Safari was founded in the 1980s by Mat Perlot and Curt Lawler, former employees of Beaver Motorcoach Corporation. The company started building diesel- and gas-powered Class A motorhomes. Safari bought Beaver in 1994 for $7.6 million after outbidding Country Coach. In 2002, Monaco Coach purchased Safari and the Beaver brand name. Beaver moved its assembling plant in 2006, but Safari was able to keep its plant in Harrisburg open.