Howletts dagkaart

Wonderful day. A bit cooler so lots of annimals about.

We were a family of 5 adults and a 18 month old baby. It was a very hot day 15/8/26. It was 33 degrees. The wide variety of animals was good. This venue could do with numerous water fountain, there were none on the route to animals. Also this venue is showing signs of needing investment as it looks tired. The pavilion restaurant which we had a meal was expensive. The outside seating is in need of repairs as we sat on one bench that we felt was unsafe.

We were vey happy. But we couldn't find the elephants. Probably our fault. Delighted with the Gorillas and the monkeys.

So disappointed been many times but find the park very poor lots of empty unused cages. Catering very poor nothing worth having at 13.10 and if your child didn’t like cheese tough and the cheese that was in the sandwich was so very thin poor for £7.00 why do they use dirty smelly diesel buggy’s polluting the air and children’s lungs. Sewage tank collecting waste driver in can and no banks man very unsafe so sad things have declined not going back sorry

What an incredible day out! The animals all looked well cared for and had spacious enclosures, and it was clear that conservation is at the heart of everything Howletts does. Seeing the gorillas and elephants up close was a real highlight, and the staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to answer questions. The park was clean, well laid out, and easy to get around, making it enjoyable for both adults and children. It’s refreshing to visit a place that’s so committed to protecting endangered species while offering such a memorable experience for visitors. We’ll definitely be returning and would highly recommend Howletts to anyone looking for a fantastic day out in Kent.

Somewhat expensive vs other better offerings, several of the food areas were either not opening or not offering anything other than drinks and snacks! It should have been made clear this was the case when entering the park... Additionally the staff seemed sparse and pretty miserable with the exception of the lady at the gate taking your money!

Howletts was great in its heyday but unfortunately, it seems to have taken a downhill turn. During our walk around there were a lot of enclosures that said were closed for essential maintenance but looked like they had been shut for years and abandoned by the state of the weeds and trees being overgrown in there. A lot of the animals we didn’t get to see, I understand that they are free to go indoors and outdoors as they please but after 3 laps of the zoo they still had not appeared. Some of the enclosures that did house animals looked overgrown and the little pools that they had were mostly empty, I found this a bit shocking after the heatwave that we have been having. The lemur walk was closed for absolutely no reason. I assume because it was quiet and on a term time Monday but I’m still a paying customer so should surely have access to all attractions. Now for the food situation. We stopped at one smaller cafe hoping for some quick food as it was lunchtime, we poke our head through the door and are met with the most dark and dingy unwelcoming space. The chiller cabinets were empty despite the zoo being pretty quiet so we moved on. Coming to the main cafe building it was clear there wasn’t going to be much luck, again, despite it being a quiet day they had mostly run out of food. My husband ended up having to settle on Mac and cheese (at the till we were told this was a kids meal) which was crunchy and dry with a piece of garlic bread that was as hard as a rock, and I made do with a vegan sausage roll which was really nothing to write home about. The bottled drinks in the chiller cabinets were warm. The food can only be likened to school canteen food and for the extortionate amount that it costs for the selection and quality we couldn’t help but feel like we had been robbed. Every other kiosk along the way was shut. The elephants are always brilliant and we did manage to see a few animals up close. If you like lemurs then you’ll be very happy here as they seem to be on every corner! All in all, I don’t think we will be returning. It used to be great when I was a kid in the early 2000s and I had many a great trip here, but it feels a bit past it now and I don’t think the ticket cost makes it worth it. It felt like the place was winding down to close its doors for good.

Going to see the elephants is brilliant but the hill you go down is the same one you have to walk back up so take your time it is steep, but worth it. There are other animals there to see as well as the Elephants.

Nice day out to Howletts, fantastic weather I don’t rate the zoo highly (a lot of walking around looking in empty enclosures. According to noticeboards next to the enclosure supposedly there were a lot of the same animal too - walking around I think I saw three homes for Clouded leopards and none contained a Clouded Leopard) We came for a pre-booked elephant encounter which was excelent - you stand in a small area just off the main walkway, reach a large leafy branch out for the elephants to reach grab and pull it to them. Jama and her son Nodu Not exactly up close and personal, barely a few feet closer than anyone else, but a good experience The guide seems very knowledgeable, he said he did not work primarily at Howletts but had another site so was surprised at the size of the young elephant compared to when he saw them

Howletts is very different to a traditional zoo and definitely focuses more on Animal welfare than viewing factor however this is no bad thing. We started heading straight down the main path and you’re presented with a vast array of primate enclosures. Side note: This is not a very good place for photography as many enclosures have very thick mesh which makes it very difficult for camera focusing. Now while the appearance on the outside for a lot of enclosures isn’t brilliant the inside’s are mostly exceptional and have so many different platforms and vegetations to suit each animal. All the Cats big or small were asleep due to the Sunny weather which is more than fair however all were visible in the opening section apart from the Clouded Leopard however these are notoriously illusive. Lemurs were mostly all in a cuddle pile which is always hilarious as I think it’s really sweet. The Servals were great always a good addition and I really like how most of the animal info signage has fun and interesting facts like how the Serval has the longest legs of any big cat. Moving round there’s Red River Hogs which were also asleep due to the sunny weather but had loads of space had they decided to move around. The Elephants were definitely a highlight as there are so many African Elephants on display including a Bull. They have so much space in their enclosure and it’s nice to see the larger African Variety of Elephant. No disrespect to their Asian Cousins though. Then walking through the gorgeous Woodland you once again find various primate enclosures with the clouded leopard dropped in every now and again. Some of these enclosures do feel a little small and outdated however I’m no expert. The wolves were surprisingly visible albeit asleep but are lovely to see. The Leopards both Snow and Amur were nowhere to be seen however with their expansive enclosure they could’ve been anywhere. The Gorillas were all on display and being inquisitive as ever. Buffalo and Javan Langurs were next all of which were present and correct and I really like the orange coat that these Langurs have. The Siamangs were out of sight most likely in a tree. Then Capybaras surprisingly appeared out of nowhere and were enjoying a nice mud bath to cool down in the heat which was so fun to watch. Then the Caracal a rarity in British Zoos and I’d never seen one before so was very excited to see it gracefully wandering the enclosure. Then back through the Hogs to the African Painted Dogs section which had clearly just been fed and were enjoying a nice meat supper. Then more gorillas which were very similar to the ones mentioned earlier. Then Dholes which we did manage to spot and Black Rhinos of which there were surprisingly three don’t think I’ve ever see more than two which was great. Time for the gift shop which was superb, really well priced and high quality Keel toys throughout. Overall, Howletts is very unique specialising in Animal Welfare of mainly primates and Big/Smaller Cats and is definitely worth a visit. We do think the entrance tickets are a tad pricey £26 each if booking online but value is definitely there not a complete ripoff.