If your loved ones are animal lovers, there’s no extra enjoyable time out than a go to to one of many nation’s wildlife parks – particularly attending to see a number of the great creatures dwelling at the very best UK safari parks with youngsters.
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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 exhausting to fill a full day, with further expertise, play areas and even dinosaurs as a bonus to maintain your entire household completely happy.
With an opportunity to get nearer to the animals than quite a lot of zoos, a drive-through safari park may be enjoyable with youthful youngsters who get drained at larger websites, whereas lots of the high UK safari parks have strolling safaris as properly, to present you probability to go at your individual tempo close to something from meerkats and lemurs to crimson pandsas.
West Midlands Safari Park
Situated near Birmingham, there’s a enjoyable mixture of drive-through safari encounters, walk-through displays, and enjoyable household experiences at West Midlands Safari Park
The safari park has over 600 animals, together with 170 species from all around 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.
In case you’ve obtained your individual automobile, you’ll be able to drive across the park at your individual tempo, however there’s additionally the prospect to leap on a guided minibus safari, the place the educated employees will entertain you with tales and details concerning the park’s many animals.
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 cute Pink 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 exhibits 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 displays and experiences for teenagers 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 can even 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 stunning choice should you’re planning a brief break somewhat than a time out.
For extra issues to do in Birmingham with youngsters, take a look at 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’ll be able to see lots 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 area for the animals to roam freely too. One of many highlights is the baboon jungle, the place these mischievous creatures typically entertain guests with their playful antics.
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In case you’re anxious about injury 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 means of the Amur Tiger Path and are available nostril to nostril with huge cats. Or take the pathways by means of the enclosures and meet mischievous meerkats, big giraffes, and superb birds of prey.
The park additionally has each day animal talks and shows, a number of youngsters’ play areas, face portray, and amusement rides for youthful kids, making for a incredible household time out.
Try my high picks for the very best issues to do in Liverpool with youngsters, should 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 dwelling to over 350 unique animals from internationally.
Journey by means of the park’s small animal reserve in your automotive to see lots of the traditional safari park favourites, together with lions, elephants, rhinos, antelope, and camels.
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 personal chimp island.
Plus, don’t miss the cute shaggy-coated Highland Cattle and the pleasant Highland Ponies, each of that are native to the Scottish Highlands.
The Pet Farm lets youngsters stand up shut and private with the likes of pygmy goats, sheep, and deer, whereas the Sea Lion shows and Fowl of Prey exhibits 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 a large 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 knowledgeable rangers, superb close-up animal encounters, and safari-lodge-style lodging.
Not like most different safari parks within the UK, Port Lympne doesn’t mean you can drive your individual automotive inside the animal zones.
As an alternative, you’ll be able to hop on the African & Asian Expertise safari journey 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 embody the chance to hand-feed the pleasant giraffes.
The remainder of the park may be explored on foot. Massive enclosures home quite a lot 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 properly.
Conservation tasks are on the coronary heart of every part 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 potential.
Port Lympne additionally has a spread 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.
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 should you’re planning brief breaks in addition to day journeys.
Try my assessment of a go to and keep at Port Lympne with youngsters
Longleat Safari Park
Set within the lovely 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 outdoors of Africa, again in 1966.
The 900 acre park affords a captivating 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 upfront, with the narration by Kate Humble triggered as you get to completely different factors.
From the primary cease within the African village by means of to Tiger Territory, Cheetah Kingdom and Lion Nation, you’ll see a complete string of various species within the completely 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!
Aside 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 slender gauge miniature railway runs by means of the park’s scenic woodlands and previous lots of the enclosures, whereas the Jungle Cruise boat journey 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 youngsters to fulfill many pleasant farmyard animals, from fluffy bunnies to playful goats.
Moreover the animals, you’ll be able to get pleasure from a tour of Longleat Home, the UK’s most spectacular stately dwelling, or get misplaced within the nation’s largest hedge maze.
There’s tons happening to maintain youthful guests entertained too. Youngsters can let off some steam within the large Journey Citadel play space, hand around in the Little Explorers Backyard, and take a journey on the Rockin’ Rhinos. Not forgetting some particular occasions throughout faculty holidays – it genuinely is hard to suit every part right into a one-day go to!
Try my assessment of a go to to Longleat Safari Park with youngsters
Woburn Safari Park
Considered one of my very own private favourites, as I obtained married a stone’s throw from Woburn Safari Park, we’ve visited greater than as soon as through the years with a mixture of self-drive safari, a strolling safari and different animal experiences to attempt.
Begin with the street 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 dwelling to Amur Tigers, North American black bears, Canadian timber wolves and African lions. Hold your automotive window very firmly closed on this half!
Shifting by means of 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’ll be able to repeat the circuit as typically as you want.
The street safari route finishes on the Foot Safari, with crimson 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 battle to suit all of it in, so it’s value testing your must-sees upfront and planning your day round it.
You’ve additionally obtained 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 assessment of the animal experiences at Woburn Safari Park
Disclosure: This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee. All opinions on the very best UK safari parks with youngsters are my very own
Port Lympne/Longleat/Woburn photos copyright MummyTravels, Knowsley courtesy of Depositphotos, West Midlands/Blair Drummond courtesy of Picfair
