Sif
Google
I feel like I placed higher expectations on myself to fully enjoy this visit, so I’ll take some of the blame.
I’ve been to quite a lot of zoos and safari parks before. I saw that Port Lympne was highly rated and something a bit different, so we travelled four hours to visit. It was also one of the few places where rain wasn’t forecast, so we were hoping for a really enjoyable day.
On arrival, there was plenty of parking and it was easy to find the entrance. The staff were very friendly. I had booked the safari for 10:00am and arrived at 9:55am, but was told I was too late as it takes time to get to the departure location. Thankfully, they kindly rebooked me free of charge for a later time, which I appreciated.
There were several animal talks scheduled throughout the day, which I was really looking forward to. The first was the tiger talk. Unlike other parks, the talks are quite interactive, with keepers speaking directly to the crowd and sharing facts. However, during this session it felt like the keeper mainly engaged with one family who had arrived slightly late, while the rest of us — around 30 people — were largely ignored. It felt more like a private conversation than a talk for a group. There wasn’t even a general greeting to the wider audience, which was a little disappointing.
I’m not sure if the recent rainy weather affected things, but many of the animals seemed tired or uninterested. Apart from the howler monkeys, a lot of animals were hard to spot, and even when we came back around later, we still didn’t see many.
I was especially excited about the safari, but honestly, it wasn’t quite what I expected. It was relatively short, and we didn’t get as close to the animals as I had hoped. Having previously visited West Midlands Safari Park and similar places — where you drive your own car and often feel much closer to the animals — this felt less immersive.
That said, I must take partial responsibility. I overlooked the fact that Port Lympne is not a traditional zoo or standard safari park — it’s a reserve and conservation site. If you’re expecting a conventional zoo or drive-through safari experience, this may not be for you. However, if you appreciate conservation-focused environments and more natural, open habitats, you may view the experience differently.
Overall, there were positives — friendly staff, easy access, and a strong conservation mission — but it didn’t quite meet my personal expectations