Monkey World is open 10am to 5pm daily except Christmas Day. Keeper talks run from noon, adults pay £18 online, and dogs are not allowed. What to know first.
Monkey World, the ape rescue centre between Wool and Bere Regis, is open every day from 10am to 5pm except Christmas Day. An adult ticket costs £18 online or £19 at the gate, a family ticket £50.75 online, and the keeper Q&A sessions with scatter feeds run through the early afternoon, starting at noon. Dogs are not allowed in, not even assistance dogs.
We checked every detail below on Monkey World’s own website on 10 November 2026. Prices and talk times do change, so look again at monkeyworld.org before a long drive.
What Monkey World is
Monkey World is a rescue and rehabilitation centre, not a zoo, and it says so firmly. Jim Cronin opened it in 1987 on a lease of a derelict pig farm near Wool, to give a home to chimpanzees taken from beach photographers in Spain. He died in 2007; his widow, Alison Cronin, has run the centre since. Today more than 260 primates live across 65 acres, most of them rescued from the illegal pet and entertainment trades or from laboratories, and living in social groups in large enclosures. Many visitors know the residents from the TV series Monkey Business and Monkey Life.
Because the animals are rescued rather than displayed, they choose whether to be outside, inside or in private off-show areas, and the centre does not guarantee you will see every primate on a given day.
Ticket prices
Online tickets are cheaper than the gate, and if the park reaches capacity, people without a booking are turned away.
| Ticket | Online | Gate |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £18.00 | £19.00 |
| Child, 3 to 15 | £12.00 | £12.75 |
| Under 3 | Free | Free |
| Senior, 65 and over | £12.00 | £12.75 |
| Student, with NUS card | £14.00 | £14.75 |
| Family: 2 adults and 2 children or seniors | £50.75 | £53.50 |
| Single parent family: 1 adult and 2 children or seniors | £37.50 | £39.50 |
| Essential carer | Free | Free |
A carer goes free with a paying disabled visitor, with proof such as a Blue Badge, PIP or DLA letter, Attendance Allowance, or an Access Card with the +1 symbol. Groups of ten or more get lower rates if they book in advance through the office.
No Blue Light or military discounts. Monkey World’s FAQ says it does not offer them, and its published price list does not offer a Gift Aid admission option either.
If you will go more than once, adopting a primate gives the adoptive parent unlimited free entry for a year, and Monkey World says all adoption money goes to the Ape Rescue Trust for rescue and rehabilitation work.
Card is preferred. Cash is accepted, but the gate holds no change float, so bring the exact amount.
Keeper talks and feeding times
The best part of a visit is the keepers’ informal Q&A at each enclosure, when they give a scatter feed that brings the primates close to the windows. Monkey World’s facilities page lists this order:
| Time | Where |
|---|---|
| 12pm | Lemurs and small monkeys |
| 12.30pm | Woolly monkeys |
| 1pm | Chimpanzees |
| 1.30pm | Orang-utans |
| 2pm | Gibbons |
| 2.30pm | Spider monkeys, capuchins and stump-tailed macaques |
Its FAQ gives the window as 12.30pm to 3pm, so check the map you are given at the gate for the day’s times. Recorded keeper talks are available all day: scan the QR code at each enclosure.
The walk-through lemur enclosure is closed until further notice. You can watch the lemurs through a window, and they are fed at the windows between 12pm and 1pm.
Tours. In December the education team runs a free 30-minute introductory tour at 10.30am, starting at the Adoption Centre, subject to availability. A self-guided audio tour costs £2 per phone. Private guided walking tours (1 hour 15 minutes) and a 9am early-entry buggy tour for up to four people can be booked through the office on 01929 462537; tour prices do not include admission.
How long to allow
Plan on three to four hours, longer with young children. The park covers 65 acres, the keeper Q&As alone run from noon to mid-afternoon, and there are three adventure playgrounds, the biggest being the Great Ape Play Area at the far end of the park past the capuchins. Arrive by about 11am, walk the far end first, and be back at the lemurs for noon.
Food and drink
The Treetops café near the entrance is open all year until 4.30pm, with gluten-free and vegan options, though out of season hot food stops at 2.30pm. Monkey World suggests eating before noon or after 1.30pm to avoid the lunchtime queue. The Malagasy café by the orang-utan nursery and two kiosks open only in school holidays and busy periods. There are picnic areas throughout the park, so bringing your own lunch is fine.
Is it worth going in the rain?
Mostly, yes. Every primate has indoor and outdoor areas, most enclosures have both indoor and outdoor viewing windows, and many windows are under cover. But most of the park is outdoors, with long walks between enclosures, so bring waterproofs and proper footwear.
There are no refunds for bad weather. You can change an online booking up to 72 hours before your visit for a £5 admin fee, by calling the office on 01929 462537 (option 3). The park only closes in extreme conditions.
Dogs, parking and getting there
Dogs. No dogs or other pets, including assistance dogs, because they distress the primates. Do not leave a dog in the car: Monkey World says it may contact the authorities about an animal left in its car park. It suggests day kennels instead, such as the Margaret Green Animal Rescue nearby.
By car. The park is signposted with brown tourist signs between Bere Regis and Wool; the sat nav postcode is BH20 6HH. There is a car park on site.
By train. Wool station, on the South Western Railway line from London Waterloo, is about 1.5 miles away, with taxis usually waiting.
By bus. First’s route 55 serves the park only in summer; in 2026 it ran from 23 May to 20 September. Out of season, buses run to Wool.
Rules worth knowing before you go
- No lockers or storage. You can get a hand stamp at the gift shop to go back to the car.
- No scooters, bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, balloons or barbecues. Wheelchairs, walking frames and mobility scooters are fine.
- No monkey masks, costumes or onesies; staff will ask you to take them off at the gate.
- No alcohol, and smoking or vaping only in the designated areas.
- Photos and video are welcome for personal use only.
- Children under 16 must be with an adult at all times.
Making a day of it? Monkey World sits a few miles from Lulworth Cove, and the Lulworth range walks and Tyneham village open on most weekends. More ideas on our Dorset days out page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Monkey World cost? Online, an adult ticket costs £18, a child (3 to 15) or senior £12, and a family ticket for two adults and two children £50.75. Gate prices are 75p to £2.75 higher. Under-threes and essential carers go free.
What are Monkey World’s opening times? Every day from 10am to 5pm, closed only on Christmas Day. The café closes at 4.30pm.
Can you take dogs to Monkey World? No. Dogs and other pets are not allowed, including assistance dogs, and Monkey World asks visitors not to leave pets in their cars.
What time are the feeding times at Monkey World? Keepers hold Q&A sessions with scatter feeds in the early afternoon: lemurs and small monkeys at 12pm, woolly monkeys 12.30pm, chimpanzees 1pm, orang-utans 1.30pm, gibbons 2pm and spider monkeys, capuchins and macaques 2.30pm. Check the day’s map at the gate.
How long do you need at Monkey World? Three to four hours is enough to walk the 65-acre park and catch the keeper talks; families with young children using the playgrounds often stay most of the day.
Do I need to book Monkey World tickets in advance? It is not compulsory, but online tickets are cheaper, and if the park is full, visitors without a booking are not let in.
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