Woburn Safari Park near Milton Keynes

Lions, Elephants & Rhinos — Just 20 Minutes from Milton Keynes

Woburn Safari Park is one of England’s finest wildlife experiences — and it’s right on MK’s doorstep. Located on the extraordinary Woburn Estate in Bedfordshire, just 20 minutes from Central Milton Keynes, Woburn gives you the closest thing to a real African safari you can experience in England — driving your own car through 360 acres of open animal reserves, coming face to face with lions, white rhinos, Asian elephants, tigers, giraffes, zebras, bears, wolves, and much more.

It’s an outstanding day out for families, couples, and anyone who hasn’t been since childhood and doesn’t realise quite how spectacular it’s become.

What’s at Woburn Safari Park

The Road Safari — Drive-Through Animal Reserves
The heart of Woburn Safari Park. Drive your own car through five distinct habitat sections, each representing different parts of the world:

• Kingdom of the Carnivores — lions, Amur tigers, and Canadian timber wolves roaming freely around your car (note: soft-top convertibles cannot enter this section for safety reasons)
• Savannah Grasslands — Southern white rhinos in their 42-acre exhibit alongside zebras, antelopes and other African species
• African Forest — bongos, African wild asses and more
• Elephant Kingdom — Asian elephants in a dedicated reserve
• Primate sections — Barbary macaques and other primates

You can complete as many circuits as you like — every lap is different as animals move around their reserves throughout the day.

The Foot Safari
After the Road Safari, explore the Foot Safari area on foot. Walk-through habitats and enclosures housing lemurs, wallabies, penguins, sea lions, red pandas, meerkats, rheas, reptiles, marmosets, and more. Daily keeper talks and feeding demonstrations run throughout the day — these are genuinely brilliant and add enormous depth to the visit.

Play Areas & Family Attractions
– Great Woburn Railway — a 20-inch gauge railway taking guests to Alpaca Outpost and around the Foot Safari
– Mammoth Play Ark — large indoor soft play centre
– Jungle Jamboree — outdoor adventure play area
– Tiny Tots Safari Trail — epic bouncy castle area for younger children
– Go Ape! Treetop Challenge — high ropes course in the trees (additional charge)

VIP Experiences
For something truly extraordinary — book a VIP off-road Land Rover experience with a dedicated ranger guide. Get closer to the safari animals than standard admission allows, with expert insight and commentary. Giraffe feeding experiences and small mammal encounters also available. All bookable in advance via woburnsafari.co.uk.

Daily Keeper Talks & Demonstrations
A full daily programme of keeper talks covering multiple species throughout the day. Check the programme board on arrival and plan your Foot Safari time around the talks — they’re one of the highlights of the visit.

Practical Information

Address: Woburn Safari Park, Woburn, Bedfordshire MK43 0TU

Distance from MK: Approximately 20 minutes by car from Central Milton Keynes. Off Junction 13 of the M1.

Getting There: The Safari Park is only accessible by car — you cannot enter on foot, by bicycle, or by motorcycle. Soft-top convertibles and cabriolets cannot enter the Kingdom of the Carnivores or African Forest sections.

Parking: Free on-site parking available.

Opening Hours: Open year-round. Hours vary by season — always check woburnsafari.co.uk before visiting for current times and any planned closures.

Tickets: Book online in advance at woburnsafari.co.uk for the best prices. Advance tickets (booked 2+ days ahead) save £2.50 per adult and £2 per child versus last-minute prices. All standard tickets include the Road Safari, Foot Safari, daily keeper talks, and all standard play areas. Open-dated flexible tickets valid for 365 days from purchase are available.

Annual Pass: Available for families and individuals who want to visit multiple times — includes 12 months of admission plus discounts on guest tickets, food, and gift purchases.

Speed Limit: A strict 15mph speed limit applies throughout the park for animal safety. Exceeding this may result in being asked to leave without a refund.

Arrival: Arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your booked time slot. Have tickets ready to show — either printed or on your device.

Food & Drink: On-site restaurant and cafés in the leisure area. Picnic areas available.

Gift Shop: Well-stocked gift shop with souvenirs, educational books, and wildlife gifts.

Tips from WhatsOnMK

💡 Arrive early and do multiple Road Safari circuits — animals are most active in the morning. Drive the loop at least twice as behaviour and positioning changes significantly throughout the day.

💡 Plan your Foot Safari around keeper talks — check the daily programme board on arrival. The sea lion demonstrations and elephant talks are particularly brilliant.

💡 Book VIP experiences well in advance — the giraffe feeding and off-road Land Rover experiences sell out quickly, especially at weekends and during school holidays.

💡 Weekdays are significantly quieter — if you have flexibility, a midweek visit means less traffic through the Road Safari and shorter waits at keeper talks.

💡 Combine with Woburn village — the beautiful Georgian village of Woburn is a 5-minute drive from the Safari Park with independent shops, cafés, and The Inn at Woburn for lunch or dinner. A perfect full-day itinerary.

💡 Soft-top car? The bypass option in the Road Safari lets you skip the Kingdom of the Carnivores if your vehicle isn’t permitted — you’ll still see the vast majority of the park.

Nearby — While You’re in the Area

The Inn at Woburn — one of the finest restaurants near MK, set within the Woburn Estate. Perfect for lunch or dinner after the safari. See our Where to Stay guide →

Woburn Abbey — the extraordinary stately home of the Duke of Bedford, with art gallery, parkland, and deer park. Open seasonally — check woburnabbey.co.uk for dates.

Woburn Village — a beautifully preserved Georgian market town with independent shops and cafés.

See all Family Days Out near Milton Keynes →
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