The Meadows Wildlife Park is a family-run animal park near Caerphilly, Wales, home to over 300 animals from meerkats and capybaras to reindeer and micro pigs. Even the park’s own FAQ tells visitors to check Google for current opening hours, since two different hours widgets on its own website don’t quite agree with each other. You can book through GetYourGuide to arrange your visit before you travel.
Quick facts
| Address | The Meadows, Gypsy Lane, Groeswen, Cardiff, CF15 7UN |
| Opening hours | Daily from 10am; exact closing times vary, so confirm before travelling |
| Admission | Adults and children (3+) £11.50; children (1–2) £5.50; under-1s free |
| Nearest transit | Best reached by car; no direct rail station nearby |
| Typical visit duration | 2 to 3 hours |
Why book tickets for the Meadows Wildlife Park?
- 🏛️ Over 300 animals: From meerkats and capybaras to armadillos, wallabies and micro pigs, all in one park.
- 🎟️ Free for under-1s: The youngest visitors go free, no ticket required.
- 🌿 A new conservation partnership: A 2026 collaboration with Wildlife Madagascar shines a light on lemur conservation across the park.
- 📜 Free parking: Parking is included at no extra cost, right by the entrance.
- 💰 Dog friendly: Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome throughout the park.
Opening hours at the Meadows Wildlife Park
The park opens every day from 10am, though its own website publishes two slightly different sets of closing times, one showing shorter Monday-to-Thursday afternoons (closing at 3.30pm) with longer hours from Friday to Sunday, and another showing a flat 10am–6pm every day. The park’s own FAQ recommends checking Google for the most current times, so it’s worth confirming on the day you plan to visit, particularly outside weekends and school holidays.
It’s fair to say this is a small scale wildlife park, unlike larger UK zoos such as Twycross Zoo and Chester Zoo.
Ticket prices for the Meadows Wildlife Park
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £11.50 |
| Child (3+) | £11.50 |
| Child (1–2) | £5.50 |
| Under-1 | Free |
General admission does not cover everything on site. Animal feed, entry to the reptile room, and premium encounters such as the wallaby and lemur walk-through are all charged separately, on top of the entry price, a detail several recent visitors have found came as a surprise. The park is cashless throughout, accepting only card and contactless payments. To plan your visit and check current pricing, book through GetYourGuide.
How to get to the Meadows Wildlife Park
By car: the park sits on Gypsy Lane in Groeswen, near Caerphilly, and is best reached by car, with clear postcode-based sat nav directions to CF15 7UN.
By public transport: there is no direct rail station at the park itself; a taxi from Caerphilly or Cardiff is the most practical option if travelling without a car.
Parking at the Meadows Wildlife Park
Parking is free for all visitors, with dedicated disabled parking bays close to the entrance for anyone displaying a valid badge.
How long to spend at the Meadows Wildlife Park
Most visitors need 2 to 3 hours to see the animals and enjoy the play areas at an easy pace, with some families staying closer to three hours even in poor weather.
Accessibility at the Meadows Wildlife Park
The park offers an accessible compost toilet near the entrance, designed for prams and visitors with physical disabilities, along with ramps at reception and the coffee shop. Paths are mainly gravel and stone, so an all-terrain pram or wheelchair is recommended, though wooden paths run alongside the gravel in places. The park accepts the Nimbus Access Card Essential Companion symbol for a complimentary carer ticket, and also offers its own free venue-specific digital Access Card for visitors who don’t already hold one.
What to see inside the Meadows Wildlife Park
The meerkat and prairie dog enclosures. These sociable, sandy-habitat animals rank among the park’s most popular residents, alongside armadillos and skunks.
Piggy Paradise and the farmyard. Micro pigs, pygmy goats, sheep, donkeys and alpacas fill the park’s farmyard section, popular with younger visitors for hands-on petting.
The wallaby and lemur walk-through. A separately ticketed encounter lets visitors walk directly among these animals, rather than viewing from behind a fence.
The reptile room. Home to a variety of reptiles, this small, separately ticketed space is kept deliberately quiet to avoid overcrowding and stress to the animals inside.
Willows Restaurant. The park’s on-site café and restaurant serves food and drink throughout the day, useful for a break partway through your visit.
Practical visitor tips for the Meadows Wildlife Park
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Confirm the day’s hours before travelling | The park’s own site shows two different schedules; Google often reflects the current one |
| Budget for extras | Animal feed, the reptile room and premium walk-throughs are all separate charges |
| Bring a card, not cash | The Meadows is a fully cashless site |
| Book ahead where possible | Walk-ins are welcome but may be turned away once bookings reach capacity |
| Bring your dog on a lead | Well-behaved dogs are welcome throughout the park |
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need to book in advance? | Booking is highly advised; walk-ins are welcome but may be turned away when the park is at capacity |
| Are dogs allowed? | Yes, well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome |
| Can I pay with cash? | No, the park accepts only card and contactless payments |
| Is parking free? | Yes, parking is free for all visitors, with disabled bays near the entrance |
| Does admission include everything? | No, animal feed, the reptile room and premium encounters are all charged separately |
Things to do near the Meadows Wildlife Park
Caerphilly Castle, one of the largest castles in Britain and famous for its leaning tower, is a short drive away. Caerphilly Mountain, with walking trails and views over the town, sits close by too.
Caerphilly town centre offers shops, cafés and the town’s well-known cheese heritage. For a bigger day out, Cardiff city centre is around 20 to 25 minutes away by car.
Alternative wildlife parks and animal attractions within two hours
Folly Farm Adventure Park & Zoo, Pembrokeshire. A large combined zoo, farm and funfair, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours from Caerphilly.
Manor Wildlife Park, Tenby. A family-run zoo set in parkland, about two hours away.
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, near Bristol. A farm-zoo hybrid with safari-style enclosures, around an hour from Caerphilly.
Bristol Zoo Project. A newer conservation-focused zoo set in parkland, roughly an hour away.
Cotswold Wildlife Park. A larger zoo set around a Gothic manor house, about 1.5 to 2 hours from Caerphilly.
More Wales travel
Other Wales travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Cardiff Castle: what first-time visitors should expect.
- What to expect when visiting the Upside Down House in Cardiff.
- Key information for visiting Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.
- See the magnificent Cistercian ruins at Tintern Abbey in Monmouthshire.
- Plan your visit to Chepstow Castle in Monmouthshire.
