Kent with Kids: Howletts Wild Animal Park Review

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Welcome to my review of Howletts Wild Animal Park – a lovely zoo nestled in the picturesque countryside of Kent. As a dedicated conservation sanctuary, Howletts is committed to the protection and reintroduction of endangered species – so entrance costs go to a great cause, as well as it being a lovely day out for the kids. So let me tell you all about our visit to Howletts Wild Animal Park and, alongside my review, I’ll give you some money saving tips for cheaper tickets (including kids go free!), details about its location and facilities, photos and lots of other information that will be useful for your zoo visit.

Visit: May 2024 (Updated February 2025)

Where is Howletts Zoo and how do I get there?

Situated in Bekesbourne in Kent, just three miles south of Canterbury, Howletts Wild Animal Park is easily accessible by both car and public transport – for those driving, the zoo is conveniently located off the A2 near Canterbury. (The postcode for Sat Nav is CT4 5EL.) The journey from Canterbury to Howletts is only around 10 minutes by car; from Whitstable or Folkestone it’ll take around 30 minutes; and from Broadstairs or Ashford it’s around a 35 minute drive. Visitors arriving by train can travel to Bekesbourne Train Station – it’s actually only a mile from Howletts Zoo but it would be best to arrange a taxi from the station, as the route along the road has no path so it’s not pedestrian-friendly.

How big is Howletts Zoo and what animals are there?

Spanning 90 acres of ancient parkland, Howletts is home to over 390 animals across 44 species. Notable residents include the UK’s largest herd of African elephants, western lowland gorillas, Sumatran tigers and Kent’s only giant anteaters. The park’s expansive enclosures are designed to replicate natural habitats. Howletts Wild Animal Park is not as big as its sister site Port Lympne, and it’s flatter too, so it can be an easier option if you’re looking for a Kent zoo visit suitable for small children and pushchairs.

Howletts Wild Animal Park also has some immersive experiences, with a walk-through enclosure where visitors can observe free-roaming lemurs up close. There’s also an area dedicated to animals of the Ice Age which features life-sized sculptures of prehistoric creatures. For us, we absolutely loved the elephants and were fortunate to be able to enjoy our lunch at a picnic table near their enclosure, so it was magical to watch them whilst we ate. As well as the elephants, the monkeys were so adorable – there were a few babies being carried around by their mums and they were absolutely gorgeous so that was a real highlight of our day.

When are the Howletts elephants going to Africa?

In line with its conservation goals, Howletts has embarked on an ambitious project to reintroduce its African elephants to their native habitat in Kenya. The initiative aims to relocate their elephants to protected reserves in Africa, ensuring their survival and contribution to wild populations. It’ll obviously be a massive undertaking to fly the herd of elephants to Africa so, despite it being announced a few years ago, there doesn’t seem to be a set timeline at the moment. For now you can still enjoy the elephants at Howletts Zoo – and it’ll likely be one of the best parts of your day!

What time does Howletts open?

Howletts Wild Animal Park has seasonal opening hours – over the winter months the zoo is only open Friday – Sunday each week, and then from the end of March they re-open daily. However, they also open daily over February half-term too – so do check their website for school holiday visits as the days and times may vary. The winter opening times are 10am-4pm, but from the 29th of March 2025 (when daily opening times resume) they’ll be open from 9.30am-5pm.

Kent with Kids, Howletts Wild Animal Park Review, frugal mum zoo review, photo of gorilla enclosure

What facilities are there at Howletts Wild Animal Park?

The zoo is well-equipped to ensure a comfortable visit – The Pavilion Restaurant offers a variety of meals and refreshments, with ample seating both indoors and outdoors. There are also numerous picnic spots scattered throughout the park for those who prefer to bring their own food, and obviously this will be a great way to keep costs down too. We did grab some ice-creams for the kids and they were a bit pricey, so I would recommend bringing a packed lunch. There’s a large outdoor play area so the kids can let off some steam, and some grassy spots for running around too. The majority of the park is accessible via flat or gently sloping paths, so it’s wheelchair and buggy friendly. Dogs aren’t allowed at Howletts due to the animals.

Howletts or Port Lympne – which zoo is better?

Both Howletts and Port Lympne are owned and operated by The Aspinall Foundation, a charity established in 1984 by the late John Aspinall. While the two parks share a common mission, they are separate entities and each zoo offers unique attractions and a different experience. I would say that Howletts is more focussed on providing close-up views of their animals from the pathways, and it’s smaller and flatter, so its ideal for families with young children or those preferring a traditional zoo layout.

On the other hand, though Port Lympne is hilly and harder to walk around, it has a fantastic safari-style experience so I think it’s more well-suited for visitors seeking an immersive wildlife adventure. If you want to hop on a safari truck, and potentially get a closer look at the animals like the giraffes, then Port Lympne might be more your style. There are also different animals at the parks too – so that might impact your decision as well. Howletts is great for the elephants, whilst the giraffes at Port Lympne are magical. If you fancy visiting both zoos then you can get from Howletts Wild Animal Park to Port Lympne in around 40 minutes.

How much are tickets to Howletts Zoo? (And money saving tips!)

I hope that my review and information about Howletts Wild Animal Park has been helpful – ticket prices for this zoo really vary (as they often run offers) but typically adult tickets are £26 and children range from free to around £20 depending on the date. So, here’s how you can make the most of their offers and discounts to make your visit more affordable.

Kids Go Free During Half Term: Howletts Zoo often run promotions where children enter for free during half-term holidays. For example, this offer is running for February half term 2025, and it was running when we visited last May too – so plan your visits around the best offers. I’ve also noticed some weekends, outside of peak season, where kids tickets come up as £10 per child on their website, so use the calendar to see what’s on offer.
Blue Peter Badge Holders: Unfortunately children can no longer enter for free with a Blue Peter Badge at Howletts Wild Animal Park. However, Blue Peter Badges are amazing as they offer kids free entry for over 200 UK attractions – so make sure you read my guide on how to get a Blue Peter Badge as it’s well worth the effort and it’s saved us a fortune on days out!
Check out the ‘Love to Visit’ website: ‘Love to Visit’ sell discounted tickets for attractions all over the UK and at the time of me updating this article (May 2025) they’re offering a 30% discount on Howletts tickets – so check there first! (They’ve got 25% off of Port Lympne tickets too!)

Howletts Wild Animal Park is a lovely day out to enjoy with the kids if you’re in Kent, and it’s definitely worth a visit. The tickets can be a bit pricey, so plan your visit around their ‘kids go free’ offers and it’ll make your day out so much more affordable. Have a great time. 😊