Places to see

Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve

I went on a short break to Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve without knowing much about it - and was absolutely astounded by what greeted me. Situated near Ashford in Kent, this place is as far away from a zoo as you could possibly imagine. It is 600 acres of "Animal wonderland" - somewhere that puts its animals before anything else; but where its human visitors are given first class treatment too

From the moment you enter the park, the magic begins - you can check what time the daily activities, animal talks and feeds take place. It is all about learning how their animals live, breed and survive.

The park covers such a vast area, that depending what overnight accommodation you have chosen - you may be entitled to a golf buggy to travel around in. I can definitely recommend choosing very carefully, because if you don't have a buggy - you have some serious ground to cover "on foot"!

The pathways are tastefully named and you really do get the feeling that you are going into the unknown. As well as the animals to see, there is a wooden playground for the children, several places to get refreshments and relax overlooking some fabulous vistas. The enclosures have been made to replicate the animals natural habitats, and are so big that it isn't always easy to spot them - nothing at all like a zoo. Here are a few of the first animals I spotted ..................

Included in each stay is an hour long safari, which has to be pre-booked. It takes you in a big, old truck, driving through adjacent parkland which is sectioned into different zones of the world (Africa, Asia etc).

If you are lucky, you get to see animals living as close to nature as it is possible to in the UK. The Parkland is so vast, you can't always see everything that is out there roaming about - a pair of binoculars is a good idea.

As well as the safari, Port Lympne has a fabulous Dinosaur Forest which is well worth exploring - containing life-size replicas of our extinct cousins. There were dozens more than what you can see below! It is a good idea to go at dusk.........for more "atmosphere"!

There are information boards throughout the forest explaining what "Age" you were walking through, such as the Jurassic Age etc; as well as information on the different species of dinosaur.

If it is real life animals you want to see more of, there is no shortage of them here - over 900 rare and endangered animals. There isn't just one area with tigers, lions, monkeys or rhinos - there are several for each species. So you get the chance to see them in many different ways and in different settings. It is possible to book experiences or encounters with certain animals and perhaps get the chance to feed them. These include ones with Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Rhinos, Red Pandas, Leopards and several types of primates including the Baboons and Gorillas.

Because I was stopping overnight, it gave me the chance to see the animals at dusk and again at dawn - when the crowds had gone home and there were only a handful of people left in the park. This was the most special time - it was as if I was having my own personal show. To hear the lions calling each other from one side of the park to the other was deafening - apparently you can hear their roar up to 5 miles away...........and my sleeping accommodation was about 20 yards away!!!

One of my favourite enclosures was the European Brown Bear enclosure; it was very hard to spot the bear. But after waiting patiently at dusk, it came out of the shrub (where it was so well hidden) and sat on a branch of the tree for a while - before disappearing again.

The day didn't seem to end, there was just too much to see - but I did spend a delightful hour or so at Babydoll's Italian Restaurant. There are several places to get refreshments throughout the park such as the Garden Room (in the middle of the park by the stunning Hotel building), Bear Lodge Restaurant and Basecamp Cafe next to where you queue up to go on safari. The food at Babydoll's (named after one of the parks oldest Apes) was first class, it had been highly recommended by the minibus shuttle driver (who took us from our accommodation to the restaurant) and he was so right. The menus for all the eateries can be found on the website so that you can decide where you want to eat beforehand - booking is recommended.

Eventually it was time to go to bed - and that was an adventure in itself! I had never been to bed in a shed before - this was Glamping with a difference. The shed / hut had room for four people to sleep, with ample storage space, all linen and towels provided, tea and coffee making facilities and a heater. There was a shower block close by, under the trees - which was immaculately kept; where you could also wash any pots etc if need be. The huts were positioned around a central fire-pit and type of conservatory where you could relax watching TV or playing games.

When darkness fell and the fire pit was lit, we were able to toast our complimentary marshmallows under the stars............with the lions and tigers calling each other only a few yards away. It was the most magical experience - the whole day had been really and I couldn't wait for the next day!

The next morning I woke early (what a surprise), and wandered around the sleepy park watching the animals rise from their slumber. There was no people, no noise, no stress - there was such calmness everywhere. I had paid for an extra safari which was looking for the giraffes and getting the chance to feed them if I was lucky. This time it was in a much smaller vehicle with only about a dozen people. We headed out the same way, through the Kent savannah - passing different animals in "Asia" and then into "Africa"!

Our driver / ranger was brilliant - he told us how the reserve's main aim is to try and ensure the survival of endangered animals and how it is a breeding sanctuary for many of these animals - returning as many as possible to their natural homes. Many rhinos have been bred and returned to Africa, and locals employed to protect them from poachers; and dozens of gorillas have been bred and sent to the Congo - as well as hundreds of other species that have been returned to the wild - where they should be!

Once our driver spotted the group of giraffes, he headed "off road" up the hill; we couldn't drive too close to them else they would have been spooked and run away. But our guide had given us lots of fresh willow branches and we were told to hold them out trying to entice the giraffes to come over for a tasty snack.

Often the giraffes would come over - but not that day. Although it was an absolute delight just to watch them!

But our guide would not be beaten - he was determined we would get our chance of a lifetime to feed a giraffe. So we drove to one of the giraffe houses and there was a giraffe just waiting for a tasty snack or two!

It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, as had the whole time at Port Lympne been. I would never have believed how strong giraffes were and how I was nearly lifted off my feet when he took a bite of my willow branch. It is definitely worth doing the extra giraffe safari, not just for the experience but to give something more to the Aspinall Foundation - who are world leaders in reintroducing captive-bred animals back into their own natural habitats.

There are 14 different ways to spend the night or nights at Port Lympne, from Glamping under the stars like I did, being spoilt in the hotel-like Mansion, getting up close and very personal in the Lion Lodges, Tiger Lodges, Bear Lodges and many others. I think it will have to be the Giraffe Lodges for me next time - I would love to wake up seeing a giraffe having his breakfast on the veranda of my tent.

Or if animals aren't your "thing", you can always have a night star-gazing in one of these pods.

The mansion is quite a place, as well as first class accommodation, its gardens are immaculately kept - offering expansive views right over to the south coast.

Just one thing! When you are looking for the Hippo Pond...............you won't find any real life hippos - just this one below.

I cannot recommend this place enough, it really is one of a kind. Its staff are so friendly and helpful - to humans - as well as the way they care for their animals; and everyone's living quarters are spotlessly kept.

https://www.portlympne.com

The Aspinall Foundation