There are lots of great places to spend the day in Lincolnshire but we absolutely love anywhere with animals. Read on for a review of Wolds Wildlife Park, in the beautiful market town of Horncastle.
Where is Wolds Wildlife Park?
Email address: info@woldswildlife.co.uk
Website: https://www.woldswildlife.co.uk
Louth Road
Horncastle,
Lincolnshire
LN9 5LJ
Parking
Wolds Wildlife Park has a large car park just outside of the entrance, where there is plenty of space for both cars and coaches. Parking is free.
Opening times
Depending on the time of year, Wolds Wildlife Park has varying opening hours. It’s best to check the website for up todate opening times.
On days where the park is open, they generally open at 10am and close at either 4pm or 5pm. Last entry is an hour before park closing.
Prices
*Correct as of September 2023
Tickets can either be booked online ahead of your visit, or purchased on the day at the reception building.
Day passes
| TICKET | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Adults | £11.50 |
| Child (3-15 years) | £9.00 |
| 2 Adult + 2 Children | £35.00 |
| Child 2 years & under. (Free) | £0 |
| Concession (Over 65,Blue Light,Disabled) ID Required | £10.50 |
Annual passes
| TICKET | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Adults | £45 |
| Children (3-15) | £25 |
| 2 Adults + 2 Children | £130 |
| Senior Citizens | £40 |
How long should you spend there?
During our visit, we arrived at around 10am and left at about 3:30pm. This was during May half term when the weather was reasonable. We could have easily stayed until closing time at 5pm but we had an onward journey to do back to Norfolk.
What animals can you see?
The Wolds Wildlife Park isn’t a huge zoo however, they have plenty of different animals to see. We were pleasantly surprised by how many animals there were to see and how amazing their enclosures were.
Mammals
Wolds Wildlife Park has an exceptional range of mammals at the park and they’re definitely worth paying to see.
I love seeing big cats and Wolds Wildlife Park absolutely does not disappoint in this area. You can see both the African lions and Bengal tigers being fed during your visit and it’s quite an exciting thing to see. At other times, they might be chilling out, lazing around or walking the perimeter of their enclosure.
During our visit we saw a couple having an experience where they fed the African lions themselves and it looked fantastic. Read more about animal experiences later in the post.
Outside of Canada, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a bear in a zoo so I was pretty excited to see two Eurasian brown bears. You can catch the bears being fed in the morning and it’s a great sight to see so don’t miss this. Later in the day you might see the bears playing and having a little rest in their pool. Be aware, the bears do hibernate so you can’t see them all year round.
Other mammals include camels, reindeer, capybaras, lynx, leopards and pumas, just to name a few.
Primates
Primates are always fun to watch as many of them tend to be quite cheeky and full of personality. Here, you can see primates such as ring-tailed lemurs, pygmy marmosets, bearded sakis, brown capuchins, and pig-tailed macaques.
Domesticated animals
The area for domestic animals was one of my favourites. Here, you’ll find the highland cow, donkeys, goats, llamas and alpacas. Animal welfare is very clearly thought about here at Wolds Wildlife Park as the animals have so much space to run around and be free.
You can join in with feeding time for these animals so make a note of the time when you arrive. Buckets of carrots were handed out and the animals definitely knew what time it was. It was so much fun feeding the animals, and we tried to make sure we fed some that weren’t getting as much attention.
Reptiles
The Wolds Wildlife Park is home to some sulcata tortoises. They’re houses close to the domesticated animals and they can be seen roaming around, slowly of course. Animal fans will love taking some time out to watch them move around, maybe munching on a leaf of two as they go.
Animal experiences
Wolds Wildlife Park offers a really wide range of special experiences for a number of animals. These experiences are bookable via the website. All experiences are suitable for age 12+ and children must be accompanied by a full-paying adult. Some experiences have date restrictions, e.g. the bears will hibernate between certain dates.
A wildlife experience would make a great gift!
| TICKET | FOR ONE | FOR TWO |
|---|---|---|
| Zebra Experience | £60 | £100 |
| Camel Experience | £60 | £100 |
| Lemur Experience | £60 | £100 |
| Capybara Experience | £60 | £100 |
| Tapir Experience | £60 | £100 |
| Lynx Experience | £90 | £140 |
| Lion Experience | £110 | £195 |
| Leopard Experience | £110 | £195 |
| Tiger Experience | £110 | £195 |
| Bear Experience | £160 | £295 |
| Big Cats Experience | £185 | £320 |
| Carnivores Experience | £285 | £470 |
Food and drink
As a zoo is usually close to a full day out, you’re likely to want to eat or have a break for a drink during your visit. You’ll find picnic areas dotted around and there’s an indoor seating area, covered by a huge kind of tent.
Although there isn’t a cafe as such, there is a little booth which serves both hot and cold food. You order at the window, take a number then let them know where you’re sitting. Food options include children’s meals, burgers, pizza, chips, all day breakfasts and jacket potatoes.
We had lunch during our day, ordering a bit of a mix between us. Some food was better quality than others however, the prices were decent and the food arrived quickly.
Visit the gift shop before you leave
There is also a small gift shop on site where you can buy souvenirs such as soft toys, magnets and postcards. The gift shop can be found at the back of the park, close to the toilets and the cafe.
Wolds Wildlife Park is such an amazing day out. Located in the Lincolnshire Wolds, it’s only a short drive from places such as Cleethorpes or Louth. We had a great day and will definitely be back when we’re over in Lincolnshire again.
