From treehouse nights to big cat lodges, Kent’s most extraordinary safari escape is offering some of its rarest savings of the year.
There is a particular kind of silence at Port Lympne just before dawn. Mist hangs low over the Kent grasslands, the English Channel shimmers faintly in the distance, and then comes the sound you never quite forget: a lion’s low, rolling call drifting across the reserve. Few places in England can make you feel this far from home without a passport, and this Black Friday, The Aspinall Foundation is making that feeling a good deal easier to book. Most offers close on Monday 30 November, so it pays not to linger.
A Winter Safari, for a Fifth Less
The most tempting offer of the collection is also the simplest. Midweek stays across Port Lympne’s safari glamping and lodges, from the snug Pinewood Pods to the much-loved Treehouse, are 20% off, with prices from £144. Selected dates run until 25 November, then from 3 January to 31 March 2027, the reserve’s quietest and, we’d argue, most magical season. Picture frost on the savannah, breath clouding in the morning air, and the animals all to yourself. Use code BF26.
When the Extras Make the Stay
For those who would rather keep the full experience and see it generously topped up, the Signature Upgrades (code PL26) are where the real indulgence lies.
The Big Cat Experience
This is the star of the collection. A midweek night in the Lion Lodge or Tiger Lodge, where floor-to-ceiling glass puts you face to face with the residents, now comes with dinner, breakfast and a Giraffe Experience. That’s more than £575 of upgrades for four guests, with stays from £1,399.
Rhino, Wolf & Wigwams
A little further along the reserve, Rhino Lodge, Wolf Lodge and the Leopard Creek Wigwam Experience include breakfast and the same giraffe encounter, worth up to £360 for four, from £719.
The Treehouse Two-Nighter
Couples should look to the Treehouse, perched among the canopy, where the second night is now free.
Supper Sleepovers
For something more classically refined, a midweek stay at the historic Port Lympne Hotel includes a complimentary three-course dinner in The Garden Room, from £319.
Pinewood Explorers
From 15 January 2027, a Pinewood Ensuite stay comes with your own golf buggy for the length of your visit, from £319, which makes exploring the reserve’s sweeping hillsides a pleasure.
Festive Nights at Port Lympne
As the season turns, Port Lympne lights up. From 27 November to 2 January, Nightlights stays and the Luxury Christmas Package are 10% off with code BF26, a glowing, gently wild alternative to the usual festive city break.
For the Spontaneous Escape
November stays in the Lion, Tiger, Rhino and Wolf Lodges or the Leopard Creek Wigwams are 15% off, Saturday nights excepted, with code BF26. Stays run until 25 November, but bookings close a day earlier, on 24 November.
Encounters at Half the Price
Some of the most memorable moments here happen up close. Experiences at Port Lympne are up to 50% off for visits until 25 November, while at Howletts, its sister park near Canterbury, weekday day tickets and every animal encounter are half price until 28 February 2027, with encounters from £7.50 per person. Bear in mind that experience bookings don’t include park entry, so you’ll need a day ticket, an annual pass or a Short Break booking as well.
A Softer Kind of Wild
Beautiful as the lodges are, they’ve never been the best thing about Port Lympne. What stays with you is the quiet thrill of falling asleep with a pride of lions just beyond the glass, then waking to giraffes on the horizon, all less than two hours from London. Every stay also supports The Aspinall Foundation’s conservation work, which protects endangered species both here in Kent and in the wild. This winter, that escape comes at a gentler price, and we can think of few better reasons to slip away midweek.
Offers can’t be combined with other promotions, and most apply to midweek stays only. Full terms and booking at aspinallfoundation.org.
