longleat safari park animals

Longleat Safari Park: The incredible animals you can see up close

It is Wiltshire's only zoo, but how well do you know which animals you can actually visit at Longleat Safari Park?

• 12:18, 14 JUL 2021
• Updated 16:16, 14 JUL 2021

When you are planning a day out with the kids and you decide a trip to a zoo is on the cards, they’re bound to ask whether they will be able to see their favourite animal…whether it’s a wolf, a giraffe or some other exotic animal.

Wiltshire Live has put together a list of some of the most exciting and entertaining animals you could see up close at Longleat Safari Park - Wiltshire’s only zoo. Though if you’re in the north of the county, Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford, Oxfordshire is probably closer.

Located just outside Warminster, the 900-acre park is home to more than 500 animals - many of which can be seen in the lengthy drive-through, giving you a great view of them from the comfort of your own vehicle.

Read more: James Blunt, Robbie Williams, Zoella and other celebrities with Wiltshire connections

And if you’re a fan of cheeky monkeys, there’s a drive-through monkey enclosure too. Be warned though, the mischievous little beings like to remove bits of vehicles for their own entertainment so you’re able to skip that section if you want to - it’s probably best if you don’t fancy a repair bill.

So, what can you see at Longleat?

1. Elephants

Well, an elephant - just the one. Anna came to the safari park in 2011 after 55 years in the circus. She hasn't been around another elephant for the last 19 years.

2. Sea lions

You’ll need to be prepared to board a boat to see them. Californian sea lions can be found in the huge lake - but prepare to get splashed when they leap out into the air at feeding time.

While you’re cruising along on the boat watching the sea lions, you might spot two of the lake’s resident hippos - Spot and Sonia. But hippos being hippos, they may not be visible so prepare to be disappointed.

4. Gorillas

If you’re on the boat, on the lake, you’ll pass Gorilla Colony, an island home to several gorillas. If you’re really keen on getting up close and personal, Longleat offers VIP experience days - pay extra to feed them face-to-face with a keeper.

The park is home to two dozen lions, which can be viewed from your vehicle as you embark on the drive-through.

Siberian beasts, endangered Amur tigers can also be spotted on the drive-through. There are believed to be only between 350 and 400 adults left in the wild, so it’s quite the sight.

If you’re 10 years old, rhinos are probably pretty exciting animals to see. They’re huge, angry-looking characters with massive horns on their heads! Luckily, Longleat is home to four named Nanju, Marashi, Razina and Ebun. They’re known to charge, sometimes at vehicles - but armored tractors are nearby, ready to keep them in line where necessary.

If you’re feeling brave, drive through the monkey enclosure - it’ll usually give you a great laugh. If you'd rather avoid the possible repair bill accumulated by the rascals, you can easily bypass them.

Wolf Wood is home to plenty of grey wolves (though they aren’t always grey, they come in many colours). The park’s pack is made up of eight, but generally, you won’t be getting any special views during the day - they’re most active at night.

State-of-the-art Koala Creek is home to a group of Southern koalas and they are believed to be the only ones living in Britain.

11. Giraffes

In winter, the Rothschild's giraffes spend most of their time inside. If it’s reasonably warm outside, they’ll be roaming around their reserve. You can even purchase a VIP experience day, where you’ll get to spend time up close to the beautiful beings for a minimum of 30 minutes.

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Black and white beauties, everyone loves a zebra. They live in a 60-acre African enclosure with a group of giraffes.

13. Red pandas

Did we leave the cutest to last? Cuddly red pandas can usually be found snoozing in their open enclosure, which even allows you to view them when they're inside.

They might not be included in the main list, but we should probably mention that you can also see cheetahs, otters, lemurs, deer, tortoises, penguins, parrots and much more.

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Longleat Safari & Adventure Park, Warminster, United Kingdom

01985 844400

www.longleat.co.uk

In 1966, Longleat became the first location outside Africa to open a drive-through Safari. Over 50 years on, Longleat remains one of the UK’s leading tourist attractions. Boasting animals, Elizabethan architecture, 900 acres of parkland, and easy access from the A350, A36 and A361 Longleat truly is the perfect choice for a day out.

A trip to  Longleat  affords you the chance to immerse yourselves in the majesty of the impressive animals, moving freely across hundreds of acres of land; including zebra, giraffe, tigers, rhino, flamingo, cheetahs, and of course Longleat’s famous lions.

Stop at the African Village to walk amongst the lemurs and spot the lofty giraffes. Maybe grab a slice of cake at the Watering Hole and take a look out across the Zebra Plains. Don’t forget to visit Wallaby Walk and Warthog Ridge too!

There’s no need to book a time to come through the safari, just drive up from the main entrance with your tickets when you are ready to begin your wild adventure. The Safari Drive-Through is open at different times throughout the year so if you’re curious, do check on the website or call on 01985 844328 to discuss planning your day. Access to the Safari Drive-Through and the African Village are included in the Day Ticket; so there will be no surprise charges!

Longleat House, the beating heart of Longleat, was substantially completed by 1580 and is the current home to the 7 th  Marquess of Bath and three generations of the Thynne family. As well as being packed to the rafters with priceless antiques; the abundance of artistry and flair that the House exudes will capture imaginations of those young, and young at heart.

Longleat  may be best known for its Safari Park and Elizabethan stately Home, but it also represents a prime example of ‘Capability’ Brown’s exquisite style.

Lancelot Brown, who was born in 1716 and nicknamed ‘Capability’ for his apt persuasion of wealthy clients that their estates had ‘capability’ for improvement, employed his talents at Longleat between 1757 and 1762. With the assistance of the 1 st  Marquess of Bath the estate was transformed. Preceding this, Longleat had embraced the former fashion for formal gardens (boasting a Baroque Garden designed by George London in the 1660’s) but developments were made for something more natural. Brown established undulating lawns, peppered with trees and lakes. He went on to undertake extensive planting throughout the estate, and created the Pleasure Walk arboretum, which can still be enjoyed by visitors today.

Naturally, Brown’s work at Longleat has not gone untouched, but the fact that the estate remains largely Brown’s is an enduring testament to his work and style.

Longleat’s eccentric history, along with its firm home in the hearts of children and adults cements it as one of Britain’s most remarkable visitor attractions.

• Groups of 12+ receive generous discounts and exclusive perks such as complimentary driver tickets and lunches, and organiser tickets.
• Contact the dedicated groups team on 01985 844328 or email  [email protected] .

Longleat The Estate Office, Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 7NW Telephone: 01985 844328 Email:  [email protected] Website:  www.longleat.co.uk Faceboook:  www.facebook.com/longleat Twitter:  www.twitter.com/Longleat

Discover Animals is a small team dedicated to bringing you the latest conservation and nature news. If you enjoy our content, please support our work with a donation from as little as £1.

In 1966, Longleat became the first location outside Africa to open a drive-through Safari. Over 50 years on, Longleat remains one of the UK’s leading tourist attractions. Boasting animals, Elizabethan architecture, 900 acres of parkland, and easy access from the A350, A36 and A361 Longleat truly is the perfect choice for a day out. A trip to Longleat affords you the chance to … Read more

Wildlife you might see at Longleat

Asian Elephant

The elephant of southern Asia. Is smaller than the African elephant, with smaller ears and only one lip to the trunk. It is often tamed as a beast of burden in India. Listed as endangered since 1986.

White Rhino

The largest and most numerous species of two-horned African rhinoceros. Has a broad, straight mouth and the widest set nostrils of any land based animal. Is the most social of all rhino species.

Known to travel up to 1,000 km (620 mi), they inhabit mainly the Sikhote Alin mountain region with a small population in southwest Primorye province in the Russian Far East.

Humboldt Penguin

A south American Penguin that breeds in coastal Peru and Chile, is named after the cold water current it swims in. It is classified as a threatened species with an estimated 3,300 to 12,000 population.

A large slender spotted cat found in Africa and parts of Asia. It’s the fastest animal on land, with their large nostrils and enlarged heart and lungs working together to circulate oxygen efficiently.

A large African mammal with a very long neck and forelegs, having a coat patterned with brown patches separated by lighter lines. It is the tallest living animal.

African Lion

Lions are unusually social compared to other cats, living in groups called prides. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest.

Rainbow Lorikeet

It is a species of Australasian parrot, and has a very bright plumage. The head is deep blue, the belly & rest of the upper parts are deep green, a red chest, and yellow thighs and rump.

Californian Sea Lion

An eared seal occurring mainly on Pacific coasts, the large male of which has a mane on the neck and shoulders. They are particularly intelligent and can be trained to perform various tasks.

Western Lowland Gorilla

One of two subspecies of the western gorilla, it is the smallest and can be found in Central Africa, in forests and lowland swamps. It is the gorilla normally found in zoos. Discover Animals is a small team dedicated to bringing you the latest conservation and nature news. If you enjoy our content, please support … Read more

A small mammal belonging to the mongoose family, found in Botswana, Namibia, southwestern Angola and South Africa. Most travel in groups of around 20 meerkats, this is called a “mob”, “gang” or “clan”.

Common Hippo

Recognisable by their barrel-shaped torsos, massive jaws and large tusks, nearly hairless bodies, stubby legs and great size. They are semi-aquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps.

Native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, it is a small arboreal mammal classified as vulnerable with an estimated population of less than 10,000. Discover Animals is a small team dedicated to bringing you the latest conservation and nature news. If you enjoy our content, please support our work with a donation from as … Read more

Giant Anteater

Giant anteaters are usually found in tropical and deciduous forests as well as the grasslands of Central and South America. They do not have any teeth but have a tongue which is more than 60cm in length and a tiny 1.25mm wide which they put to good use by eating over 30000 insects per day! … Read more

Caribbean Flamingo

Smaller on average than greater flamingos, their life expectancy of 40 years is one of the longest in birds. Most of its plumage is pink, giving rise to its earlier name of rosy flamingo. Discover Animals is a small team dedicated to bringing you the latest conservation and nature news. If you enjoy our content, … Read more

It is not a distinct genetic group, with many categories such as the agile and the red-necked wallaby. They tend to look similar to kangaroos but smaller in size, and have powerful hind legs & tails.

Family and group offers at Longleat

2 thoughts on “longleat”.

It would be lovely to see African elephants and giant panda’s.

you can see giant pandas in edinburgh zoo

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Longleat Safari Park

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LONGLEAT SAFARI PARK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Mon - Thu 10:00 - 17:00
• Fri - Sun 10:00 - 19:00
• (0.41 mi) Longleat Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite
• (1.57 mi) Mill Farm Horningsham
• (4.87 mi) Stay at Penny's Mill
• (4.81 mi) Old Parsonage House
• (5.22 mi) Home Farm Boreham
• (1.02 mi) The Royal Oak
• (1.79 mi) Las Iguanas
• (3.91 mi) Taste Deli
• (3.34 mi) The High Pavement
• (2.72 mi) The Fox
• (0.62 mi) Longleat House
• (0.47 mi) Longleat
• (1.48 mi) Aqua Sana Longleat Forest
• (3.60 mi) JET-EX Simulation
• (8.08 mi) Great Western Airsports

Explore the UK's first safari park at Longleat

Longleat, wiltshire.

Feed giraffes by hand and walk on the wildside with lemurs at this popular safari park, found in the picturesque grounds of historic Longleat House.

First opened in 1966, Longleat Safari Park was the first drive-through attraction of its kind outside Africa, and it's still running strong today. With countless species of animals and attractions like Penguin Island, Stingray Bay, Jungle Cruise and an adventure castle, it's a great day out for the entire family. Explore the animal habitats on a road tour through the park, before stepping onto the Main Square and venturing into koala habitats, outdoor playgrounds and hedge mazes.

Special events run throughout the year, including the ever-popular Festival of Lights over the Christmas period; this large display of illuminated Chinese lanterns adorns the entire parkland and adds a touch of festivity to everything. And, of course, visitors can also extend their stay in the area with a tour through Longleat House and its surrounding pleasure gardens.

Longleat Safari Park is due to re-open on Monday 15 June - make sure to check the website through the link below for availability and opening times.

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• Longleat Safari Park
• Visitor Information
• Photo Gallery

Longleat Safari Park The Estate Office Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 7NW Tel: 01985 844400

About Longleat Safari Park

Longleat Safari Park is off the A36 between Bath and Salisbury, Wiltshire, and is a family attraction with a host of entertainments that add up to a special family day out. 

Longleat Safari Park opened in the grounds of Longleat House in 1966 and was the first drive-through safari park outside Africa. A ticket to Longleat Safari Park grants the visitor access to the magnificent House, home to the 7th Marquess of Bath, and a family attraction in its own right. 

Longleat House is set in 900 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds, mainly completed by 1580. The family attraction is one of the best examples of Elizabethan architecture in the country and is a palatial stately home with grand interiors. It sits by a lake within 8000 acres of glorious parkland, its highlights including the Half Mile Pond reshaped by Humphrey Repton, home to Longleat Safari Park’s resident lowland gorilla, Nico. He enjoys creature comforts such as a centrally-heated miniature stately home, satellite TV and computer games! Also resident at Half Mile Lake are awesome Common Hippopotamus, which can be viewed from two £250,000 boats launched in 2007.  

Russell Page rearranged the gardens in the 1960s and created the floral splendour of Longcombe Drive’s azaleas and rhododendrons. The 7th Marquess then laid the Yin-Yang garden in 1964, and mazes including the Love Labyrinth, Sun Maze and Lunar Labyrinth, completing them in 1996. 

Longleat Safari Park has over 500 animals maintained in numerous Safari Park Reserves. The family attraction’s 60-acre East African Game Reserve features slender giraffes (reaching a height of 5.5 metres) and graceful zebras, Llamas, and Camels, on a 25-hectare reserve viewed from the Observation Platform at the Trading Post Picnic Area. Also on show are Tapir, Ostriches and Pygmy Goats, while other highlights are rare white rhino, Ankole Cattle, with two-metre horns, Père David’s Deer, Oryx, Eland, bongos, Warthogs and Guineafowl. Nearby, Wallaby Wood has resident red-necked wallabies, along with Pygmy Goats. 

Longleat Safari Park’s Flamingo Valley is a sanctuary not only for the pink Chilean birds, but also Spoonbills and Sacred Ibis, plus many types of duck – worth the ticket alone for twitchers! The same goes for the Vulture Venue aviary and its five pairs of African vultures. 

The family attraction’s Monkey Jungle houses the natural performers that are the monkeys, who share their domain with powerful Indian Water Buffalo and Black Buck. The Rhesus Macaques feed on the apples, oranges, dog biscuits and maize scattered around their enclosure to encourage foraging – when they’re not engaged in their other past-time of car aerial-bending!  

Longleat Safari Park’s dedicated Deer Park has contained Deer since fencing was erected by Sir John Thynne in 1540. Ticket holders can buy food to feed them.   The Pelican Pond boasts the first breeding group of Pink-Backed Pelicans in the British Isles, while the Wolf Wood has a pack of once-native wolves. 

Longleat Safari Park’s Tiger Territory is a must-see at the family attraction, housing the world’s biggest big cats in the shape of three (Siberian) Amur Tigers and one Bengal Tiger. Vying for the big cat crown, Lion Country has enclosures for two prides of the naturally territorial African and Barbary lions, which have been at Longleat Safari Park since day one. They’re fed raw meat and their keepers ensure that the lions ‘work’ for it by hiding meat around their enclosures and using a meat wagon that the lions have to chase. The trees in the enclosures are protected from them as they use them as scratch posts and for territorial marking. A 12-foot scratch post has tempted them away from the family attraction’s 300-year old oaks!

Another popular draw at Longleat Safari Park are the sealions that were first introduced to Half Mile Lake in the 1960s. They live in fresh water and their diet – three-and-a-half kilos of mackerel a day, each – is supplemented by salt to re-create their marine habitat.

As well as exotic species, native ones are represented in Pets Corner by rabbits, guinea pigs and  ferrets, along with more unusual examples such as chinchillas, Marmosets, Macaws, the ever-playful otters, a variety of slithering snakes, lizards and venerable tortoises. A Safari Bus Service is available from Pet’s Corner to various parts of Longleat Safari Park.  Additionally, Longleat Safari Park has another crowd-pleaser in Meerkats, who have their own enclosure next to the waiting area for the Safari Boats. The quirky creatures entertain with mesmerising movements, along with mongoose. 

Longleat Safari Park has been the subject of BBC TV’s Animal Park, hosted by Kate Humble and Ben Fogle, for a number of years, and the stars of the show – the animals, that is – can be seen off set by ticket holders on a family day out. 

Furthermore, the family attraction has woodlands containing 16,000 English Yews and the piece de resistance of Longleat Safari Park’s mazes, Greg Bright’s Hedge Maze. It covers 1.5 acres (0.6 hectares) and its paths extend 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometres). Unusually, it’s three-dimensional, with six wooden bridges providing glimpses of the centre observation tower. Additionally, nine sculpted granite standing stones over five metres tall flank Heaven’s Gate. 

Elsewhere, the family attraction has a narrow gauge steam railway with a 1950’s-style platform, period adverts and other props. Inside Longleat House, another big draw are Lord Bath’s Murals, which can be viewed by ticket holders, as can the Life And Times of Henry Lord Bath Exhibition, the Family Bygones Exhibition, the Scale Model of Longleat, its Mystical Garden, and  King Arthur’s Mirror Maze.  

Enhancing the fun factor at the family day out are a raft of rides, including Motion Simulators, The Tea Cup Ride, and Adventure Castle, besides the tropical Butterfly Garden, which harbours hundreds of exotic species – many as big as a hand. Special feeding stations can be used to feed them with rotting fruit and sugar water. 

As for refreshments on a family day out to Longleat Safari Park, ticket holders can use the Wessex Pavilion and The Cellars Restaurant in the vaults of Longleat House, as well as Picnic Areas on the grass by the Pavilion and the ‘Animal Park’ Exhibition off Main Square. 

For ticket holders looking for a memento of their family day out, Lady Bath’s Shop, the Victorian Kitchen Shop, Trading Post, Noah’s Ark Gift Shop and Longleat Railway Shop cover all bases. For those wishing to take things a step further, a VIP Day is just the ticket, with a guided tour of Longleat Safari Park by one of the wardens in a striped 4×4 Land Rover. Also included on this special family day out are Fast Track entry, a Tour of the Monkey Jungle in a Park vehicle (saving your aerial and windscreen wipers!), a Guide Book and Passport Ticket entry to all Longleat’s family attractions. 

The Longleat Estate provides some of the best quality coarse fishing in Britain on its five lakes, managed since 1989. Besides that angle, many others are covered by Longleat Safari Park’s special arrangements for corporate events and Conferences, weddings, dinners, and themed fun days (see the website for details). With extensive disabled access and facilities, Longleat Safari Park really is a great family day out that everyone can enjoy.   

Longleat House & Safari Park – Lions, Mazes and Wifelets

Longleat House is a place of firsts. In 1547, it was the first house in England to be built in the Classical Rennaisance style.

In 1947, it was the first privately-owned stately home opened to the public.

In 1966, it opened the first drive-through safari park outside Africa and in 1975, it became home to the longest hedge maze in the world.

Here then is our guide to this most singular of stately homes.

Table of Contents

Longleat House

The story of Longleat begins in the 16 th  century – long before the safari, the hedge maze and the 7 th  Marquis with his seventy ‘wifelets’ (we’ll get to that) – with the son of a farmer named John Thynne. Thynne rose rapidly through the social ranks during the reign of Henry VIII to become a trusted steward of Edward Seymour, Lord Protector of England and the Duke of Somerset.

Somerset rewarded Thynne with a knighthood for his service and loyalty on the battlefield of Pinkie in 1547.

The design of Longleat is Thynne’s very own. Perhaps it was the freedom of designing a house without the advice of an architect that allowed Thynne to create an English country house like no other. Longleat was created in the Italianate or Classical Renaissance style and was ground-breaking in its time.

Instead of creating a central courtyard with rooms looking inward, Thynne designed a giant cube of a house with all the major rooms facing outward to give views of the surrounding park.

Queen Elizabeth I

Thynne must have known that he had reached the uppermost echelons of English society and that his home was something of a masterpiece when  Queen Elizabeth I  chose it as one of the stops on her great summer progress of 1575.

At that time, the house was only two storeys high but soon grew to three. Three is the magic number and the façade at Longleat incorporated all three classical ‘orders’ or styles of column in its design: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. Today, the exterior of Longleat House is almost exactly as it was in the 16 th  century.

Historic Treasures

In contrast, the interiors were massively altered in the 19 th  century and only the great hall survives as testament to the first John Thynne’s elegant taste. In the early 1800s Sir Jeffrey Wyatville was hired to give the interiors of Longleat a new lease of life, a task that was later continued by J.D. Crace in the 1870s.

The collection at Longleat, amassed by 15 generations of the Thynne family, features several stunning paintings. A series of hunting scenes painted in the 1730s by John Wooten dominate the cavernous great hall, while paintings by the likes of Titian can be seen hanging elsewhere in the house’s 130 rooms.

Longleat is also home to exquisite tapestries, beautiful examples of hand-painted Chinese wallpaper and a rare collection of large Meissen porcelain.

Longleat is famous too for its libraries.

The first John Thynne began the family tradition of collecting books and manuscripts and created the first library at Longleat in 1577.

Today, Longleat is home to eight libraries in total, including the unique Bishop Ken’s library which runs along the third floor of the entire east front of the house. Bishop Ken of Bath was a friend of the then Lord Weymouth and lived in exile at Longleat from 1691 until his death. The Bishop had been expelled from the church for refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to King William and Queen Mary.

Other Royal Connections

Elizabeth I was not the only reigning monarch to spend the night under the roof of Longleat House.

In 1663 King Charles and Queen Catherine felt secure enough on their throne to leave their home and visit the second John Thynne at Longleat in 1663, just two years after the Restoration.

In thanks, Charles II granted the Thynne family the title Lord Weymouth, a title descendents of the first John Thynne hold to this day.

After the Great War

Which brings us nicely to Longleat in the 20 th  and 21 st  centuries. In the years following the First World War traditional English country houses, especially those of the Ducal variety, became something of an elephant in the room. Times had changed and the country house, as a symbol of privilege, wealth and power, seemed to have no place in the brave new world.

By the time the Second World War had come to an end most of the country houses in England were either badly damaged by bombings or dilapidated, having been used as hospitals and barracks for the last five years.

The post-war years were hard on everyone, the wealthy included, and few could afford the mounting tax bills and costly repairs needed to keep their ancestral piles inhabitable.

Open To The Public

It was in this context that Henry Thynne, 6 th  Marquess of Bath took the unheard of step of opening up his stately home to the public. Amidst a blaze of publicity, Longleat became the first country house to transform itself into a lucrative tourist destination. Soon, a wave of other struggling aristocrats followed suit.

By the mid 1960s, however, the lure of touring Longleat House to catch a glimpse of how the other half lived had begun to wear off. Financial difficulties again threatened the Marquess of Bath’s estate and in an attempt to secure Longleat’s future for the long term he took a bold step.

In 1966, the 6 th  Marquess opened a safari park on the grounds of Longleat, the only such park outside Africa. Longleat soon became synonymous with the lions that roam its grounds and today there are over 500 animals living in the park.

A Colourful Marquess

Longleat is almost as famous for the private life of the 7th Marquess of Bath, Alexander Thynn, as it is for its roaming lions. Alexander took over the marquessate from his father in 1992, by which time he was already notorious for his eccentric and polygamous lifestyle.

As soon as he had the keys to the castle, Alexander set about redecorating the residential parts of Longleat House with his own painted murals. One such mural depicts portions of the karma sutra while others include portraits of Alexander’s seventy ‘wifelets’, many of whom live in cottages on the Longleat Estate.

Alexander is also a great lover of mazes and was responsible for installing the incredible Longleat Hedge Maze in 1975. The longest maze in the world, the hedge maze was later accompanied by the smaller Lunar Labyrinth, Sun Maze, Love Labyrinth and King Arthur’s Maze.

 By Rurik (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

In 2010, Alexander passed the marquessate and the management of the Longleat business to his son Caewlin.

Less than approving of his father’s lifestyle and taste in art, the 8 th  Marquess caused a well-publicised family rift when he removed some of his father’s murals from Longleat’s living quarters.

His father retaliated by refusing to attend his wedding.

Longleat Today

Today, the current Lord and Lady Weymouth and their two children continue to open their home to visitors every day of the week. The safari park at Longleat is a major family attraction that draws in visitors from all over the world, but it is Longleat House itself, an Italianate mansion built by the son of a farmer and visited by Queen Elizabeth I, that is truly extraordinary.

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Longleat House and Safari Park

Longleat house and safari park can be found near the town of warminster..

It is the home of Alexander Thynn, the 7th Marquess of Bath, his son, Viscount Ceawlin Thynn, and Viscountess Emma Weymouth. With  900 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland, a safari park, maze, animal shows and regular events, there’s plenty to see and do.

Stately Home

The beautiful stately home is widely regarded as one of the best examples of high Elizabethan architecture in Britain. Built by Sir John Thynne, it is full of priceless antiques , ornate painted ceilings and one of the largest private book collections in Europe (over 40,000 books). Free flow tours are possible during the main tourist season.

Some of the highlights of the house are The Elizabethan Great Hall (with a minstrels’ gallery), visitor books showing royal signatures, The ante-library and The Breakfast Room with magnificent Venetian paintings on the ceiling, The State Dining Room  with a Meissen porcelain table centrepiece, The State Drawing Room (designed by Crace) and The Grand Staircase.

Today there are over 500 animals in the park from lions, wolves and cheetah’s to camels and mischievous monkeys.

The safari park was opened in 1966 and was the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa. There’s a one way system in operation and a double gate system keeps the animals in the correct enclosure. Beware of the monkeys though – they frequently pull off rubber trim and damage cars, but they can be avoided if desired. There are self drive and guided options.

The Jungle Cruise is a short boat ride on the park’s lake which is home to a large family of sea lions, a pair of hippos and a silverback gorilla called Nico who lives on the central island and is partial to watching TV and drinking hot Ribena.  A cup of fish pieces can be bought on board to feed the seemingly ever-hungry sea lions that follow the boat, diving,  barking and begging for more fish.

The Jungle Kingdom opened in 2011 and includes walk-through exhibits for meerkats and chipmunks and enclosures for otters, binturong, coatis, porcupines, giant anteaters and mara. Nearby is the  Monkey Temple with tiny marmosets running free around the visitors.

In the Animal Adventure section there are many exotic and familiar mammals, birds, reptiles and insects on display, including Macaws, Rabbits, Tortoises, Iguanas, Armadillos and Siberian Weasels.

In March 2019 Koala Creek opened. It’s home to their newest (and furthest travelled) residents; a group of iconic Southern koalas.

If you like getting really close to the animals you can feed the deer and giraffes, give the noisy Rainbow Lorikeets a nectar drink as they perch all over you and walk amongst beautiful butterflies in the hot house. There are also opportunities to hold snakes,  spiders and rodents, supervised by rangers.

Animal Shows

The Hawk Conservancy Trust put on a spectacular 30-minute Hunters of the Sky show featuring more than 10 species of birds of prey in a purpose-built 500-seater outdoor arena. The extraordinary aerial prowess of the birds is demonstrated as you experience the thrill of a vulture’s wings swoop close to your head, and marvel as the majestic eagle taking flight. As well as being entertaining, the show is also educational.

Getting lost is pretty much guaranteed in this high hedged maze. It has 1¾ miles of paths edged with over 16,000 English Yews, with 6 bridges to give tantalising glimpses of the observation tower that is the target.

Annual events

Longleat Festival of Light

Longleat Sky Safari

Photos of Longleat Sky Safari 2019

New tests reveal Longleat painting may be last portrait of Henry VIII painted in his lifetime

The Longleat Horse Trials

New arrivals a handful for keepers at Longleat’s Jungle Kingdom

Wild otter spotted at Longleat

Longleat voted UK’s best animal or sea life attraction

Chris Evans Magnificent Seven at Longleat

Monkeys make the most of the rain

New cheetah drive through

Explore Wiltshire

• Horatio’s Garden South West launches new private tours of the acclaimed, fully accessible garden
• ‘Steve Backshall Live’ returns to Longleat during May half-term
• Wiltshire legends Jesus Jones announce co-headline tour with EMF
• Wiltshire shows off horticultural talent at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024
• Photos of Drowning of the Water Meadows 2024

Spring in Wiltshire

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