Like most reviewers recently I went for a Groupon Breakfast with the Big Cats. We were very lucky and where the group is often 25-30 people, there were just the two of us so we had a private tour! Ian the big cat handler was very knowledgeable and friendly and we had a great oppurtunity to see all the cats close up.
Full English breakfast was included but like others have said, a shame it couldn't have been in the cafe overlooking the tiger enclosure.
We didn't have children with us but there are huge amounts for them to do in the way of play areas. Looking at the animals alone would take you around 2 hours to do the park at a leisurely pace but it was well worth it. Someone else commented on the cost of everything and how much running the park cost- we were told 10k per day to run! Go and see the park and do your bit to contributing to the breeding programme for these wonderful big cats!

Spent a night at the Paradise park, followed by breakfast with the Tigers. Wonderful setup and very enthusiastic keepers. Accomodation was ideal, everything you would need for a very comfortable stay. Everyone very friendly and enthusiastic.
This park is doing a lot for conservation.
Great experience and a worthwhile visit.

It was quite good really, especially considering it's so close to us. There were far more animals than I expected to see and they were much more exotic than I expected. I wasn't exactly expecting to see cats and dogs but, well, it's just in the middle of Hertfordshire. Finding Tigers and what have you was a surprise.

So on that basis it was great. However, I remember having the feeling that the trip cost me an arm and a leg.

Maybe that's just what these things cost to run these days. I wouldn't know - I don't make a habit of visiting the zoo.

I nearly gave this a 4 because of the poor signposting to the venue and in the venue....BUT that aside, this park is magical. Lots to do for children, everything is close by. The animals can be seen because the enclosures are done in such a way that the animals can have privacy but people can still see them. I had a tiger tea experience, the guide was passionate about conservation and welfare, he clearly had the animals best interests at heart and judging by the park, so did everyone else. I am a vet nurse and can spot a sick animal a mile off...there were none here and the animals appeared content and unstressed. I couldn't recommend it more. Take kid swimming costumes as there is a pool outdoors, there are bouncy castles,tons of free activities for the children and a speedway track next door...just go and see

arrived at 8 30,was able to have drink before private tour of park which was nicely done by ricky;we were able to get really close to cats;after an hour were taken to cafe to be given nice choice of cooked breakfast.they have a second park in kent and are one of the largest parks for breeding programes;so i would definatly recommend park

we did the breakfast with the big cats with a Groupon deal,we were give a private tour around the park with on of the handlers and then finished the tour with breakfast, the cats were unberleaveable and the whole experience was superb as a whole definately worth the money

Took my wife to celebrate her 50th and we fed the Lions and Tigers-a very special experience-it wasn't cheap but as an animal lover it was worth every penny as you physically allow the animal to take the meat direct from your own hands. Awesome!

Lovely well laid out zoo with lots of various animals, birds and reptiles. Son enjoyed his Zoo Experience spending 30 minutes with the Meerkats. Staff are very friendly and welcoming and the restaurant was good value for money.

Plenty of parking for starters!!!! Good mixture of zoo animals and other outdoor activity.

We had a lovely day out with my kids. Lots of activities and attractions you can choose from. Excellent playground and in case of rain there is a nice soft play area as well. Recommended.

This zoo was small but a lovely day out, sadly i didn't see it all because I became quite sick during our visit and left. We did pay for an experience and the guide was extremely knowledgeable and gave us facts we would never of known otherwise. I went on the Brunch with Tigers experience.

Mainly for the kids, but fun for the whole family. A time to get close and personal with the wilder side of our planet.

We had a package deal with Groupon to stay in the local Marriott hotel and then have "Breakfast with the Big Cats". The hotel was lame but the park was great - good complimentary gift bag, warm friendly staff (despite the distinctly unwarm rain) and a very knowledgable and enjoyable guide round the big cat enclosures. The breakfast was very nice, well-cooked and you could eat as much as you liked.

I have been to the park before and would thoroughly recommend it, and this experience (barring the meal at the Marriott which the park cannot be held responsible for).

Had bought a "Tea with the Tigers" which ran from 2.30 to 4.30 so decided to get there early to have a look around before the activity.

We loved the big cats but whilst it was lovely to see the big cats close up their homes were very open and they had no privacy. We felt very sorry for the cats having nowhere to go to avoid the children who thought it was ok to tease them and the parents who did nothing to stop them.

As has previously been said some of the enclosures are a little on the small side but the walkways giving aerial views of the enclosures are very well planned.

All the animals looked in good health and seemed well looked after and none were showing any signs of distress so well done Paradise on the animal welfare side.

Unfortunately the park is only very small - in one and a half hours we had looked at all the animals twice, read all about them, had lunch and visited the shop twice.

Tea with the Tigers was a bit of a disappointment - there were about 22 in our group which meant that we were unable to hear all that the keeper was saying due to some of the viewing locations meaning the group was quite strung out. We viewed Lion, White Lions, Cheetah, White Tigers and Siberian Tigers before stopping for afternoon tea and we had thought that after "tea" we would get taken to Snow Leopards and African Leopard. Afternoon tea was a selection of sandwiches (very nice even my daughter who doesn't really like sandwiches found one she liked), the selection of cakes and biscuits were limited but the scones with jam, cream and strawberry were delicious. The disappointment was that the coffee/tea was out of a portable flask that is often used in meetings. The keeper left us at the "tea" and I had thought she would come back but by 4pm she had not come back and others said that was it which was disappointing. It also meant our 2 hour experience only lasted 1 hour 30 minutes. Am glad I got the tea with the tigers on a 2 for 1 deal otherwise I would have been bitterly disappointed rather than just disappointed.

Can get quite close to the animals. However, this is achieved at the expense of providing large enclosures which would better suit many of the animals.
The speedway museum is a little gem and is well worth a visit.

A lovely local zoo

My family and I came here for a day out and Red Panda & Penguin feeding experiences.
Had a very lovely day. All of the staff we encountered were friendly. Keepers very knowledgeable not only about their own animal groups, but the rest of the sections too.
Would recommend a trip out :)

Got the Groupon deal for this, overall very happy.<br><br>I have been to a few zoos and wildlife parks around London, this is definitely the best in terms of getting up close to the animals via your feet (the other best one is Wolburn Safari using your car).<br><br>They have lots of animals not including Rhinos, Elephants, Giraffe aka big animals that need lots of room to roam.<br><br>The highlight of the park are the Lions, tigers, cats in general you can get arm length to them.<br><br>Be warned the place is catered to children and have lots of kids zone areas.<br><br>Only downfall is the facilities in terms of food, most of the places where closed on a Monday at 2pm. Had to settle for the vending machines to feed myself.<br><br>Would I go again?<br>Yes, but only with a deal like Groupon, wouldn't spend the full price on the ticket.<br><br>P.S check out the bike museum and nature trails, most miss this where you can see foxes and more animals.

The big cats were very impressive and the guided tour was great. It was interesting to learn about the history of the zoo and hear the stories of each animal. We also greatly appreciated the mini bus service from Broxbourne train station.

The afternoon tea was a real let down. The sandwiches were more school packed lunch style rather than afternoon tea, the cake selection consisted of dry tasing fruit cake, angel cake, half a scone with cream and jam and bourbon biscuits. You got given one cup of tea in a paper cup. Am glad we had only paid half price for this experience as to pay full price would have been a real rip off.

Would happily visit the big cats again but would prob head off to Luton Hoo for a real afternoon tea

we treated my husbands parents to the big cat brunch... they really enjoyed the tour and brunch - whilst they were joining the tour we strolled around the park - its not the biggest park but lots of big cats... great place for smaller kids as a great childrens playground if the sun is shining

Nice zoo with a large variety of animals, which are well-looked after. There's plenty of feeding times and discussions throughout the day, and the zoo is easily navigated. It also has children play areas around.

I bought "afternoon tea with the monkeys" on buyagift for 99.00. While the experience was good an informative, it was a bit costly for what it was. We were meant to have tea at one of the cafes at the zoo (as it read on the paper we received), but we ended up being herded back to a dingy room to have a tea buffet, and it was massively crowded with no room. That was disappointing. Our group was also quite large and I ended up wishing I'd booked the experience in winter (I'd bought it before Christmas and booked it right after Christmas) instead of my birthday weekend in mid-June.

This place is brilliant. We took our 3 year old for a birthday treat. She absolutely enjoyed herself. Ok, the zoo is much smaller than London or Colchester zoos but I enjoyed this better than the other 2. Perfect size for a toddler. Animal park in one side and other other side there are various play areas, large sand pit (can buy bucket and spade in one of the shops), huge soft bricks, rides and lots more. After all the walking and playing you can settle down for a picnic in the picnic area and then cool down in the paddling area. Several ice cream places and a few bouncy castles. I will definitely be returning to this place.

This is one of the best places for all animals , and one of the few places where the public can feed zebras and other gentle creatures. There are creatures that you'll only ever see in the deepest Amazonian rainforest, so to see them here is amazing. And the Snow Leopards are simply breathtaking,considering how endangered they are, not to mention the rest of their cat exhibits.
Our family love this place as it isn't too big, and the elevated walkways are superb. The staff talks are great, and the keepers have a good knowledge of their animals and are always happy to make time to chat about the lives of the cats. The play facilities are vast. There are plenty of places to eat and drink. The face painting by the lovely lady in the shed is the best we have ever seen. The restaurant fast food isn't the best, but is good value, but there are plenty of picnic tables. The cafe overlooking the tiger enclosure is a joy when the cats are out, but service Is ok it's cash only. Those are probably the only negatives, we've grown to love this place, we've visited many zoos and conservation centres around the country, and we really like this one. We'll definitely return we have been here at lest 6 times brillrant day out.

I've been to this attraction many times since I was young due to it being very close by, and we have always had a pleasurable experience. There are many animals to see, including exotic animals, and there are multiple shows; the 'Birds of Paradise' show, keeper talks, as well as the chance to feed the animals yourselves (lions, penguins and more) - There's even a tractor ride, which gives you a little tour.
If your children start to get bored, there is a large outdoor play area on the far left, which includes a woodland trail and a miniature railway, and this train has a small fee. A disabled play area is included. Next to this, across the entrance road, are more attractions; a helter skelter, two bouncy castles, a 'panning for gold', an 18 hole golf course, and a small food station, as well as a gift shop that sells a variety of zoo-related souvenirs. In the summer, Paradise Lagoon, a kiddie pool, opens, which can entertain for a while.
There are multiple other eateries within the grounds as well; the Safari Suite restaurant, which serves hot and cold food and drinks; the Tumble Jungle, an indoor play area that serves Starbucks Coffee, and other snack-type food; and the Tiger Treetops coffee retreat, which not only serves home-made food, but also gives a panoramic view of the tiger enclosures.
The park is kept nicely, well maintained and litter-free, and is presented well with lovely flowers and plants, and traditional 'Zoo-theming'.

One could easily spend most of the day here. If you are looking for something to do in Hertfordshire, and you have children, then I would definitely recommend this attraction.

Visited Paradise Wildlife Park today on Tuesday 26th of June (term time) - 2 adults and a 3 year old girl. Total time spent was 6 hours. Will now share some good tips and details from the day especially for those planning their first visit !

Firstly, if you're wondering when to go - pick a week day during term time if possible. If you can pick a bright, sunny day, do. We expected to arrive to a very quiet park but actually there was a lot of activity - 99% being families with young children. Still, it was not overly busy and we could view all the animals perfectly without disturbance. Definatly avoid a hot Summer weekend or holiday period especially if you're not visiting with children as I imagine it will be much busier ! Remember to take loose change - £1 coins for the animal feed bags, train and kiddy rides.

The 'whole day' or 'few hours' question? Truth is, it really depends on whether you have young children. If you do, aim to to allow 5 or 6 hours to be safe....better to have too much time than not enough! Reason being, if you are a 5 year old this place is PARADISE. Lots of animals, play things and ice-cream!
We stayed for 6 hours because we had a 3 year old with us who was very intent on using all the play equiptment in sight and also because we wanted to see the big cats being fed at 5 o'clock! If you are an adult, three hours will be more than enough. This place is small enough for a 3 year old to walk around it for 90% of the day without needing a push-chair but big enough to not think ''What, that's it?''.

If you do not intend to spend the entire day at Paradise, I would recommend a PM visit to make the most of your time. When we arrived at midday, the place was dead and still. The reindeer looked like statues and the big cats were sleeping and boring! After 4 o'clock the place became alive as feeding time was an hour away and the big cats were anxious to get their tea....which meant a lot of activity including jumping up at the glass infront of visitors who jumped from behind their cameras !! Very entertaining. After 4 o'clock it was also much quieter, so you had more action from the animals and less people around so almost perfect viewing.
This smaller areas that the white tigers are kept in whilst the keepers are preparing their food outdoors allows you to see them up close and personal behind glass, look into their big eyes and get beautiful photos. The tigers too but not behind glass.
I imagine these periods are the best times and to miss it is a mistake. If you want a more unique personal experience you can book experiences such as feeding the big cats but it's pricey.

How does it compare to other zoos? Paradise Wildlife Park is probably as close as you will get to these amazing animals (big cats) besides being in the enclosures yourself with them ;-) (Probably not recommended!)
Best zoo for viewing in my experience (yes including London Zoo which may be bigger but is not better!).
For photography and pictures it is almost your typical zoo -- with exception to the few non wiry/fency areas. This is not Jerusalem Biblical Zoo where you can get uninterupted pictures without wiring and overgrown plants taking over your shots, but most zoo's are like this. Some of the plants infront of the fence (outside the enclosures) could be cut and maintained to get better views of the lions etc. The fencing and wiring in the photos does take the nature and raw beauty out of the shot and it is unforunate but forgivable.

The variety of animals at Paradise Wildlife Park is the best you will get if you are a big cat lover! For the full list see the website. They have white lions and tigers, snow leopards and cheetahs and wolves.....as well as sumatran and amur tigers ! A bit of a let down is that they do not have some of the typical animals you'd expect at a zoo such a giraffes, orangutans or elephants. A shame as giraffes, monkeys and elephants are the characters children are used to seeing in story books and pictures from a young age !
Seeing the rarer animals like the red pandas will make up for this for some. The farmyard is a great asset as children can feed the goats, pigs and ponies. Feed bags are £1 and best purchased at the entrance. These consist of lettuce and carrots. If you like the animals that send chills down your spine you will love the boa and python and tarantula ! If you like birds you will be spoilt for choice, lots of exotic birds and birds of prey.

Family friendly? Brilliantly so. Massive splash pool for children in the warmer weather, indoor ''Tumble Jungle'' play area with ball pit and slides and a cafe area for parents (easy to keep an eye on them).... lots of outdoor play areas including two bouncy castles and a fire enguine and your typical park scene....slides and swings etc. Also kiddy rides....£1 for 1 go, £2 for 3 gos. There's a train that goes round for about 4 minutes which is £1 per person. Also places to get ice lollys and ice-creams, breastfeed your baby in privacy or change your baby's nappy. All in all, you can keep your children entertained for hours here....3 year old slept as soon as we put her in the car! Lots of picnic tables which I recommen as eating cost us about £15 for 2 baguettes (average size, no extras) and 2 diet cokes and 2 ribenas. So definatly make the most of the picnic tables, especially if the weather is nice.

Enchanting and adventurous !!!!