Curraghs Wildlife Park — prices, opening times and is it worth it?

Curraghs Wildlife Park is the island’s zoo: 26 acres of paths, boardwalks and enclosures on the edge of the Ballaugh Curragh, the big wetland in the north west. It’s owned by the Isle of Man Government and has been open since 1965. This page covers 2026 prices and opening times, what’s actually there, how long to allow, food, getting there without a car, and whether it’s worth your morning. It’s written for families first, because that’s who it suits best.

Prices and opening times (2026)

Checked on the park’s own opening times and prices page (opens in a new tab) in September 2026:

Ticket	Price
Adult (16+)	£13.00
Child (2–15)	£9.50
Concession (65+, disabled, full-time student 18+)	£10.50
Carer	Free
Under 2	Free
Annual membership, adult / child	£43 / £31.50

Every day ticket includes a £1 voluntary donation to the park’s conservation fund. Tell the ticket desk if you’d rather not pay it. Groups of 10 or more paying people get £10 adults and £7.50 children. You can buy on the gate or online (opens in a new tab), and you don’t need to book.

Opening times: daily 9.30am to 5pm, last admission 4pm, until 2 November 2026. After that it drops to Thursday to Sunday, closing at 4pm, for the winter. Visit Isle of Man’s listing (opens in a new tab) adds that it opens every day during the winter school holidays. Winter times move about, so check the park’s Facebook page (opens in a new tab) before a November-to-March visit.

What’s there

Much of the park is laid out round water, with walk-through enclosures and islands in the lakes. The animal list (opens in a new tab) runs to about 50 species. The ones children tend to remember:

• Humboldt penguins, fed at 11am and 3pm.
• Meerkats, fed at 2pm.
• Great white pelicans, fed at about 3.05pm, straight after the penguins.
• Red pandas, ring-tailed and ruffed lemurs, squirrel monkeys and a silvery gibbon.
• Eurasian lynx and fishing cats.
• Capybaras, tapirs, flamingos, small-clawed otters and a supporting cast of owls, parrots and rodents.
• Red-necked wallabies, which is funny, because the island’s wild wallabies are descended from ones that escaped from this park in the 1960s. More on them in our wildlife guide.

Feeding times are from the park’s daily events page (opens in a new tab) (September 2026). In the summer holidays and on some weekends there are extra talks and encounters, listed in a What’s On sheet at reception. Everything is subject to weather, sick animals and volunteers turning up.

For children

Beyond the animals, the park has:

• An adventure playground with a zip line, climbing frames, swings and slides.
• The Enchanted Wood play area.
• A jumping pillow.
• The Play Barn, a soft-play area for when it’s blowing a hooley.
• Trails and boardwalks out into the curragh itself.

The Orchid Line is a half-mile miniature steam railway round the park, run by volunteers from the Manx Steam and Model Engineering Club. Trains run every Sunday from Easter to October and on bank holidays, and often on Thursdays in the summer holidays. It’s £2 a ride or £16 for ten, paid separately from admission (September 2026, from the railway page (opens in a new tab)). Every train has a wheelchair-accessible carriage. If you can choose your day, make it a Sunday.

How long to allow

Two to three hours will get you round every enclosure without rushing. With under-10s, the playgrounds and the railway turn it into a half day. It isn’t a full day out unless you really like lemurs. The obvious pairing is lunch in Ramsey or Peel, both about 15 minutes’ drive away, or an afternoon on the beach at Ballaugh or Jurby.

Food

There’s a café in the middle of the park, next to the Enchanted Wood play area. It’s a small family-run business serving hot meals, snacks, cake and ice cream. We couldn’t find published prices, so budget roughly what you’d pay at any UK attraction café. There’s plenty of space for a picnic if you’d rather bring your own. You leave through the gift shop, the Niche, which closes ten minutes before the park does.

Getting there

The park is on the main road through Ballaugh (Main Road, Ballaugh, IM7 5EA), between Kirk Michael and Sulby on the TT course. It has its own car park, with disabled spaces close to the entrance.

By bus: routes 5, 6, 6A and 6C stop at the park, coming from Peel or Ramsey, according to the park’s how to get here page (opens in a new tab). From Douglas you’ll need to change, usually at Peel or Ramsey. Check Bus Vannin timetables (opens in a new tab) for the day you’re going, and see our bus guide and getting around for the bigger picture.

Accessibility

Most of the park works in a wheelchair, but not all of it. The park lends out a manual wheelchair and six mobility scooters free, two of which you can book ahead on 01624 693576. The boardwalk nature trail isn’t suitable for scooters, and some paddocks have double gates, so bring someone to help with those. There are accessible toilets in the middle of the park and at the café. Disabled visitors pay the concession rate, and registered carers go free. The full detail is on the park’s disabled visitors page (opens in a new tab), and there’s more island-wide in accessible Isle of Man.

Is it good on a rainy day?

Only a bit. Nearly everything is outdoors, and the paths through the wetland get muddy. The Play Barn and the café will buy you an hour of shelter, but a properly wet day here is a long one. On a day like that, head for the Manx Museum or the House of Manannan instead, and see our rainy day guide. Light drizzle is fine. The animals don’t mind, and the place is quieter.

Who it’s for, and who it isn’t

Go if you have children under about 12, especially on a Sunday when the railway’s running, or you’re an island resident with a membership. It’s also a pleasant, gentle walk for grandparents, as long as the weather’s dry.

Skip it if you’re a couple without children who’ve been to Chester or Edinburgh zoo. You’ll be round in 90 minutes. You’d get more out of the free wild version: an evening looking for wallabies in the curragh, or seals at the Sound. And you can’t bring the dog at all (our dog-friendly guide has places you can). Our guide to things to do with kids has more ideas for families.