Niantic has revealed Safari Zone Montreal, a brand new Pokémon GO Safari zone event that’s set to be one of the highlights of May 2026. Here’s your ultimate guide to everything happening during this event.
The event runs from September 20, 2019 to September 22, 2019. Read on for our complete breakdown of bonuses, featured Pokémon, preparation tips, shiny chances, and strategies to maximize your rewards.
📅 Safari Zone Montreal — Event Details
| 📛 Event Name | Safari Zone Montreal |
| 🏷️ Event Type | Safari zone |
| 📆 Start Date | September 20, 2019 |
| 📆 End Date | September 22, 2019 |
| 🎮 Game | Pokémon GO |
| 🌍 Availability | Worldwide (local time) |
🎯 Safari Zone Montreal — Complete Guide & Strategy
Event Overview
This Safari zone event in Pokémon GO brings a variety of gameplay opportunities for trainers. Featured Pokémon will appear more frequently in the wild, in Raids, and possibly in eggs. There may also be new Field Research and Timed Research tasks that reward exclusive encounters, rare items, and bonus candy.
Featured Pokémon & Wild Spawns
During Safari Zone Montreal, expect to see themed Pokémon appearing more frequently across the map. These featured spawns often include Pokémon that are normally rare, along with new shiny releases. Use Incense and Lure Modules to attract even more of these featured spawns to your location.
Research Tasks
Events typically introduce event-specific Field Research obtainable from PokéStops and Timed Research available in the Today tab. Complete these research tasks for unique rewards including encounters with rare Pokémon, Stardust, XP, and items. Some research may even award exclusive cosmetics or avatar items.
Egg Pool Changes
Many events modify the egg pool, adding themed Pokémon to 2km, 5km, 7km, or 10km eggs. Remember that egg contents are determined when you pick up the egg, not when you hatch it. Make sure to collect fresh eggs during the event period for a chance at event-exclusive hatches.
🎒 How to Prepare for Safari Zone Montreal
Proper preparation can make the difference between a good event and an incredible one. Follow these tips to ensure you’re ready for everything Safari Zone Montreal has to offer:
✅ Prepare your raid teams in advance by checking our Best Attackers list and making sure your top counters are powered up and have the right movesets.
✅ Save your Pinap Berries and Silver Pinap Berries for the event. Doubling candy on featured Pokémon can save you hundreds of catches worth of candy for evolving and powering up.
✅ Clear out your Pokémon Storage by transferring unwanted Pokémon. You’ll need space for all the event encounters, potential hundos, and shiny Pokémon. Consider holding a mass-transfer session the day before.
✅ Check the event calendar in the game’s News section and set reminders for start times, bonus windows, and any special raid hours.
💰 Maximizing Your Rewards During Safari Zone Montreal
Every event in Pokémon GO comes with special bonuses. Smart trainers know how to stack these bonuses for maximum efficiency. Here’s how to get the most out of this event:
💡 Keep an eye on Raid Bosses — they often rotate to match the event theme. New or returning Legendary Pokémon are common during major events.
💡 Check your Special Research and Timed Research tabs frequently. New research often drops silently during events with valuable rewards like Rare Candy, Elite TMs, and exclusive encounters.
💡 Coordinate with your local Pokémon GO community for raid trains and special meetups. Many trainers organize events through Discord, WhatsApp, or Facebook groups.
💡 Take advantage of increased Incense and Lure Module effectiveness during the event. These items often have extended durations or attract more Pokémon during event hours.
✨ Shiny Pokémon During Safari Zone Montreal
The shiny rate for event-featured Pokémon is typically boosted above the standard 1/512 rate. For Community Days it’s around 1/25, and for event features it can be around 1/125 to 1/256.
New shiny Pokémon are frequently introduced during events. Keep your eyes open for any announcements about shiny debuts — being among the first to catch a newly released shiny is always exciting! For a complete list of all available shinies, check our Shiny Pokémon checklist.
Shiny Checking Tips: You can tell if a Pokémon is shiny from the encounter screen by looking for sparkles and a different color palette. If you see a shiny, use a Golden Razz Berry and an Ultra Ball to ensure the catch. Shiny Pokémon from raids and research have a 100% catch rate (as long as you hit them with the ball).
⚔️ PvP & GO Battle League Relevance
If the event includes special cups or formats, use this time to build and test your teams. Practice in unranked before jumping into ranked matches.
When evaluating Pokémon for PvP during events, pay special attention to IVs. In Great League and Ultra League, the ideal PvP IVs are typically 0/15/15 or close to it — low Attack with high Defense and Stamina maximizes your stat product under the CP cap. Use our Pokédex to find specific PvP IV rankings for each Pokémon.
🏟️ Raid Guide for Safari Zone Montreal
Raids are a core part of most Pokémon GO events. During Safari Zone Montreal, expect changes to the raid boss rotation. Here’s what you need to know:
- 1-Star Raids: Great for solo trainers, often feature event-themed Pokémon
- 3-Star Raids: Soloable with strong teams, good rewards
- 5-Star Raids: Legendary Pokémon, need 3-6 trainers depending on counters
- Mega Raids: Mega-evolved Pokémon, excellent for farming Mega Energy
Remember to check the Type Chart for type advantages against raid bosses, and build your teams using the Best Attackers list for the most effective counters.
🏆 Pro Tips & Tricks for Safari Zone Montreal
🎯 Use Auto-Catch Devices: Pokémon GO Plus, Gotcha, or Poké Ball Plus devices can help you catch Pokémon passively while you focus on shiny checking or raids. They’re especially useful during events with heavy spawns.
🎯 Buddy System: Set your buddy to a Pokémon that benefits from the event. If featured Pokémon are from a specific type, a Mega-evolved Pokémon of that type will give you extra candy for every catch of that type. Check our Buddy Distance chart for walking distances.
🎯 Weather Boost Awareness: Keep an eye on in-game weather. Weather-boosted Pokémon have higher IVs (minimum 4/4/4) and give extra Stardust. If the event features a type that’s currently weather-boosted, you’ll find even better specimens.
🎯 Tag Your Best Catches: Use the in-game tagging system to mark your best catches during the event. Create tags like ‘Event Hundos’, ‘PvP IVs’, or ‘To Evolve’ to stay organized.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Safari Zone Montreal
Q: When does Safari Zone Montreal start and end?
A: The event starts on September 20, 2019 and ends on September 22, 2019. All times are in your local timezone.
Q: Is Safari Zone Montreal available worldwide?
A: Most Pokémon GO events are available globally, running in each trainer’s local timezone. Some features like regional Pokémon or in-person events may have location restrictions.
Q: Do I need a ticket for Safari Zone Montreal?
A: This event is free for all trainers. However, optional premium content like Timed Research or event boxes may be available for purchase.
Q: Can I get shiny Pokémon during this event?
A: Yes! Most events feature Pokémon with available shiny forms, and some events introduce new shiny releases. Check our Shiny Pokémon checklist for the full list of available shinies.
Q: What should I prioritize during the event?
A: Focus on catching featured Pokémon (especially shinies and high-IVs), completing event research tasks, taking advantage of bonus multipliers, and participating in event raids. Use Lucky Eggs and Star Pieces during bonus windows for maximum efficiency.
📚 Related Guides & Resources
This guide is updated as new information becomes available. Last updated: May 19, 2026. Data sourced from Pokémon GO Live and community research.