If you’ve ever wanted to hand-feed a giraffe or watch lions pad around in the Kentish sunshine, Port Lympne Safari Park is the place to make it happen. Set across 600 acres of rolling Kent countryside, this reserve is home to over 900 animals across 75 species, and it goes far beyond a standard zoo visit.
TL;DR: Port Lympne offers dedicated Giraffe Safari and Ultimate Safari experiences where you can hand-feed giraffes (and rhinos), plus Carnivore Territory where lions roam freely. Experiences start from £35 per person and run daily. Day entry is not included in experience prices and must be booked separately.
What makes Port Lympne genuinely special is the range of add-on animal encounters that let you get closer than you ever expected. Whether you’re after a 2-hour giraffe feeding adventure or simply want to stand a few metres from a pride of lions, there’s an experience for every level of wildlife fan and every budget.
Here’s everything you need to know before you book in 2026.
Getting Up Close with the Giraffes
Port Lympne is home to a magnificent tower of Rothschild’s giraffes, one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies in the world. You’ll spot them on the standard safari truck ride as they wander freely across the Kentish savannah, but if you want to actually feed one, you’ll need to book a dedicated experience.
The Giraffe Safari
This is the one families come back raving about. You’ll board a game viewing Land Rover with a small group, led by one of Port Lympne’s expert Rangers, and spend two hours exploring the reserve’s open safari area. The highlight is a close-up feeding session with the giraffes themselves.
What’s included:
- 2-hour guided safari aboard a Land Rover
- Up-close giraffe feeding session
- Ranger-led commentary on all the animals you encounter
- Epic views across the Kentish savannah, spotting zebras, wildebeest, and more
Giraffe Safari prices (2026):
| Season | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Peak | £90.00 |
| Off-Peak | £95.00 |
Note: Day entry to the park is NOT included. You’ll need a separate day ticket, Annual Pass, or short break booking. Available January to October only, running daily at 11:30am.
Bear with us here! The off-peak price is actually slightly higher than peak on this one. It’s worth double-checking the Aspinall Foundation’s official safari experiences page when you book to confirm current pricing.
The Ultimate Safari
If you want the full VIP treatment, the Ultimate Safari is Port Lympne’s most immersive experience. Over 2.5 hours, you’ll venture off-road across the reserve in a Land Rover, with the opportunity to feed both giraffes AND rhinos. It’s genuinely unlike anything else available in Kent.
Ultimate Safari prices (2026):
| Season | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Peak | £110.00 |
| Off-Peak | £105.00 |
- Duration: 150 minutes
- Minimum age: 5 years old
- Time: 11:30am, available 7 days a week
- Day entry: Not included, must be booked separately
Seeing the Lions at Port Lympne
Port Lympne’s lions live in Carnivore Territory, a dedicated big cat zone where you can watch them on foot from a safe viewing area. Unlike the giraffes, there isn’t a hands-on lion encounter available (for obvious reasons!), but the viewing experience is genuinely incredible.
What to expect:
- Lions roaming freely in a large, open enclosure
- Viewing areas positioned for up-close sightlines
- Chance to see tigers and other big cats in the same zone
- Free animal talks throughout the day, often held near Carnivore Territory
Think you’ll only catch a glimpse from a distance? Think again! The viewing areas at Port Lympne are designed to get you surprisingly close to the big cats, and the rangers’ daily talks add brilliant context to what you’re seeing.
When Are the Lions Most Active?
Like most big cats, lions tend to be most active in the cooler parts of the day. Early morning visits (the park opens at 9:30am) or late afternoon are your best bet for seeing them on the move rather than snoozing in the sun. That said, even a dozing lion is an impressive sight!
Pro tip: Check the daily animal talk schedule when you arrive. The keeper talks near Carnivore Territory often happen mid-morning and are completely free with your entry ticket.
All the Safari Experiences at a Glance
Not sure which experience is right for your family? Here’s a full breakdown of every safari option at Port Lympne in 2026, so you can compare them side by side.
| Experience | Duration | Price | Min. Age | Includes Animal Feed? | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger Safari | 90 mins | £30-£35 | None | No | Year-round |
| Rhino Safari | 120 mins | £65 | 5 years | Yes (rhino) | April-October |
| Giraffe Safari | 120 mins | £90-£95 | None | Yes (giraffe) | January-October |
| Ultimate Safari | 150 mins | £105-£110 | 5 years | Yes (giraffe + rhino) | Year-round |
Important to know: None of these experiences include day entry. Every visitor needs a valid day ticket, Annual Pass, or short break booking on top of the experience cost.
The Ranger Safari is the most accessible option for families with younger children or those on a tighter budget. It’s a 90-minute guided Land Rover tour of the reserve, with expert commentary, at £30 off-peak or £35 at peak times. It runs multiple times daily, with the most slots available between April and October.
The Rhino Safari is a brilliant middle ground if you want a feeding experience but the Giraffe Safari is sold out or out of budget. At £65 per person, you’ll get a 2-hour guided safari with a rhino feeding session. Available April to October only, starting at 2:30pm.
Day Entry Tickets and Prices for 2026
Before you can do any of the above, you’ll need a day ticket to get into the park. Here’s the good news: you can save 20% by booking through Day Out With The Kids, with the discount already applied at checkout.
| Ticket Type | Standard Price | DOWTK Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (16+) | £35.00 | From £28.00 |
| Child (3-15) | £35.00 | From £23.20 |
| Under 2s | Free | Free |
Book your Port Lympne tickets here and save 20% with the discount already applied. No codes needed!
Every standard day ticket includes:
- The iconic safari truck ride (select your time slot when booking)
- Full park entry from 9:30am
- Access to Carnivore Territory, Primate Trail, Discovery Zone, play areas, and gardens
- Free animal talks throughout the day
- Entry to the Dinosaur Forest (check current status before visiting in early Spring 2026)
Opening Times
Port Lympne is open every day of the year, 9:30am to 5:00pm (summer hours extend to 6:00pm from 1 April to 28 October). It’s a very popular spot, especially during school holidays, so booking in advance is strongly recommended to secure your safari truck time slot.
Worth knowing: A typical visit is 4 to 5 hours, but animal lovers could easily spend a full day here. If you’re adding a safari experience, plan for at least 6 hours.
Tips for Getting the Most from Your Visit
A little planning goes a long way at Port Lympne. These are the things we’d tell a friend before they headed down.
Booking Your Safari Experience
Safari experiences are separate from day tickets and must be booked directly through the Aspinall Foundation website. They sell out quickly, especially at weekends and during school holidays, so book as early as possible.
Key things to remember when booking:
- Book your day ticket first (ideally through DOWTK to save 20%)
- Then book your safari experience separately on the Aspinall Foundation site
- Both bookings are required before your visit
- Guests who are pregnant should seek advice from a medical professional before taking part in any Land Rover experience
Getting to Port Lympne
Port Lympne is located near Hythe in Kent, easily accessible from London and the South East.
- By car: Exit the M20 at Junction 11, follow signs for Hythe/A261, then follow the brown tourist signs. Free on-site parking is available.
- By train: The nearest stations are Westenhanger (10-minute taxi) and Ashford International (20-minute taxi), with high-speed links from London St Pancras in under an hour.
What Else to See on the Day
The giraffes and lions are the stars, but Port Lympne has a huge amount more to offer. Don’t leave without exploring:
- Primate Trail: Come face-to-face with gorillas and a huge variety of monkeys
- Dinosaur Forest: The UK’s largest outdoor collection of life-sized prehistoric creatures (check it has reopened after its Spring 2026 refresh)
- Discovery Zone and play areas: Perfect for younger children between animal encounters
- Kent’s only spectacled bears: Found in the South American zone, and genuinely unmissable
Is Port Lympne Worth It for Families?
Absolutely, and here’s why the encounters make the difference.
A standard zoo visit puts glass or fencing between you and the animals. Port Lympne, run by the Aspinall Foundation, is a genuine conservation reserve where animals live in large, open habitats and the experiences are designed to be meaningful rather than just photogenic. Every encounter is led by expert keepers and directly supports the foundation’s breeding and rewilding programmes for endangered species.
The honest verdict on costs:
For a family of four (2 adults, 2 children), a day at Port Lympne with DOWTK discounted tickets works out at around £102.40 for entry alone. Adding a Giraffe Safari for two adults brings the total to around £282.40. That’s a significant day out, but for the experience of hand-feeding a Rothschild’s giraffe in Kent, it’s genuinely hard to argue with the value.
If budget is a concern, the standard safari truck ride (included in every day ticket) still gives you brilliant views of the giraffes, lions, zebras, rhinos, and more across the open savannah. The encounters are an upgrade, not a requirement.
Ready to book? Grab your Port Lympne tickets through Day Out With The Kids and save 20% instantly, with no codes required. It’s the easiest way to make an already-brilliant day out a little more affordable!