Let’s be real for a second. Most Pokémon fans remember the original Safari Zone in Kanto as a stressful dash against a step counter. You ran, you threw mud, you prayed a Chansey wouldn't flee. It was simple. But when Game Freak decided to rebuild Johto for the DS, they turned the HeartGold SoulSilver Safari Zone into a bizarre, time-gated engineering project that honestly feels more like a management sim than a monster catcher. It’s arguably the most complex mechanic in the entire franchise.
If you’ve ever tried to catch a Gible or a Riolu in these games, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t just walk into the tall grass and wait. You have to wait. Like, actually wait. For months.
Why the Johto Safari Zone Is a Total Gear Shift
Located at the end of Route 48, past the newly added Cianwood City cliffs, the Johto Safari Zone isn't even owned by the Kanto warden. It’s run by Baoba. He’s retired, he’s bored, and he wants you to prove you’re a "Safari Pro." This version of the zone is modular. That’s the first thing that trips people up. There are 12 different terrains, but you can only have six active at any given time.
You want a desert? Put it in. You want a mountain? Swap it out. It sounds great on paper because it gives the player agency. In practice, it’s the beginning of a very long headache.
The game introduces this via two "tests." First, you catch a Geodude in the Peak area. Easy. Then, Baoba asks you to find a Sandshrew in the Desert. Also easy. But once you become the owner, the real game begins. You get access to Objects. These are little decorations—fountains, trees, statues—that you place on the map to lure out rare Pokémon.
Here is where it gets weird. Each Pokémon has a "point" requirement. A Luxio might need 24 "Peak" points. A decorative stone might give you several Peak points. So, you cram the meadow full of rocks and suddenly the spawns change. But for the high-tier stuff? The game asks for points you literally cannot get without waiting for real-world days to pass.
The Brutal Reality of Object Upgrading
The HeartGold SoulSilver Safari Zone has a hidden mechanic that the game barely explains: Object leveling. After a certain number of days, the "value" of the objects you place increases.
Take Bagon, for example. To get Bagon to show up in the Peak area, you need a massive amount of Peak and Forest points. If you just started the game, it is mathematically impossible to spawn it. You have to wait 70 days. Seventy. During those ten weeks, the "value" of your placed objects doubles, and then triples, eventually hitting the threshold required for the Dragon-type to appear.
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It's a mechanic designed for the long haul. In 2010, this was Game Freak’s way of keeping you playing. In 2026, it’s a source of endless frustration for completionists using original hardware. You can’t even cheat the clock easily; the game detects system time changes. If you reset your DS clock, the Safari Zone often "freezes" its internal counter for 24 hours just to spite you.
Breaking Down the Six-Area Strategy
Most people just wander around the six default areas. Don't do that. You need to talk to the computer right at the entrance to move things around.
The 12 available areas are:
- Meadow (Think Chansey and Surskit)
- Marshland (Croagunk heaven)
- Peak (Where the Beldum hide)
- Desert (Cacnea and Trapinch)
- Wasteland (Great for Skorupi)
- Savannah (Luxray and Torkoal)
- Wetland, Forest, Swamp, Mountain, Rocky Beach, and Plains.
The trick is knowing that different Pokémon appear in the same area depending on whether you are in the "Active" phase or the "Object" phase. Once you place enough blocks, the "Morn/Day/Night" cycle starts to matter less than the "Block Count."
Let’s look at Beldum. Everyone wants a Metagross. To get Beldum in the Mountain area, you need 30 Peak objects. But wait—you can only place 30 objects total in an area. If you need 30 Peak objects and some Forest objects for a different spawn, you’re stuck. You have to wait for the objects to "age" so that one rock counts as two rocks. Only then can you fit enough "value" into a single zone to attract the rarest species.
It’s a puzzle. A slow, agonizing puzzle.
Common Misconceptions About Baoba's Game
One thing people always get wrong is the "flee rate." There is a persistent myth that throwing mud makes a Pokémon more likely to stay. It doesn't. Mud makes them harder to catch but less likely to run. Bait makes them easier to catch but more likely to run. It’s a trade-off. Honestly? Most experts agree that just chucking Safari Balls is statistically the most efficient way to go. You’re playing a numbers game. Don't overthink the mud.
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Another mistake? Thinking you can find everything in the HeartGold SoulSilver Safari Zone immediately after getting the National Pokédex.
Nope. Baoba will call you on the Pokégear to tell you when new blocks are unlocked. If he hasn't called you to say he "discovered a new idea," you can't place the objects required for the top-tier spawns. You have to keep the game running. You have to play.
The "Secret" Pokémon You’re Probably Missing
While everyone focuses on Gible and Riolu, some of the coolest additions are the Hoenn and Sinnoh starters or rares that usually require dual-slot mode (having a GBA cart in the bottom of your DS).
- Zangoose: Requires 12 Peak objects in the Plains, but only after 70 days.
- Shelgon: Needs 21 Peak objects and 14 Forest objects in the Wetland. Good luck doing that without waiting for the 70-day multiplier.
- Spinda: 15 Forest objects in the Meadow.
It’s worth noting that the "days" required don't have to be consecutive. The game just tracks how many days that specific area has been active in your park. If you swap the Meadow out for a Forest, the timer for the Meadow pauses. It doesn't reset. This is a small mercy from the developers.
How to Actually Succeed Without Losing Your Mind
If you are playing this today, you need a plan. Don't just throw random blocks down.
First, decide what you want. Is it a Larvitar? Is it a Riolu? Look up the specific block requirements. If the number of blocks required is higher than 30, accept right now that you aren't catching that Pokémon today. You are going to place the maximum number of blocks possible, and then you are going to go play another game for two months.
Check your Pokégear. Baoba is your only gatekeeper. If he hasn't given you the "Object Arrangement" gift yet, your progress is capped. You get this after completing his second task and waiting about three hours of in-game time.
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Once you have the objects, use the "Small Rock" for Peak points and the "Tree" for Forest points. They are the most space-efficient. Fill the zone. If you need 35 points and can only place 30 objects, you must wait for the 30-day or 70-day mark. At 30 days, specific objects double their point value. At 70, they triple.
It is a test of patience.
The Final Verdict on Johto’s Safari
Is the HeartGold SoulSilver Safari Zone better than the Kanto version? Mechanically, yes. It offers way more variety. But it lacks the "pick up and play" simplicity of the older games. It’s a commitment. It’s a hobby within a hobby.
If you’re looking to finish your Dex, you’ll eventually have to face Baoba’s math. Just remember that the Safari Zone is a marathon, not a sprint.
Actionable Next Steps for Trainers:
- Unlock the Zone: Complete the two trials (Geodude and Sandshrew) as soon as you reach Cianwood to start the internal timers.
- Check Block Limits: Talk to Baoba repeatedly until he unlocks all 24 object types; you can't catch the best Pokémon with just the basic set.
- Log Your Dates: If you're hunting a 70-day spawn like Bagon or Gible, write down the date you placed the blocks in your phone's notes app so you don't waste time checking an empty field.
- Focus on One Area: Don't try to age all 12 areas at once. Keep your most important six areas active in the customization screen to ensure their "days active" counter keeps ticking.
Stop worrying about the mud/bait meta and focus on the calendar. That's the real secret to mastering the Safari Zone.