West Midlands Safari Park rhino and giraffe lodges

Plans were approved last week for eight two-storey lodges to be built in the white rhino and giraffe habitats at the Worcestershire safari park.

Lodges have already been built in the elephant and cheetah habitats.

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The white rhino lodges will sleep four people and will be the only experience of its kind in the UK.

The ground floor will provide an open-plan living space with a balcony offering ground-level views of the rhinos.

Two bedrooms and a bathroom will be located on the first floor, along with a balcony providing panoramic views of the rhinos and safari.

In the giraffe lodges  the living room, kitchenette and dining room are on the first floor, with a balcony allowing guests to be at eye-level with the griaffes.

A bathroom and two bedrooms will be downstairs, providing accommodation for four people.

The Park will also update and improve the habitats of the animals, giving them 24-hour access to both their indoor and outdoor environments.

Managing director, Chris Kelly said: "We're thrilled that planning has been granted for the next stage of our development.

"This will see new habitats, housing and facilities being built for our giraffes and white rhinos, enabling our brilliant team of wildlife keepers to continue the high standard of care they provide for our animals.

"Alongside the new animal facilities, we will be installing eight new lodges, four of which will offer spectacular views of the white rhinos, with the other half bringing you face-to-face with our beautiful giraffes, from the second-storey balconies. 

"We're hoping that we have the same guest reaction for the new lodges as we had for our elephant and cheetah lodges and our Red Panda Cottages, which has been outstanding.

"We look forward to releasing more information on booking and an opening date, later in the year."

The park say that the new facilities will help them continue their work with the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), as the giraffes and the white rhinos are part of a breeding programme.

White rhino and Rothschild’s giraffe are classified as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with both species facing threats in the wild such as poaching and habitat loss.

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The park will also be installing paths so that day guests can go to see the giraffes and African elephants on foot – a first for the Park in its 44-year history.

The new lodges will be integrated into the four-mile safari and will sit alongside the elephant and cheetah lodges which opened earlier this year. 

Red Panda Cottages opened recently and still have bookings available.

Safari lodges short breaks include breakfast and dinner, spectacular views of the animals, admission to the park for two days and theme park wristbands during the summer season.

Bookings for the new lodges are hoped to be available at the end of the year, but guests can book the Red Panda Cottages and find further information on the safari lodges website.