An Animal Lover's Day Out

Sail over from Southampton in just one-hour on our vehicle ferry service to East Cowes. Enjoy a relaxing cruise across the Solent, with delicious hot breakfasts, drinks, and pastries available onboard. Once you arrive, it’s just a 23-minute drive to your first attraction, Amazon World, near Arreton. 

Home to over 200 species of exotic critters, Amazon World Zoo Park is a fascinating place to explore and learn. Come face to face with cute capybaras and rare red pandas amongst many other mammals, reptiles, and birds, with expert keepers giving talks throughout the day, while little ones will love letting off steam in Monkey Madness soft play. For an extra £30pp (£50 for two), enhance your visit with a hands-on animal experience, with gentle tapirs or meerkats waiting to meet you. Proceeds from your visit not only care for the animals, but also go towards saving acres of Amazon rainforest in Ecuador.  

Save 10% on Amazon World admission and 15% on ferry travel when you book them together.

Take your pick from several delicious dining options in the area, all less than a 10 minute drive away from Amazon World. Head to The Garlic Farm in Newchurch (7 minute drive) for fresh local produce and a chance to spot red squirrels scurrying through the trees, while The Fighting Cocks (2 minute drive) offers a fantastic family-friendly atmosphere complete with kids play area. The Dairyman’s Daughter, based in Arreton Barns (6 minute drive) is a charming countryside pub with an extensive menu, where you’ll also find independent shops and crafts to peruse nearby. All of these options are just a 10-15 minute drive onward to your next stop, the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary. 

With free admission, the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary is a great option for those on a budget, although donations are encouraged and gratefully received. Take a walk around the grounds and meet the much-loved residents – you can even adopt your favourite and receive regular updates. Indulge in a delicious homemade cake and warming cuppa in onsite Grazers Café, and stop by the gift shop to pick up some fun merchandise or a bottle of Donkey Sanctuary Hedgerow Gin – a smooth spirit incorporating some of the donkeys’ favourite fruit and botanicals! 

From the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, it’s a 25-minute drive back to our East Cowes terminal, and leaving at 16:30 should see you arrive in good time for a 17:30 sailing back to the mainland. 

However, should you wish to stay on the Island longer, we offer crossings back home from the Island into the evening until 23:30 – please check the timetable here. 

There are plenty of great places to grab dinner on the Island close to The Donkey Sanctuary in the nearby towns and villages of Ventnor, Godshill and Shanklin. You’ll also find The Lifeboat pub and Prego Italian restaurant in East Cowes, just a stone’s throw from our ferry terminal – as well as hot food and snacks served onboard should you fancy dinner on the go.