How to Get GO Safari Balls
GO Safari Balls are the event catch balls for mighty Pokemon during GO Wild Area (November 14-15, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. local). Every source, free and paid - plus the expiry rule that catches people out.
Free from spinsTicket: hourly balloonsExpire at 6pm Sunday
Every way to get GO Safari Balls
| Source | Cost | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| PokeStop + Gym photo disc spins | Free | Spin anything during event hours - each spin has a chance to drop GO Safari Balls. Dense stop routes are the farm. |
| Supply Balloons | Ticket holders | One balloon per hour during event hours, 15 GO Safari Balls each - floats in automatically if you bought the GO Wild Area ticket. |
| Event research | Free / ticketed | Event research steps can pay out Safari Balls alongside encounters. |
| Web Store bundles | Paid | GO Safari Ball packs in the official Pokemon GO Web Store (store.pokemongo.com) - the top-up route when spins run dry. |
The rules that matter
- Event hours only: GO Safari Balls can only be thrown from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local on November 14 and 15 - and they only drop in the same window.
- They expire: leftover balls become inaccessible once the event ends Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Spend them - don't stockpile them.
- Made for mighty Pokemon: the catch-rate boost is aimed at mighty spawns (the pulsing-wave encounters). Use regular balls on ordinary habitat spawns.
- Not a guarantee: pair them with a Golden Razz Berry and an Excellent curveball on the species you actually want.
A quick farming loop
- Route a walk with as many PokeStops and Gyms as possible before 10 a.m.
- Spin everything as you play - drops are chance-based, volume is king.
- Save your Safari Balls for the day's mighty lineup and the 5:45-6:00 p.m. window, when mighty spawns reportedly tick up.
FAQ
How to get Safari Balls in Pokemon GO without paying?
Spin PokeStops and Gym photo discs during GO Wild Area hours (10am-6pm local). It's chance per spin, so hit a stop-dense area. No ticket needed.
Can you catch mighty Pokemon without Safari Balls?
Yes - regular Poke, Great and Ultra Balls still work, just with much worse odds on mighty encounters. Ultra Ball + Golden Razz + Excellent throw is the fallback.
Do Safari Balls carry over to the next Wild Area?
No - unused GO Safari Balls become inaccessible when the event ends, even before the next day if that day is outside event hours.