Knowsley Safari Rip Of

[nailedit]

Just home from a day at Knowsley Safari park with the family.

On their website here...

https://tickets.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk/event-tickets/29501?branches.branchID=2103

it states that you can get a discount for booking online, so clearly there is the option to pay at the gate. And I dont pay for anything online and would rather pay the extra in cash.

When we entered the park, there was a sign saying online bookings only. Some cars were turning around at this point. We spoke to one driver who was parked up and he told us that he too was going to pay at the gate but had just booked up on his phone and had been given a time slot. So my son booked on his phone and given a time slot in 1/2 hour and I gave him the cash. Then recieved an email saying that they had not only charged the full price (no online discount) but VAT as well. Even the picture on that page is of a tiger which they didn't have!!

What a rip off...never again

Having said that we had a great day and my 2 yr old granddaughter's first excitment was seeing a branch in an enclosure and saying " thats a big twig"

[rowanwitch]

Kids.... Took friends little one to Zoo, spent the whole time chasing pigeons.  Make sure you post reviews on trip advisor, comment on their social media etc

[nailedit]

LOL Rowan, yeah!

Main thing that p me off was how they were towting their prices. Total rip of.

Plus, there were no tigars, ostrachis, hippos, elephants, giraffaffs, etc, Just full of buffalo, deer, and a couple of lions and camels. Complete rip of

[Buenchico]

I agree that the wording could be seen as misleading.  However the 'save up to £10' offer actually refers to booking tickets online for entry later in the day (after 3pm), rather than in comparison to any (non-existent) 'on the gate' prices.

From their FAQs page:
"Knowsley Safari - How do I book tickets?

We’re only taking online bookings to make your visit with us as contactless as possible. You can book an allowed time slot online even on the same day as your visit! However, with reduced capacity and allocated time slots we recommend booking in advance as tickets have been selling out."

Source:
https://tickets.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk/faqs

To see the Amur tigers, you need to go on the foot safari trail, rather than on the vehicle one:
https://www.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk/assets/foot-safari-map-2024.pdf

https://www.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk/our-safari/animals/amur-tiger

[THECORBYLOON]

From the FAQs on their website, "Knowsley Safari - How do I book tickets?

We’re only taking online bookings to make your visit with us as contactless as possible. You can book an allowed time slot online even on the same day as your visit! However, with reduced capacity and allocated time slots we recommend booking in advance as tickets have been selling out." [Emphasis added]

[jno]

call me timorous but I'd feel more comfortable seeing tigers from a vehicle rather than on foot. Hopefully pedestrians are separated by a sturdy picket fence.

[barry1010]

There are two tigers, they have a large compound and are top of the game at hiding

[jno]

maybe it's not the tigers who most need to hide...

[Maydup]

Sounds like an expensive day out.
2 year olds are very easily pleased. A stick, some leaves, a puddle and something to climb on is all that is required!

[nailedit]

Corby @ 21:22 Ive obviously missed that link (And so have many others) can you post it me please for future reference??

[nailedit]

That certainly wasnt on their home page...

[THECORBYLOON]

https://tickets.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk/faqs

I would have thought that message should have been prominent on their home page to avoid disappointment. 

 

[nailedit]

https://tickets.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk/event-tickets/29501?branches.branchID=2103

 

Corby, no mention of that here...

In fact get a discount if booked on line,,,

[THECORBYLOON]

That is why I said it should have been on their home page.

[nailedit]

then had to book online and pay full price anyway..

What a rip of and never again,.

Hardly any animals apart from cattle, deer of various types, a lion or two and a camel herd. (and a buffalo)

[nailedit]

Might as as well as well try to get home 😁

 

 

[Buenchico]

>>> "Hardly any animals apart from cattle, deer of various types, a lion or two and a camel herd. (and a buffalo)"

As I wrote above, Nailedit, you have to do the foot trail (as well as the vehicle one) to see all of the animals.  (See my second link, at 2119, above).

[nailedit]

Didnt even know that there was a foot safari Chris.

Very poor worded website if you ask me!

Still feel ripped off!

[douglas9401]

I'm confused by 'send me a link for future reference' and 'never again'.

Do you plan to travel back in time?

[wolf63]

Is there a children's zoo near you?  My brother took me to one years ago (I think it was White Post farm, just outside of Nottingham).

You could pet or cuddle some of the animals.  There were lots of Goats and Rabbits.  

 

[Buenchico]

Thanks for the BA, Nailedit.

Have you been to City Farm at Bucknall Park?  It's very much a 'work in progress', as a team of volunteers try to bring back to life the old City Farm which was closed (due to council spending cuts) back in 2011.  So there's not that much there at the moment but hopefully enough to please a 2-year-old.

This was posted on their Facebook page back in January:
"We are having a lot of questions about visiting the farm, which is wonderful and very exciting for us, so we thought we finally needed a special post about it.

Whilst we are not officially open, we are getting there…and yes, the farm is open to visitors every weekend 10am - 2pm which are the times our fabulous volunteers are working hard to build up the farm.

We have some animals already:

9 noisy goats

2 friendly sheep

2 greedy piglets

lots of chickens and ducks and a goose

We also have a small, quiet woodland area which will become our wishing garden…watch this space!

The farm is free to visit (and always will be) but we would love for you to come and purchase feed for the animals and/or leave us a small donation to help us grow".

This is from your local rag in February:
https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/its-finally-back-city-farm-9103973

Google indicates that the opening hours are now 1000-1500 on Saturdays and Sundays and that they've now got birds of prey too.  There are several 5-star Google reviews from the past few weeks.  So, given that it's free and quite close to you, perhaps it might be worth a look?

Address: Bucknall Park, Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 8AB
(Apparently the entrance can be hard to find.  Use satnav!)

Phone number for enquiries: 07368 668397

Email: [email protected]