Me, my wife, and 3 kids were desperate for a day out of the house, so we decided to try our local safari park. It was a very fun trip with really easy parking, the on site cafes and restaurants were a treat for the senses, we were having a great day until my son fell into the lion enclosure and was eaten. All in all great day for the family only rated 3 stars because of the weak lion fences. read more

Brilliant zoo to take the kids an most adults Hears there's a small fare ground Also you can get snack here Brilliant day out . Doesn't cost much either read more

We were planning to go to Chester zoo but having not much money, and Knowsley being very close to Prescot, where we were staying, we went there instead. It's about half the price and we weren't disappointed. We went on a bank holiday but it wasn't too busy. We got there as the gates opened and pretty much drove straight in. We were given a safari 'map' but I've a feeling they've actually changed the route. Not that you need a map anyway. We did the safari first, and saw lots of antelope, oryx, rhino, camels, bison, ostriches, wildebeest and the lions. We skipped the monkey enclosure - you can see it as you drive past, and we were glad after seeing the damage they did to some of the cars! There was a bit of 'pile up' but that was fine as it gave us more looking time, and the road is wide enough to drive past if you want to. After that we went to the rest of the park. It's quite compact but there are bird of prey shows, the sea lion show and other shows. Plus you can go and see the giraffes, elephants, tapirs, meercats etc on foot. There are a few young-kid aimed rides, you can pay per ride or get a wristband for £10. Adults can accompany younger kids for free which is a nice touch. Face painting is £4.50 in the hut and they have a variety of extras you can get- tails, ears etc. There's a boat trip for £5 (for the boat) 20 minutes or so on the lake in a rowing boat which was good fun. And I loved the huge bats in the bat cave! Staff were great, the day is great value for money and we filled hours. read more

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Anyone who reads my reviews regularly will know that I love a good zoo, but they have to be ones where the animals are well looked after and have plenty of room to move around in. Luckily at Knowsley Safari Park, each of the animals has free range movement, including A* animals like the lions and rhinos, just meters away from your car. I guess the trade off it is that while they have to settle for cold and breezy Liverpool weather, they at least don't run the risk of idiot dentists trying to end their life to stick their head on a wall. On this occasion we took our 2 kids for their £10 a car deal (look online for all their deals in advance) which was great and alongside this self drive experience there were elephants, giraffes, deer, camels and a million deer-esque animals. Beware of the monkey area and do what we did by taking the car safe route - we watched peoples cars being savaged one at a time with 20 baboons all over them - no exaggeration but they ripped off windscreen wipers, car aerials and one even had a piece of someones's numberplate - nope, that wasn't gonna happen to our new family wagon! There's the oasis restaurant here which serves fast food one side, healthy stuff the other (look in the pamphlet when you arrive at the park for a 20% off voucher) and a coffee place out by the theme park (about 10 rides) Overall a great day out, lots of fun - will definitely be going back as our kids grow older. read more

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Sarafi park is not only for family with kids. As an adult, I enjoy going there too with friends. Because of half term, the tickets were half price. We only pairs 16 pounds for 2 people. The most fun animals to see were the lions & baboons. We drove around at noon when there were lots of cars & waited to move slowly inside the lion park. Then we went to see animals on foot & watched sea lion show & bird show. The sea lion show was great. I saw sea lion shows early this year in Tenerife & Chester zoo. Compared to those, the show here was explained in details of what the sea lions liked & how there were trained. I really appreciated those stories. In the afternoon 3:30, we drove through the safari park again to see lions & we went though the baboon park. It was really funny as the baboons jumped on my car & stared at us for seconds. One huge baboon bit off the water spray on my car within seconds after jumping on my car. Another one tried to break my windscreen wiper. So if you have a nice car, DO NOT go into the baboon park. It's good to go in late afternoon as there were less cars & you won't be stuck to be bullied by those monkeys. We even saw lions having sex. What odds! read more

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If you know anybody who values their car, perhaps more so than their significant other or their children or their house even, you'd do well to play a wonderful prank on them by dragging them here unawares. The very reason my father point blank refused to bring me here for years and satiated my animal-viewing yearnings as a child with numerous trips to Chester Zoo instead, it only clicked recently that it wasn't because he didn't 'think it was all that good', oh no. He didn't want to bring the beloved Nissan Sunny/Capri/Honda Civic to Knowsley Safari Park because monkeys would poo all over it and make lots of scratches in his lovely paintwork. The cheek! Actually, nowadays I agree with him to be honest. Unless you're in an old banger you don't care about or some kind of rustic Landrover you might find yourself horrified at what happens to your automobile. Monkeys are playful. They're the famed car wreckers of this particular establishment, determined to wring free your wiper or extract your emblem or liberate your loose fittings. If you go into their enclosure you might as well wave goodbye to your unchipped finish. But it is a heck of an experience, when I did originally go with a friend a few years back it was rather breathtaking. I'd advise you to keep your windows closed as the camels do have a habit of leaning inwards, but if you can deal with that sort of thing then worry not. Becoming a member is a money-saving option if you plan on going frequently, and believe me, if you have kids you might find yourself doing this. The animal variation is vast and eclectic, from wild dogs, cattle, primates, antelopes, deer, emus and elephants to meerkats, ostriches, hogs, wallabies, rhinos and even lions and tigers. The staff are usually very good at keeping the carnivorous bad boys in check so it's highly unlikely you'll get a claw through your windscreen, but watch out! All in all it's a bit different and hence a more special zoo experience. I'd recommend it for all kids and big kids at heart. read more

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We had such a great time driving through the park. Watch out for the baboon exhibit THEY WILL GO FOR ANYTHING THAT CAN BE RIPPED OFF. They ripped off part of the front window trim on our car read more

I have fond memories of my first visit to Knowsley safari park. I was a giddy 13 year old in awe of the vastness of the park and the amazing array of wild animals roaming free. Luckily for me that exciting feeling is never far away every time I visit. I went there recently and whilst the drive felt bit shorter and the rides in the amusement park weren't as appealing, I still had an absolute blast. There is something liberating about watching these magnificent animals and the feeling of being so close to them. The best time to arrive is around 11am so you have pretty much the whole day to enjoy the park. The great thing about knowsley is that it appeals to pretty much anyone of any age. There is a huge picnic area with peacocks and ducks roaming free looking for a nibble of what is on offer. As you sit there with your sandwiches, you also have panoramic views of the elephants and giraffes in the distance..Simply magnificent. Depending on how quickly you want to get through the park consists of a 5 mile route through the "jungle". Along the route you will find a fantastic range of animals and plenty of photo opportunities. Whilst in the past there was a charge per car this has now changed to £14 per adult, which is a little steep. Then again it is an experience after all which will take you to an arms length of an African lion, or a rhinoceros... For a whole day's worth of entertainment it ain't that bad. At the conclusion of the route you will find a gigantic picnic area for kids and adults to run around and enjoy themselves. Ideal sunny day out trip scenario if you ask me. The picnic area also leads to an amusement park for kids and adults alike and has a circus like feel to it with sea lion shows and much much more. Thus in conclusion I highly recommend you pay it a visit. I can see myself going to Knowsley safari park for years to come with my kids and grand kids in the future. Simply fantastico!! read more

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Lovely experience that never gets old! Highlight is always the baboons but be careful of your wipers!

If you're like me and enjoy viewing animals and natural habitats, then Knowsley Safari Park should be at least near the top of your 'places to visit' list. Knowsley is not too far from Liverpool and only takes about 30 minutes by road, driving or perhaps a little longer by public transport. With a five mile safari drive, Knowsley Safari Park is home to hundreds of animals from around the world. The baboon jungle (being the only one in the UK) is a popular drive if you are bringing your own motor vehichle. If not, there is a car friendly route for those who wish to view by foot. The bug house has to be my favourite though as I have always been a keen admirer of creepy crawlies but it's strange that I don't actually enjoy touching them! You can't have hands-on here anyway just to let those know whoever wants to get a bit too close and personal! It is not all about animals either because after your safari experience, seek a chance to check out the delights of their children's lake farm including a woodland walk. Not to forget, there is a fantastic sealion display to wow audiences in a brilliant outdoor exhibition pool; this is certainly worth watching. Plus, believe it or not, there is an amazing amusement park which boasts an exciting range of family rides, including a min railway, pirate ship and a rollercoaster. Then you have a fast food restaurant, which I would suggest after you have taken the rollercoaster! As you can imagine, this is an ultimate experience which is much more than just a safari park - it has an added twist with plenty of space to enjoy yourselves in the vicinity of gorgeous wildlife. read more

Knowsley Safari Park - Zoos Near Me - Merseyside, XMS

This place was fabulous!!! I had never been to a safari park prior to Knowsley, but it certainly set the bar high. There were so many animals! It was thrilling having the lions less than a foot away from your car. I filled up my camera's memory card in less than an hour! There's a section with baboons who will just jump on your car and hitch a ride for a while. It was out of this world! I had an amazing time. I would recommend this place to any animal lover. The place was well-maintained and the animals seemed to have an excellent quality of life, they looked totally content. read more

Knowsley Safari Park - Zoos Near Me - Merseyside, XMS

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Seen someone shagging a lion is this normal asking kids seemed a bit scared. All in all great experience

Me and the family had loads of fun. My partner said it was better then Chester Zoo. There is loads to do. On site there is a small amusement park full of rides for kids of all ages. Many shows & talks featuring Birds of Prey & Sea Lions. Then the Safari I must warn you if you love your car then stay out of the baboon enclosure. I've had baboons on my roof relieving themselves, baboons making little baboons on my wing mirror etc etc If you have kids or family members who are kids then you must bring them here at least once. read more

Loved it ok so I Gotta buy a new Ariel for my car but I got some awesome Photos fabulous day read more

Knowsley Safari Park - Zoos Near Me - Merseyside, XMS

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I'm not a huge fan of the safari park, if I'm honest. If you're a young child, or a first time safair go-er, you'll probably have a fantastic day out. However, once you've been a couple of times you might get bored, it doesn't change much throughout the year. Similarly to Emma's view on cars, make sure you don't take your fancy BMW or whatever flash car you might have. You'll be better finding a mate with an old banger because the monkey's are infamous for wrecking cars. There is not only the safari drive you can walk and see other animals such as otters, giraffes ,and elephants etc and the seal lion show the farm duck pond etc. It is a novelty day out and I would recommend, but once you've been a couple of times the novelty can wear off. read more

I love zoos. You could call me a zoophile if it didn't turn out that word means something so horrifying I dare you to Google it for images without Safe Search switched on and see how long you last before wanting to vomit your own eyes out through your gentials in disgust. Anyway, zoos, I love 'em. I love animals too but when it comes to me seeing them in person, they could pack a water buffalo into a shoe box if it meant I got to be close up. And that's the reason I'm not a massive fan of safari parks. We're the dominant species here. Why do we have to be the ones cooped up in metal hutches on wheels? It's mightily impressive being three feet from a grazing rhinoceros but since I can't stretch my legs or walk around it to get a three-dimensional view, the end result becomes similar to viewing it on a screen, something I already did when I Googled 'zoophile'. Knowsley Safari Park is, of course, an admirably humane place for the beasts of the Earth to roam. Baboons ripping your windscreens off will never stop being funny and a giraffe poking its nose into your face is something you can't get at the zoos. So here's my idea for the improved notion of Knowsley Safari Park: people are free to roam the grounds, while the animals are driven round in coaches. Everybody wins. read more

This is an absolutely fantastic place for a family day out! You start with the drive around the safari park where you can see all the animals roaming around. My favourites are the lions, but there are lots of cute and fascinating animals to see, including tigers, camels, rhinos, baboons etc. You can buy a CD at the entrance which you play in the car as you go around. The CD is of the Park Manager talking you through each of the animal sections and explaining about them and things like why one appears to have a limp, and why one has to be separated from the rest. It's really interesting, and I recommend getting the CD if you can. There is a separate route you can take if you don't care about your car - you can go through the baboon enclosure! Personally, I always take the safe route, but this takes you alongside the baboon route so you can see the other cars being climbed on. The baboons have no fear at all, and climb on moving vehicles all the time. After the safari drive, you come to a picnic area, where you can walk to see the elephants, giraffes, and meerkats. We never get to stay long in this part because the children are always so keen to move on the the fairground. This is a really good little fairground, you can buy a wristband which then gives unlimited rides. I would say the fairground rides on the whole are more suited to children aged about 10 and under. My son was 12 last time we went, and he only bothered with one ride, the massive swinging boat. Several times a day they put on a show with sea lions, where they jump through hoops and balance balls etc. I don't really approve but have to admit they are very impressive to watch. There's a large cafe, and plenty of stalls selling ice creams. There's also a gift shop, selling lots of really nice, but over-priced items like cuddly toys and ornaments. Overall this is a brilliant day out and you could easily spend a whole day here. read more

An excellent if expensive attraction best visited on a nice day as there is a lot to see out of the vehicle. Vehicles with soft tops and roof windows not permitted in some parts. Be aware Baboons may rip off aerials, windscreen wipers and wing mirrors. The appeared to like vandalising cars rather than our large 17 seater minibus. If you like it here there is a reasonable priced season ticket. Disabled friendly read more

A great Safari Park just on the outskirts of Liverpool.It also has a car friendly by pass to stop the monkeys damaging the car - well worth a thought!! There are often many vouchers around on Websites and Local Newspapers to get the children in for nothing. The park also offers some fair style attractions which you need to pay for separately. It also has a restaurant. read more

I love this place, its a great place for the kids for a day out, we didnt drive thought the monkeys as we were in mil car but still it was great to see all the animals and god some amazing pictures. I think the lions were the best. The prices are not to bad they are 12.00 for an adult ticket and 9.00 for childs ticket. Under 3's go free. The facilities are good there are plenty of toilets and baby change,gift shop.and of course a cafe. The park also has a small amusement park which has some cute rides for the little ones and a small rollercoater. read more

A great one for Animal lovers and a good family day out. Not the cheapest day out, but not overly expensive compared to other similar days out either. There are loads of animals to see and safari bit where you drive through thems great. There is a car friendly version of the monkey enclosure if you would rather watch them pull the trimmings and aerials off other peoples cars that your own. Theres a picnic area which is good and obviously helps keep down the cost. Theres a mini fun fair and park for the kids to play on too after driving through the safari park so they can stretch their legs after being sat in the car. All in all a good day out. read more

This is an excellent day out with the kids,the price per car is very reasonable,and you really do get up close to the animals,every year my dad parks at the side of a huge lion to the horror of my nan. The monkeys are hilarious,they jump all over your car if you stop near them,an do all sorts of tricks ,leaning upside down ,looking at you through the car windows ect.there are a great varity of animals and its refreshing to see them roaming about instead of stuck in cages,if your any were near knowsley safari park ,I definetely recommend you visit hear,ive visited every year since I was a toddler,and still love it read more

Like everywhere these days it's expensive but a good day out. Always like going the safari park with the kids, something to do on a dull day due to staying in your car. Has a good area for the kids and a good cafe park read more

Great day out. Staff, service and animals tip, top. We covered it all in 5 hours but on a sunny day like today we would definitely come back. read more

Knowsley Safari Park - Zoos Near Me - Merseyside, XMS

As a nation we pride ourselves on certain things and one of these things is our love for the animal kingdom. Knowsley Safari Park is the kind of establishment which takes this love and cultivates it into an exhilarating family experience which will leave you with more adoration for the natural world than ever before. The most appealing thing for me personally was the variety of animals on show and the diverse nature of their origins. Knowsley really manages to bring the world to you and your car, even if the animals can at times get uncomfortably close such as the over friendly monkeys who may leave you with a little less windscreen wiper than previously. A particular favourite of mine were the Elephants,majestic and wonderful animals who are not likely to be seen roaming around merseyside save for Knowsley. That is the beauty of this establishment, you gain an experience so outside of the norm you would normally have to be on safari to see it. There is not much to be said for the food and the amusements which are of a fairly average standard and nothing to get excited about. However to complain about these things would be to miss the entire point of the place which is of course to give you the full wonderment of nature without leaving the comfort of your car. read more

Great day out , although the restaurant is a little below par.

Knowsley Safari Park is one of the top choices for a family day out in the north of England. The 550-acre park on the Earl of Derby's estate has been one of the region's leading all-day attractions for more than 35 years, offering a unique five-mile safari drive along roads lined with exotic animals from all over the globe. It is now the only safari park in the North West and one of only five in the UK and is currently riding high in popularity, welcoming more than 500,000 visitors a year. There is, in fact, a long history of keeping animals on the Knowsley estate. In the 19th century Edward, the 13th Earl of Derby, kept one of the largest private menageries in the world with 90 species of mammals and 300 species of birds! These days Knowsley's 500 mammals include rhinos, camels, buffalo, bison, wildebeest, lions, tigers, zebra, baboons, monkeys, deer, antelopes and wallabies. Current top attractions at the park include the three white rhino calves who are now 2 years old - Binta, Kifaru and Tatu - plus the ever-popular mischievous young elephants, Ashanti and Nala. Other recent animal arrivals include a pack of 12 very rare African Hunting Dogs and a pair of Red River Hogs. However, for many visitors it is the baboons who remain the real stars of the show. The good news is that Knowsley now offers an alternative car-friendly route around the outside of the monkey jungle for those wishing to avoid any potential damage to their vehicle. Visitors taking this route still have an excellent view of the baboons. Other must-see attractions at the park include a sealion show, more than 20 amusement park rides and a walkaround animal area where elephants, giraffe, meerkats and otter can be viewed at close quarters. Meanwhile, Knowsleys Bug House offers everything from snakes to lizards and cockroaches, creatures a world away from the goats, lambs, cattle and horses for the youngsters to enjoy at Childrens Lake Farm. As well as the exotic animals at Knowsley the park offers a wide range of native British wildlife. 10 species of waterfowl nest around its lake, kestrels and buzzards can be spotted in the woodland and brown hares, stoats, weasels, grey squirrels and red squirrels can also be seen. Knowsley Safari Park has an excellent location close to the national motorway network. Leave the M62 at junction six then leave the M57 at junction two and follow the brown Safari Park signs. A good day out for all ages. read more

fantastic................ value for Money and if live near buy get the year upgrade, get close to the lions and rhinos(omg there big) get climbed over by monkeys (a wimps safe trail available) can fill the full day advise you to take a picnic as not much choice of food and quite expensive, and for those adrenalin junkies the new opens sky rope area.................. also a small fair to have fun fun for all the family read more

My favourite place to take my son and his freinds. Entertainment and knowledge combined. Take a drive round to see the animals and then chill out with the fairground attractions. The added bonus was the seal lion show which was free and the coupons I used from a web site which gave us free entry for children although i would say ti would have been good value if I had to pay for them. The best thing was driving through the monkey pit and having them sit on your windscreen or bonnet and have the kids squeal with delight. Although be warned the monkeys will cause havoc to your car, windscreen wipers being a favourite of theirs. read more

Great day out with the kids, but avoid the monkeys if your car is nice. A great experience to see wild animals up close and this would be the next best thing to going on safari in Africa. read more

I have been here a few times and loved it. You can get close up to the animals as you drive round in your car and going through the monkeys was so funny. The monkey took off our back windscreen wiper and ran off think we were lucky the car in front had it number plate nicked. Great for the family and the sealions were also fantastic would reccomend anyone to go. read more

Vey nice day out for all the family. Lots of animals to see including lions and tigers,and of course loads more. There are a few sets of toilets about,including disabled and baby change,there are many picnic areas and also a nice friendly restaurant. read more

We love this safari park & when we lived a little closer we used to have a season ticket. The season ticket is excellent value for money & you only have to go twice to get your money back. There's a good variety of animals & the guide cd that they do is great with lots of usual info & some little stories to about the history of the park. The surroundings are lovely & you'd never guess you were close to motorways etc. The drive itself takes around an hour then you can go to the fairground part which is quite good especially for younger ones or kids who don't like the huge rides. Lots of fun rides like dodgems & also some good little shows with birds etc. There's a small 'petting zoo' & also a sealion show which the kids just love- even though it's a bit smelly! It's all just been done up & looks great. There's a large gift shop with some nice items & not too overpriced & also a cafe with a limited range of food. There's also a nice outdoor picnic area. It's a great day out & you can easily spend the day there & we often go around the safari ride twice. One thing I would say is go to the 'safe' area when viewing the monkeys or you may end up minus some windscreen wipers & various bits of your car! read more

Brilliant for the kids on a lovely summers day. As soon as you arrive at the park you know you will have a great time. You couldn't believe from outside that grounds what lies beyond the walls. There are lots and lots of different WILD animals for you to see up close and sometimes too personal if you take a ride through the baboon section. Believe me, if your sunroof isn't that strong then its scary and you could very well be going home with a new addition. You can drive your car through the park and see animals such as lions and elephants, giraffes and buffalo. Its really surreal to think that you are so close to such animals. Once you have had enough of the animals outside there is the seals show which is definately not one to be missed. The once you have had enough entirely of the animals there is the funfair for the kids - do beware this is not included in the price of the entrance to the park and can work out quite expensive if you have a few kids as its wristbands. Then to end the day there is loads of grass areas where you can get out your butties - or go into the restuarant thats in the park. Great day out for the family. read more

Way to expensive now, they charge per person instead of per car. Animals look bored and pets corner isnt very good. Summer time they take on bits of kids who have NO customer service experience and don't care read more

We arrived mid morning however the rides did not open until well after lunch time. Most of the kiosks did not bother to open at all, The animals looked cold and miserable and few made an appearance. On the drive through we saw a dead animal surrounded by staff chatting and not doing much. All in all it was a disappointing experience but I must make a comment about the ladies toilets, which were in an appalling state. They were absolutely filthy. I lifted the seat and wished very much that I hadn't, they were caked in fecal matter, a real health hazard. I will not be returning. read more

Lovely day out but overpriced as other activities available have to be paid for not included in the main price the drive is pleasant and the walk around week has a fantastic bat cave the bird show was fantastic and the session show was had a good finally didn't do the wild trail but plenty to do and keep busy for hours enough facilities for bathrooms however baby change not very private but over all a good day out and plenty to do with the kids read more

Used to be a fantastic day out and always bustling with people but now it's gone ridiculously expensive it's pricing itself out of business. I've been a few times in the past couple of years nd have a season ticket as my son loves the animals, but it's often just us and a few other families. The amusement park was once fab and busy but you hardly see any people in there anymore. The rides are just sitting there. read more

I am not sure that I agree with safari parks? I think the jury is still out for me. Anyhow, did you know that there are lions and tigers roaming 8 miles from Liverpool city centre? They put the visitors in the cages (car) and the animals roam around the safari. The Knowsley Safari Park isn't new, it's been around longer than I have been walking the planet, and opened in July 1971 by the 18th Earl of Derby. If you do decide to have a day out there, the route of the park is 5 miles and includes lions, cheetahs, monkeys, giraffes, zebra, elephants, antelopes, camels, buffalo, white rhino as well as a group of tigers. It is really impressive if you have never seen these animals face to face before. You will be pleased to know that the tigers and lions are displayed in enclosures within the game reserves, and the elephants have their own paddock in the walk around section at the end of the safari drive. So you aren't totally exposed. Mind you there is still the close encounter you might have with the baboons! read more

Brilliant day out especially for the kids. Also reasonably priced!