{"id":54874,"date":"2026-07-29T10:53:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T10:53:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/?p=54874"},"modified":"2026-07-29T11:31:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T11:31:04","slug":"our-review-of-howletts-wild-animal-park-summer-roar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/2026\/07\/29\/our-review-of-howletts-wild-animal-park-summer-roar\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Review of Howletts Wild Animal Park – Summer Roar"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Howletts Wild Animal Park and Summer Roar<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>

\"\"Howletts Wild Animal Park is Kent\u2019s original wildlife destination and home to the country\u2019s largest herd of African elephants.\u00a0 Throughout the school holidays children aged 3\u201315 can visit for half price as part of Summer Roar<\/em><\/strong>, making it an ideal time to enjoy a full day of animal adventures without stretching the budget.<\/p>

Running all summer long, Summer Roar<\/em><\/strong> brings a lively mix of activities designed to keep curious minds busy.\u00a0 The brand\u2011new Creepy Cave offers close encounters with an array of unusual creatures, from reptiles to insects and arachnids, while themed weeks shine a spotlight on some of the planet\u2019s most extraordinary species, giving families something fresh to discover each time they visit.<\/p>

Young explorers can get involved in animal\u2011inspired challenges, family\u2011friendly tasks and opportunities to learn more about the remarkable residents of the park.\u00a0 Across the holidays, families can enjoy dedicated Big Cat, Monkey, Elephant and Rhino weeks, each featuring extra talks, themed activities and deeper insights into the animals and the conservation work that makes Howletts unique.<\/p>

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‘Summer Roar’ Theme Weeks<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>
Week<\/strong><\/span><\/td>Events<\/span><\/strong><\/td>Summer Roar Week Theme<\/span><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
20th July – 26th July<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Capybara Appreciation Day – 10th July<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Capybara Week<\/strong><\/em><\/td><\/tr>
27th July – 2nd August<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Tiger Day 29th – July<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Big Cat Week<\/strong><\/em><\/td><\/tr>
3rd August – 9th August<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Clouded Leopard Day – 4th August<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Monkey Week<\/strong><\/em><\/td><\/tr>
10th August – 16th August<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Lion Day – 12th August<\/strong><\/em><\/td>Elephant Week<\/strong><\/em><\/td><\/tr>
17th August – 23rd August<\/strong><\/em><\/td>\u00a0<\/td>Rhino Week<\/strong><\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
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For those feeling brave, the new Creepy Cave provides a chance to get up close to giant African millipedes, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, stick insects, forest scorpions and other intriguing species, a brilliant way for children to build confidence and discover the lesser\u2011known wonders of the natural world.<\/div>
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Beyond the seasonal programme, Howletts offers more than 1,100 rare and endangered animals across 90 acres of beautiful parkland.\u00a0 From elephants and gorillas to rhinos, lions, clouded leopards and giant anteaters, there\u2019s no shortage of wildlife to enjoy. .<\/p>

Our Review<\/strong><\/h5>

\"\"We were very kindly offered free tickets from Howletts in exchange for a review for the wonderful families in West Kent.\u00a0 Having visited Howlett\u2019s a couple of times before, we jumped at the chance.\u00a0 Howletts Wild Animal Park is just outside Canterbury and a little over an hour away from where we live in Tunbridge Wells (just enough time to exhaust the alphabet with eye spy!!), and easily accessible from all of Kent and London by car.<\/p>

Running throughout the Summer until the end of August, Summer Roar<\/em><\/strong> brings weekly animal\u2011themed activities and half\u2011price entry for children aged between 3 and 15 years of age.\u00a0 Families can pick up a free activity trail sheet at the Gatehouse and hunt for hidden pawprints around the park to crack a code, with additional keeper\u2011led activities focused on the featured animal of the week.<\/p>

In truth, (and try not to let this happen!) we were so absorbed and distracted by the animals themselves that we missed most of the Summer Roar extras.\u00a0 A testament to how engaging the park is.\u00a0 For those parents who do pay attention and aren’t easily distracted, it’s a great addition for families who enjoy structured activities alongside the animal encounters.<\/p>

A Park That\u2019s Easy to Enjoy<\/strong><\/h5>

\"\"One of Howletts\u2019 greatest strengths as a day out, is its flexibility and relaxed atmosphere.\u00a0 It\u2019s an experience to soak up and enjoy at your own pace.\u00a0 There is space to wander, time to linger, and no sense of being hurried along (except by our head map reader – aged 14 – and our youngest ball of energy – aged 6) It\u2019s large enough to fill a full day and leave you wanting a little bit more more, but not so vast that you leave feeling overwhelmed.\u00a0 Our visit lasted around four and a half hours, but we could happily have stayed longer.\u00a0 On every visit we’ve ever made to Howletts it’s been busy, but the park is so spacious you never really notice.<\/p>

Getting to spend time just a few feet away from Lions, Tigers and Elephants feels a humbling privilege.\u00a0 You get to mingle with creatures that you otherwise might never see.\u00a0 Funnily enough, I\u2019d never really paid a lot of attention to Ant Eaters before, but they are incredibly strange looking, beautiful and captivating creatures when you see them for real.<\/p>

Unforgettable Animal Moments<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>

Howletts is home to the UK\u2019s largest herd of African elephants and the world\u2019s biggest group of Western Lowland Gorillas. Watching two young gorillas play together was a real highlight, chasing each other and wrestling, with the larger of the two being very considerate of their younger, smaller playmate.<\/p>

The elephants were mesmerising, we watched one casually lift a tractor tyre with effortless strength, while another used its trunk with delicate precision to gather hay.\u00a0 Howletts have just announced that its herd of 12 African elephants will remain at the park indefinitely with planning permission submitted for a new development which includes:<\/p>

\u2018a\u00a03,300m\u00b2 purpose-built elephant house\u00a0and\u00a010,000m\u00b2 of additional outdoor habitat, bringing the total elephant space to\u00a041,000m\u00b2 (around 10 acres). It will also feature improved pools, wallows, dusting areas, outdoor shelters and large indoor sand areas, all designed by the Park’s expert animal team.\u2019<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The Tigers remained elusive early in the day but we later spotted one in full, sun\u2011soaked splendour. The Lions were majestic and slept on, occasionally looking up with the quiet knowledge that were fully in charge and had no obligation whatsoever to put on a show.\u00a0 It\u2019s another lovely aspect of Howletts that the animals do their own thing in their own time.\u00a0 Consequently, on your first visit to an enclosure, you may not see them or they may be sleeping.\u00a0 Later in the day they\u2019re out and active in all their glory.<\/p>

\"\"The Rhinos were both magnificent and intimidating, and the antelope on the walk towards them were unexpectedly striking. The monkeys were cheeky, the capybaras wonderfully relaxed, and the ostriches regal. The African Painted Dogs stole the show during feeding time though, leaping acrobatically to catch food and showing off their beautiful markings.<\/p>

Make sure you walk through the Lemur enclosure, it\u2019s an immersive, close\u2011up experience that everyone will love and be bowled over by.<\/p>

The Summer Roar Creepy Crawly Cave was another favourite. We stroked a bearded dragon, saw tarantulas, a giant millipede a giant snail, and even held a python which was \u2018really cool\u2019 (my words!).<\/p>

Extra Experiences<\/strong><\/h5>

Although we didn\u2019t do this, Howletts offers Animal Experience Days where visitors can spend time with a dedicated keeper for a more hands\u2011on encounter. It\u2019s well worth considering for birthdays or special occasions or simply just for the experience.<\/p>

Food & Drink<\/strong><\/h5>

There are lots of opportunities to stop and take advantage of the food stalls and caf\u00e9s dotted around the park, which provide plenty of options for snacks, drinks and sweet summer treats.\u00a0 The Pavilion Restaurant is a perfect stop for a proper lunch with plenty of picnic bench seating spread over a lovely outside area which also features a decent play park.\u00a0 We strolled through the Ice Age Exhibition and Woodland Walk to get there as well, casually strolling by a sunbathing wolf (as you do!).<\/p>

A Great Day Out!<\/strong>\"\"<\/h5>

Howletts Wild Animal Park is genuinely a fantastic day out.\u00a0 There is something for everyone of all ages, but no-one will escape being captivated by the amazing variety of animals that are cared for.\u00a0 A visit to Howletts Wild Animal Park, like Port Lympne, is a special event that you’ll still be thinking about for days after you’ve left.<\/p>

Like most families, a trip out with children can often be a struggle and not always as wonderful as social media images would have you believe.\u00a0 We all left Howlett’s (via the gift shop!) happy, tired and feeling like we’d had a really good Summer Day out.<\/p>

To find out more about Howletts and take advantage of the Summer Roar<\/strong><\/em> half price children’s tickets (0-2 years old go free), visit www.howletts.com<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/span>\u00a0 Ticket sales help fund both animal care and the Trust’s wider conservation work.\u00a0 You can also follow them on Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/span> and Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 Howletts Wild Animal Park and Summer Roar Howletts Wild Animal Park is Kent\u2019s original wildlife destination and home to the country\u2019s largest herd of African elephants.\u00a0 Throughout the school holidays children aged 3\u201315 can visit for half price as part of Summer Roar, making it an ideal time to enjoy a full day of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":54921,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[241,258,243],"tags":[],"directory-category":[],"event_categories":[],"class_list":["post-54874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-days-out","category-reviews","category-summer-holidays"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-05 13:21:12","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54874"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54932,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54874\/revisions\/54932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54874"},{"taxonomy":"directory-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/directory-category?post=54874"},{"taxonomy":"event_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefamilygrapevine.co.uk\/west-kent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_categories?post=54874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}