Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve

600 acres to explore

We are open!

All tickets must be booked in advance

Coronavirus update 22nd September 2020: We are closely monitoring government advice as it is released. At this time, there is no change to our operating hours or product offering. A strictly-limited number of day tickets to Howletts & Port Lympne are available to book online and Short Breaks at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve are available for groups of 6 or less from the same household or support bubble only. Animal encounters, experiences and short break & enhanced safaris will go ahead with appropriate social distancing and biosecurity measures in place.

Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve is Kent's largest wild animal park. Our huge 600-acre site is home to more than 900 animals including the largest herd of black rhino in the UK, western lowland gorillas, tigers, lions, leopards and so much more. Download map.

Following the advice from the Government on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, safaris at Port Lympne are not currently running for day visitors. As a result, you will not currently be able to see our giraffe, zebra, spectacled bears or any species which live exclusively on the African, South American or Asian Safari experiences. This decision has been made in order to create as much social distancing throughout the park as possible. Visitors can still enjoy a day out at the 600-acre reserve, with fresh air and open spaces. Please note that our wallaby walkthrough is currently closed. 

Our carefully considered reopening comes with stringent new health and safety procedures. We understand that your visit to the parks will feel different to normal, we do ask if you are visiting the parks to abide by the restrictions we have put in place. All visitors have a duty to take responsibility for their own social distancing, maintaining a distance of 2 meters from guests from other households wherever possible and respecting the safety & welfare of other visitors and employees. 

With effect from 24^th July customers are reminded that if they wish to buy food or drink from the Parks indoor takeaway facilities then the current government guidelines are that they wear a face mask when entering the premises. Face masks are not mandatory in any of the Reserve's sit down restaurants.

If we all do our bit, we’re hoping that things will get back to normal really soon. Thank you for your cooperation. Find out more.

Please note: Concession and carer tickets can be purchased at the Gatehouse. All other tickets must be pre-booked in advance and a visitor name provided for each ticket purchased for track and trace purposes. The park is very hilly and may not necessarily suit some wheelchairs users – please contact us for more info.

Stay in our multi award-winning accommodation

There are so many amazing ways to stay at Port Lympne. Our award winning short breaks range from glamping to a luxurious 4* hotel, or a unique Treehouse stay. Set in this unique coastal location, with amazing views, surrounded by wildlife, it’s a short break you’ll never forget.

What’s more, all profits from the parks and short breaks go back into the conservation work of our charity. So you can enjoy your stay, knowing that you are directly helping our conservation work.

There's so much more to Port Lympne...

We’re not just an award-winning wild day out and we’re not just a charity with conservation at our heart. We take good care of our animals and good care of our guests, too! There’s nowhere in the world quite like Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve.

• Book activities including animal encounters, keeper days and safari park tours
• Have a party or host your next conference or event 
• Book your next getaway
• Get married at our award-winning wedding venue
• Eat and drink

Explore: Dinosaur Forest

Steel your nerves as you journey through Dinosaur Forest!  Marvel at the tremendous T-Rex, stare at the Stegosaurus, feel the terror of the Pterodactyl, and delight at the sheer size of the diplodocus! Come face to face with prehistoric life-sized creatures in the UK’s largest dinosaur forest!

We’re not a zoo

• Port Lympne Reserve is a breeding sanctuary for rare and endangered animals and wherever possible we aim to send animals born here to protected areas of their natural habitat where they can live free – just as they should be.
• We always make sure that the animals come first, from enclosure design to diet, no expense is spared. We grow our own herbs and vegetables and source our meat from trustworthy suppliers.
• We design our enclosures with the animals in mind, so there’s lots of natural foliage and furniture to provide shelter and camouflage.
• We never lock our animals into viewing areas, so, just like in the wild, it may take some time to spot certain animals.
• We do our best to provide a fantastic visitor experience, whilst not forgetting the primary reason we’re here – to ensure the survival of endangered animals.