West Midlands Safari Park: Staying in the accessible elephant lodge

So last year, my family and I had the privilege staying overnight at West Midlands Safari Park in one of their accessible lodges. Staying overnight at a zoo, has been on my bucket list for a long time. I chose an Elephant lodge as they are one of my favourite animals.

The Genies Wish & Making It Happen

A few months before this, I got into contact with a wish granting company called the Genies wish. They are a UK based charity who grant wishes for disabled adults. My first wish was actually to meet Harry Styles but unfortunately he was to hard to reach so in the end I settled for Westmidlands and it did not disappoint at all. I loved every minute of it.

The Journey There

We are from South East London and it took us about 3 hours to get to Birmingham which was rough. My back killed so as soon as we arrived, I headed straight to the changing rooms. Unfortunately I was in to much of a rush so we couldn't take a picture but honestly I was very impressed.

Accessible Facilities

The room was huge and very spacious, they had a changing bed and a hoist for those who can't transfer. Most disabled facilities don't even have hoysts! I really wish I took a picture now its so frustrating! We were not allowed to check into the lodge till 2 so we had a good couple of hours to just explore around the park. The park was all ramped out so there were no barriers to face. It was perfect.

Exploring the Park & Animals

On the way round we saw a lot of animals like hippos, leopards and rhinos. My favourite was the bird room where all the birds were flying around and you could feed them. It was

hilarious especially with my brother and his girlfriend. She hated it. I couldn't stop laughing.

Arriving at the Lodge

When we arrived at the lodge it was honestly just so beautiful. There was an accessible parking spot right outside which was honestly so handy for me as you can imagine we had a lot of equipment with us even though we were only staying for one night.

Inside the lodge it was completely wheel chair friendly. There was an upstairs where my brother and his girlfriend slep and a double bed where my mum and I slept. There was another bed upstairs but we decided to bring a lilo for my dad to sleep in the living room

rather than being in the same room with my brother and his girlfriend.

Elephants, Views & Relaxation

Outside there was a balcony that overlooked a lake and on the other side of the lake, elephants roamed around. It was just magnificent! My mum and I we just sat outside listening to the wild reading our books. A perfect weekend to just wind down for the night. No stress just bliss. Inside the lodge there was also cctv footage in the different animal sanctuary . I absolutely loved it!

Evening Fun

At around 4 we went out again to the fair. My brother his girlfriend and my dad all went on rides and while they did, I went into the arcade. That night I slept like a log. I was exhausted especially with all that traffic. I was out like a light!

Seals & Safari Drive

The next day we had to vacate the lodge at 11. But at 10 we all watched the sealine show. They were all adorable. I had a brilliant view right up the front. There were dedicated accessible seating which was so good.

Next my family and I we spent the rest of day driving in the driving safari. Giraffes were so funny. They kept blocking the roads so know one could get passed. It was a little difficult for me to see as I kept having to move my neck to see. But I managed

A Trip I’ll Never Forget

Overall, it was such a special experience and one I’ll cherish forever. From the accessibility to the animals and the quality time spent with my family, every part of the trip felt so special. I’m so grateful to my family for making the journey with me and for always being so supportive.

A huge thank you to The Genies Wish for making this experience possible and for giving disabled adults opportunities like this. I honestly can’t thank them enough for granting my wish and helping create memories I’ll treasure forever. Thank you as well to West Midlands Safari Park for their incredible accessibility, welcoming staff and for making the experience so enjoyable and stress free.

This trip will always have a special place in my heart and I feel so lucky to have experienced such a magical trip.