Booking & Planning the Trip
I stayed a Westmidlands Safari Park and honestly it didn’t disappoint. I went with my mum dad, brother and his girlfriend and we all stayed in the accessible Elephsnt lodge and it was amazing.
So I came across this website online called the genies wish charity.a UK-registered charity that grants tailored wishes to people living with terminal or life-limiting illnesses, as well as to young carer. I had so many ideas to choose from like Meeting Harry Styles or Spend a day at a photo shoot experience.
But then a came across on TikTok the Safari lodges and I knew instantly that this was something that I wanted to do. So the Genies wish booked everything the lodge the meals and even the 2 day park tickets which included the rides.
Arrival & Facilities
Unfortunately we couldn’t check into the lodge until around 2 so as soon as we got there, we signed into reception then we went straight to the walking safari. The first day we decided to do that due to being in the car for at least 3 hours.
The toilets were incredible I mean they even had a hoist which was super rare. There were loads of space to move around it didn’t feel cramped or tight at all. It was perfect for an accessible toilet.
Animals & Bird Experience
There were so many animals to see like rhinos, giraffes, tigers and leopards. It was a perfect place to take the kids especially in such nice weather that we had back then. My favorite experience was 100% the bird how. Honestly I’ve never laughed so hard in my entire life. Before we went inside the lady gave us small tubs of bird feed and As soon as you went inside the room birds were flying free landing on your shoulders. One even landing on my head! But my brothers girlfriend hated it. But I loved it. I think that had to be the best part of the trip.
The Elephant Lodge Stay
When 2:00 arrived we were finally allowed to check in at the lodge luckily we were allowed to park outside the lodge which was so hand because we had so many equipment that we had to bring inside. And omg I was stunned. It looked just like those lodges that you see in the deserts of Africa it was beautiful. It was completely wheelchair accessible with step free access inside and outside. Inside the lodge there was a balcony looking over the river and right in the distance you could see Elephants! It was like a dream! I’ve always wanted to stay in a zoo over night. This ticked all of the boxes. I’m not sure why but it did also remind me of the lion king.
Evening Activities & Amusement Park
Once we finished unpacking, had our meals we all head towards the amusement park where there were rides and arcades. Unfortunately the rides were not wheelchair accessible so while my brother my dad and my brothers girlfriend went on the rides, I went into the arcade and one a toy dinosaur thing. We also went in the gift shop I mean how can you not go in the gift shop. Of course i brought a notebook, a pen a new water bottle and a bird teddy because of course I wanted a memory of the bird experience that happened.
Seal Show Experience
At Westmidlands there’s also a seal show where the audience watched tricks and learned about the sea lions for a constructor. There were dedicated wheelchair seats at the front so there was easy access and the view was great. The show was at 10am but we had to check out at 11am so that wasn’t too bad.
Drive-Through Safari
As well as the walk in safari, the next day we did the drive in safari before we headed home. That was super fun the giraffes kept stopping in front of the cars so no one could move anywher
Overall, West Midlands Safari Park completely exceeded my expectations. From the accessible Elephant Lodge and the thoughtful facilities, to the unforgettable close-up animal encounters, it felt like a proper once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The mix of walking safari, lodge stay, shows, and the drive-through safari meant there was always something new happening, and even with some limitations on the rides, there was still so much to enjoy and take part in. The accessibility in the lodge and key areas like the toilets and seal show seating really stood out in a positive way.
I’d definitely recommend it to anyone wanting a unique, immersive animal experience that still considers accessibility needs. Staying overnight in the lodge especially made it feel completely different from a normal day visit — waking up to animals in the distance honestly felt surreal.
It’s one of those trips that stays with you long after you leave, and I’d absolutely go back again.
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