Port Lympne Safari Park

One in a million experience, for someone who’s always wanted to go on a big 5 safari, this sufficed nicely. The park is so well kept, the animals are really well looked after. We stayed in the huts next to the lions enclosure which was incredible hearing them communicating and roaming around at night. And seeing relaxing at the fence in the morning. Next time I think we will stay in the hotel to benefit from the use of the golf buggies as it can be a lot of walking around otherwise but all in all such a magical place. Will definitely be returning.

We spent a lovely weekend at port Lymph, and could tell the animals were well cared for. It was a very lovely sunny day and it seemed that all the animals were out of their cages. One thing we were disappointed about was the safari trip, they’ve renovated it recently and now it goes along a short, quick path along the zoo, whereas it used to be a nice satisfying long journey with plenty of animals to look at. We also had the pleasure of feeding some silverback gorillas, and it was the most wonderful experience! I definitely recommend. The gorillas almost reach out to the food that you throw down at them, and you stand from a reasonable high distance, but close enough to feed them. Overall we had an amazing experience, it was very fun and we loved it

Really lovely weekend stay. We stayed in Pine lodge, 2 adults, 1 teen and toddler. Very clean and warm. Sitting around the campfire in the evening was great. Walking around the reserve in the evening and early morning was a fantastic experience. You can see the animals are really well cared for and happy. Our safari was great, the driver Niamh/Neve was really friendly and informative. All the staff around the reserve were friendly and helpful. We would definitely return. Very good value getting 2 days in the reserve and the overnight stay (safari included), you can also go to their other park Howletts in with the price. Fantastic conservation work going on.

We really enjoyed our one night stay in the Pinewood pod. It was amazing to hear the lions roar near our pod. Our son thoroughly enjoyed toasting marshmallows that were provided for us for using with the nearby firepit. The employees were all extremely friendly, and the safari guide and ladies who spoke to us about the Tigers were very informative. The house, grounds and Garden Restaurant were lovely. The Sunday roast (beef sirloin) was delicious. We would love to return. As it had been raining for a few weeks it was very muddy during our walk around the safari park therefore we were pleased to have Wellington boots with us!

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

3rd time over 7 years staying at Port Lympne, continues to shine. Worth the 7 hour drive. Everything, from the variety of accommodation, use of golf buggy, level of service from the brilliant staff to the knowledge of the rangers and keepers and most of all the animals and their species appropriate enclosures is outstanding. Don’t expect the animals to be right in front of you as you walk past. The enclosures are as natural as possible, it can take some time to spot them, so please don’t moan if you can’t see them immediately. PL philosophy towards animal care, breeding program and rewilding is second to none. Go see for yourself.

We stayed for one night, 2 adults and 2 children. The accommodation was super clean with everything we needed. Very comfortable beds and great views. We loved wizzing around on the golf buggy, what a great idea, because the site is large. We had dinner in the Bear lodge, food and service was excellent. Breakfast in the garden room was a real treat, we couldn’t fault it. Because it was a very wet and cold the safari wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been, not their fault and the rangers still sounded upbeat and very knowledgeable. On arrival day we took advantage of the free entry into Howelett’s reserve and I am so pleased we did because we saw all of the big 5 game animals and the gorillas. All the animals have amazing enclosures and look well cared for and happy, well worth a visit.

Had been to both parks many times over the years but never stayed. We decided to stay at the Wolf Lodge as part of my Sons 21st birthday celebration. We honestly couldnt fault it. From the check in process to the accommodation, even the Wolves seemed to know to come over when we were there. The whole thing from start to finish was superb. Highly recommend, if youre on the fence and trying to decide, then just bite the bullet and do it, as you will make core memories thst will stay with you forever, its so worthwhile.

Ethical and beautiful. The hike trail is amazing but if you take the bus tour a giraffe can come right up to the bus! The bus has no windows so it could probably reach its head through! If you're not up for that the hike is better. The only thing is there are a couple animals where you can't get your hopes up about seeing them... the tapirs are always hiding and so are most of the smaller cats. But that doesn't take off a star! It can actually be more fun for kids to stop for a minute and look for them! You can make it a game!!! It's a wonderful place to visit!

Port Lympne reserve is a amazing place to see animals in vast open spaces and I do highly recommend to anyone that particularly wants to see a rhino in a large open area or deer type animals but if you are expecting to see penguins, elephants, lemurs etc then this is the zoo for you. Also the zoo is so vast you cant really walk it as some areas are just for the safari truck tours. However you can easily walk to the gorilla viewing area and pass the rhino area by foot and some wild cats. You can also get to the dinosaur park easily on foot and the dinosaur park is a must to do. Ok you say its just plastic dinosaurs but they are so well done and gives you a real scale of how big a dinosaur was and there are so many dinosaurs even some I have never heard of so I highly recommend anyone to go and see these amazing plastic dinosaurs so interesting. The best I have ever seen however it might be a good idea if they could add some dinosaur noise throughout the woods via speakers. So if you want to go on a mini safari, see rhinos or deer type animals or even have a stay with a difference in a tent or tree house then I highly recommend to go along to Port Lympne.

A great day out for the family. Situated in the grounds of Port Lympnes' 600 acres in Kent. The opportunity to take an African Safari Experience to drive around the park to see some of the animals roaming freely. Some of the park can be accessed by walking, but this can be quite exhausting for some people. There are 90 different species of animal here, many of which have appeared on BBC TVs Roar programme, that was filmed here. There is a mansion and gardens, restaurants, play & picnic areas, with toilets and kiosks located throughout the park.

Nice wildlife park but very very big so if you're unsure of foot then I suggest you use one of the loan wheelchairs. However the terrain is quite bumpy and hilly sometimes so make sure you have a strong carer. Free entry for carer, good disabled facilities and good parking. The usual animals roaming around and a great day out, warning that there's not much shelter around the park if it's raining. Good cafe,

This is our favourite zoo in the UK. My wife & I even got married in the mansion! Our kids always enjoy a trip here, but you have to get the weather right as generally the animals aren't 'locked out' like other zoos so you may see very little.

I've been a regular-ish visitor to Port Lympne for most of my life as we have family in Kent. It's an excellent day out for all ages and is extremely well set-up and organised. Taking a picnic works well and there are plenty of areas set aside for having lunch. Port Lympne is famous for all its primates, particularly its gorillas which provide hours of entertainment. The feeding times for all animals are well advertised so you can plan your day accordingly. They have recently introduced a new safari truck/train which takes people around some of the outer fields. To be honest, the only thing we thought it offered was a chance to see the giraffes in more detail, so unless you find it difficult to get around, I'd skip it (and the extra cost) and walk it insetad. It is pretty expensive but you get lots of bang for your buck (or beasts for your buck) and you are supporting some excellent conservation work. As you can imagine, it gets very busy in the holidays. Reduced prices are available in the winter.

what a lovely day outi go usually once a year. I always have a great day. I own a pub not far away and i always send people in that direction if asked where to visit. Its a great day out for all the family and not only that, there is now a walk through section where lemars walk up to you. Kids love it. I love it! lol. worth the money just maybe take some sandwiches. I normally take a picnic and they don't mind that. Lots of picnic areas. Make sure you see the rhino's first as well. They are to your left as you go in, they close in the afternoon and it is a shame to miss them.

great day out for the whole family, come and spend the whole day here. Fairly expensive, but a large proportion of what you pay goes to valuable conservation work and therefore its worthwhile as there is so much for the family to see and do. Loads of really fun events here all year round so subscribe to their newsletter to keep up to date. they also have a lovely venue for weddings in the mansion house with fabulous views and amazing interior decor for a truely one off event

A fabulous day out for the whole family. Set on the hillside looking out across the marsh to the channel, it offers the chance to see the famous conservation work in place. The park does cover a large area, so it can be quite tiring - there are plenty of places to stop if you wish though.The african safari can take away some of the leg work and allow you to see the large animals roaming free. Although a little expensive it will fill your whole day and there are seasonal offers in the local papers and advertising leaflets

Set in the Kent countryside near Folkestone in Kent, Port Lympne is the sister park to Howletts and run in exactly the same way with conservation in mind and return of animals to the wild. Where Howletts is largely flat, this park is undulating to say the least, and pushing a pram can be hard work up and down the hills. The Gorilla enclosure is a lot of fun. Take a picnic and avoid the cost of lunch in the cafe. Look out for discounted deals for enrty tickets.

Prices are quite expensive (about £12 for adults) But there is enough to see here to last you all day. There is a wide variety of animals on show with some nice woodland walks. It can get quite busy but it covers such a huge area that this isn't really an issue. There are also some nice gardens to walk through with some great views of the marsh.