Port Lympne Reserve

Port Lympne Reserve, located near the town of Hythe to the north of Romney Marsh, houses over 650 rare and endangered animals. Set in 600 acres the park, the landscaped gardens take full advantage of the spectacular views of Romney Marsh.

Port Lympne also houses the critically endangered Sifaka and the largest breeding herd of Black Rhinoceros outside Africa. As well as Siberian and Bengal tigers, there are small cats, monkeys, Malayan tapirs, Barbary Lions, which have just given birth to two cubs, African Hunting Dogs and many more rare and endangered species, some of which are on the circular walk. ‘The Palace of the Apes’ is the world’s largest gorillarium and home to a complete family group of gorillas. There is also an open enclosure near some of the rhinos and colobus monkeys.

Animal Encounters at Port Lympne offer the chance to get up close and personal with some of the most rare and endangered animals on the planet, from western lowland gorillas to Amur tigers and many more.

Make your day extra special with a guided walking tour of the park with one of the expert guides, which can be tailored to your family or group's requirements.

The Junior Ranger is an amazing full day experience offers budding Animal Keepers a very real opportunity to get behind the scenes at Port Lympne or Howletts by having a guided VIP tour of the park with an Education Animal specialist.

Opening Times

The park has different opening hours depending on the season. It is open every day except Christmas Day.

Summer (25 Marsh to 24 October)
Open from 9:30am to 6:30pm. The last admission is 3:30pm.

Winter (25 October to 28 March)
Open from 9:30am to 5pm. The last admission is 2:30pm.

On Christmas Eve they are open from 9:30am to 2pm. The last admission is 12:30pm.

Location

Port Lympne is located on the B2067, and is just past Ashford, Kent. It is also a short distance from Canterbury, Folkestone and the southeast coast of England. See  location map.

Further Information

For further information, please visit the Port Lympne Reserve website or 01303 264647.