Are you looking to go somewhere that offers a truly unique experience? If you’re stuck for ideas now that we are in the six-week school summer holidays then you’re not alone.
While many of us run out of ideas for what to do with the kids and keep them entertained we often do the same old things. However, if you’re looking to do something that offers an experience for both the adults and kids then we may have the place for you.
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, which is located in Kent, offers an unforgettable safari experience. In case you haven’t heard of it is set on hundreds of acres with a hotel, safari park and restaurants and bars all wrapped up into one.
For families who just want to do a day trip, you can go and visit animals including brown bears, gorillas, giraffes and lions until your heart’s content.
Let’s not forget about the lions, orangutans, meerkats, rhinos and buffalos too.
Ticket prices
For families who are looking to get away for a few nights, you can visit the Port Lympne Reserve park with a standard ticket costing an adult £29.09 and a child aged 3-15 years £25.45.
Meanwhile, an adult concession ticket will cost £27.27 and a child concession will set you back £23.64.
Children 0-2 years of age are admitted free of charge to Howletts and Port Lympne alongside a fully paying adult ticket or annual pass holder.
There’s also plenty of experiences you can go and enjoy including feeding animals and going on safari. One of the more notable ones was the giraffe experience which we got to try first-hand where we got to feed the animals and get fully immersed in their habitat.
However, if you’re planning on staying for a few nights, something which we did, so you can fully explore the park and all that it has to offer then it is certainly worth it.
Accommodation
We stayed in Leopard Creek which sleeps up to four people (two adults and two children aged under eight).
There are also other options available in Leopard Creek with a two-person cabin or four-person Wigwam. It all depends on how many people and your budget.
Inside the cabins, they include Wi-Fi, complementary gifts and prosecco as well as bathroom facilities, a 24-hour concierge and a complimentary buggy to drive around in and explore the reserve.
There are also lodges where you can stay including giraffe, lion and wolf lodge where you get to see the animals up close.
Not only was our cabin cosy and all you could want from a stay but also had the most stunning views of the Kent coastline.
Even better the cabins were only metres away from the Amur leopards which we only caught a glimpse of as they certainly love to sleep.
As part of our stay, we got to explore the 600 acres of winding trails, open plains, and wooded paths.
While we were there we saw a brown bear climbing down from a tree and another two playing in the pool to keep cool during the swelting heat.
Elsewhere, we saw it was feeding time for the gorillas with children having the chance to feed the animals fruit and veg as part of an experience which you can book online.
Dining
There are several different areas to dine at the reserve. There is the Garden Room restaurant, Babydoll’s, Bear Lodge as well as cafes and bars to enjoy including the Moroccan Courtyard and Mansion Bar & Terrace.
We ate in the Garden Room restaurant where you can taste the difference in quality with the fresh local ingredients. Some of the highlights on the menu include cheese croquettes with roast garlic aioli which melts in your mouth as well as the Caesar salad and focaccia bread with rapeseed and balsamic oil.
After exploring the reserve you can enjoy afternoon tea in the Morrocan courtyard or the Mansion Bar & Terrace where you can enjoy the likes of delicate sandwiches, scones and sweet treats.
Meanwhile, at Babydoll’s you can enjoy woodfire pizza and it is definitely tempting to go inside once you go past smelling the restaurant. It is located near the brown bears and the dinosaur forest so you get to enjoy a light meal while being amongst the animals.
Prices vary from cabin to cabin and time of stay at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve but you can find more information here.