Camp ikigai Animal Sanctuary 501c3 - Yokuts Valley, California

Tino Tijerina

Our recent stay at the Ikigai Animal Sanctuary was incredible! My sons and I stayed in a charming minicabin, which was both cozy and comfortable. The amenities were well-maintained, with a clean outhouse, shower, pool, communal food space, and a giant fire pit that made our last evening special.

One of the highlights for us was finding tree frogs throughout the property, adding to the charm and excitement of our stay. My sons also enjoyed playing with the dogs and cat, tracking the horses, and getting chased by the chickens!

The owner and host, Matt Downer, was incredibly friendly and welcoming, making us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. We can't wait to return and stay here again the next time we go back to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Highly recommend this place!

Rob Howard

I live "vanlife" when I travel from Michigan to California to be near my son for summers. I stopped here last year to take advantage of the shower and laundry facilities on my way to King's Canyon. I was surprised to find a very welcoming community.

I stayed in touch with the owner through social media and visited again this year. I found my "Ikigai" (Japanese translates to "reason for being" ) when I stopped this time.

Now, I have my van parked here while I find so many ways to volunteer to help the animals and work permaculture principles into the land while working with the animals. I plan to leave my van here and come back several times a year to continue my volunteer efforts.

THIS PLACE IS MAGICAL! I am in love with this new found sense of purpose in this beautiful healing sanctuary.

Jacqueline Lachevre

Stayed for one night in the beginning of November and had the entire place to ourselves.

Overview: One bay-area transplant owns and runs the animal sanctuary. Matt, the owner. is very nice as well as VERY hands off. There is a very laid back feeling. There are two loose dogs on the property that are SOOO sweet and will hang out with you the whole time. They smell a bit but they live outside so it’s understandable. Also if you have a dog, it’s a dynamic to consider... there a major farm vibe going on, ie lots of “stuff” everywhere in the communal area, which is also right next to the owners RV. But there are plenty of secluded tent sites where you don’t need to look at the mess.

Getting there: It was easy to find and access the Campground. Bring all your food with you, as there is no grocery store with in 30-40minutes. There is a great coffee shop maybe 3 miles away. There is a pizza joint and a bbq joint near by if weather is bad and you can’t cook on the campground.

Camping: Finding a place to pop out tents was a little tricky due to all the poop from the animals, but the place is huge, so we just walked around until found a clear spot. There is a communal fire place that you can use. There is also a grill! We never ended up finding the trash bins so we took our trash with us. The pop-up poop tent is an experience, but it works! We didn’t use the outdoor shower since it was cold but regardless, it’s right on the entrance road so I don’t think I would use it anyway.

Linda Dunham

Wonderful place. The horses are amazing and the dogs are sweet. Nice place to forget the drama of the world.