Arrive to the sound of donkeys braying, birds calling and Emu’s booming. Once you start walking around the site it soon becomes apparent that it’s larger than you expected. With a variety of animals and birds to meet, along with all the play equipment for different ages. It’s a great day out for all the family!
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Where is Auchingarrich?
Auchingarrich is around an hour from the outskirts of Glasgow and Edinburgh and only half an hour from the city of Stirling. It’s located in the valley just South of Comrie, easily reached over a small back road between Braco and Comrie (or via Crieff if the weather is bad).
Enjoy the views over the valley to the hills behind Comrie on a good day! However, in winter you may find it quite snowy instead!
What is There to do at Auchingarrich?
Wildlife Park
Normal entry allows you to walk around the park and visit all the different animals. You will find everything from Australian Wallabies and Emu’s to African meerkats and Lemurs or the very sweet Asian otters. There are also farmyard animals, including donkeys, chickens and goats.
The star of the show has to be the local endangered animal, the Scottish Wildcat. It’s amazing to get a chance to see them as they are so elusive in the wild. There are currently thought to be only 350 Scottish Wildcats left in the wild. With one of the main issues being interbreeding with domestic cat species. Auchingarrich are part of the wildcat conservation and breeding programme, hopping to develop a large natural enclosure to release the wildcats into. An excellent project to donate toward!
Visitors are also able to book onto various treks with the animals, from alpaca treks to walking with the lambs. Check at reception for availability.
Adventure Park
The adventure park areas are mostly aimed at younger visitors. With a small tyre lined area for ride-on tractors and two areas of soft play equipment in barns. However, older kids may appreciate the slightly dated mini-golf and the play equipment below the cafe area.
There is also a Nerf Zone and Crazy football area on the other side of the park, but you will need to pay extra to use these. Ask at reception for more details.
Animal Experiences
Visitors are also able to book in advance for 30 minute animal feeding experiences, or a 4 hour keeper experience. The 30 minute animal feeding experiences are available throughout the year. Animals you can feed include the donkeys, Pygmy goats, emu’s & rheas, lemurs, wildcats and otters. There are some age restrictions, so check before you book.
The keeper experience is a half day experience from 12-4pm. You can enjoy the afternoon visiting the animals, working alongside the keepers within different enclosures around the park. The experience also includes soup and a sandwich at the Dizzy Duck cafe and an ‘experience star’ t-shirt.
Facilities at Auchingarrich Wildlife and Adventure Park
The reception area beside the car park has a shop and the Dizzy Duck Cafe, plus toilets. It’s a fairly large shop with plenty of gifts for all ages. Including pocket money toys if the kids have a few pounds saved up.
Toilets are available across from the shop next to the Dizzy Duck cafe. And the cafe itself has some lovely lunch options for all the family. There is outdoor seating above the play park too, more seated to warmer weather of course!
Christmas Wonderland at Auchingarrich
Each Christmas Auchingarrich hosts a wonderful Christmas Wonderland. You can book tickets via their website.
The joy begins with an invitation from Santa and golden ticket delivered to your door by Royal Mail. The kids will be excited to visit Santa and can bring the ticket along on the day. Try and book for when it’s dark as it’s much more magical with the lights twinkling!
On the day you will be welcomed by a friendly elf or two and have a chance to take your photo at the elf photo backdrop and buy goodies from the stalls. This is where you buy candy canes to exchange for marshmallows at the marshmallow toasting area.
Meander along the beautifully lit path and through the candy forest until you reach the woodland theatre. Meet the wonderful woodland elf who will tell you a fun Christmas story under the shelter of the theatre. You will then be directed to the toy makers workshop a short distance away.
At the toy makers you can write a list to Santa which is magically swirled away to Santa in the fire. Walter, the toy maker may also use a little magic to change the colour of the fire, so you can see that your letter reached Santa!
Next meet Mrs Claus who will give you a decorated cookie and marshmallows to toast (if you bought candy canes earlier!). One at a time each family will get a private visit with Santa in his cosy cottage. He magically knows a variety of things about the kids (I wonder how?!), which makes it extra magical when you see the surprise on the kids faces!
As you leave Santa each child gets a little bag filled with goodies, including a Christmas themed soft toy! It’s an excellent Christmas experience and even my older kids were surprised when Santa knew about their various activities they enjoyed!
Where to Stay Near Auchingarrich
Auchingarrich is just outside of the Perthshire village of Comrie. You can stay on-site at the campsite at a standard pitch in your own tent or one of the several on-site bell tents that can fit either 4-6 people or a group of 10-12 people!
Off site you can find the Comrie Hotel, The Royal Comrie Hotel and Comrie Holiday Park, all 10 minutes drive away. You can find more hotels and guest houses in Crieff, which is only 20 minutes away or Stirling which is 35 minutes away.
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