Zoo Advice on Port Lympne Wild Life Park and Howletts Wild Life Park

nikmondo

Hi Guys,

My daughter is a major fan of animals (like most kids!) and she wants to go to the zoo tomorrow. Now we live in Essex so we visit Colchester 3-4 times a year but I feel that maybe we should try somewhere else? Don't get me wrong, Colchester is mega by the way and is a must for anyone who lives in a 60 mile radius of the place, plus it beat London Zoo hands down. Also if you live in Essex then Tropical Wings is a great little zoo which is also very cheap.

Now Port Lympne Wild Life Park and Howletts Wild Life Park are not too far away so I was going to visit one of those instead.

So I was wondering if any of you guys can recommend one or the other? Port Lympne seems bigger and has more animals so i'm swaying that way but any advice would be really appreaciated plus any money saving tips would be great!

Thanks peeps!

madjay

Port Lympne is the bigger of the but does have a lot of Hills, but this year they have changed it around and you jump on and off has they go round which is included in the price, at each stop there is a play area. Howletts is on two levels with one little hill joining them. There is no real difference between the two except that Howletts has elephants. I would recommend both zoos, I have been to both several times over the years but if you have to take a pram I would go for Howletts

nomoneytoday

Do you prefer cats or gorillas ?

Poly,put_the_kettle_on

Port Lympne, every time.
Howletts feels like a zoo. PL feels like a safari park you walk around. The views are stunning, and it feels like a full day out. You can see the 'ellies at Howletts for free anyway

vikingaero

Both Howletts and PL have annual entry for the price of a days admission if you gift aid the admission (not available with Tesco Clubcard entry).

Howletts takes about 3-4 hours to get around so it's not a full day out. As the others have said it's ideal for those with buggies as there is only one hill between the tigers and the elephants. It has a nice play area. It is more zoo like but this puts you closer to the animals. We used the annual entry about 6 times before the Vikingettes got bored of the place.

Port Lympne's houses the larger safari animals. It's main USP is the Safari Drive on the back of old army Bedford Safari Trucks. At times you really get close to some animals such as the giraffes. You can walk part of the Safari Drive but 70% of it is gated and only open to the trucks. PL is very hilly in places. Even a fit, fine and horny specimen of a Viking like me had trouble pushing a double buggy around. You also have part of the old mansion to explore. PL can be very muddy at times so if you are going in winter it's worth putting on wellies.