The new winter walk is open until January 3, 2026
As soon as I heard about Port Lympne Illuminated, I wanted to go. So, at the weekend, it was time to try out Port Lympne Safari Park’s new festive lights trail.
The attraction, near Hythe, is allowing families to explore the animal park after dark and indulge in all the Christmas fun including toasting marshmallows and wandering through a twinkling tunnel. The event – the first of its kind – opened in November and is running until January 3.
The stunning new trail sweeps through the wooded walks and garden of Port Lympne, with seasonal music playing as you follow the route. You have to book tickets in advance, which includes parking, so my family and I arrived on a very mild Saturday afternoon in December for our scheduled 4.30pm slot.
A small fun fair with a Helter Skelter and a ferris wheel, and a cute cabin serving drinks, were located at the entrance to the park ahead of the magical walk. Soon after, our QR codes were scanned and our adventure quickly began, not needing to queue.
As everyone had booked a timed session, we had plenty of space to casually walk around without feeling uncomfortable getting too close to fellow walkers. It also meant we could get a great view of the dazzling lights on our journey.
There were some wonderful illuminations along our trail and some great spots to get a selfie. There were giant – and absolutely stunning – giraffes, tigers and a rhino. There was also a magical light tunnel to walk through, which was popular with visitors taking snaps on their phones.
At the halfway point, there was another chance to grab a drink plus hot food. There was The Orangery food court and bar serving pies (£15), hot dogs (£10), loaded potato bites (£10), and Christmas crumbles (£8).
There was also a pizza cabin, a churros cabin and a bar selling hot, cold and alcoholic beverages. Here, there was also a ‘Fairy Disco’.
Visitors, young and old, were able to dance along to a number of hits played by DJ Pixie Light, run through a fog machine and pop smoke-filled bubbles which floated through the air. My four-year-old son absolutely loved this part of the experience.
The next part of our walk was the best, in my opinion. Following the pathway round, we stumbled across what I can only describe as a carpet of ever-changing lights in the gardens.
Surrounding trees were also illuminated in matching colours and the gorgeous Port Lympne Mansion could be seen in the distance. Then we came across the (huge!) tiger lights and a 3D holographic tiger which appears from behind the trees.
The latter was my son’s favourite. He stood and watched the tiger as it walked around and roared within touching distance. Next, we stopped by the beautiful mansion and enjoyed toasting fluffy marshmallows on a stick.
The gooey sweet treats (costing £2 each) were delicious and it was so cosy huddled around a fire with my husband and son beside me. The mansion was also adorned in stunning twinkling lights and there was a pretty water show at the mansion’s pond.
It was a spectacular and fabulous end to our enchanting walk. Overall, we spent about two hours at Port Lympne Illuminated which included stopping for the Fairy Disco.
The experience was longer than I expected. The pathway was clean and smooth, making it suitable for buggies, plus the car park is on site making it convenient and easy for families.
You can also add a visit to Santa’s Grotto during Port Lympne Illuminated. Little ones will enjoy a special meeting with Santa himself and receive a festive gift to take home, but this is an added extra for £22 per child.
If you want to see the park’s animals, tickets include entry to the park from 2pm. You won’t be able to see them once the light trail has started as they are tucked away in their enclosures once it’s dark.
We had a lovely evening out somewhere a bit unique to a woodland walk, and left feeling festive and ready for Christmas.
How to visit Port Lympne Illuminated
Address: Port Lympne Safari Park, Hythe, CT21 4PD.
Parking: Free car park on site.
Dates: November 28 to January 3.
Prices: Adult tickets start from £18; child tickets from £10; and a family ticket from £56 (for 2 adults and 2 children). Children 0-2yrs are free of charge and do not require pre-booking.
Book: Find out more and purchase tickets here.
