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Longleat safari park – a great family day out.

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.

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We drove into Longleat Safari Park with a slight sense of wariness, 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 anticipation 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 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 astonishing, 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 is 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 centre 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 around 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 seal ions.

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 colourful 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 orangery 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 it 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 .

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Review: A Family Day Out at Longleat Safari Park

During the Summer Holidays we were invited to visit   Longleat Safari Park as part of their 50th Birthday Celebrations.  It was our first visit as a family so we were all very excited as there is one very special animal living there who I have wanted to see for a number of years.

Getting There

We broke up our journey from South West Wales by staying in Newport the night before. From West,  Longleat (BA12 7NW) is about 40 minutes off the M4 (J17).  

On arrival, parking is free and plentiful. The Safari Drive Through Longleat do suggest that visitors leave the Safari Drive Through until the afternoon when it is quieter (unless everyone decides to take that advice of course).  We were too eager and did it straight away anyway as it was the main thing we were there for.  On our next visit we will swap this around. African Village and Walking Safari

If like us, you plan to do the Safari Drive Through on arrival, after buying or showing tickets at the desk you can follow directions and drive straight in the direction of the Drive Through. On the way in you’ll be provided with a CD (sadly our CD player doesn’t work so we listen to music through USB).  Don’t panic, you don’t go straight in with the lions, you can take a pit stop at the African Village first for the toilet, refreshments and the chance for the kids to stretch their legs and have a little play after long car journeys.

There are also ring-tailed lemurs, red-necked wallabies, pygmy goats and warthogs.  Here you will also find the café, which has stunning views over the park.

The kids liked the rope bridge which has great views too.

Monkey Jungle

The important thing to know about Monkey Jungle (or Monkey Mayhem) is you can bypass this part of the drive through easily if you wish.  Reading the sign above, I was quite tempted!  I was more worried about the monkeys than my car but the kids (especially the biggest kid, Dave, really wanted to go through this bit and insisted a visit to Longleat wouldn’t be the same without it, so we did!).

Sure enough, once we were in there the monkeys came to see us.  I would have loved to have been a passenger watching the monkeys instead of the driver worried about keeping all of the  monkeys safe (I would love a VIP Tour  one day!). 

It was so funny watching the monkeys climb onto the other cars though.  See how they have already taken the registration plate and sensors off the car in front.  They were so persistent and kept going until they’d taken everything they wanted.  

They really knew what they were doing.  Look at the monkey above holding onto the other one as they get more loot.  They also seem to recognise different makes of cars and which ones are easier to take apart! My car was just good for weeing and pooing on apparently which the kids found hilarious.

Anne the Elephant’s Haven

Anne the elephant was the reason I wanted to come to Longleat.  Of course, no one wants to see an elephant in captivity.  However Anne was a rescue circus elephant who was in need of a new home.   In Spring 2015, she was moved to her large home  in Longleat with 24 hour access to the outdoors.  She has a dedicated team of keepers who keep her healthy and plan her enrichment activities.  Despite being an elderly elephant she has come on so well during her time at Longleat and can now lift her trunk again and with medication live pain free.  You can read more of Anne’s story in Saving Anne the Elephant:  The Rescue of the Last Circus Elephant .  I cried many times reading the book but need to think positively that things have come on so far in recent years and we’ll continue to move forwards.  Hopefully in the future we won’t have to see another elephant living alone in captivity again.  Deer Park

In the deer farm, food can be purchased for £1 (the deers are currently in rut so deer feeding will return in 2017). 

There are three female tigers and we managed to see them all (not many photos though as I packed my favourite prime lens and not a long zoom lens which would have been better for animal photography!).  One tip to find the tigers is to see where the keepers jeep is and they will usually be fairly close to that so the keepers get a good view.   They like to spend time by their pool too.  

Lion Country

Next we drove through Lion Country.  There are two prides and as they’re territorial, two enclosures.  

The second pride were enjoying an afternoon nap in the sun when we passed by.

As we drove through wolf wood we spotted a timberwolf straight away.  I was suprised to see that it was white.  In fact grey wolves can have a variety of different colour coats, grey, red, black, brown and white.  They are naturally nocturnal but you may be able to hear them howl at night (their howls can be heard for up to 6 miles away).  We encountered more animals on our safari but the ones mentioned above were our highlights.  It was a fascinating family experience. Longleat House and Grounds

As we spent so long on the safari and then in the adventure park we didn’t have time to visit Longleat House .  This will be our first stop next time so I can write a detailed post about it. Main Square The Bat Cave

Back in the main square, we walked through the bat cave and saw the Egyptian Fruit Bats. Eating and Drinking The Tropical Storm Cafe

For lunch, we stopped at the Tropical Storm Cafe which had lots of options.  I enjoyed a veggy burger and chips. 

Jungle Cruise

My favourite part in the main park was the Jungle Safari.  There was quite a long queue but we knew it would be worth it.  There were also sights to see as we queued which made it more fun.

On the boat we looked out for sea lions.

We went past the two hippos, Spot and Sonia- can you spot them?  

The sea lions came right up to the boat.  We were told their names and about their different personalities as well as facts about sea lions in general.

We bought a tub of fish for £1 and the kids fed them which was a noisy affair. They love to try and get your attention for more food!

We enjoyed the beautiful view as we sailed back to land. Gorilla Colony

We enjoyed a stroll through the Secret Garden- I would love to create a “Secret Garden” inspired section in our garden!

Penguin Island

Next we went to Penguin Island to see the lovely Humboldt penguins.

They were so fascinating- we loved watching how they stood so still. 

Unfortunately since our visit Longleat have lost a large number of these penguins due to malaria.  This part of the park is currently closed to put the needs of the nine remaining penguins first.  We are so sad to think of the poor penguins, we hope the remaining penguins recover well and our thoughts are with the Longleat keepers who I know are devestated by this news. Ray Bay

When Penguin Island does reopen you will be be able to see the ray fish at Ray Bay who live just past the penguins.

Animal Adventure  Butterfly and Reptile House

Next we went into the Butterfly House (remember these areas are always really hot so remove a few layers if you can before entering).  

In the animal adventure room there are animals to pet.  I spotted Danny handling a snake.  He had a good chat with the keeper as he held the snake.

There were also characters walking around.  Here, I just missed a shot of Danny high- fiving the monkey.  He was showing Isabelle that there’s no need to be scared of animal characters (she’s really not sure about them!).

Rebecca plays the African Drums. Hedge Maze

Next it was time for the hedge maze.  It’s the largest of it’s kind in the UK with over two miles of path to choose from (and I think I walked every single step of those two miles).

Danny was the first to find his way to the observation tower (why didn’t I stick with him instead of following Izzy?).  We kept passing him but not actually getting to him.  Eventually, we all made it to the middle and found the way out again which is always handy! Adventure Castle

Everywhere we go the kids always ask, “Is there a park?”  Thankfully, Longleat went over and above our expectations with their adventure playground.  There is so much there the kids could have played all day.  

As well as the playground there is a Medieval Fortress to explore. 

There’s also a splash pad- I’d pack bathers/spare clothes/rainsuit and a towel if your kids plan to get really wet (as they love to).  In addition there is a giant ball pool, dancing balloons, softball canons, interactive art wall and the little lion heart castle in the Play Kingdom. Pride of Longleat Parade

As we visited during the 50th Anniversary of Longleat (Happy Birthday!) we settled down to watch the special “Pride of Longleat Parade”.

Jungle Express

After the show it was nearly time for the park to close.  We still hadn’t been on the Jungle Express and I love land train rides.  I noticed there was one more ride left for the day so we hopped on it.  

Train rides are a great way to see all of the park when little ones (and older ones actually) need a rest.

We enjoyed hippo and sea lion spotting once more and saw lots of sights on our ride. Shop and Souvenirs

There are lots of shops at Longleat to buy a souvenir or gift before you go home.  There are also those souvenir penny machines that I know my kids love so bring a couple of pound coins and pennys! Time to Go Home

Then it really was time to leave.  We walked past the stunning Longleat House once more.

We said goodbye to the great lion statue outside the house and made our way back to the hotel. This post is just an idea of what we managed to fit in during the day but there is so much more there to do.  I would definitely buy a two day visit ticket next time.  Tickets for just the house and grounds are available too.  Longleat is open: Daily from March until October                             Friday to Sunday during November                           Daily in December (excluding Christmas Day) Opening hours are usually:  10 – 5 (off peak) and 10 – 6 (peak) Please see website for up to date opening times . Current online prices are £28.85 (adults), £21.20 (children) and £22.90 (seniors), under 3’s are free.

The Festival of Light  will take place on selected dates from 11th November 2016 to 2nd January 2017. 

Thanks to Longleat for sending us tickets for the purpose of this review.

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Longleat Safari Park review: a family day out

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Longleat Safari park is in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside. A spectacular Elizabethan mansion and 900 acres of Capability Brown landscape would be worth a visit on their own. Now, throw in drive-through animal enclosures. Add a maze, boat ride and numerous other attractions and you’ve got a rather brilliant recipe for a family day out. We headed over to the park last week to see what it’s like.

About Longleat

Longleat Safari Park opened to the public in 1966 as a drive-through lion reserve. The first safari park of its kind outside of Africa. The house and estate were, and still are, owned by the Bath family. The estate had already opened to the public in 1949, but it was failing to make enough money. An enormous big cat park allowed Lord Bath to generate funds through the estate. It started small, with Lord Bath personally greeting visitors and selling tickets at the entrance.

These days though, it’s an enormous operation and it’s no longer just about the animals. Whilst the safari drive through is most people’s main reason to visit, there’s plenty of other things going on as well. Most notably looking around public areas of the mansion, a huge children’s play area, small train, maze and the incredible boat ride.

The safari drive through

A far cry from a time when people queued for hours to see the lions of Longleat, modern day visitors are treated to a huge drive-through safari. Anne the elephant was rescued from terrible conditions at a circus to live out her retirement at Longleat. She likes to nap inside so there’s no guarantee you’ll see her. As for the rest of the animals, you’d be hard pushed to miss them despite their pleasantly huge enclosures.

A walk-through safari allows visitors to get up close to giraffes and zebras. You can also walk with lemurs and meet sheep and pygmy goats. Back in the car, visitor can feed the deer through the car window when they’re hungry. We visited at a busy time and staff selling the food kindly advised us that the deer weren’t particularly hungry, so we decided against it.

Big cats at Longleat include lions, tigers and cheetahs. Wolves and their cubs roam freely around wolf wood. In the big game area, rhinos are joined by camels, curious ostriches, oryx and Ankole cattle. Possibly the most entertaining area of the park though was the monkey enclosure. If you’re precious about your car or its aerial, bumper, wing mirrors, window seals, spoiler or other protruding parts then this may not be for you. Thankfully we’re not, and it was lovely to see the monkeys incredibly close-up.

Other things to do at Longleat

The safari drive through itself takes two to three hours. You’ll want to leave plenty of time to stop and admire the animals as you drive around. This still leaves plenty of time to explore the rest of the park, in particular its main square. Here, you can meet new residents. Crocodiles, giant otters, wombats and koalas.

Children will love the Adventure Castle play area. Inside a wooden fort, you’ll find huge slides and climbing areas. A mini soft play caters for little ones, and outside is a park with swings, trampolines, a zip wire and other play equipment. There’s even a fun splash pad to run through on a warm day.

My girls loved the maze and Rockin’ Rhino ride, as well as a stroll around the jungle kingdom to see meercats, anteaters and other creatures. The highlight for all of us though, was the rather incredible Jungle Cruise boat ride. Living in and around the lake were hippos and sea lions. During the journey we passed a gorilla colony and some adorable colobus monkeys. Even the queue for the jungle cruise was fascinating because we were able to watch the red pandas while we queued.

Other attractions in the main square include monkey temple, the bat cave, lorikeets that you can feed by hand, an interactive animal adventure zone, little explorers garden, a family farmyard and the Longleat railway.

The house and grounds

Long before opening as a safari park, Longleat opened the doors of its house and grounds to the public. These days, a variety of guided house tours are available. Everything from a general tour to a guide to its scandalous history. Tours are only around 45 minutes long, easy to fit in during a day at the safari park. You do need to pay extra for a tour and they are not available during special events. Alternatively, visitors can look around the ground and first floors of the house any time from 11am during peak season.

Exhibitions regularly take place in the house, with artefacts from both Longleat and elsewhere. They often commemorate historical events or milestones. Additionally, visitors can see art, furniture and tapestries belonging to Longleat. Many date back to the Thynne family who built the house in the 1570s.

As well as driving around the estate’s land on the safari tour, visitors can look around the formal and pleasure gardens of the house. My girls were particularly excited to see a sign for the ‘secret garden’.

Further information about visiting Longleat Safari Park

• Longleat tickets: Visitors save 15% by booking online before visiting. For information on ticket prices and to book, head to their website . Whilst pre-booking is cheaper, it’s not essential. You can book on the day.
• Longleat Safari Bus: If you don’t fancy taking your car through the park, it’s possible to take a tour on the double decker safari bus. This is a guided tour, so you’ll learn more information about the animals on the way round. Further information is available here .
• Opening times: Do check the website for opening times and dates before travelling because the park is not open every day. Longleat closes for much of the winter.
• Staying longer at Longleat: It is possible to buy a two day pass for the park and we would definitely recommend this. We went for a day and there was a lot we didn’t manage to do. Details of where to stay are available on the Longleat accommodation page .
• Getting close to the animals at Longleat: If you want to get up close to particular animals or experience life as a keeper, check out the Longleat VIP experiences .

For more ideas for family friendly days out, check out some of my other posts. I have a particular focus on days out in the West Midlands and dog friendly days out .

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Explore the UK's first safari park at Longleat

Longleat, wiltshire.

Feed giraffes by hand and walk on the wildside with lemurs at this popular safari park, found in the picturesque grounds of historic Longleat House.

First opened in 1966, Longleat Safari Park was the first drive-through attraction of its kind outside Africa, and it's still running strong today. With countless species of animals and attractions like Penguin Island, Stingray Bay, Jungle Cruise and an adventure castle, it's a great day out for the entire family. Explore the animal habitats on a road tour through the park, before stepping onto the Main Square and venturing into koala habitats, outdoor playgrounds and hedge mazes.

Special events run throughout the year, including the ever-popular Festival of Lights over the Christmas period; this large display of illuminated Chinese lanterns adorns the entire parkland and adds a touch of festivity to everything. And, of course, visitors can also extend their stay in the area with a tour through Longleat House and its surrounding pleasure gardens.

Longleat Safari Park is due to re-open on Monday 15 June - make sure to check the website through the link below for availability and opening times.

• Find out more about Longleat
• Find more wildlife and nature reserves in Wiltshire

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Project: (4250) Nairn Splashpad

Client: Team Hamish / NICE / Nairn Common Good / Highland Council

Design: Team Hamish / Ustigate Waterplay / Vortex International

Project Description: Paddling pool converted to Splashpad

Water Management: Flow Through System

Main Contractor: Ustigate Waterplay

Installation: 2020 / Area: 195m²

Following three years of fundraising and attention to detail in design, Ustigate Waterplay were determined to deliver Nairn community their splash pad in 2020.

Somewhere over the rainbow, dreams come true!

Ustigate Waterplay started the construction phase at their nearest possible opportunity and handed Nairn Splashpad to Highland Council a month ahead of schedule. The Highland Council now manage the facility on behalf of Nairn Common Good.

Nairn Splashpad is a community driven project with a heart-warming story to tell …

It is a lasting legacy that celebrates the lives of a local brave Highland boy called Hamish Hey, and his mother Susan Hey, both sadly lost their lives to cancer, Hamish when he was just eight years old in 2017 and Susan, following five years of treatment in 2020. Susan, husband and father Sam and daughter Lily set up the charity Team Hamish to raise funds for a new play area to thank their Nairn community for the love and support they received during Hamish’s illness and after Hamish’s passing. In just three years Team Hamish and the Nairn community, NICE, the Nairn Common Good Fund and the Highland Council have raised the funds and established Nairn Splashpad. The new water play area with zero standing water at The Links will generate much happiness for all ages and abilities in Nairn for many years to come. Bright and cheerful rainbows feature prominently in the design as Sam revealed rainbows hold a special place in the family’s heart, after one appeared in the sky on the day they laid Hamish to rest.

Red, orange, yellow, green and purple are the vibrant colours depicted in Nairn’s rainbows and to carry this bright and cheerful theme throughout the play area, all of the above ground products are in these colours too. Several products include Seeflow™ technology to reflect lovely, colourful shadows upon the pad. The colour blue provides a perfect basecoat for the pad as it takes the form of our encompassing sky and allows all products and rainbows to stand out and shine through.

Nairn Splashpad has a total of 17 water features and an inclusive bollard inviting everyone to push the button to start the fun. There is an Aqualien Flower No.2 and a 360° rotating Bamboo where two water jets meet in the middle to become one big cloud of droplets with a sparkling water effect.

In between all of the above ground items water players will find a variety of ground jets, each orienteering their way up in the air from the north, south, east and west. The design for Nairn Splashpad includes two Directional Jets, two Geysers and three Jet Streams.

The above ground products incorporate low level and high level items to maximise the interactive experience for all ages and abilities. There is a popular Fish No.1 that feels very much at home at his new seaside retreat, now offering small ones a spin and a splash and a make-believe ride.

Other low level items include Helio No.3, a product from our Vortex award winning Explora range that engages children in aquatic play and body movement. Helio is a bright orange textured ball with a north facing spout that entices one or two to gather round, spin hard and create a bigger splash. For those that love nothing more than being the ones behind the splash, there are two fully loaded Tube No.1 cannons armed and ready for lots of aiming and firing fun.

Nairn Splashpad is full of fun and a celebration of all things bright and beautiful, cheerful and home grown; enhanced with a Leaf No. 3, a Vine and Nairn’s very own Rainbow No.2. Follow the Vine with your eyes way up high and you will see two tipping buckets sitting amongst the leaves, willing to reward all below with a watering of their own. Whilst Leaf No.3 stands tall in bright orange with its Seeflow™ green leaves, there is promise of a showering rain water effect, no matter the weather.

The grand finale has to be Nairn’s very own Rainbow No.2; central in design, central to the heart of the matter and central to Team Hamish, the scheme and project as a whole. Rainbow No.2 is one of our popular and inclusive run through items that never fails to please with its three misting arches. All visitors are guaranteed plenty of fun, with a number of options to soak all sides. Nairn Splashpad is the first of its kind in The Highlands and an exciting new development for Nairn.

AFFILIATED COMPANIES

www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

www.ustigate.co.uk

www.burnell.uk.com

Ustigate Waterplay

Established in 1966, Ustigate have specialised in the design, build and maintenance of water features for 58 years. Award winning products are sourced from aquatic partner Vortex International, a world leader in the industry with 9000 installations in 50 countries.

Established in 1966, Ustigate have specialised in the design, build and maintenance of water features for 58 years. Ustigate take pride in designing and building stunning water features and PWTAG compliant water management systems that withstand the test of time.

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Longleat Safari Park - advice and tips?

HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 06/08/2021 18:57

My mum is in love with Animal Park so I've booked us in for her birthday later in the month. I'm expecting it to be busy, so any tips how to get the best out of the day? It's a 2.5 hour drive to get there so difficult to arrive too early; are we better off arriving well after the 10am opening, say 11, or will it be busy all day? Any areas we should definitely visit?

I would say busy all day. When you get there go to the drive through safari and stop, have a quick loo visit, then drive round. With you snack lunch to hand. After that go onto the house.it’s a busy full on day, can you stay over, as at the end of the day it gets quite and you can finish everything off. We love longleat

They don't do the scratch cards anymore! Single day ticket is just that day. I dont think you can do it all in one day so important to choose. We like the river cruise and feeding parakeets.

Oh I really did love it there!! Would love to go back at some point.

I’d say get there at opening and go straight to the river cruise as the queues get very long for that (though we went last summer and they may not be doing as much social distancing on the boats now so it might be better ?). When we went you also had to go and get a time slot for the maze and they were going quite quickly. We ended up doing the safari over lunch so were glad we’d bought a picnic and could have it as we went round as it took longer than we’d expected (not really a bad thing, just slow I with all the cars). Enjoy!

If you drive through the monkeys, expect to have your car damaged. We took the double decker bus through the second time we went and that gives a great view of cars being dismantled.

Don’t drive through the monkey enclosure. You will end up with half your car missing!

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If you are going to get there at 11, by pass the safari park bit and do ten area that you can walk around first and go back and do the drive through bit later

Do the safari last and do the walk around attractions first. The walk around park is quietest in the morning because everyone does the safari first then piles into the park by lunchtime. The train ride displays the train times but you can't pre book so get there 20mins before departure to guarantee a seat. The food isn't great and very expensive so pack a picnic. Coffee is good though! The orangery and the secret garden are quieter spots for food and for picnics.

I regretted not stopping at the giraffes on the safari, you can't go back if you don't. We went through the monkeys without issue. Loved being in our own car (with picnic and potty for the toddler!) They seemed to be interested in cars with roof racks/bike racks/bells and whistles, not much in our basic plain old Golf.

I put my handbag down to pet the giraffes and it got covered with bird poo! , Be careful!

In terms of what to visit and what not to visit it depends if you have kids with you. Without kids I would say definitely go around the house and formal gardens, go into the museum of curiosities bit, the boat and train are great and obviously all the animals. If you have kids then most of the above bar the house, but also the castle playground with splash pad is fantastic and also the rocking rhino. Take towels and spare clothes for the kids if you do the splash pad.

We quite like the bus option to go around the safari. I thought it would be rubbish but the driver commentated and told us lots about the animals and was absolutely fantastic! It goes from inside the park too so you dont have to leave and come back.

Definitely bring your own food.

We are going on the 16th but have been twice before, the lady in the phone told us expect to be in the drive through safari for about 4 hours on school holiday 🙈 the house is still closed and not opening anytime soon so you won't be able to do that unfortunately xx

We went last week. It was very busy. Somehow we missed the giraffes, not sure how - would have liked to see them. But as a PP said, you can't go back. The queues were long on the drive through bits and it was raining when we were there, we were very glad to have our picnic in the car with us. The boat ride was excellent as usual and no social distancing but the queue was still long. In fact there was no social distancing anywhere so if that's a concern of yours maybe leave it a bit? We didn't have time for the train ride. I love longleat but if I could choose to go in term time I definitely would.

How busy was it in the main (walking bit in the middle) areas? We havent been in summer before...

How long does it take to walk around the middle bits (not house/gardens - just animals.) We want to see koalas etc. Is it heaving?

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I would definitely postpone it a few weeks if you can go outside of school holidays.

It was OK, we saw most of the things we wanted to see. It was raining heavily so the undercover areas were busier but we managed to spend quite a bit of time with the koalas and parakeets. I think the advice of going round the zoo first and then the drive through later is good.

We went the other day and it was so busy. We did the walk round bit first which was OK, long-ish queues for the train and boat but the train is very long and there were 2 boats running so actually the wait time wasn't atrocious. Then the drive through safari at 2pm. It was basically a traffic jam the whole way through! Very very slow. Took us basically 2 hours to get to the end and we skipped a couple of enclosures as the dc were getting fractious. Won't go in the holidays again if I can help it (tricky though with kids!).

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6 things to do at Longleat in the rain

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I love a sunny day as much as the next person but when living in the UK you have to be prepared for all weathers. It happened that on the day we were invited to  review the  Festival of Light at Longleat Safari Park it was a wet day. Urgh! Just what was there to do at an animal park like Longleat in the rain?

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After the briefest hesitation (and hating the idea of wasting a day inside), we grabbed our waterproofs and a large dose of British grit.

2020 UPDATE: Longleat has reopened after shutting during lockdown Expect a few differences.

The Safari Drive Through and walkthrough areas are open, including Koala Creek, Animal Adventure, Jungle Kingdom, Family Farmyard, Rockin Rhino and the grounds and gardens.

Some attractions will remain closed until it is safe to reopen. Please check the attraction’s website for more information about visiting Longleat during COVID-19.

Things to do at Longleat in the rain

Longleat is the UK’s number one safari park with a drive through safari, a jaw-dropping historic house, train, lake cruise, maze and animal enclosures with creatures of all shapes and sizes.

There is much more to do than you will have time for in one visit and a lot of it is ideal for wet weather.

Here’s what we found to do at this safari park during a damp December day:

Contents - jump to what you'd like to know

Longleat’s drive through safari

This part of your visit is made for rainy days.

See the park’s free roaming animals from the comfort of your own car or the safari bus which you can book on arrival and pick up from the Main Square (£5 extra per person).

Despite the rain we saw plenty of animals including zebra, the infamous monkeys, deer, and the big cats.

Top tip : the safari will take about two hours, so make sure you use the toilets at the entrance or the African Village which is your first stop.

Also pack plenty of snacks for the little monkeys inside your car! Once you enter the drive through safari there’s no stepping outside.

Longleat House

This Elizabethan house is regarded as one of the country’s finest stately homes open to the public and as soon as you walk through the doors you understand why.

It is breath-takingly decorated with artwork that has been in the owners’ family for 15 generations – what an opulent place to hide from the elements!

There are tapestries on the walls and elaborate designs on the ceilings. If it hadn’t been for the fact we had two fidgety under fives with us I could have stood agog in each room for hours. Tours of the house are available or you can look around under your own team.

Top tip : pushchairs are not allowed around the house but you can ask for a hip carrier for young children. 

The Bat Cave

Prepare yourselves for a close encounter with the Egyptian fruit bats that live in this manmade cave.

You walk through their domain and can see them up close, feeding on fruit snacks. Every now and again one will zip past you, which is a bit of a thrill.

Don’t worry about them bumping into you though. The bat keepers on hand will explain all about their special technique for avoiding collisions with visitors.

Meet the penguins and rays

Check out the Humboldt penguins as they duck and drive around their aquarium which is a recreation of a South American beach.

There are large windows through which you can see them zooming around under water. You can also spot eight types of sting ray in an undercover pool.

Handle crawly and cute critters

The Animal Handing Hall is the place to go if you want to hold some of the safari park’s smaller residents. Keepers have everything from snakes to guinea pigs ready to meet you here.

The Jungle Cruise

Climb onboard the Jungle Cruise for the best views of Longleat’s Californian sea lions, gorilla colony and hippos. The covered boats sail up and down the lake, slowing down to give you a peek at the animals.

You can also buy fish onboard to feed the sea lions, who are only too happy to splash around in return for a snack.

We visited in the weeks before the park’s beloved gorilla Nico passed away. He lived on one of the islands in the lake as was one of the world’s oldest silverbacks.

What else is at Longleat Safari Park?

Luckily for us there there was just a mild drizzle all day so we still got to experience some of the other attractions at Longleat. The hedge maze – Britain’s biggest one – and Rockin Rhino ride (suitable for kids over 90cm) were big hits with the Tin Box girls.

There’s also a children’s farmyard, railway, and adventure castle to keep kids amused. We couldn’t have fitted it all in if we’d tried.

Longleat ticket prices

Longleat tickets cost just over £100 for a family of four with children over three-years-old if bought in advance.

For the most up to date ticket prices see the Longleat website .

There are special deals if you are visiting for two days rather than one and booking your tickets online, two days before visiting, saves you up to 15%. If you buy annual passes you’ll make your money back in about three visits.

Places to stay near Longleat

There are plenty of options for places to stay near Longleat whether you’re looking for a resort, lodge or a caravan site. Here are some recommendations to check out:

• Bath Mill Lodges  near Bath in Somerset – luxury lodges for families and couples less than 40 minutes drive from Longleat. We have stayed here and loved the relaxed atmosphere paired with luxurious holiday homes close to the UNESCO city of Bath.
• Caalm Camp near Shaftesbury in Dorset – luxury glamping yurts for families and couples just 40 minutes drive from Longleat. This is a fun option for people who love to camp but don’t like slumming it. We stayed in December and were toasty warm.
• Longleat Forest Center Parcs in Wiltshire – this woodland resort is right next to Longleat so offers a great location for a stay alongside a safari park visit. You’ll also find plenty of activities taking place under the canopy of the 100-year-old Giant Redwood trees.
• Longleat Caravan and Motorhome Club site in Wiltshire – you can’t get closer than this caravan site which is located within the estate. Bring your own accommodation and hear the lions roaring at night!

Disclosure: we were given free entry to Longleat to see the Festival of Light . I’m sharing this extra post because I thought it might be handy for those visiting Longleat in the rain or shine. All opinions are my mine.

Planning a trip to Longleat. We hope you have sun but in case of bad weather, why not pin this post about things to do at Longleat in the rain for reference.

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Thursday 13th of June 2019

whats the awesome baby carrier shelf thing?

Claire Hall - Tin Box Traveller

Friday 14th of June 2019

It's a Freeloader. You can read more about it here: https://tinboxtraveller.co.uk/freeloader-child-carrier-review/

Catherine’s Cultural Wednesdays

Sunday 18th of February 2018

Not been to Longleat for years (even before children) time to revisit .... with or without rain!

It was a LONG time since out last visit too. Very much pre-kids and I think was under ten myself!! Shocking really

Travelling With Our Kids

Friday 9th of February 2018

I have always wanted to go to longleat but we are too far away for a day trip. If we are ever in the area I will try add it in. Safari parks are great for the whole family #Mondayescapes

Monday 12th of February 2018

It's a bit far for us too. We stayed over at a glamping site. It made it such a fun weekend

Sarah Christie

Thursday 8th of February 2018

I looks fab I would love to see the festival of lights x

It's beautiful Sarah! I really lovely Christmas event

Nell (Pigeon Pair and Me)

Wednesday 7th of February 2018

The bat cave sounds very exciting indeed! Great tip about using the loos before setting off on the safari, too. I can imagine how bad it would be if you had a desperate youngster in the car :-) #MondayEscapes

Yes! 'I need to go' is not what you want to hear in the Big Cat enclosure :)

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Is there a splash pad? If so are swimming...

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Longleat Questions & Answers

Is there a splash pad? If so are swimming costumes required?

There is a splash pad, we didn’t use it though as the weather wasn’t good enough

Hi, there is a splash pad in the kids play area, defo take swimsuits and towels. Have a good day

Not that I am aware of but we didn't go into the children's play area so can't be sure! Sorry!

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