Longleat - Safari first (bus or own car?) or boat first

[MaggieFS]

Argh. Going round in circles.

I've seen their website says boat first to avoid the queues (is that just because everyone does safari first and they're trying to encourage people elsewhere?). I've seen posters here say safari first while the animals are more likely to be active.

We'll have had an early start and a 90minute drive to get there, so I'm conscious DC might be better being out of the car first.

It seems weird/ inefficient to get back in our car to do it in the middle of the day? (Unless we do get their bus?)

I don't overly want to book e.g. 3pm because if DC have had enough and are grumpy by then it will be pretty grim.

I HATE having to commit to time slots.

Also thought it would be more fun in our own car. I'm not overly worried about damage. But seen mixed reports on this too.

We did zoo first and safari at lunch then more zoo and then safari to exit which worked well.

Bypass baboons if in own car,

@stravagante Was that the same safari twice?

I'd do the first safari of the day on the bus, though I don't think you can prebook it, you need to go to the office as soon as you get there as they only run a limited number of trips a day. Then do boat, then the other animal area, which doesn't take all that long (there are things like koalas, crocodiles, porcupines etc.)

The bus is great as the guides have a sense of humour and you see more than from a car. Also you get to see the monkeys without them wrecking your car. The bus actually stops for a bit not long into the journey so you can get out to see the giraffes, wallabies and lemurs, which means you won't be cooped up all that long straight away.

We done park first and safari last....my son was a grumpy desperately in need of a nap nightmare for the safari! The boat gets very busy very early. Possibly do the boat over lunch when it might be a little quieter

Safari first - i think you can only do once. And they arent baboons?
But yes you can bypass the monkeys.
Weve got stuck in the lions on very busy days

We always do safari first but the boat queue can be really long so I am thinking of trying it the other way around next time.

I have always wanted to do the bus!

I’ve always done safari in the afternoon when everyone is shattered.

if you walk literally straight from parking at 10am you won’t need to queue for the boat. You can go back to see the animals you’ve walked past to get there. I find the train a bit boring. We’ve done safari at all times of day and haven’t noticed a pattern of animals being active especially. Sloths are best when they have their breakfast and lorikeets also best early in the day (don’t want to eat so much later on). I wouldn’t say it’s that annoying to get in the car to do the safari after being in the smaller zoo areas near the house. We like to get takeaway pizzas for lunch to eat in the adventure play area.

I was an Annual pass holder pre-covid and if I wanted to do safari and boat I’d be in right at the opening to book the safari bus then straight to the boat. I’ve never dared taking my own car as have seen loads damaged!

We've been 10+ times. In own car and been fine. Although im prepared and keep spare wiper blades in boot... Just in case

Has it changed so that you can only drive through the safari once? We drove through about four times. It was interesting!

Oh I think I just assumed you could only drive through once! Hadn't thought you could do it twice 🤦‍♀️.

Points noted ref wiper blades!

I wouldn’t go through the monkeys in your own car if you have parking sensors. I’ve seen quite a few cars with parking sensors missing or hanging out in the car park afterwards and that’s an expensive repair! We’ve always done safari first and then boat around lunchtime.

Safari first. Word of warning about the monkeys they are little shits. I swear they wait for which car they are going to get on and try and rip stuff off. They picked at some black trim on my roof (people on the bus were looking and pointing) I didn’t know what the little shit had done til I got to the big house. Not only that he took a pee on my bonnet whilst looking at me.

You can bypass the monkey 🙊 enclosure.

We've done it both ways round but if I had to pick now I'd do the boat first and save the safari for the after noon because it's much quieter near the house and the boat queue is far less in the morning.

The safari is busy whatever time you go but the amount of cars pealing off after the ticket huts to do the safari first thing is much bigger than the cars going down towards the house and attractions.

I live right next door to longleat so have been many times over many years.
Do the safari over lunch, just adjust when you eat.
If you take your car you can bypass the monkeys but still see the little shits from a distance lol

Warning about the bus.... you can get stuck on it for hours!
The keepers need to make sure the animals are clear of exits into each zone so have to wait for them to move.
It can be quite fun watching them drive towards them in their little jeeps to get them to shift it though! (yes wolves, you buggers!) Oh & a petulant ostrich that decided the cattle grid was where they wanted to plonk themselves! The bus stops a lot for the tour guides to talk to you so a car will be much quicker.
You take a break at the giraffes though where you can feed them off a huge platform, there's a cafe/toilets & walk through with the lemurs.
We were stuck for 3.5 hrs in mid August 🥵
Tour guides have always been fab, knowledgeable & hilarious.

The boat does get busy (& very very smelly!) I'd be inclined to do that 1st & the koalas, stingrays, pets corner etc inbetween.
My fave is the bats! You are in the enclosure with them flying over your head!
Parakeets... you can also go in & buy little cups of nectar. Be warned ⚠️ they WILL all land on you & you will probably get shit on! 🤣
Depending on age of kids the maze is a waste of time if you're only going for a day, skip that bit.

Little fucker removed my washer nozzle that day...