NOW OPEN 10-6 EVERY DAY - Dogs See below!

Disabled Access and Concessions see below

(Opening times vary depending on the time of year)

VIP 363 EXPERIENCES

are available all year

(MUST BE PRE-BOOKED)

2013:  OPEN TODAY

NOW OPEN EVERY DAY UNTIL THE END OF NOVEMBER!  

OPEN for all BANK HOLIDAYS 

VIP EXPERIENCES ARE AVAILABLE 363 DAYS  A YEAR:

BE A KEEPER (available all year, book on 01646 651201)

LOOK A RHINO IN THE EYE (Wednesdays, book on 01646 651201)

HIRE A KEEPER (available all year, book on 01646 651201)

MEET THE SPECIES (available all year, book on 01646 651201)

All our experiences are one-to-one with a professional zoo-keeper, who works every day with endangered species. This is the closest you can get to endangered animals in natural surroundings, alongside keepers who know them well, understand their needs and have a wonderful rapport with them. 

And your experience makes a difference, because all fees support conservation work. Available at almost any time - and 363 days a year, at a date to suit you

 

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS - ASK FOR A MAP! - it advises on routes and levels of difficulty for chairs.

Our aim is to ensure good access to every area for all people. Currently we are widening access to the new African Village to make it fully wheelchair friendly - and we've re-engineered Meerkat Mountain, with large glazed panels so that the very small and those in chairs get a full view of all the activity.

The other three animals walkthroughs are wheelchair accessible, and we plan to further  improve the entrance to the wallaby enclosure over the winter. The top of the park is quite level,  with easy access to a wide range of species.

There are some steep areas around the bottom end, and it can be a bit of a struggle unless you are a strong pusher. Staff in the area will always help with a relief push in steep areas if you call them over. Generally it's better to head downhill from the Valley of the Apes, as the top route has the steepest area, (you can access this area more easily from the other end). THE PARK MAP, indicates the easiest routes for chairs.

We thought long and hard before deciding on the surface for the paths. They are made of crushed cockle shells - a waste product from the Penclawdd cockle industry, so we're pleased to be using a recycled product. Wheelchairs cope well on these paths as long as you stay towards the centre and not the edges.

Easy access to the cafe can be found from the garden side, near the disabled toilets.

We have free wheelchair hire, for those with small-wheeled chairs - our larger-wheeled chairs are easier to push around the park. Finally wehave a few motorised scooters for hire at £10 per time. (Ring 01646 651201 to speak to Nicky or Sara at the gate and book a chair or scooter)

Registered Blind

Registered blind and partially-sighted people are welcome to the park, and are offered the concessionary price. Sighted working dogs for the blind are welcome at the park too, but we can't allow them in the animal walkthroughs. However, blind and partially-sighted people who pre-book can request a free escort. Someone from our knowlegable team will help make the most of the visit (but must be prebooked!).

So to round-up:

  • Designated parking within about 50 metres of main entrance
  • Drop-off point for guests immediately outside main entrance
  • Flat route with no steps to entrance gate
  • Paths are made from a by-product of the Penclawd cockle industry - crushed shells, which are wheelchair friendly.
  • The whole of the park is accessible by wheelchair (you may need a strong pusher on some sections near the bottom of the park - but call on nearby staff for help with pushing)
  • The whole of the top section of the park is wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchairs available for free hire - ring 01646 651201 to reserve
  • Motorised scooters available for hire £10 - ring 01646 651201 to reserve
  • Disabled Toilets
  • Access to the cafe via the garden entrance
  • Constantly upgrading the park to improve access and welcome suggestions from visitors

 

DOGS: We're sorry but we do not allow dogs onto the park, not even well-behaved ones...

However there are excellent facilities for dogs close to the park, see the following information:

Our friends at Foxcombe Boarding Kennels are happy to take day boarders, but you do need to pre-book.

Contact Jane Kidney on  janekidney@aol.com  telephone:  01834 870135

(We have NO ON-SITE FACILITIES FOR DOGS, and we ask you not to leave your dog in your car for an extended period, or at all on a warm or hot day)