Port Lympne / Howletts

[charltonchick]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me what the difference is between these two as they look very similar. Any idea which one would be better for my 2 DDs of 3 1/2 and 18mths?
Thanks

I go at least every fortnight to one or the other (my dc are obsessed! - my dd is 4 and my ds is 2)- thank God for family memebership is all I can say!

Both run by the Aspinall Foundation - Howletts is near Canterbury and has tigers but no lions and no giraffes - it is smaller to get round on foot with a nice play park for the kids- loads of gorillas and elephants! Lots of different monkeys too and everything can generally be seen by little people

Port Lympne - down towards Ashford (I'll be there on Friday again ) is MUCH bigger and really tough for little people to get round not least as it is on hilly ground so fairly tiring - that said it does have this safari thing where you get on a safari lorry thing that goes through a massive park (very open to the elements on the downs so take a cardi as can get very chilly)and goes up to a thing at the top where you can get drinks and see some spiders/snakes etc - it does cost extra for the safari and it lasts about an hour - it can be excellent on the safari BUT I have been on some days where you can't really see anything which means young ones can get a bit bored. However PL does have lions and giraffes (a favourite in our house!)

I think given the ages of your dc I would strongly recommend Howletts - manageable size, good viewing opportunities nice play park on flat ground (the one at PL is on a slope!!)- save PL for when they are older!

HTH

love both but if you're kids are little then Howletts - PL is more of an adventure and not for the faint-hearted if you're pushing a pram.

If you book online with them the day before you go you get a discount

YOUR YOUR YOUR kids - gah

Thanks for the info - think I'll try Howletts on Thursday then. Fingers crossed for good weather!