5 Things to Know Before Your First Visit to Cotswold Wildlife Park

If it’s your first time visiting Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, a little planning goes a long way. Here are five practical things worth knowing before you set off for Bradwell Grove.

1. It’s a walking park, not a drive-through safari

Unlike a drive-through safari park, Cotswold Wildlife Park is explored entirely on foot (or via Bella the narrow-gauge train, which runs a scenic loop from April to October). Free parking is available all day, and you can return to your car whenever you like — so there’s no need to see everything in one go.

2. Book your e-ticket online, especially in school holidays

Online e-tickets are cheaper than paying at the gate and are the only way to guarantee entry on busy dates. The Park can reach capacity on school-holiday weekends, and e-tickets are typically released around four days ahead, giving you a chance to check the weather forecast first. See Tickets & Prices for the current breakdown.

3. Wear comfortable shoes — it’s 160 acres

Between the animal collection, the Victorian Walled Garden, and attractions like the Adventure Playground, most visitors clock up a fair distance over a full day. Comfortable walking shoes make a real difference, and some of the more historic garden paths are gravel rather than fully level, so bear that in mind if you’re bringing a buggy or need step-free access — see our accessibility guide for more detail.

4. Time your day around the daily keeper talks

The Humboldt penguin talk runs at 11am and 3pm, and the lemur feeding talk runs at 12 noon — both free with admission and a highlight for most first-time visitors. Building your route loosely around these times means you won’t miss them by accident. See the full list on our Experiences page.

“Arrive right at 10am opening — the car park and pay kiosk queue builds fast between 10:30am and 12pm, especially on weekends and school holidays.”

5. Bring a picnic, or budget for the restaurant and kiosks

You’re welcome to bring your own food to eat on the picnic lawns (barbecues aren’t permitted), or there’s an on-site restaurant plus several refreshment kiosks around the grounds if you’d rather not carry a cool bag all day. Full details are on our Food & Dining section.

That’s the essentials — for everything else, from opening hours to directions, our Plan Your Visit page covers the rest, including the full FAQ section.