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All 261 County Cork Attractions »

Fota Wildlife Park

Carrigtwohill, Ireland
00353214812678
Ranked #43 of 187 attractions in County Cork
4.0 of 5 stars 62 Reviews
Type: Nature/ Wildlife Areas
Owner description: Fota Wildlife Park is Cork's most visited Tourist Attraction and has been awarded best family day out in Cork and Munster. The Park is set on 70 acres...... more » Owner description: Fota Wildlife Park is Cork's most visited Tourist Attraction and has been awarded best family day out in Cork and Munster. The Park is set on 70 acres on the scenic Fota Island in the heart of Cork Harbour only 15 minutes from Cork City (top 10 in the best cities to visit in the Lonely Planet guide's 'Best in Travel 2010').The park is not like an ordinary zoo; here you can come face to face with free roaming animals & birds from all parts of the world. So whether it's a kangaroo that hops in front of you or a ring tailed lemur which jumps down from a tree, each visit is sure to bring its own fantastic memories.In addition to the wonderful array of free roaming animals, visitors also have the opportunity to see highly endangered species such as the Rothschild giraffe, European Bison, Lion Tailed Macaque and Scimitar Horned Oryx, most of them without the obstacle of fenced-in exhibits.This is the most spectacular aspect of Fota Wildlife Park, and is the reason you'll want to spend a full day exploring Ireland's Wildest Attraction. « less
Useful Information: Activities for young children
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62 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    29
    19
    8
    3
    3
Date Rating
Galway, Ireland
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 May 2012 NEW

I am weary writing anything negative because I find Ireland in general has a real shortage of places for families to have a day out and so any effort should be applauded. Has giraffes., zebras, cheetahs, bison, peacocks, eagles and monkeys and ducks, geese. Dont know what else I'd like to see but I had a sense of : "is... More

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cork
Senior Contributor
47 reviews 47 reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
45 helpful votes 45 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2012 NEW

Recently we purchased the season ticket for the fota wildlife park, we were members years ago when our children were small now we are back again with our grandson. He is three and he loves it, It’s a great place for a good walk with animals walking freely around, they are so used to visitors sometimes they just lie in... More

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cork
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 May 2012

this is not a zoo but a wildlife park where the animals can roam freely the walk around is 1.8 kms and the walk is lovely.the best value is if you buy the yearly ticket and don't forget your camera you can even bring a picnic weather permitting the only disapointment is there are no elephants there but i do... More

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Dublin, Ireland
Senior Contributor
35 reviews 35 reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 May 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Everything to do with the animals is cool, the variety is good and the animals look well cared for. The Oasis Cafe is one area for improvement, it has a limited selection full of junk food and unappealing sandwiches Ideally this would be nice Cafe with a nice selection of Soups, Sandwiches & Cake rather than a chip van type... More

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Limerick, Ireland
2 reviews
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2012

I loved it there. The weather was good (which helps). The three kids are young but they managed te OK at thier own pace. The play area breaks up the walk too. I ended up carring the 3 year old on the return section. Next time I'd bring a buggy. We all had our favorite animal but the monkeys are... More

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Cork, Ireland
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 May 2012

What can I say about this place. I first visited almost 30 years ago, and now its our go to location with our kids. I would guess we have visited Fota in each of the 12 months of the year, from Xmas week to the wettest day of summer. Fota changes with the seasons but never looses its charms Fota... More

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Stephen Ryan, Manager at Fota Wildlife Park, responded to this review
14 May 2012

Thanks for the great feedback and lovely review, we look forward to seeing you again in the future. Regards, Stephen Ryan More

Cork, Ireland
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 April 2012

Love this place. Should not be as much fun for an adult, (but it is). Really well designed, and I am no Dr Doolittle but animals seemed at the very least content. Perfect for families but lots to offer everyone. Could not get a good shot of the rare red panda but he doesnt get going till night, clever fella.... More

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Stephen Ryan, Manager at Fota Wildlife Park, responded to this review
14 May 2012

Thank you for taking the time to review. We're glad you enjoyed your visit. Please come again soon. Regards, Stephen Ryan More

Cork
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 April 2012

When I first heard of Fota I thought "oh great, another zoo full of sad animals", however when I went and saw how happy the animals were, wandering around as they please and having the freedom they deserve, it was mind blowing. I love the place. More

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Stephen Ryan, Manager at Fota Wildlife Park, responded to this review
14 May 2012

We're glad you enjoyed your visit to our Wildlife Park. Thank you for your review. Regards, Stephen Ryan More

Tralee, Ireland
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 April 2012

a wonderful place to go with children ,to see the open wildlife in their natural surroundings,enjoy the lovely irish air ,the best of food,and a worthwhile visit to the nearby town of cobh which was formely called queenstown where the ill fated titanic sailed from on the 15th april 1912 lovely town with nice shops,resturants and scenery More

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Stephen Ryan, Manager at Fota Wildlife Park, responded to this review
11 April 2012

Thank you very much for your kind review which we are sure will be very helpful to people looking to visit. Regards, Stephen Ryan More

Ireland
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 March 2012

The park is very easy to find, lots of roadsigns. I recommend raincoats if the weather is at all wet as it is nearly all outside. It is smaller than Dublin Zoo for example, but there are still a lot of animals. There is a nice buggy friendly walk around park which allows you to get very close to the... More

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Stephen Ryan, Manager at Fota Wildlife Park, responded to this review
11 April 2012

Thank you for taking the time to review. We're glad you enjoyed your visit. Please come again soon. Regards, Stephen Ryan More

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