Yorkshire Wildlife Park
BEST FOR
Ages 0-15
ENTRY
from £2
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Doncaster
What it’s like
Walk-through reserves, a dinosaur trail and giraffe feeding at a big Doncaster wildlife park with six play areas thrown in.
You walk through the reserves here rather than just peering over a fence, which is the bit that tends to land best with younger kids when a face suddenly appears close up. Pangea, the dinosaur walk-through, is listed as a separate draw alongside the animals, and there's giraffe feeding and meerkat encounters if you want to book an experience on top of general entry. Older kids aged 11 to 17 can do a Ranger Academy course if you fancy making a day of it into something more structured.
There are six indoor and outdoor play areas across the park including the Uproar Play Barn and Planet Putt, so wet or cold days aren't wasted waiting for the animals to move. Last entry is 3pm and the gates open at 9:45am, which gives you a proper run at the place if you arrive early, though a family with a toddler will likely peel off well before closing.
Ticket prices shift by day and by how far ahead you book. An adult is £28.99 online on an off-peak weekday but £34.49 on the day at peak times, and children run from £24.99 up to £30.49 on the same scale, so booking ahead saves a genuine £3.50 a head. Toddlers aged 1 to 2 are £2 and babies under one go free.
Food is spread across five main eateries, Safari Café, Monkey Playhouse Café, Caramba, Masai Café and Tsavo Lodge Bakehouse, plus seasonal snack bars, so you're not stuck queuing at one spot with hungry kids. Pushchair and wheelchair hire are both available if you pre-book online, and there's a bus service, the 357, running hourly from Doncaster Interchange if you're not driving.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Good for all ages up to 15, with older kids getting Ranger Academy options
- Last entry
- 3pm
- Booking
- Save £3.50 per person by booking online before midnight the day before your visit
- Food
- 5 main eateries (Safari Café, Monkey Playhouse Café, Caramba, Masai Café, Tsavo Lodge Bakehouse) plus seasonal snack bars
- Pushchairs
- Child stroller hire available, pre-book online recommended
- Wheelchairs
- Manual wheelchair and mobility scooter hire available, pre-book online
- Getting there by bus or train
- First Bus South Yorkshire 357 service from Doncaster Interchange, hourly Mon-Sun
- Booking online before midnight the day before saves £3.50 a ticket
- Six indoor and outdoor play areas mean a washout day still works
- Ranger Academy courses are aimed at 11 to 17 year olds specifically
- Accessible tickets need proof, so bring documentation if that applies to you
- Last entry is 3pm even though the park stays open until 5pm
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
An adult is £28.99 booked online off-peak on a weekday, rising to £34.49 on the day at peak times. Children (3-15) range from £24.99 to £30.49 depending on the day and how you book.
Do toddlers pay?
Ages 1 to 2 are £2 and babies under 12 months go free.
Is it cheaper to book ahead?
Yes, they list a saving of £3.50 a person for booking online before midnight the day before you go.
Do we need to book in advance?
General entry doesn't require booking, but you save money by doing it online ahead of your visit.
What time should we arrive?
Gates open at 9:45am and last entry is 3pm, so you can't turn up late afternoon.
Is there anything for wet weather?
There are six indoor and outdoor play areas including the Uproar Play Barn, so a rainy visit still has plenty to do under cover.
What's there for older kids?
Ranger Academy courses run for ages 11 to 17 if you want something more hands-on than just walking round.
Can we feed the giraffes?
Giraffe feeding and meerkat encounters are listed as animal experiences you can add on.
What food is available?
Five main eateries are dotted round the park, Safari Café, Monkey Playhouse Café, Caramba, Masai Café and Tsavo Lodge Bakehouse, plus seasonal snack bars.
Can we hire a pushchair or wheelchair?
Both child stroller and wheelchair or mobility scooter hire are available, with pre-booking online recommended.
Is it accessible for wheelchair users?
The park is wheelchair accessible with accessible toilets and Changing Places facilities, and accessible ticket pricing is available with proof.
Can we get there without a car?
The First Bus 357 runs hourly from Doncaster Interchange, and it's about 240m from the accessible car park to the entrance.
Animals
African Penguins (Boulders Beach)
Home to newly arrived African penguins, a critically endangered species.
Brown Bears
Rescued brown bears living in a grassy reserve with lakes, toys, hay beds and shelters.
Capybaras
Capybara brothers Chip and Dale.
Cheetahs (Cheetah Territory)
10,000 square metre reserve designed for cheetahs, opened summer 2023.
Common Marmoset
Enclosure with ground-level glass viewing.
Giant Anteaters
Enclosure with ground-level glass viewing.
Giant Otters
Enclosure with ground-level glass viewing.
Giraffes (Giraffe House)
Giraffe house with ground-level glass viewing.
Golden Lion Tamarin
Species held as part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria breeding programme.
Lar Gibbons
Lar Gibbon trio Gale, Manis and Koopa.
Lemur Woods
Walkthrough enclosure with natural pathways, animals and visitors not separated.
Leopards (Leopard Heights)
One of the largest leopard reserves in the world, a purpose-built breeding and reintroduction facility.
Lions (Lion Country)
10-acre enclosure originally built for 13 rescued lions.
Maned Wolves, Tapir and Bush Dogs (Atlantic Forest)
Land opened in 2021 featuring Maned Wolves, Tapir and Bush Dogs.
Meerkats and Mongoose Manor
Enclosure with ground-level glass viewing panes.
Okapi House
Enclosure with ground-level glass viewing.
Polar Bears (Project Polar)
10-acre reserve, the largest Polar Bear centre outside Canada, home to the largest collection of Polar Bears in England.
Red Pandas
Red pandas including Zemi and Alice.
Sea Lions (Point Lobos)
Sea lion reserve with two naturalistic lakes, one holding 1.9 million litres of filtered water.
Tigers (Land of the Tiger)
Reserve where tigers roam woodlands and grasslands or play in a waterfall pool.
Titi Monkeys
Titi monkeys including parents Jessie and Javari and their infant.
Visayan Warty Pigs
Enclosure with ground-level glass viewing.
Wallaby Walkabout
Walkthrough enclosure where visitors and wallabies are not separated.
Areas to explore
Amazonas
Walkthrough enclosure where animals and visitors are not separated.
Jungle Lookout Play Area
outdoorsOutdoor play area with natural pathways around it.
Play Areas
6 indoor and outdoor play areas included in park entry.
Uproar! Play Barn
indoorsIndoor play area located in The Yorkshire Hive.
Experiences
Pangea - Discovery of Dinosaurs
Immersive prehistoric walkthrough experience with over 30 life-sized moving dinosaurs.
Shows
Shows & Ranger Talks
Ranger talks and live shows held at the park.
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