THE ULTIMATE STAYCATION SAFARI
THE ULTIMATE STAYCATION SAFARI Port Lympne Reserve, Lympne (Nr Hythe), Kent Despite the feeling that covid has “gone away now”, which we all know is not entirely the case, many people are still opting for a staycation rather than travelling abroad, and that is ok when it would have been a week’s holiday in the sun to Spain or the like, but what about if you want to go on safari to see the ‘Big 5’ (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo)? Well, for those who want this incredible experience, I now have the most perfect UK option, namely Port Lympne, not in deepest darkest Africa, but in the sunny depths of Kent near to Folkestone. The first thing I need to be very clear about at the outset is that Port Lympne is not a zoo. It is instead a breeding sanctuary set up to protect endangered species from extinction, where it lets visitors see, and learn about the animals they are saving, in enclosures designed with the animals in mind. This means that the enclosures are large and full of natural foliage, allowing the animals privacy to protect their wellbeing by recreating their natural habitats in the wild as much as they can. This makes it sometimes harder to spot some of the animals, but you will see them, and searching for them is an integral part of the fun of going on safari and a small price to pay to protect their mental health. Many of the animals here will be sent back to the wild, to boost numbers and ensure breeds do not become extinct. To that end, at Port
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Lympne, animals come first, and the love and respect that all their staff have for the animals they look after is a joy to see, and for me makes this a place not only to visit, but to support as well. Port Lympne is set in over 600 acres and is home to over 900 rare and endangered animals, creating a unique family adventure, either in one day, or several days if you opt for a season pass. The cost of a day ticket is £29 for an adult and £26 for a child (which includes a 10% donation for animal conservation), and this enables you to walk around the park all day, visit the dinosaur zone as well as having a 1 ½ hour escorted safari through the park.
Alternatively, you can stay a few days, as Port Lympne have truly amazing and diverse options for staying on site. There are 14 different types of accommodation around the reserve so your party can choose the accommodation that would suit your party’s size and requirements best. These include glamping at Bear Lodge, two-bedroom Treehouses, up to the sumptuous luxury lodges such as Lion Lodge and Tiger Lodge, that are truly amazing, with spectacular, private viewing opportunities to some of the more spectacular animals. There will definitely be one which caters for your taste and pocket, with some more geared to families and some more romantic breaks for couples. We originally visited Port Lympne six years ago when we stayed in a Treehouse, so we know how much there is to see, and we were delighted when we were invited back to stay in the newly built, luxurious Wigwams at Leopards Creek.
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