Woburn Safari Park

Woburn Safari Park is a drive-through wildlife park near Woburn in Bedfordshire. It sits within the Duke of Bedford’s estate, which also includes Woburn Abbey and a large deer park. The safari section covers 360 acres, while the wider estate totals over 3,000 acres. Visitors follow a five-part route through enclosures that house rhinos, elephants, tigers and black bears. The park belongs to two major zoo associations, showing its commitment to high standards. The park began in 1970 when the 13th Duke of Bedford and Jimmy Chipperfield opened it to help restore Woburn Abbey after the Second World War. Since then it has built new homes for wolves, elephants and rhinos, spending millions on improved facilities. It runs Europe’s largest hoofstock centre and breeds rare species such as the Rothschild’s giraffe and Mountain Bongo. Awards from BIAZA recognise its animal welfare and education work. Beyond the drive-through safari, a 40-acre leisure area offers animal talks, petting zones and adventure play. Smaller species like lemurs, wallabies and penguins live here alongside the Mammoth Play Ark and Go Ape course. Daily demonstrations feature sea lions, penguins and elephants. The park also keeps critically endangered animals such as Vietnamese Sika Deer, extinct in the wild. Visitors leave with close-up views of wildlife and a sense of the estate’s long conservation role.