The best UK safari parks with kids

The best UK safari parks with kids

If your loved ones are animal lovers, there’s no extra enjoyable day trip than a go to to one of many nation’s wildlife parks – particularly attending to see among the great creatures residing at the perfect UK safari parks with children.

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From lions and tigers to bears, rhino, wolves, elephants, a complete host of smaller furry favourites, and too many others to say, it’s by no means arduous to fill a full day, with further expertise, play areas and even dinosaurs as a bonus to maintain your entire household joyful.

With an opportunity to get nearer to the animals than a whole lot of zoos, a drive-through safari park could be enjoyable with youthful children who get drained at greater websites, whereas most of the high UK safari parks have strolling safaris as nicely, to offer you probability to go at your personal tempo close to something from meerkats and lemurs to pink pandsas.

West Midlands Safari Park

Positioned near Birmingham, there’s a enjoyable mixture of drive-through safari encounters, walk-through reveals, and enjoyable household experiences at West Midlands Safari Park 

The safari park has over 600 animals, together with 170 species from everywhere in the world, with the likes of massive cats, elephants, zebras, cheetahs, and lots of unique birds, in addition to white rhino within the African Plains space and African elephants in Elephant Valley.

If you happen to’ve received your personal car, you possibly can drive across the park at your personal tempo, however there’s additionally the possibility to leap on a guided minibus safari, the place the educated employees will entertain you with tales and information in regards to the park’s many animals. 

Tiger in the grass and fallen branches at West Midlands safari park - one of the best safari parks with kids in the UK

The park additionally has a number of foot safari sections providing extra up-close encounters. Uncover giraffes and rhinos on the African Strolling Path or lovable Purple Pandas and Humboldt penguins on the all-weather Discovery Path.

Attempt to time your visits to line up with the park’s many animal talks and reveals so little ones can study extra about their favorite species too.

However what actually makes West Midland safari park one of many UK’s finest safari parks for households is its wealth of different enjoyable reveals and experiences for youths of all ages. 

You possibly can step again in time and stroll amongst woolly mammoths within the Ice Age exhibit, or encounter prehistoric creatures on the Land of the Residing Dinosaurs. Older kids and teenagers may also love the park’s Journey Theme Park, with many thrilling animal-themed rides and rollercoasters. 

You possibly can even flip your go to right into a once-in-a-lifetime household vacation with an in a single day keep at one of many luxurious Safari Lodges – a beautiful possibility in case you’re planning a brief break relatively than a day trip.

For extra issues to do in Birmingham with children, try my high picks

Knowsley Safari Park

You’ll discover the UK’s longest safari drive at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside, spanning 5 miles throughout its 550 acre reserve. Alongside the drive, you possibly can see most of the park’s 750 animals, together with the likes of lions, zebras, and baboons, plus one of many largest ‘crashes’ of white rhinos within the nation.

The expansive park means there’s loads of house for the animals to roam freely too. One of many highlights is the baboon jungle, the place these mischievous creatures usually entertain guests with their playful antics.

Purchase day tickets with free cancellation right here

Group of three rhino at Knowsley Safari Park - one of the best UK safari parks with kids

If you happen to’re nervous about harm to your automotive, drop it within the automotive park and soar on the Baboon Bus as a substitute. The buses have ropes and ladders for the baboons to play on, so that you’re assured an thrilling up-close encounter with out worrying about your windscreen wipers as you go to the baboon enclosure.

When you’ve skilled the safari drive, you too can discover Knowsley’s foot safari trails. Take a stroll by the Amur Tiger Path and are available nostril to nostril with huge cats. Or take the pathways by the enclosures and meet mischievous meerkats, big giraffes, and wonderful birds of prey.

The park additionally has day by day animal talks and shows, a number of children’ play areas, face portray, and amusement rides for youthful kids, making for a unbelievable household day trip.

Try my high picks for the perfect issues to do in Liverpool with children, in case you’re combining it with a metropolis break, plus you’re additionally only a half-hour drive from Chester Zoo

Blair Drummond Safari Park & Journey Park

It’s not simply England which has one of many UK’s finest safari parks. In central Scotland close to town of Stirling, Blair Drummond Safari Park is house to over 350 unique animals from internationally.

Journey by the park’s small animal reserve in your automotive to see most of the normal safari park favourites, together with lions, elephants, rhinos, antelope, and camels.

Elephant at Blair Drummond Safari Park in Scotland - one of the UK's best safari parks with kids

Nevertheless it’s the foot safari that’s the actual spotlight of Blair Drummond. Right here you’ll discover many desirable and strange animals, together with bison, wallabies, llamas, alpacas, free-roaming lemurs, and cheeky chimps – who even have their very own non-public chimp island. 

Plus, don’t miss the lovable shaggy-coated Highland Cattle and the pleasant Highland Ponies, each of that are native to the Scottish Highlands.

The Pet Farm lets children stand up shut and private with the likes of pygmy goats, sheep, and deer, whereas the Sea Lion shows and Fowl of Prey reveals are certain to maintain the entire household entertained.

Past the wildlife, the family-friendly safari park additionally has free pedal boats on the central lake, an journey play space with an enormous play fort and pirate ship, amusement arcades, and a mini-funfair with dodgems and teacups. 

Port Lympne Safari Park 

Port Lympne safari park in Kent is the closest you’ll come to an actual African sport reserve expertise within the UK, with over 900 animals throughout its 600 acres, Land Rover safaris led by professional rangers, wonderful close-up animal encounters, and safari-lodge-style lodging.

In contrast to most different safari parks within the UK, Port Lympne doesn’t assist you to drive your personal automotive throughout the animal zones. 

As an alternative, you possibly can hop on the African & Asian Expertise safari experience or there’s the choice to pay for a small-group safari expertise truck tour to see free-roaming animals within the African, Asian, and South American reserves. Some safaris even embrace the chance to hand-feed the pleasant giraffes. 

The remainder of the park could be explored on foot. Giant enclosures home a wide range of uncommon and endangered species, together with western lowland gorillas, tigers, black rhinos, and spectacled bears, not forgetting a prehistoric deal with within the Dinosaur Forest as nicely.

T-Rex in the Dinosaur Forest - my Rhino Lodge Port Lympne review during a visit to one of the best safari parks in the UK with kids

Conservation initiatives are on the coronary heart of every little thing they do at Port Lympne. Working alongside the Aspinall Basis, the reserve is a breeding sanctuary for a lot of endangered species. The purpose is to reintroduce the animals into their pure habitat when doable.

Port Lympne additionally has a variety of interactive animal experiences for an extra charge, together with animal encounters, keeper experiences, and feeding classes. Some have a minimal age of 5, though you’ll must be 7 years previous or extra for almost all although.

The door to Rhino Lodge at Port Lympne - my Rhino Lodge review during a visit to one of the best UK safari parks with kids

You possibly can even go for a full safari break by staying in one of many park’s many lodging choices. From spacious lodges with floor-to-ceiling home windows overlooking the enclosures (Lion Lodge is tough to beat) and treehouses tucked into the cover to cosy shepherd huts and household glamping pods, there are many distinctive stays to select from in case you’re planning brief breaks in addition to day journeys.

Try my evaluate of a go to and keep at Port Lympne with children

Longleat Safari Park

Set within the stunning grounds of Longleat Property in Wiltshire, Longleat Safari Park is likely one of the UK’s largest safari parks and most well-known animal sights – and the primary Safari Park to open exterior of Africa, again in 1966.

The 900 acre park gives an enchanting drive-through safari with many thrilling animals, together with lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, and wolves, all with particular commentary to play – you’ll need to obtain the app prematurely, with the narration by Kate Humble triggered as you get to totally different factors.

From the primary cease within the African village by to Tiger Territory, Cheetah Kingdom and Lion Nation, you’ll see a complete string of various species within the totally different zones. Monkey Mayhem is likely one of the hottest zones, with its troupe of rhesus macaques famend for his or her mischievous behaviour – as I do know from expertise, watch out of your automotive trim and windscreen wipers right here!

Apart from the drive-through safari, which you usually want round two hours for, you too can discover the big safari park by foot, prepare, bus, and boat. 

The slim gauge miniature railway runs by the park’s scenic woodlands and previous most of the enclosures, whereas the Jungle Cruise boat experience takes you out onto the big lake to see Californian sea lions and presumably even spot the resident hippos.

There are many thrilling animals to find within the foot safari zones, together with England’s solely koalas and big Cuban crocodiles. The Household Farmyard permits children to fulfill many pleasant farmyard animals, from fluffy bunnies to playful goats.  

In addition to the animals, you possibly can get pleasure from a tour of Longleat Home, the UK’s most spectacular stately house, or get misplaced within the nation’s largest hedge maze.

There’s heaps occurring to maintain youthful guests entertained too. Youngsters can let off some steam within the big Journey Citadel play space, hand around in the Little Explorers Backyard, and take a experience on the Rockin’ Rhinos. Not forgetting some particular occasions throughout faculty holidays – it genuinely is hard to suit every little thing right into a one-day go to!

Try my evaluate of a go to to Longleat Safari Park with children

Woburn Safari Park

Certainly one of my very own private favourites, as I received married a stone’s throw from Woburn Safari Park, we’ve visited greater than as soon as over time with a mixture of self-drive safari, a strolling safari and different animal experiences to strive.

Begin with the highway safari, heading previous Bactrian camels on the Northern Plains earlier than heading into the Savannah grasslands, with Southern White rhinos, antelopes and buffalo grazing as you go.

Then you definitely arrive within the Kingdom of Carnivores; the eight-acre enclosure is house to Amur Tigers, North American black bears, Canadian timber wolves and African lions. Maintain your automotive window very firmly closed on this half!

Transferring by Giraffe Junction to the African Forest, there’s an opportunity to courageous monkeys as soon as once more right here too – the entire thing takes round 60-90 minutes relying how busy the safari park is, however you possibly can repeat the circuit as usually as you want.

The highway safari route finishes on the Foot Safari, with pink pandas and lemurs among the many furry occupants, in addition to Asian elephants of their meadow enclosure, plus penguins and sea lions too. There are additionally keeper talks all through the day – with one thing each quarter-hour or so, you’ll wrestle to suit all of it in, so it’s value trying out your must-sees prematurely and planning your day round it.

You’ve additionally received numerous play areas right here, together with one for the youngest guests, outside and indoor choices together with the Mammoth Play Ark, plus the Giraffe Path excessive ropes, dragon and swan boats on the lake and the Nice Woburn Railway, which takes you previous the alpacas. Not forgetting the VIP animal experiences, with some choices appropriate for age 5+.

Try my evaluate of the animal experiences at Woburn Safari Park

Disclosure: This publish comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee. All opinions on the perfect UK safari parks with children are my very own

Port Lympne/Longleat/Woburn pictures copyright MummyTravels, Knowsley courtesy of Depositphotos, West Midlands/Blair Drummond courtesy of Picfair

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