Elephant Lodge at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
The Elephant Lodge glamping experience at Port Lympne is a unique and exciting UK short break, where families and friends can enjoy luxury camping with a wild twist.
Consisting of ten glamping tents, sleeping up to eight people, Elephant Lodge is situated in the 600 acres that make up Port Lympne Wild Animal Park near Ashford and offers a truly different short break option, with unlimited free entry to explore both Port Lympne and Howletts Wild Animal Parks and surrounding areas.
The beautiful tents all have small decked verandas, with stylish seating to the front affording unrivalled views over the cheetah and elephant paddocks to the Kent coast and beyond; perfect for relaxing with a cocktail and watching the sun set over the Channel. Inside the tents, guests will find a spacious living area with a cosy wood burning stove. It is worth noting that during the summer months the sides of the tent can be fastened right back to make way for the perfect setting for an al fresco evening. Sleeping arrangements comprise two double beds, a bunk bed and a sofa bed. Most importantly for the discerning glamper, there are also private piping hot showers and en tent WC facilities.
Sam Lloyd, Head of Accommodation and Hospitality at Port Lympne said, “Unlike so many campsites in the UK that are often just a gate into a grassed field of no significance, the Elephant Lodge tents are located at the top of our African elephant paddocks. Their commanding position means that they offer the most incredible uninterrupted views over the English Channel.”
The airy and spacious Club House at the heart of Elephant Lodge has a full and varied menu for guests to choose from. From 2013 a complimentary continental breakfast, known as ‘Chef’s Kentish Basket’ will be available every morning and includes chilled fruit juices, seasonal fruit, mini muffins and croissants or toast, cereals and tea or coffee. Guests can upgrade to a full Kentish cooked breakfast on request, whilst dinner menus offer a variety of tempting family favourites, designed to satisfy the most voracious of appetites, after a fun-filled day of activities and adventure.
A real favourite at the Club House is the traditional Mongolian grill – a traditional Mongolian way of cooking over a fire on a flat metal surface. Guests can choose from a selection of locally sourced meat – a fundamental of Mongolian food – and fresh vegetables accompanied by a choice of Asian-themed sauces, cooked to order by the expert chef.
Guests staying at Port Lympne’s latest glamping offering can enjoy unlimited free entry to both Port Lympne and Howletts Wild Animal Parks – the world famous parks which work closely with The Aspinall Foundation conservation charity. The parks are home to some of the most rare and endangered species on the planet. Howletts, near Canterbury, has the largest herd of African elephants in the UK and the largest group of western lowland gorillas in the world, whilst highlights at Port Lympne – one of the UK’s largest wildlife parks – include a safari on The African Experience to see giraffe, black rhino, wildebeest, zebra, ostrich and more roaming freely over 100 acres of Kentish savannah and the largest herd of black rhino in the UK.
The activities don’t stop at Elephant Lodge – a variety of nightly activities are available for guests to join in, highlights of which include a dusk safari over The African Experience. Guests will also have the chance to get close to some of the elusive small cats like the fishing cats, margays and Pallas cat.
Sam added, “The location of Elephant Lodge means that guests have the option not only of exploring Port Lympne and Howletts Wild Animal Parks, but also the Garden of England. There are great bike rides and walking routes just on the doorstep and the beach is within easy cycling or driving distance. This area of Kent is filled with treasures to explore with many famous landmarks. We can provide the perfect staycation for family and friends and the opportunity to discover everything this wonderful corner of Kent has to offer.”
Elephant Lodge is a secure gated site. Perfect for families with small children, the Lodge offers a safe and secure environment with plenty of toys and board games available from the communal Club House, along with high chairs in the restaurant and small overnight fridges in each tent.
The lodge is a seasonal experience available for three and four night stays, running from beginning of May 2013 to end of October 2013. Prices start from £125.00 per tent per night. For further information please visit www.aspinallfoundation.org/shortbreaks or call 0844 855 0274.
http://www.aspinallfoundation.
http://www.aspinallfoundation.
