Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens
The Cotswold Wildlife Park near Burford is the largest privately owned zoological collection in the UK. Located in Oxfordshire, the 160-acre parkland is home to over 260 different species of animals and birds.
We started off with the Walled Garden which is home to the Humboldt penguins, meerkats, prairie dogs, mongooses and tamarins. I loved the Tropical House which included free-roaming sloths and a colourful selection of tropical birds.
The large mammals at the wildlife park included giraffes, zebras, white rhinoceros and Bactrian camels. There was also a big cat enclosure housing leopards and Asiatic lions. It was beautiful watching the young Rhino calf and the Zebra foal. While I do not know how young the foal was, it did not look fully weaned and was mostly by its mother's side. They were grazing and resting together and made a wonderful pair.
The highlight of our visit was the Lemur collection in the Madagascar walk-through enclosure. The red-bellied lemur and the crowned sifaka were beautiful. The sifaka seemed to enjoy sun bathing as it spent most of the time in the same place soaking up the sun. The family of ring-tailed lemurs was fascinating. I could have spent the whole day observing them. They seemed very social and huddled together in groups when not lunging at or chasing each other. There were two little lemur babies in the group who looked absolutely adorable.
The park has a Reptile and Insect House where you will find crocodile monitors, black mambas, bearded dragons, rhinoceros iguanas, scorpions and tarantulas and other species of invertebrates.
Other animals at the wildlife park include Canadian timber wolves, Brazilian tapir, capybara, warty pigs, Chilean flamingos, Patagonian maras, giant anteaters, wallabies, peacocks, wolverines, birds of prey and a variety of water fowl.
In addition to the diverse range of animals and birds, one of the other top draws to the wildlife park, in my opinion, are the well-maintained and exotic gardens - especially the Walled Garden. Every single garden was beautifully laid out. The choice of vegetation and the landscaping was excellent.
There is a narrow gauge train (£1 ticket) which runs in a loop around the park. It is fun not just for the kids but the adults as well.
We were based in Burford during our holiday and were just 10 minutes drive away from the park. If you are also driving to the park, use the post code OX18 4JP. Look out for Bradwell Grove. If you are planning to arrive by public transport, then the nearest bus stop is Burford High Street. From there you would need to get a taxi to reach the park.
Cotswold Wildlife Park | Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire, OX18 4JP.
Phone | 01993 823006
Overall, we had a great time at Cotswold Wildlife Park and would definitely recommend visiting if you find yourself in Cotswolds. The animals looked well taken care of and were a pleasure to observe. I would suggest that you allow yourself 5-6 hours to see all the animals in the park. While the animals are definitely the main draw, the wildlife park has lots more to offer making it an excellent family attraction.
We started off with the Walled Garden which is home to the Humboldt penguins, meerkats, prairie dogs, mongooses and tamarins. I loved the Tropical House which included free-roaming sloths and a colourful selection of tropical birds.
The large mammals at the wildlife park included giraffes, zebras, white rhinoceros and Bactrian camels. There was also a big cat enclosure housing leopards and Asiatic lions. It was beautiful watching the young Rhino calf and the Zebra foal. While I do not know how young the foal was, it did not look fully weaned and was mostly by its mother's side. They were grazing and resting together and made a wonderful pair.
The highlight of our visit was the Lemur collection in the Madagascar walk-through enclosure. The red-bellied lemur and the crowned sifaka were beautiful. The sifaka seemed to enjoy sun bathing as it spent most of the time in the same place soaking up the sun. The family of ring-tailed lemurs was fascinating. I could have spent the whole day observing them. They seemed very social and huddled together in groups when not lunging at or chasing each other. There were two little lemur babies in the group who looked absolutely adorable.
The park has a Reptile and Insect House where you will find crocodile monitors, black mambas, bearded dragons, rhinoceros iguanas, scorpions and tarantulas and other species of invertebrates.
Other animals at the wildlife park include Canadian timber wolves, Brazilian tapir, capybara, warty pigs, Chilean flamingos, Patagonian maras, giant anteaters, wallabies, peacocks, wolverines, birds of prey and a variety of water fowl.
In addition to the diverse range of animals and birds, one of the other top draws to the wildlife park, in my opinion, are the well-maintained and exotic gardens - especially the Walled Garden. Every single garden was beautifully laid out. The choice of vegetation and the landscaping was excellent.
There is a narrow gauge train (£1 ticket) which runs in a loop around the park. It is fun not just for the kids but the adults as well.
Tips for visiting the Cotswold Wildlife Park
- Book tickets online and you save £1 per adult ticket.
- While the park has several refreshment kiosks and a restaurant serving a range of hot meals, drinks and sandwiches, you can also bring along a packed picnic. The park has several picnic areas. I especially liked the one near the Manor House which offered excellent views of the Rhino paddock.
- Cotswold Wildlife Park is the only large zoological collection in the UK to welcome dogs. So if you have a furry family member, you can take them along as well but please do keep them on a lead at all times.
- Do visit at least one of the animal talks or feeding sessions. They are very informative. The Penguin feeding is at 11am and 3pm while the Lemur talk is at 12 noon.
How to get to the park?
We were based in Burford during our holiday and were just 10 minutes drive away from the park. If you are also driving to the park, use the post code OX18 4JP. Look out for Bradwell Grove. If you are planning to arrive by public transport, then the nearest bus stop is Burford High Street. From there you would need to get a taxi to reach the park.
Cotswold Wildlife Park | Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire, OX18 4JP.
Phone | 01993 823006
Overall, we had a great time at Cotswold Wildlife Park and would definitely recommend visiting if you find yourself in Cotswolds. The animals looked well taken care of and were a pleasure to observe. I would suggest that you allow yourself 5-6 hours to see all the animals in the park. While the animals are definitely the main draw, the wildlife park has lots more to offer making it an excellent family attraction.
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