Paradise Wildlife Park
Latest Reviews
As part of my 60th birthday celebrations my husband bought me the Tiger Tea Experience. This included a big cat keeper giving us a tour of all the big cats. Our keeper was Kim who was very in tune with the big cats & extremely knowledgable. The tour lasts roughly an hour & you get quite close to the cats if they are inside. Do take a camera & get lots of photos like I did. My favourite is the Cheetah which we were informed isn't classified as a big cat. The star of the day was Moto the male lion. Kim warned us of a stunt he pulls when you walk past the enclosure if he is outside a bit too close, & true to form Moto obliged by urinating through the fencing of the enclosure all over another gentleman also on the tour. When the tour was over we were then escorted to our afternoon tea which we had overlooking the Tigers it was brilliant, lovely selection of sandwiches, fancy cakes, scones with jam & cream, tea, coffee & fruit juices. Although the whole experience only lasts a couple of hours, you are free to arrive as early as you like & leave when you like, make the most of it & spend the whole day. I wholeheartedly recommend this. A great day out.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a good park, a fun day out especially if you have children. However, a few areas could use improvement.
My first impression was not good at all. The lady on the entrance counter managed to serve me (take my pre-paid voucher and hand over a map) without so much as greeting me whilst carrying on a personal conversation. How rude! It did get better though.
Both the indoor and outdoor animal shows were excellent and interesting enough to hold my fidgety 16 month old's attention. Staff seemed really knowledgeable and friendly, and we really enjoyed the birds being flown so close to us.
I didn't like that there was a small dog running around the soft play at all. How unhygienic for one thing! Children have to wear socks for hygiene reasons but then you allow dogs to run around the place?? And what about safety? Even outdoor play areas are fenced to exclude dogs for a reason.
There were lots of great play areas to explore including some novel ones like the large fire engine. The slide in the undercover area could use some maintenance, most unslidy slide I've been on. The train ride was fun and the driver was friendly.
Food was ok - typical fast food, prices were ok.
The snow leopards were magnificent and seemed happy enough in their enclosure, they seemed to be courting. I wish i could say the same for the rest of the big cats. So many tigers in a small enclosure, all pacing was sad to see. And the Jaguar was the worst, it was being kept in a shockingly small cage whilst the rest of the enclosure was worked on and looked very distressed. The exhibit was not officially open but you could see the poor creature pacing the small space which was very sad.
A mixed review but I'd probably return to see the shows again, and i'd like to see the bat exhibit when it re-opens.
My first impression was not good at all. The lady on the entrance counter managed to serve me (take my pre-paid voucher and hand over a map) without so much as greeting me whilst carrying on a personal conversation. How rude! It did get better though.
Both the indoor and outdoor animal shows were excellent and interesting enough to hold my fidgety 16 month old's attention. Staff seemed really knowledgeable and friendly, and we really enjoyed the birds being flown so close to us.
I didn't like that there was a small dog running around the soft play at all. How unhygienic for one thing! Children have to wear socks for hygiene reasons but then you allow dogs to run around the place?? And what about safety? Even outdoor play areas are fenced to exclude dogs for a reason.
There were lots of great play areas to explore including some novel ones like the large fire engine. The slide in the undercover area could use some maintenance, most unslidy slide I've been on. The train ride was fun and the driver was friendly.
Food was ok - typical fast food, prices were ok.
The snow leopards were magnificent and seemed happy enough in their enclosure, they seemed to be courting. I wish i could say the same for the rest of the big cats. So many tigers in a small enclosure, all pacing was sad to see. And the Jaguar was the worst, it was being kept in a shockingly small cage whilst the rest of the enclosure was worked on and looked very distressed. The exhibit was not officially open but you could see the poor creature pacing the small space which was very sad.
A mixed review but I'd probably return to see the shows again, and i'd like to see the bat exhibit when it re-opens.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visited with my friends and their children and had a very enjoyable time. Lots of different interesting animals, nicely spaced out. Well looked after enclosures. The red panda was adorable! Went on the train ride which was great. Restaurant had good food (the freshly prepared baked potatoes looked substantial and very appetising). Restaurant staff were very welcoming and efficient. Didn’t wait long for our food which was nice and hot. Tom picked us up in the shuttle minibus (you need to phone to request it). He was great; very welcoming and knowledgable. Glad we went in low season as it is doubtless very busy in the summer. A lovely, chilled day out!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A little bit disappointed, not a big fan of the zoo, took my little boy he enjoyed it but he wasn’t raving about it.
Not much to do but walk around, play area for the kids.
As usual the food is expensive and poor quality
Not much to do but walk around, play area for the kids.
As usual the food is expensive and poor quality
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Had a brilliant day here. We come here numerous times a year and its brilliant. Good park for children and brilliant soft play. lots of animals to see and great talks and shows all day. Children love it. Its not overly busy even in peak times. lots of ramps for prams and wheelchairs. cheap transfers to and from Broxbourne train station £1 return for children and £3 return for adults. Lots of parking available. Recommend for the whole family.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I received a bday pressie to feed a Tiger at Paradise Wildlife Park.
What an amazing experience to get close to and feed one of these beautiful animals.
Obviously I would like to see these animals in their natural habitat but I also want them to survive and lessen the risk of becoming extinct!
Ian the zoo keeper who took the session was very knowledgeable and myself and my family could have listened to him speak about things all afternoon - highly recommended! I was buzzing afterwards..only thing is I wished it had of lasted for longer. Just as I was getting into it and over my initial nerves, I felt like it was then over with!
The park itself I would say is very nice for young children to walk around and see animals up close.
I would jump at the chance to do it again.
What an amazing experience to get close to and feed one of these beautiful animals.
Obviously I would like to see these animals in their natural habitat but I also want them to survive and lessen the risk of becoming extinct!
Ian the zoo keeper who took the session was very knowledgeable and myself and my family could have listened to him speak about things all afternoon - highly recommended! I was buzzing afterwards..only thing is I wished it had of lasted for longer. Just as I was getting into it and over my initial nerves, I felt like it was then over with!
The park itself I would say is very nice for young children to walk around and see animals up close.
I would jump at the chance to do it again.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We were looking for somewhere for my Mums 70th that would cope with a family ageing from 10 months to 80 years old. The team at Paradise Park did a great job.
We had a cooked breakfast on arrival (we had only ordered pastries). We then had an animal experience, time in the park and playground. We had a great lunch in a private area and time in the soft-play. More animal fun, train rides, crazy golf and coloured sands.
It was better than we could have hoped for. Highly recommended!
We had a cooked breakfast on arrival (we had only ordered pastries). We then had an animal experience, time in the park and playground. We had a great lunch in a private area and time in the soft-play. More animal fun, train rides, crazy golf and coloured sands.
It was better than we could have hoped for. Highly recommended!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I love this place. It is so good for families with young children. It does get really busy but there is so much to do. It seems quite expensive for a family as we paid around £52 on the door for 2 adults and a 6 year old, however there a huge park area and u can stay all day to look at the animals. There is a soft play also. There is crazy golf which is only £2 per person. It is a lovely day out for the kids and adults too. We love this place.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Had a great day here. There was plenty of parking and only queued for a few minutes - we booked online for cheaper tickets. Once inside the animals r all pretty close together so not alot of walking compaired to Whipsnade. The white lions and tigers are amazing and to see snow leopards... wow!! We ate in the tiger cafe and had a panini and drinks (£4.70 panini £2.20 cold drink) which tasted really good! The keepers are all really friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend buying a small bag of feed as some animals you are allowed- the alpacas are fun to feed! Thank you for a really enjoyable day! (Shame the sloths were asleep tho!!)
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visited Paradise Wildlife Park today with three grandchildren 13,10and 6... they all loved it and so did I ... you can get really close to the animals and having lunch while watching the tigers was a massive bonus which blew us all away..... it wasn’t a nice day weather wise but still great as can walk above some of the animal enclosures and in parts be under cover....there are a couple of indoor play areas too obviously they get busy on wet days but my advice is make sure you have warm coats and good footwear and stay out in the rain and get to know the animals .... it’s very reasonable and nowhere near as expensive as some other venues... my only criticism would be they need to update the site map and make it clearer how to get to different areas... quite a few people we met said the same but it was still great just exploring .... well with a visit 😃
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I bought the Big Cats Tour for a friend for Xmas and was THOROUGHLY impressed! Our tour guide Shirley was an absolute asset to the park! We were told the timing would be an hour but we over ran due to here pure enthusiasm for the big cats - she knew her stuff and said it with pride! The cafe at the end was brilliant with a fantastic view of the tigers! My only thing would be to say so plain ham sarnies (but that’s cause I’m a fussy bugger!) - otherwise an excellent selection of sarnies, cakes and scones! Would definitely recommend!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
My wife and I visited for a special treat. We had a guided tour of the big cat enclosures and finished with afternoon tea overlooking the Amur tiger enclosure. The keeper who did the tour was excellent. She really knows her subject and clearly loves the big cats.
These tours can be booked in advance and if you really like zoos, this is for you. My treat was booked through Virgin but I think you can do it direct with the zoo.
The zoo is child friendly with plenty of entertainment for them. There are some really lovely enclosures and the investment is obvious. Treat yourself to a visit.
These tours can be booked in advance and if you really like zoos, this is for you. My treat was booked through Virgin but I think you can do it direct with the zoo.
The zoo is child friendly with plenty of entertainment for them. There are some really lovely enclosures and the investment is obvious. Treat yourself to a visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Took my 3 year old grand daughter for her first big day out with grandad. She loved it which is the main thing I guess. Fairly easy to find, fairly easy to park, spotless facilities, plenty of photo opportunities. Plenty of up close opportunities (the Meercats were an especial like). Compact yet designed to give the illusion of bigger space. Gift shop located off piste so none of that Alton Tower / Disney opportunist selling tat at every corner. Nice childrens playground to let off some steam before returning to car. Food was the usual sub Mickey D's fry and warm but decent portions and not so expensive that I felt fleeced. All in all a very good day out and one that will be repeated next year with granddaughter 2...
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
My husband invested in a primate experience for us and I was absolutely delighted. We arrived early as our tickets included full admission to the park. As it was midweek and off season we were a little disappointed that many attractions and features weren't open, in particular the woodland walk. But any disappointment was completely overwhelmed by the amazing experience we had in general at the park. I have never seen such well cared for or healthy looking animals at a zoo or wildlife park. Ever. That is a pretty big statement because I have travelled to some impressive facilities in the U.K. And abroad. Every animal, despite having small enclosures, had incredibly clean and well appointed areas with ample safe space to shelter from the public. Plenty of enrichment was available such that even the big cats, of which there are many spectacular examples, all looked happy and without stress. We attended a number of talks thoroughly the day which were all engaging, informative and really engaging. Staff were very helpful in explaining the exceptional circumstances some of their animals came from, and how they were accommodated at the park. Our primate experience was icing on the cake of what was an incredibly worthwhile day. We travelled all the way from Devon and were not disappointed. Is highly recommend it to anyone. And as for negative reviews, merely ask the staff about animal welfare if you are concerned about the size of any enclosure or any animal behaviour. You will learn more and come away completely reassured. Best small zoo I've ever seen. Thank you for an amazing day!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I have taken part in various animal experiences, but the Red Panda feeding must be one of the best. Firstly, two of the friendly Zoo staff took me to the food preparation area where we collected dishes of fruit and some bamboo, and then we went to the red panda enclosure. The two pandas came down immediately, and I fed them apple slices. Such gentle creatures, They took each piece delicately from my fingers, sometimes holding on with their paws to steady themselves. The two staff members answered all my questions and explained all about the red panda, the breeding policy etc. I thoroughly recommend this Red Panda experience. You need to book in advance, either by email or by phone.The ticket entitled me to spend the rest of the day at this super zoo, watching tigers, zebras, lions and lemurs. Excellent.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We visited this park for a big cat feeding experience given to me as a birthday present. The park is clean and lots to do. Ian the Lion keeper was extremely knowledgeable and we learnt lots about the lions. I decided to feed Moto the white lion, he was just beautiful. After a safety talk the feeding began. I cannot describe the feeling of being so close to this stunning boy, to feel his tongue, tooth and breath on my hand was incredible. Would definitely recommend this for any big cat lover. An experience I will never ever forget. Thank you Ian.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Bring from Kent I hadn’t heard of this place, but a friend recommended and we visited Saturday morning, only an hour drive,
When we arrived about 1030 the park was fairly quiet, really clean throughout, and nearly all the animals were up and about, all enclosures and habitats looked great aswell,
We paid £52 for a family pass online which is a lot cheaper than many other zoos, we took our own picnic and the kids loved playing in the many parks after we looked at all the animals,
Only small downsides were woodland trail was shut, and all the machines for the kids rides only accepted the old pound coins which we didn’t have any off but overall a very good park and we’d highly recommend, also the gift shop is very reasonable compared to normal gift shops.
When we arrived about 1030 the park was fairly quiet, really clean throughout, and nearly all the animals were up and about, all enclosures and habitats looked great aswell,
We paid £52 for a family pass online which is a lot cheaper than many other zoos, we took our own picnic and the kids loved playing in the many parks after we looked at all the animals,
Only small downsides were woodland trail was shut, and all the machines for the kids rides only accepted the old pound coins which we didn’t have any off but overall a very good park and we’d highly recommend, also the gift shop is very reasonable compared to normal gift shops.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a lovely day out. Plenty to do and see. The animals / a fun play area for all ages / paddling pool with picnic area.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Wowcher had been advertising a £29 for two adults through buy a gift online and decided to take the opportunity.
Because my partner has never seen a white tiger before, I knew this would be the perfect place to show him and boy was my partner in for a treat. Baikal is absolutely stunning, my partner described him as one of the biggest tigers he's ever seen. It was a shame to see Baikal alone in his penn. Having walked around the other side to where Baikal was, Rocky, Siberia and Aleena were altogether having an exploring expedition. Amongst the gorgeous tigers, amazingly there were 2 beautiful jaguars (very shy, bless them!!!) they're patterned skins alone are just incredible!! Then we both come across sleepy Jessie and Punja, the fluffy snow leopards. :-) Apart from the big cats there are also coatis, raccoons, meekats. For an additional £1 per bag, you can feed the following animals, sheep, alpacas, wallabys, goats and farm type mammals. However, I was disappointed that we couldn't get to see the Egyptian Fruit Bats, this is due to the fact that the bat house is currently under construction at this present time. Another disappointing factor was that of the European Wolves, as myself and my partner felt they did not have enough room to "swing a cat" Would love to see them in a much bigger environment!!
Because my partner has never seen a white tiger before, I knew this would be the perfect place to show him and boy was my partner in for a treat. Baikal is absolutely stunning, my partner described him as one of the biggest tigers he's ever seen. It was a shame to see Baikal alone in his penn. Having walked around the other side to where Baikal was, Rocky, Siberia and Aleena were altogether having an exploring expedition. Amongst the gorgeous tigers, amazingly there were 2 beautiful jaguars (very shy, bless them!!!) they're patterned skins alone are just incredible!! Then we both come across sleepy Jessie and Punja, the fluffy snow leopards. :-) Apart from the big cats there are also coatis, raccoons, meekats. For an additional £1 per bag, you can feed the following animals, sheep, alpacas, wallabys, goats and farm type mammals. However, I was disappointed that we couldn't get to see the Egyptian Fruit Bats, this is due to the fact that the bat house is currently under construction at this present time. Another disappointing factor was that of the European Wolves, as myself and my partner felt they did not have enough room to "swing a cat" Would love to see them in a much bigger environment!!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Only heard of this place a few months ago when we picked up a leaflet from another local zoo to it. Wish we'd known about it sooner as it is a great place.
We used tesco vouchers to get in but it costs just under £20 per adult.
One of the main things we liked was that all the kids play stuff is at the front of the park seperate from the animals (we don't have kids so it is quite peaceful in the zoo and we can enjoy it).
Paradise is (I think) the only UK zoo with all 5 major cats - they have white lions, a white tiger and regular tigers, a cheetah, jaguars (with adorable baby at the mo) and a pair of snow leopards. They have an ocelot as well.
The big cat high walkways are great, you get to see them from a different perspective as well as seeing them from ground level. Also there is a nice cafe that has glass looking out onto the tigers.
Elsewhere around the park there are loada more animals with other good viewing platforms and walkthroughs. They even have some theming in places which is unusual for a zoo but a nice touch.
We didn't get to watch any animal shows but we still spent about 3 hours there, managing to walk around a few times. Make sure you take your time watching the animals, we got to see the baby jaguar playing just like a kitten with her mum by spending 10 mins next to the cage.
All in all an enjoyable visit!
We used tesco vouchers to get in but it costs just under £20 per adult.
One of the main things we liked was that all the kids play stuff is at the front of the park seperate from the animals (we don't have kids so it is quite peaceful in the zoo and we can enjoy it).
Paradise is (I think) the only UK zoo with all 5 major cats - they have white lions, a white tiger and regular tigers, a cheetah, jaguars (with adorable baby at the mo) and a pair of snow leopards. They have an ocelot as well.
The big cat high walkways are great, you get to see them from a different perspective as well as seeing them from ground level. Also there is a nice cafe that has glass looking out onto the tigers.
Elsewhere around the park there are loada more animals with other good viewing platforms and walkthroughs. They even have some theming in places which is unusual for a zoo but a nice touch.
We didn't get to watch any animal shows but we still spent about 3 hours there, managing to walk around a few times. Make sure you take your time watching the animals, we got to see the baby jaguar playing just like a kitten with her mum by spending 10 mins next to the cage.
All in all an enjoyable visit!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Went here in August for my 3rd visit. It is a lovely park for the kids. It is not too big and the splash area is a little bonus. The only think I would say about our visit this year was they have added lots of extra things but these all cost extra money on top of the ticket price. This can make it expensive. We queued to feed the birds with nectar to find that when we got to the front that is was extra per person. This was the case for a lot of things.
I would suggest taking your own food as the food & drinks are expensive too. We bought 2 hot drinks which were in 2 little cardboard cups out of a machine & cost us nearly £8.
The little splash pool is nice of the weather is good. Last year it was very green when we visited in August & there was a sign up saying this was ok to go in as it had been treated. My son was ill that night so I am not so sure it was ok. But thankfully the splash pool this time looked clean.
We overall had a good time but I am not so sure I would go back again.
I would suggest taking your own food as the food & drinks are expensive too. We bought 2 hot drinks which were in 2 little cardboard cups out of a machine & cost us nearly £8.
The little splash pool is nice of the weather is good. Last year it was very green when we visited in August & there was a sign up saying this was ok to go in as it had been treated. My son was ill that night so I am not so sure it was ok. But thankfully the splash pool this time looked clean.
We overall had a good time but I am not so sure I would go back again.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We visited with grandchildren aged 1 and 4. The playground areas are excellent with a wide range of activities although most were in the open air and our experience would have been different if it had rained.
We had lunch in Safari Sam's which was about as you would expect. Fairly basic but with a reasonable choice for the adults and children.
The wildlife element of the park is not extensive but it is well presented.
Well worth a visit.
We had lunch in Safari Sam's which was about as you would expect. Fairly basic but with a reasonable choice for the adults and children.
The wildlife element of the park is not extensive but it is well presented.
Well worth a visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
If you do not have a car the nearest railway station is Broxbourne, you can ring for transport and there is a cost of £3 return for an adult. There is plenty for the kids to do
and numerous food outlets. Fabulous to see the animals so close up especially the wild cats and the zebra. You get some great views of the cats from the tree top walkway. It was great to listen to a talk on the red pandas and seeing them being fed. As a speedway fan of many years, had a brilliant time walking around the speedway museum seeing all the exhibits and memorabilia and having my picture taken on a bike. The museum is situated just by the entrance to the park. All the staff were very friendly and helpful.
and numerous food outlets. Fabulous to see the animals so close up especially the wild cats and the zebra. You get some great views of the cats from the tree top walkway. It was great to listen to a talk on the red pandas and seeing them being fed. As a speedway fan of many years, had a brilliant time walking around the speedway museum seeing all the exhibits and memorabilia and having my picture taken on a bike. The museum is situated just by the entrance to the park. All the staff were very friendly and helpful.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great place, loads of different animals to see. The park is very well structured over a large plot of land. Very very kid friendly with play parks and the staff give the best talks with a lot of information about their animals and the species in general. The big cats are by far the most interesting for me, yet the smaller cuter animals also are impressive to see. Amazingly large enclosures for all animals, they clearly love being there!
Also, there’s a really lovely ‘woodland walk’ with excellent teaching guides throughout the park for kids and adults to learn things they never thought they would about wildlife, and their homes!
Also, there’s a really lovely ‘woodland walk’ with excellent teaching guides throughout the park for kids and adults to learn things they never thought they would about wildlife, and their homes!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I actually enjoyed my afternoon here but the park it's self is quite small , the big cat collection was very impressive and you felt very close to the animals , that said the entry price was quite exspensive for an afternoon and you would be hard pushed to stretch a day out of it , the prince I guess is reflective of everything nowadays in the U.K.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
