The gorilla families
Around 28 western lowland gorillas in several family groups, from a charity that says it has returned more than seventy of them to the wild.
Michael Haslam — CC BY 2.5 · David Anstiss — CC BY-SA 2.0 · David Anstiss — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Michael Haslam — Public domain
In a quiet stretch of Kent countryside outside Canterbury lives one of the largest families of western lowland gorillas anywhere in the world, and they are not here merely to be looked at: the charity that runs the park says it has sent more than seventy gorillas back to the forests of Africa, where births have followed in the wild. That has been the point of Howletts since casino owner John Aspinall founded it as a private zoo in 1957 and opened the gates in 1975. Rare animals are bred here to be returned home, and your ticket pays for the project. The park covers roughly ninety acres around an eighteenth-century country house, and its paths are mostly flat tarmac with a few gentle slopes, which makes it far kinder to pushchairs and grandparents than its bigger, hillier sister Port Lympne. Beyond the gorillas you will find Eastern black rhinos, Sumatran tigers, clouded leopards and a herd of twelve African elephants, the largest in Britain. That herd was meant to fly to Kenya in an unprecedented rewilding scheme, but in July 2026 the foundation announced the elephants are staying in Kent, after no suitable project could be found to take so close a family group; a new elephant house and a much larger outdoor habitat have since been submitted for planning. You can safely promise them to the children. The one caveat: the enclosures are large and leafy, and nobody has told the animals to perform. If you want guaranteed close-up photos you may be disappointed on a hot afternoon when the big cats sleep out of sight, while the patient visitor is rewarded with a gorilla eating a few metres away behind the glass. The daily keeper talks, with times posted in the park on the day, are the best way to plan your loop around feeding times. There is a coffee house, a restaurant, seasonal kiosks and play areas. Getting there: it is a ten-minute drive or taxi south-east of Canterbury off the A2, about five kilometres, with parking on site; or take the train one stop from Canterbury East to Bekesbourne, where the park itself advises a short taxi for the last leg because the road from the station is not suitable for pedestrians. Tickets are cheaper online (GBP 23.64 per adult and GBP 18.18 per child aged 3 to 15, plus a GBP 2.40 booking fee) than at the gate (GBP 26.36 and GBP 20.45), and the higher figures shown on the site, GBP 26.00 online and GBP 29.00 at the gate, include an optional ten percent donation. The park opens daily at 10:00 for most of the year, closing between 16:00 and 18:00 depending on the season with last entry two hours before, but from early January to 21 March it opens Friday to Sunday only outside school holidays. Pick a day between April and October and give it at least half a day.
Around 28 western lowland gorillas in several family groups, from a charity that says it has returned more than seventy of them to the wild.
Twelve African elephants, Britain's largest herd; the Kenya move was called off in July 2026 and a bigger elephant house is now in planning.
Near-level tarmac paths over ninety acres suit pushchairs and grandparents, with daily keeper talks included in the ticket.
Bekesbourne, Kent CT4 5EL
Howletts if you have small children or older relatives: ten minutes from town, flat, and it has the gorillas and elephants. Port Lympne is much bigger, steep and about 40 minutes away, worth it if you want the truck safari or an overnight stay among the animals. Doing both in one day is exhausting and not recommended.
With caution. From early January to 21 March the park opens Friday to Sunday only outside school holidays, closing is 16:00 so last entry is 14:00, and many animals stay in their heated indoor houses in the cold. If you are in Canterbury in winter check the dates on the official site before setting out; better to wait for April.