Why visit Longleat?
Safari getaways
Want to go camping near Longleat? We’d hazard a guess that you’re planning a visit to the world-class safari park. An excellent decision – this attraction in the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has drive-through areas home to more than 500 animals, so you can safely see zebras, lions and cheetahs from the comfort of your car.
Stately home with a spa
Longleat isn’t just a kid-friendly safari park, though – set in the enormous grounds of an Elizabethan Prodigy House, it has plenty for the grownups too. Adults come for sessions at the Aqua Sana spa and strolls around the sparkling Shearwater Lake. Inside the mansion, don’t miss the jaw-droppingly opulent Elizabethan Great Hall, Red Library and State Drawing Room.
Record-breaking maze
When staying at a campsite near Longleat, you can navigate your way past 16,000 trimmed English yews to the centre of the longest hedge maze in Britain. Rather get lost in wilder surroundings? The estate’s lush woodland and 1,000 acres of landscaped parkland is also well worth wandering around.
Essential things to do near Longleat
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Visit the National Trust’s Stourhead estate for the ornate Palladian mansion interior and manicured grounds.
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Keep an eye out for the white chalk horses on the hillsides in Wiltshire – they’re a hallmark of the county.
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Amuse the kids at the play area, paddling pool, tennis courts or skate park in Warminster’s sprawling park.
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Set aside an extra day to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge, just a 25-minute drive from Longleat.
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Breathe in the fresh air under the boughs of age-old trees at Longleat Woods, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Lesser-explored Longleat
UFO sightings
Cley Hill, a looming landmark just to the north west of Longleat, may have been linked with yarns of alien spacecraft landings since the mid-20th century but its history goes much further back. This chalk grassland hill is home to an Iron Age fort and two bowl barrows from the Bronze Age. Nowadays, people visit to admire far-reaching views over West Wiltshire and Somerset while wandering amid the wildflowers.
More countryside capers
To wind down after a high-thrills day at Longleat Safari Park, head to Arn Hill. This 200-metre landmark has a circular trail that wends its way through leafy woodland and chalk grassland. Look out for local wildlife such as skylarks and butterflies as you roam during summer. From the top of the hill, you can survey the Salisbury Plain and two counties: Dorset and Somerset.
Market days
Nearby Frome, around a 15-minute drive from Longleat, is regularly voted one of the best places to live in Britain. And it especially comes into its own on market days. Check out the selection of trinkets crafted by talented artisans, street food cooked up by local chefs and ethically made clothing on the first Sunday of the month. You can also pick up produce to take back and cook on the fire at your campsite in Longleat.
Here’s how
For a lower-cost trip, find budget campsites near Longleat instead of staying inside the safari park. Or to get more choice – our selection includes peaceful lakeside locations, farm sites in pretty paddocks and wild-style family stays.
You can also check out campsites in Longleat based on these popular filters:
Once you've chosen the sort of setting you'd like, narrow down more of your preferences by using the filters on this page – there’s everything from luxury holiday parks to back-to-basics campsites near Longleat.
Want to widen your search? See all of our campsites in Wiltshire. Or why not include Longleat on a road trip around England’s South West, setting up a tent in a different place every night or two?
