If you’re looking for a UK safari park experience to take your kids to then you will be spoiled for choice. There are some truly amazing safari parks in various locations around the UK that allow visitors to drive through the animal habitats, whether in their own car or in a special safety vehicle, to get up close and personal with the wildlife. 

Despite the initial resemblance to something out of Jurassic Park, with the high fences and the gates that are carefully closed behind each vehicle, safari parks in the UK are generally very safe as long as all of the safety instructions are followed and limbs are kept well inside the vehicle.  

Some of the best safari parks are listed below and we have included their addresses for those who are interested in visiting. 

Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire

Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 7NW

Make sure that you are comfortable, with phone cameras at the ready because Longleat promises to be a memorable safari experience for all the family, with distinct areas such as Tiger Territory, Wolf Wood, Lion Country and Cheetah Kingdom. Longleat is a well-established park and even has its own app to help visitors to navigate the different zones that make up the park.   

Blair Drummond Safari Park, Central Scotland

Stirling, FK9 4UR

Blair Drummond Safari park is always a brilliant experience for families with children. They have a drive-through safari section where you will come face-to-face with a pride of lions, rhinos, antelope, camels and mischievous monkeys. There is also a section to explore on foot with elevated walkways, a petting zoo, large adventure playpark and a boat ride to monkey island. In addition, there are keeper talks and presentations aplenty to keep everyone entertained. 

Port Lympne Reserve, Kent

Aldington Rd, Lympne, Hythe CT21 4LR

Get ready to crane your necks, Port Lympne Reserve is home to free-roaming giraffes! This park is set in 600 acres, making it one of the larger safari parks and offers wonderful adventures for all of the family. Some of the areas are only accessible via safari truck due to the rougher terrain so be prepared for the full safari experience, with primates, lions, rhinos, gorillas and more to be seen.  

Knowsley Safari Park, Merseyside

Prescot, Merseyside, L34 4AN

Home to one of the longest safari trails in the UK, the five-mile drive through Knowsley Safari Park is sure to be memorable for all the right reasons, with wild-roaming lions, wildebeest, rhinos and many other animals to admire and observe. There is also a foot safari where families can meet the meerkats or walk the tiger trail. There are also amusements and row boats for when you feel like something a little different.  

West Midlands Safari Park, Worcestershire

Spring Grove, Bewdley, DY12 1LF

This safari park has elephants as one of their main attractions, so get on the trunk road through the West Midlands Safari Park and savour the view of these majestic creatures up close. Some other top attractions are the giraffes, zebras, tigers and rhinos. The park also boasts a large animatronic dinosaur exhibit and an amusement park with 20 rides, so even on days when the weather isn’t great, there will always be a way to keep the kids amused. 

Photo by Nikolay Tchaouchev on Unsplash