New Forest Wildlife Park
New Forest Wildlife Park
4
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Enjoy the amazing animals within 50 acres of mature ancient New Forest woodland, with its popular adventure playgrounds.
Follow the woodland trails and walk with the wallabies, see the European bison, and wild boar, hear the howling wolves, spot the lynx, pine marten, polecats, owls, ferrets and more. Meet the friendly deer in their deer encounter enclosure and say hi to the playful otters, including the endangered giant otter family.
There are daily keeper talk feeding sessions, two amazing playgrounds for under 6's and over 6's and special events throughout the year. Get even closer to the animals as a wildlife keeper in a Keeper Experiences (additional charge and booking to be made in advance).
The New Forest Wildlife Park is a family run wildlife park and we invite you to share our passion for conservation and our animals.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
Features animals
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- Jet and Amy A4 contributionsVisiting with those below 5Great for young kids as it isn’t too sprawling. If your kids can walk, leave the stroller behind as it’s easier to get around plus the muddier bits create extra work for later! Nice to see the animals living in more “natural” spaces than the usual enclosures you see in zoos. Does mean you might not get to see as much. Tickets can be a little pricey but for the work they do, the free parking etc., it’s okay. Cafe is adequate if all you need is a sandwich and a hot drink.Visited November 2022Travelled with familyWritten 6 December 2022
- Rachelle R4 contributionsMust seeReally lovely park so beautiful set amongst the trees. Absolutely love the otters and their enclosures look really nice. Shout out to the mouse enclosure which looks like a village for it 😍Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 21 December 2022
- EricAshurst, United Kingdom39 contributionsA great local attractionWe visited the New Forest Wildlife Park after realising that Longdown Farm was closed. We spent a lovely afternoon here looking at the otters, owls, deer, wallabys and wolves. There is a large outdoor play area for the children and a nice cafe on the outside of the park where we got hot drinks and snacks. We also spoke to one of the keepers. My wife couldn’t see a name but she was lovely to speak to and gave the children lots of facts We will visit again in the Summer when the weather is better. A great local attraction just on our doorstep.Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 29 December 2022
- neil jFerndown, United Kingdom3 contributionsA brilliant, small park.Brilliant little place. Loads of Otters, owls and deer. Also, Wolves, Bison and a Lynx. Plenty more to see as well. Its a small park, so you can take your time and really appreciate the wildlife, which are all in good sized enclosures. Highly recommended.We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your visit and do hope you will return.Written 25 August 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2023Written 8 February 2023
- Madeline H1 contributionLoved itWe went here as students on a sunny day in February and absolutely loved it. You may have to wait around for see some animals, and some you might not see at all, but that’s part of why we loved it. The park was so genuine and appears to care greatly for the care and conservation of their animals. The lynx talk was a highlight, during which the keeper threw food into their enclosure which tempted them out into the open. The wolves have a lovely large enclosure and were lying out in the sun so very easy to see. Even the smaller animals, like the otters and the owls, were a delight to watch. We were able to eat our picnic in the cafe as it was chilly outside, and the staff were all very friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend if you have children (if they’re willing to wait for a little bit) or if you’re a bored student!!! We managed to stay for a good four hours, and could easily have done more if we didn’t have a train to catch!!Thank you for taking the time to recommend the New Forest Wildlife Park. We are glad you enjoyed your visit to our peaceful park, seeing our resident animals and listening to our friendly and knowledgable keeper team.Written 25 August 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 9 February 2023
- Emily S4 contributionsGreat staffBrilliant day, so much to see an explore and a wide variety of animals. The keeper who fed the animals was great, he was very enthusiastic to take the time to tell us all about the animals individual personalities and lots of info. Great day!We are so pleased you had a lovely visit. Our expert keepers do an exceptional job in caring for the animals and enjoy talking to our visitors. We’re passionate about wildlife, conservation and education.Written 25 August 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 12 February 2023
- John BPortsmouth, United Kingdom155 contributionsGreat little place.Not come across this before, so imagine it is new. Nice lady on the front desk gave us all the info we needed and we arrived just prior to the feeding of the Otters. The Giant ones are a sight to see as they are, well, large! But, as great as they are, it was the little ones inside that made me laugh. Anyone would think they knew it was feeding time! Up on their hind legs like Meerkats, squeaking away. Really nice areas for them to frolic in, inside and out. The tiny mouse house in there was FAB. I should explain that the Mouse House is big, it's the Mice that are tiny... Loved that. Unique. The deer lady was also fab, telling us all about their hand reared deer. That explained why they were happy near people. Pack of wolves looking at a bunch of squirrels playing nearby, just to annoy them. Plenty of Owls to see and the Loo's were spotlessly clean. Not a large place, but all the better for it. Will come again.Thank you for your positive review. The family run site has actually been around since 1998, but has however evolved within that time. Our focus is helping with animal rescue and rehabilitation, and taking part in international captive breeding programmes for endangered species, such as the giant otter, European bison, Eurasian otter, Harvest Mouse and the European polecat. We are pleased you enjoyed seeing our resident animals and hope to see you again in the near future.Written 25 August 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2023Written 18 February 2023
- 29JetsetterCalcot, United Kingdom482 contributionsPleasant wildlife park for small childrenPleasant wildlife park with good facilities. A adventure playgrounds, education area, nice cafe, small gift shop and toilets throughout. Was able to see the otters being fed which was good. Other things to see are mainly owls, wallaby’s, deer and wolves. Good for a couple of hours with small children. Felt it was quite expensive for what there is in terms of animals.Thank you for sharing your review. Visitors support us in helping to carry out vital conservation and rescue work and of course support our other resident animals within their entrance fee. Our animals are ambassadors for their wild relatives. We hope all our visitors, especially our younger ones, may learn to appreciate these amazing animals through seeing them at the park and may want to take part in protecting and conserving them for the future.Written 25 August 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2023Travelled soloWritten 1 March 2023
- Margaret1 contributionNew forest wildlife centreAmazing day out for adults and all ages. Beautiful surroundings well laid out to see all the animals . Watched the deer and wolves being fed . The keeper gave a talk and obviously loves his job . Playgrounds and picnic tables . Recommend for everyoneThank you for taking the time to recommend the New Forest Wildlife Park. We are glad you enjoyed your visit and talking to our friendly and knowledgable keeper team.Written 25 August 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2023Written 16 March 2023
- DaveBAmershamLittle Chalfont, United Kingdom887 contributionsVery Good…….Well worth a visit, great to see animals kept in large enclosures with plenty of space to roam and explore which is not always the case in other establishments. Really enjoyed the large otters scampering around their home and water feature having fun. Wolves very impressive. I noted the rolls and sandwiches sold in the on site cafe were of good quality and tasty. Good selection available. Well designed site with good signage throughout. There was four talks on different animal species throughout the day by staff members providing a additional knowledge source. A reasonably priced attractionWe are really pleased to hear you feel you had a value visit in the fresh air and hope you enjoyed seeing all our lovely animals. Thank you for commenting on the size of the enclosures - the happiness and care of our animals is really important to us. Every visit supports us to carry out vital conservation and rescue work and support our wonderful resident animals.Written 25 August 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 March 2023
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4.0
1,512 reviews
Excellent
825
Very good
407
Average
147
Poor
77
Terrible
56
sioned D
Christchurch, UK21 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
We went for my daughter’s birthday and booked a 1 hour keeper experience. Poppy was our keeper and so lovely and informative. It’s so lovely to learn that a lot of the animals are rescued or rehabbed and unable to be released. The animals are so well looked after and in as natural a setting as possible. I see others complain about the price, but this goes into the welfare of the animals not just to line the profits of the rich. A lovely day out and a wonderful park with amazing keepers
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The care and dedication to our animals and their conservation is our top priority and we are so pleased when our visitors see that too.
We hope your daughter enjoyed her birthday keeper experience and hope to see you again soon.
Written 17 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Fiona H
London, England, United Kingdom37 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
I'm very glad I trusted recent reviews on TripAdvisor. This wild life park is a super find. Easy to find and park up,(although we visited on a Friday in term time). The enclosures are really big and all the animals we saw looked happy and well cared for. We attended ALL the keeper talks throughout the day,which were informative and interesting. We had lunch in the cafe near the entrance which was rolls/crisps/cake & coffee. About £20 which we didn't think was too bad. The park was clean and tidy. The staff/keepers were very friendly and professional. We would recommend sturdy/waterproof walking boots/wellies at this time of the year as the footpaths are covered in leaves and wet. There are 3/4 play areas if you have kids. We spent 5 hours in this wildlife park and thought it was worth every penny. We only had 2 'no shows' but at this time of the year, we were surprised there weren't more. That's why it's worth going to the keeper talks as the animals come out to be fed!
Highly recommend this park if you're staying in or near the New Forrest. Keep up the good work!
Highly recommend this park if you're staying in or near the New Forrest. Keep up the good work!
Written 10 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your great review. We are so pleased to hear that you had a great visit at our family run wildlife park.
Written 17 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Travel_Happy
Romsey, UK274 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
Had such a fantastic time today at the New Forest Wildlife Park. Saw so many animals- ones you can’t get close to at some other parks. Got really close to a beautiful stag. Such a lovely place, the enclosures are big and the animals look really happy. Paths are buggy friendly- but easier with a bigger wheel buggy though. We went at 10am and didn’t see many animals. Had a lovely coffee and cake in the cafe and went round again and saw all the animals. Thinking of getting an annual membership as we loved it so much :)
Written 5 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your lovely review. We are pleased you enjoyed your visit and didn't mind waiting patiently to see some animals that were previously hidden! We pride ourselves in the care of our wildlife and their natural surroundings, so sometimes they may be hard to spot in their enclosures, but it's well worth the wait once you see them! Our wallaby wood walk through and deer encounter areas are a great way to get up close to some animals. We hope to see you again soon.
Written 9 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sarah M
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Very very good park went with my son and he LOVES animals so it was a great day out.Clean park and lovely animals . 5 wolves 6 wallabies and a lot more animals that were very happy .
Written 26 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for leaving a review Sarah. We work hard to ensure the animals are happy and have space and enrichment like the outside world, so we are thrilled to read that you could see they are contented.
We hope to see you again soon.
Written 27 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sharon S
Christchurch, UK120 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Had a fantastic day here and at £38 for 2 adults and one 3 year old child for 5 hours thought it good value. Loved that you could walk through some enclosures and get closer to the animals particularly the deer who even came up to us. Heard 3 interesting talks, saw the animals being fed. Returned to a couple of places where we hadn't seen the animals first time round to then see them. Cages and enclosures were a good size and whole site well maintained. Great play areas and picnic areas. Friendly and helpful staff . We are local so definitely will return.
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for talking the time to leave us a review. We are thrilled to hear you had a lovely visit and we hope to see you again in the future.
Written 15 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Julie C
Liverpool, UK14 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
We visited on a quiet day, car park empty. £14.95 each to get in. Apart from owls and otters there was not much else to see. No show for the lynx, 1 wolf, a few deer. Everything else is a no show, or too far away to get a good look. Cafe prices very reasonable.
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and we are saddened to read of your disappointment. We have over 200 animals from 31 species at the New Forest Wildlife Park, however depending on the time of day you visited and the weather, it may indicate the level of activity from the animals. We obviously can't, like any other zoo or wildlife park, guarantee that you will see all the animals on every visit but we do advise that you check out the keeper talks and feeding times so you can see some animals enjoying their food and learn more about them and the park's important conservation work from the dedicated keepers.
Written 15 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
balloonmouse
Hampshire, UK89 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
It’s not a large park but is a beautiful site surrounded by trees with winding paths which make it seem larger. My 3 year old grandson and I saw owls, wolves, one lynx, a sleeping pine marten and snoozing otters. The wallabies and fallow deer were hopping and meandering around their own areas so saw them quite close up. Also spotted bison and boar from a distance. Two brilliant adventure playgrounds, one for under 6’s also with a sandpit, the other geared for over 6’s. Both were well maintained and my grandson really enjoyed both. Maybe some sensory activities could be included too? He also liked the remote control boats by the café. Admission a little steep for our two hour visit, particularly for a three year old but, luckily, I had a discount voucher so he was free. Visited after lunchtime so can’t review the café but noticed at 3 that there was not a lot left. Friendly staff at ice cream kiosk. Toilets are obviously checked as bins were not overflowing. A small map of the park would be helpful. Plenty of picnic areas. Free parking. Would definitely revisit.
Written 29 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello and thank you for your review and your suggestions which we will take on board. We are glad you had a nice time and hope you revisit us soon, maybe during an otter feeding time talk so you can see them being characterful and all lively!
Written 1 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beverly H
3 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Absolutely best wildlife park I have been to. Saw all the animals that were advertised as being there. Excellent staff and the talks on the Otters, wolves and roe/fallow deer were very interesting. Vary clean areas walking around and great play areas for children, only criticism is the toys in the shop are too dear.
Written 22 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing a lovely review. We are glad you had a great time and spotted all the animals! I will pass your comments on to the team. We hope you will visit us again in the near future.
Written 25 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Katie
Portsmouth, UK9 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Took our two children 11 and 3 here today. We spent about 4 hours walking around seeing the animals and in the 2 parks. Where a few of the animals are nocturnal there's a few that aren't seen, like the badgers, the foxes, the hedgehogs etc. Lots still to see like the otters, lots of owls etc. My children enjoyed the day. It only took half the day and we couldn't make it last longer though.
Written 17 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review. As a smaller attraction we do advertise ourselves as a half day out so we are pleased to hear you enjoyed your time spent at the park. Sometimes our badgers can be seen inside their den sleeping and often visitors can catch a glimpse of our fox and hedgehogs in their outdoor enclosures, but unfortunately it's not guaranteed!
We hope you will visit us again.
Written 25 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chlobot
28 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
If you have children and want to take them somewhere for a couple of hours to see some cute animals and play on adventure parks then this is the place for you.
If you are a childless couple (like us) who are just exploring the New Forest and want to see some cute animals, It's just not worth the £14.95 pp entry fee. It's extremely small, you can do the experience in 45 minutes. We also went in the height of the summer holiday so we were expecting hundreds of children but we weren't expecting children to literally push us out of the way every time we were finally able to get close to an enclosure (out of the venue's control). A lot of their animals are also nocturnal so you aren't guaranteed to be able to see everything which is also expected (although a wolf made an appearance which made it slightly more worth it).
It's a one way system around which makes it easy to navigate without missing anything. The enclosures are also very natural and whilst small, look comfortable for the creatures in question. Toilets were also very clean but this was one hour into opening. Good car park marshalls directing you to available places.
If you are a childless couple (like us) who are just exploring the New Forest and want to see some cute animals, It's just not worth the £14.95 pp entry fee. It's extremely small, you can do the experience in 45 minutes. We also went in the height of the summer holiday so we were expecting hundreds of children but we weren't expecting children to literally push us out of the way every time we were finally able to get close to an enclosure (out of the venue's control). A lot of their animals are also nocturnal so you aren't guaranteed to be able to see everything which is also expected (although a wolf made an appearance which made it slightly more worth it).
It's a one way system around which makes it easy to navigate without missing anything. The enclosures are also very natural and whilst small, look comfortable for the creatures in question. Toilets were also very clean but this was one hour into opening. Good car park marshalls directing you to available places.
Written 9 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. Unfortunately we can't, like any other zoo or wildlife park, guarantee that you will see all the animals on every visit, but we do advise that you check out the keeper talks and feeding times so you can see some animals up closer enjoying their food and learn more about them and the park's important conservation work from the dedicated keepers.
We are a popular attraction for both singles, couples and families and appreciate that the summer holidays is a very popular time for children to visit. We encourage you to visit us again in the near future on a quieter day.
Written 25 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We read the food in the cafe inside the park isn't great, so we are planning to bring our own. Are there any places we can sit in privacy and eat in the jungle?
Are there toilets
Gaz
28 contributions
Yes toilets are there both inside and outside the park
Hi, is this suitable for a very hot day with little children? Is there lots of shade?
Thanks!
wildlifepark235
Chapel-en-le-Frith, UK20 contributions
There is plenty of shade around the trail - but some areas will be in the sun.
Car park is in the sun most of the day.
Pierre L
12 contributions
Hi I'm thinking of buying a ticket but worriedthis might be a zoo...I do not wish to contribute to inhumane acts of society and pay 12 pounds to get in. What are your thoughts?
Charlie E
10 contributions
This didn’t feel like a zoo to me. Whilst obviously it does contain captive animals the keepers seemed to make a genuine effort to keep the animals happy and stimulated, in a situation similar to their natural environment. Also many of the animals were there because it was necessary for someone to look after them, for various reasons. Furthermore, many of the animals are endangered, so it can help in the short term to hold some in captivity, particularly as some are part of breeding programmes.
Hope that helps!
How much plz
kazzey
Norfolk, England290 contributions
Please see their website for ticket prices.
In my opinion it is too expensive for what it was.
Save your money and go somewhere else.
Sophie B
Fontenay-le-Comte, France17 contributions
Hi, is it possible to book tickets online for a specific day ? Thanks .
SLM-x
Hitchin, UK27 contributions
Hi,
How long typically do people spend here? Toying between Marwell Zoo & here - so just trying to compare - other than the obvious!
Thank you
Chaz C
Andover, UK41 contributions
On average about 2 to 3 hours to walk around at a leisurely pace. Maybe a bit longer if you wish to Take in a few of the various talks and feeding of the animals
Pamela P
Holmes Chapel, UK32 contributions
Are dogs allowed?
Thaigrannie
Lymington, UK77 contributions
Hello,
No dogs are not allowed in the park. There are areas where the animals are roaming free in the enclosure.
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Claim your listingNEW FOREST WILDLIFE PARK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about New Forest Wildlife Park
- New Forest Wildlife Park is open:
- Sun - Sat 10:00 - 16:30
- Hotels near New Forest Wildlife Park:
- (3.47 mi) Lyndhurst House
- (2.38 mi) Woodlands Lodge Hotel
- (3.57 mi) Hurst End Bed & Breakfast
- (4.02 mi) The Mayfair Guest House
- (2.32 mi) Spot in the Woods
- Restaurants near New Forest Wildlife Park:
- (1.14 mi) Merritts Coffee Lounge
- (4.29 mi) Késarum
- (3.85 mi) What A Pizza! Shirley
- (1.14 mi) The Happy Cheese
- (3.51 mi) Renoufs (Lyndhurst)