We went there several years ago, and it was truly magical. I had asked, for my birthday gift, to adopt a meerkat. We spent time in the meerkat's enclosure with them, having them jump onto the palms of our hands and watching them interact. Need to get back out there. read more

I heard about this preserve while looking up meerkat experiences. I was able to "adopt" (sponsor) a meerkat which gave us the opportunity to visit the center for a guided tour and meerkat play date. It was one of the most exciting, fun things I have ever done. Four of us got there a little before our appointment time. Our tour was given by one of the owners of the facility. The tour was very informative, but we all wanted to get our play time in! You sit inside the meerkat enclosure the entire time. The little critters love to dig, so the ground in most of the enclosure is very uneven and full of holes. Our guide provided us gloves to protect our hands while we feed the meerkats. We hung out for about an hour while the meerkats got used to us being in there and began to interact with us. As the pictures show, the little ones are funny characters, full of energy, and great to watch. Our time passed too quickly. It is an experience I would DEFINITELY jump at the opportunity to do again. read more

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For my husband's birthday, I paid a $100 adoption fee to Fellow Earthlings so that we could meet a meerkat. One week after the donation, I received a packet with further instructions how to request a reservation. Reservations are required and will definitely require advanced planning. I planned this event 2 months ahead of time to ensure we could find a date that worked for both parties. Once you receive your adoption paperwork and agree on a time to visit, you will receive directions on how to get there and what to wear. Make sure to follow these instructions precisely or you might be sent home after a long drive. Wear pants! Come on time! Use the directions provided and not your GPS. Allow extra driving time in case you get lost. Once we arrived at the gate, Pam (the director) came out to greet us and instructed us on where to park our car. She welcomed us onto the property and gave us some history on the organization. Pam is a former zookeeper with extensive training on meerkats. She is passionate about her work, and it's clear these meerkats love and respect her! I also learned that Pam is a tour guide, and she goes on trips in South Africa. I was in awe listening to all her experiences in zoos and abroad. After a brief tour and an introduction on meerkats, you will finally get to meet the stars of the show and feed them mealworms. Once it's feeding time, you'll understand why Pam is so strict about what you wear - and you'll be thankful you followed all her rules. The entire encounter with the meerkats was safe and super fun. They are such playful winsome creatures. This was truly a highlight to my trip out to the Coachella Valley. Five stars, all the way. read more

Another one of Morongo's unique gems - Fellow Earthlings is a gem of an experience. The property is lovely and lush. The proprietor and her husband are wonderful people. If you want to see the Meerkats in an environment that emulates their home in Africa - check it out. I believe visits are by reservation only. Google Fellow Earthlings for further information. read more

I just visited the center yesterday and it was an AMAZING experience! For a $100 donation, you can take up to 4 people to meet the cutest meerkats. Our guide was Pam, who's been working with these animals for over thirty years. We got a quick tour of the facilities and some background for the meerkats we were meeting before being allowed into one of the enclosures. Be warned that there are very specific rules for what to wear, so follow the instructions they send you very closely. It can be a little confusing to get there since it is dirt roads, but they send you directions to follow. Google maps will NOT send you to the right place so be warned. Also, you HAVE TO BE ON TIME because you'll be feeding the meerkats and they can't be kept waiting. We were there for about 2 hours and it was truly great. I don't recommend this for children (I think the minimum age is 8) since you have to sit still for a long period and have to be able to keep a low volume. It was such a unique experience that I'm definitely going to be coming back once a year and I'll be setting up a regular donation to this great organization. read more

Fellow Earthlings Wildlife Center - Parks Near Me - Morongo Valley, California

So much fun! My boyfriend and I went for my second time, his first time and both loved it! They put you in a cage with about three meerkats and you feed them while they climb all over you. When we went they had mini chairs and we thought they were toys but had no idea they would actually use them as chairs! they were so cute! Pam, the lady who owns the rescue and talks to you while your there about the coolest things.This is such a great experience! You cant do this anywhere else. Your donation all goes to the meerkats its definitley worth the trip! read more

This is a Meerkat sanctuary in Morongo Valley (20 minutes from Joshua Tree, about 30 minutes from Palm Springs) and it's non-profit and set up in a city that matches the weather of their native habitat. For a $100 donation, then up to 4 people can go in for a 2 hour private tour and pet the Meerkats. In our case, the owner let us hang around for almost 3 hours. You get to feed them and pet them and are told about them and their history, etc.. The instructions on how to get there were very clear in the paperwork we received so we had no problem getting there or finding the place. And we read the details so we were properly dressed and ready for our tour. It was great. Highly recommend if you're in the area but you do have to book in advance. First you make the donation and then they send you the information (very quickly - within 7 days) informing you of the days a week that they allow visits and then you book your date. read more

This place is dedicated in the style of a wildlife preserve for meerkats, allowing members to interact with the small animals Normally, I always start with the Pros, but since I have yet to make it inside, I'll save that for the end and hope to update this latter.....read below as to why Now keep in mind, every club, organization or what have you, has rules. Be it the boy scouts, or a gulf course.... a certain style of clothing is mandatory and other oddities, like be on time....it's just the way things are Thus the first half I'll take the blame for....I'm sure a month before the allowed appointment, when the info was emailed; it stipulated somewhere in the pamphlet of do's and don'ts ....pants must be worn and closed shoes ....aka no flip flops Sadly a month latter, with weather reports saying 105 degrees scorching heat in the far off and very isolated Morongo valley that day, my family and I got ready....that's right ...shorts When we arrived Pam the owner was very polite, yet said we could not go in do to insurance reasons, but could make a new reservation for another day if we donated $100 My hope as I said before is to right the Pros at a latter date, but now for the cons (Cons).....ironically my family was on time ...but be warned....it's extremely and i do mean extremely difficult to find the place. Plus the (surrounding area) is very-very run down No I'm not talking about Morongo valley as a whole, just that area The google ,map seems simple enough until you reach the last stretch of paved road .....The last 600 yards is a master detective dream.... Even the locals who worked near by and lived all there life in this small town ....didn't know Fellow Earthling Wiled Life Center existed That's how hard it is to find! No signs on the main road or off. ....nothing pointing the way, at least as far as I could see. Worst of all, from the paved road your on, just dead ends Nothing saying turn right or left ....just a dead end Near you are abandoned rundown looking houses with junk thrown about, one had a toilet sitting in front of the main door.....not the most welcoming place to get lost in with your family. Nevertheless, on the side of the dead end is a very small narrow dirt road that you pray, is the right way to go ((Warning)) to those with small cars after a rainy day or even campers making a long trek to see the meerkats, not a good idea to drive in there in my opinion. But being the adventures sort I took a chance, after going along the bumpy dirt side road we came upon the place. And I do mean came upon, you won't see the very nice ranch style sign above the tall gates until the last minute. The rules say you have to be there on time and my family was, but I have a feeling many meerkat lovers have left heart broken, no fault of there own, in not being able to get there on time. read more

Meerkats! 30 minutes north of Palm Springs. This place is a labor of love for meerkats that find themselves past their prime or not fitting into the zoo environment. For your $100 "adoption fee" up to 4 people get to interact with the meerkats for up to 2 hours. Our meerkat experience was chaperoned by Jan, the executive Director. Jan clearly loves the Meerkats and is very knowledgeable about them in their natural habitat as well as the good and bad of having meerkats in captivity. During our visit, there were a total of 5 meerkats in residence. One of the meerkats is a recent arrival from Kuwait and is still aculturating to the other meerkats and people. The staff have high hopes for him. "Our" meerkats were named Kulu and Kavango, 2 brothers from the San Diego Zoo who came to the Center due to agressive behavior. Under the patient attention of the Center staff, these guys are as non-agressive as can be. They came right up to us. Of course the meal worms we got to feed them were a great draw. They checked us out, played with their toys and generally had a grand time frolicking around us. Kind of reminded me of otters playing. It was great fun and a delightful learning experience. Make sure you read and understand all the info the Center sends you when your visit reservation date is confirmed. Follow the Center's direction to their location, come properly dressed, follow your tour leader's directions and you'll have a wonderful time. read more

Fellow Earthlings Wildlife Center - Meerkats! - Parks Near Me - Morongo Valley, California

I just need to rant real quick... if you're ever thinking of going to fellow earthlings, DON'T. you have to donate $100 then you get a certificate that lets you and 3 others come visit for 2 hours.. sounds great right??? No.... the people are so rude and stuck up and I'll just give yall the review I left on their page. "So I made the donation and was expecting to get either an automatic email or one the next day. I did not so I emailed them just curious and wanting know about how long it would take. They responded but only said thank you for the donation... didn't answer my question. So I responded with I was wanting to schedule a visit and I have yet to receive that adoption package. Another day goes by and the response was. "Obviously, we have not been able to mail you the Adoption Portfolio because the post office is closed on Sundays. In our thirty year history, we have never had to deal with such impatience." And that they would refund my money. Ok well let's get something straight, I was NOT being impatient, first of all! Secondly, your website, honey, says that you email it not mail it so do not treat me like I'm stupid. The way the conversation had gone made me feel like it was a scam, so my response "obviously" was if the money doesn't appear by tonight then I'm calling the bank and the police. So I called the bank and they were able to tell me that there was a credit for a refund. So they can do one thing right. Would've thought that a donation was much more important to you instead of not having to deal with someone who is "impatient"... well guess what! In my history, I have never had to deal with such RUDENESS!! I don't see why people come here..." read more

CUTE CUTE CUTE! Did you love Meerkat Manor? Do you like little fluffy creatures? If you answered yes to either of these, you'll love Fellow Earthlings Wildlife Center. It's a small place - they have 7 meerkats and nothing else, but it is truly a fantastic experience. At this place you don't just get to see the little balls of furry fun, you get to feed them and interact with them. You go into their enclosure with them and you spend quality time with the meerkats. Make sure you book because they sell out a long time in advance. I am telling you, nothing quite prepares you for the sight of a meerkat looking right into your eyes then clawing a bunch of little worms from your (thankfully gloved) hand. And, to cap it all, it is a non-profit staffed entirely by volunteers, so all the money you spend (donate) goes back into caring for the meerkats. So you can feel warm and fuzzy on the inside too... read more

I have enjoyed the experience of visiting Fellow Earthings and visiting the meerkats a number of times. It is one of the most magical experiences any lover of animals can have, There is much to learn, everyone is warm and friendly, and you come away after 2 hours feeling like you have had the most wonderful experience. It is educational, informative and fun. Highly recommend! Jane Kreuter read more