The sight of lions roaming free in the West Country isn’t something many could’ve imagined until 1966. It’d take the combination of a circus owner and an eccentric millionaire to start the world’s first drive-through safari park, outside of Africa, when Longleat Safari and Adventure Park opened to the public. You’ll still find it on the grounds of Longleat House, the Marquess of Bath’s stately home, today.
As fans of the long-running BBC documentary series Animal Park will likely know, Longleat Safari Park is home to over 120 species – with the drive-through safari the most famous way to experience the animals (although you can also see them by foot, train, bus and boat). You’ll meet everyone from the legendary lions to cheeky macaques trying to steal your windscreen wipers.
Just some of the many more animals you can meet include tigers, giraffes, zebras, crocodiles, deer, gorillas, hyenas, sloths, boa constrictors, camels, tarantulas, and wolves – and we’re barely scratching the surface of the animals you can meet. You won’t find a better opportunity to get up close and personal with these exotic animals.
It’s not just about the animals either. You’ll also find the biggest maze in Britain, made up of over 16,000 English yew trees; a miniature railway running along the edge of a half-mile lake (keep an eye out for sea lions); and your little ones play freely in the Adventure Castle – full of zip wires, climbing frames, tube slides and a medieval keep.
Can I visit Longleat House?
Before the opening of its safari park, in 1947, Longleat House became one of the first privately owned stately homes to commercially open to the public. It dates back to the 16th century, however, and has housed sixteen generations of the Thynn family. You can enjoy a guided tour of the pristine example of Elizabethan architecture and learn all about its 450-year history.
You may also be interested in visiting the formal gardens, where you can enjoy a coffee in The Orangery and look out over the romantic Love Labyrinth or explore the Secret Garden. Visiting at Christmas? The Festival of Light brightens up the grounds throughout the festive period.
How do I get to Longleat Safari Park?
Located in Wiltshire, it should take somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half if you’re driving. Even though the address is listed online as Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 7NW, if you are using a Sat Nav then it is suggested you use the postcode BA12 7JS.
Don’t have a car? The two closest train stations are in Frome and Warminster. From either of these, you should be able to easily take a taxi to the safari park. Or you can even get a bus close by. To learn more about Longleat Safari Park head here.