Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire has a well deserved reputation as the UK’s leading safari and families will discover that along with this incredible experience, there’s so much more on offer here that you’ll want to return again and again.
We drove into the Safari Park with a slight sense of trepidation, not knowing quite what to expect. This drive through safari takes two to three hours to complete, set in the most wonderful countryside. Our sense of trepidation quickly turned to wonder as we drove in through the gates and into the most incredible open landscapes filled with animals from around the world.
We had downloaded the award winning Longleat App which acts as your tour guide as you drive from one zone to the next and it is absolutely brilliant. The app locates you exactly where you are on your drive through the safari and a guide instantly tells you about the animals you are seeing, fascinating facts and points to look out for. We were so impressed with the app, and it really enhanced our enjoyment of the Longleat safari drive through. I would thoroughly recommend having the app installed for your trip to Longleat.
The Safari drive through takes you into a host of different territories including Lion Country, Cheetah Kingdom and the Big Game Park complete with white rhinos as well as camels, oryx and ostriches. You’ll see the most incredible safari sights as you drive slowly past the animals. It very much feels like you’re visiting their large and spacious natural habitats rather than them being ‘on show’ which is great to see.
We adored every part of the Safari at Longleat, including spotting the wolf pack on the move, giraffes gently eating leaves as we passed by and of course the immersive ‘monkey mayhem’ zone where you come up close with a troop of inquisitive macaques.
It wasn’t long before we had monkeys climbing up onto our car roof and windscreen, and little faces peered through the windows much to the squeals of delight from my children. These cheeky macaques are well known for making off with anything loose on the outside of your vehicle, or nibbling at your car aerial, so you can bypass this area if you want, but we thoroughly enjoyed this memorably up close experience.
If you’re keen to take time out of the car on the safari, one stop not to miss is the African Village where you can park up, take a stroll along the Lemur Walk-Through, spot giraffes, zebras and black wildebeest. There’s also giraffe feeding here for a small additional charge which is a wonderful experience.
We were so impressed with the Drive Through at Longleat Safari Park and it’s easy to see why it has become one of the most popular in the UK.
The fun at Longleat Safari Park doesn’t stop there. The sheer amount of activities on offer at Longleat is amazing, so we would recommend making sure you have a full day to explore everything there is to enjoy.
Next to the Historic Longleat house is a wealth of brilliant family friendly activities all based around the main square.
We started with the delightful Jungle Cruise which takes you on a half hour boat trip past two resident hippos, along to a lakeside gorilla colony which are far enough away from the boat to be easily seen but not disturbed by their human visitors.
Then we were treated to a few minutes of fun from a group of Californian sea lions who were leaping and dashing through the water eager to catch a few fish thrown by the boat staff. This is a really lovely trip which makes it easy once again to see some wonderful animals without getting too close and disturbing their activities.
There are plenty of places to grab food and refreshments back at the main square where you’ll find something for all tastes. If your kids are keen to burn off some energy the Adventure Castle is well worth a visit with zip wires, a medieval castle keep as well as climbing frames, trampolines and slides.
There’s a splash pad and soft play for little ones so it’s easy to spend a good hour here. We also loved the hedge maze which my kids thought was fantastic fun. The maze twists and turns and you can spend lots of time here trying different routes in order the reach the center and then onto the exit.
If you’re looking to explore a little further and want to skip the walking for a while, the Longleat Railway is a great way to journey round the grounds and spot more animals. This miniature railway takes you on a one and a quarter mile journey through scenic woodlands and along the side of the tranquil half mile lake, home to the hippos and sealions.
For younger visitors there’s a new play area called the Little Explorer’s Garden as well as a gentle ‘Rockin Rhino’ fun fair style ride. There are plenty of chances to get up close with animals too in Monkey Temple where you can hand feed bright and colorful lorikeets, meet new arrivals on Koala Creek and spot otters and crocodiles in Jungle Kingdom.
Each of these areas are great family friendly attractions where you can spend plenty of time exploring and learning more about the natural world.
The house itself has incredible grounds which are so pleasant to explore. There are wonders around every corner from the ornate formal gardens, the cool orangerie and the spacious corner dedicated to a pet cemetery in memory of the many animals who lived with the family in the house.
The house is a glorious masterpiece of Elizabethan architecture and you can visit by booking a tour. We hadn’t left ourselves enough time to fit in the house tour, so we’re looking forward to coming back and enjoying more of the house and safari park.
Longleat Safari Park’s reputation as one of the best attractions in the UK for families is well deserved and comes thoroughly recommended. You can find out more about Longleat, its attractions and Safari drive through at the official website here.