat. 18 resident species including a stunning black leopard. The future of these animals plus other facts and any questions you have can leisurely be answered while you take photos. True no touch contact, one will never be closer to these majestic cats! Ask for open house dates to get a fantastic meal, beverages and watch cheetahs speed run exhibit. Must reserve with payment, $75k Nebraska zoo beef is annual expense. Any and all donations welcomed!!! But you really need this tour, lot of awe! No children under six for safety, zero excuses. Obviously no pets, same reason. Handicap accessible one step, gravel base path. Please visit! read more

Wild Cat Education and Conservation Fund - New resident baby fishing cat to next generation adult - Walking Tours Near Me

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A few months ago, Boyfriend and I were driving through Occidental and saw two guys with a Cheetah on a leash. Of course we stopped to find out what was going on. We asked a bunch of questions and they handed us a flyer for big cat tours. Well, scheduling was a bit of an issue but we finally made it to a tour today. The minimum number of people for a tour is 4, maximum is 10. When we arrived we were greeted by Barbara and Rob, two of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. They are so incredibly knowledgeable and want to answer any and every question you may have. The tour wasn't rushed by any means, we lingered at each cat. The property is gorgeous, they built it from the ground up over 40 years ago. We got to see 16 big cats up close. Three Cheetahs, a Snow Leopard, an African Leopard (aka Black Panther), a Clouded Leopard, a Siberian Lynx, a Canada Lynx, a Bobcat, a Mountain Lion (aka Cougar aka Puma), an Ocelot, a Caracal, a Serval, a Fishing Cat, a Sand Cat, and a Geoffroy's Cat. They explained in depth where the cats are from, what they eat, some of their history, and more. Each cat had its own personality and you can tell they truly get to know each and every one of their cats. One of the cats didn't like his meat bits to touch the ground. One of them would hang upside down and do a little twirl, but only during tours. Barbara told us that every cat there was obtained as a baby and was bred in captivity. None of them were taken from the wild. Later in the tour Steve came out to help with the Cheetah run. They ran two of their Cheetahs two times each. Wow those cats are fast! You can tell how much they love these cats and how they want to teach anyone who wants to learn. They are funny and friendly and welcoming. Midway through the tour they brought out so many snacks!! And we were offered water and iced tea, sparkling water and bathroom breaks. Don't expect to touch any of the cats, but man oh man I've never been this close to big cats before. You can hear them purr and see their massive claws up close. The tour is $95 per person and the Cheetah run is another $50. I think it was well worth the money, it was something I'll remember forever. The money goes to the care for the cats, and to multiple other conservation funds that you can find listed on their website. Thank you Barbara, Rob, and Steve for an amazing experience. read more

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The owners of this preserve are such an inspiration. They not only provided my husband and I with an amazing private tour but also put personalized touches to make my birthday weekend special. I can't wait to visit again. read more

went there today with my friends and it was a great tour. The guides were knowledgeable about their cats in detail, the facility is beautiful and we got to actually TOUCH A CHEETAH. such a great time, I cannot stop smiling. read more

An amazing and special experience. Highly recommended for any cat lover! Hearing cheetahs purr so close up was one of the most exciting highlights for me. I also loved seeing so many unique personalities and behaviors from the different cats, like the black leopard hanging upside down to eat treats, one cheetah's "shark" impression, and the shy sand cat cautiously darting out of hiding to grab snacks, and to pounce on a feather. I felt sad for one serval who'd had a difficult life before coming to WCE&CF, but appreciative that he will be safe and well cared for for the rest of his days. The owners are very knowledgable and welcoming, and it was very moving to see how much love and care they put into this organization, into caring for these animals, and into education and conservation efforts. Not to mention, extremely impressive how much work they've clearly put into (literally) building the facility! The private tour exceeded my expectations, and I'm so glad I experienced it, and that this place exists! read more

These guys are so friggin' COOL. They came to the Balboa theater with some gorgeous big cats when some of the classrooms took a field trip to see the movie Duma. The kids pet them, made them purr, and even got to keep some of the fur that they shed. Where were these dudes when I was in Elementary school? Back in the day, all I got was a stinking amphibian show with a couple of tired looking chameleons and a very unfriendly lizard. So I asked my Principal last week, "Hey, can I get some leopards over here to show the kids? They won't eat them, I don't think. And even if they do, the company's well insured. That's what they told me, anyway." Guess what the answer was? read more

Wild Cat Education and Conservation Fund - Walking Tours Near Me

If you truly honor these beautiful wild cats, this is THE organization to meet and support. We were honored to do a private tour but they do programs and fundraisers. The private tour is at the owners home where they care for their cats who educate us on these beautiful big cats - Mountain Lion, Snow Leopard, Ocelot, Lynx, Cheetah, Fish Cat (yes he was!). Private tours can are held for small groups to respect the animals and their home. But their fundraisers and programs have them bring the cats to educate us about them. They can do private events as well so do look at their website. It was so incredible to meet them in their habitat, but also have the ability to meet some (they were caged) by feeding them as instructed and pet them. And if you are lucky and a cub is there - I heard you get to meet the cub! There was no cub for us as the baby mountain lion had already grown too big (but how amazing would that experience be!). They were so absolutely beautiful to meet and honor in their presence. The owners are truly doing their passion and inspire so much to meet them. Besides the cats, you will meet some beautiful inspiring people who do their life's work that they love! read more

When was the last time you came face to face with a live Cheetah? Or a rare Snow Leopard? Me too, until this past Sunday when I was lucky enough to see the Leopards Etc. conservation team show off their beautiful wild cats. The mountain lion was unbelievalbe. All mouths were hanging open in the room. I highly recommend trying to catch their next appearance here in the SF Bay Area for something fun and different! I think their schedule is up at www.leopardsetc.com read more

Rob and Barbara Dicely give people the opportunity to meet some of the most beautiful and rare cats in the world. A few times a year they have public shows in Sebastopol CA, Santa Cruz CA, and Los Altos CA and they should not be missed. They also do presentations for school and corporate groups and senior communities. By bringing their cats to fund-raising events such as those for the Wildlife Conservation Network, they have helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for conservation groups such as Cheetah Conservation Botswana and the Snow Leopard Conservancy. Ever wonder why they don't advertise which cats will appear at their public presentations? That's because the cats aren't forced to perform. If a cat doesn't want to do a visitation, they aren't forced. And those cats who have decided to retire from doing visitations get to live out their lives in their wonderful private compound in the hills of western Sonoma County. read more