The Red Panda Experience

Would you like to meet a Red Panda up close? A fantastic special face to face, interactive meet and greet with our wonderful Red Pandas.

Thank you to everyone who has booked an experience for 2025 as each booking helps Paradise Park to donate towards the Red Panda Network!

AWARD WINNERS
Cornwall Tourism Awards – GOLD WINNER Experience of the Year (Active or Learning) 2020/2021
South West Toursim Awards – COMMENDED Experience of the Year (Active or Learning) 2020/2021

Sima Ballard commented “Absolutely fantastic experience; the keepers are so knowledgeable and the Pandas are by their very nature very wary.  However the opportunity to feed them their treats was a dream come true for me.  To know that my payment also goes in part to the conservation of the Red Panda network was also a reward in itself.  I will definitely be back soon!”

Quote from TripAdvisor From Wigguru
Red Panda Experience the best in the country
“Husband booked this for my big 3.0. I love Red Pandas and this is my third experience in the UK. This hands down beats Paradise Park in Herfordshire and Chester Zoo by miles. The keepers had no problem letting us stay in the enclosure as long as we wanted, were informative and cheery, took LOADS of pictures for us and overall were superb. The actual experience is brilliant, as these particular Pandas will not be released into the wild, they are trained to be incredibly friendly to assist with transportation for their breeding programme (currently they are high on the endangered list) and for vet visits. This means they don’t mind being stroked and they will happily sit on you to eat, as well as cutely holding your hand!!! I was in my element, almost died of cute overload. Entrance to the park is free with the experience, which makes the park well worth it as it is a tad small, but there are beautiful birds, penguins and otters as well as farm animals and shows so a family day out is decent if you’re on holiday. The jungle barn soft play looked good for kids too. They have an undercover picnic area which means rainy days aren’t a problem and the cafe prices are reasonable. Would do the experience again!!!

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• Entry into Paradise Park
• Each experience session typically lasts thirty minutes.
• An introductory briefing by one of our Red Panda Keepers
• Then the really exciting bit… it’s off to the enclosure where you will come face to face with these wonderful Red Pandas. You will be able to hand-feed, stroke, take photos, and maybe one will even sit on your lap!
• Opportunity to ask our Keepers any questions you may have.
• You will be given a complimentary drink voucher to use in the Otter Pool Cafe.
• You can then enjoy the Park for that day and before you leave you will receive a certificate as a memento of your experience.
• Included in the price, Paradise Park makes a £25 donation to the Red Panda Network for each Red Panda Experience booked. The Red Panda Network is committed to the conservation of wild Red Pandas and their habitat through the education and empowerment of local communities.
• Don’t forget your camera!

PRICE

£275 for up to 2 people. A £25 donation is included within this for the Red Panda Network charity.

For full terms and conditions please click HERE.

CONDITIONS

The Paradise Park Red Panda Experience is available for adults and children over the age of 10 years. Children between 10 and 15 years old must be accompanied by a spectating parent/guardian. So, if one child is booked then a parent/guardian can spectate from outside or accompany them in the enclosure (to the maximum two guests). If two children are booked, then a spectating parent/guardian should buy a ticket and can watch from the public viewing area. Additional family/friends will need to pay standard admission fees to visit the Park and watch from the public viewing area outside the enclosure.

PLEASE NOTE: Some times during the year we may be in a bird flu surveillance zone (mammals can potentially catch bird flu) so there could be footbaths on the way in to the Red Pandas and appropriate footwear is needed (ie not sandals).

RESTRICTIONS

Regrettably certain guests may be unable to take part. The Red Pandas need quiet and calm, guests must be able to understand and follow guidance from the Keeper in charge. Please notify us if you have any relevant health conditions, phobias or allergies. Whilst every effort is made to accommodate those with a physical disability or learning difficulty, due to practicality and health and safety this cannot always be achieved. Please contact for more information.

WHEELCHAIR TRAINED RED PANDAS

We have one wheelchair accessible Red Panda enclosure. The Keepers worked with the Red Pandas so now they are ‘wheelchair trained’ and confident with people using these in the enclosure. So, although it is not guaranteed, the Red Pandas are usually happy to sit on a person’s lap and that includes if they are sitting in a wheelchair.

Thank you for your interest in meeting these wonderful animals and many thanks to everyone who has taken part in this fantastic and rare experience to get up close to a beautiful Red Panda, and at the same time know you are helping to support this endangered species in the wild.

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Red Panda Experience Donations
The funds we have raised from Red Panda Experiences at Paradise Park are helping two projects in Nepal

£9,385 to the World’s First Protected Forest for Red Pandas
The Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung (PIT) Red Panda Protected Forest has the densest population of red panda in Nepal and is part of the Kangchenjunga Singhalila Complex: one of the most biologically diverse places on earth. It is threatened by human population growth and expanding development. It’s in this place that Red Panda Network is establishing the world’s first protected area dedicated to red panda. This area is critical not only to the red panda but also to many other threatened species who share habitat with red pandas including clouded leopards, Himalayan black bears, and hundreds of bird species. This territory will provide a safe environment for over 100 individual red pandas, believed to be about a fourth of Nepal’s total red panda population. Find out more from the Red Panda Network here

£9,685 to ‘Plant A Red Panda Home’ – Reforesting Core Red Panda Habitat in Nepal. So far we have helped to plant 12,106 trees! (tree total to be updated shortly).
This donation is to help restore more than 32 hectares in Nepal. These degraded locations have been identified as core habitat for red pandas and are critical to their survival. A Plantation of 32,000 native trees, installation of fencing to protect tree saplings and purchase of land for restoration (Eastern Nepal only). Find out more from the Red Panda Network here

A BIG thank you to everyone who has been involved in our Red Panda Experiences.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY!

“We had our Red Panda Experience yesterday, and I just wanted to let you (and the team!) know how wonderful it was. Rachael and Danny really looked after us,and were so friendly and knowledgeable. The pandas were, of course, incredible! Thank you again! Best wishes, Imogen and Steve”

We had the best day ever, really was the best moment of the year!”
From Hannah and Tom

“The pandas and keepers were amazing and so informative! Pandas were lovely and tame and cuddly and are now my favourite animals. Would definately come again and would recommend to anyone else to do it too!”
From Lauren Calway

“The panda experience is amazing to see them close up and have them sit on your lap is such a buzz. I have fed red pandas in many zoo’s but it’s my first real close up, hands on encounter and I would do it again in a heartbeat. ***** a 5 star experience  (if I could give 10 I would). A real VIP experience and keepers are very informative, friendly and willing to take photos and video which is a bonus – I couldn’t be happier” From Shannon Workman

“Wonderful experience, worth every penny and really great that some of the money goes the the Red Panda Network” From Suzanne Adams

“What an absolutely fabulous experience, would recommend to everyone” From Deborah Carpenter.

“It’s brilliant and it’s nice to know that the money that I pay will be helping them in the wild as well.” From Becky

“Having the Red Panda Experience is like a dream come true for me. I’ll be coming every year to see the most adorable animal on the planet” From Jaiyi Zhang

MORE COMMENTS HERE