I visited the country's 'best wildlife park' you walk through - it's perfect for adults and families

Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, renowned as the "UK's No.1 walk-through wildlife adventure" according to their own website, has recently undergone some exciting changes that I was keen to check out on my visit since pre-pandemic days.

The arrival at the park through its new entrance 'The Yorkshire Hive' to the eastis just the start of the adventure, boasting a huge car park for visitors.

For those who fancy a bit of retail therapy or a bite to eat along with their animal encounters, 'The Yorkshire Hive' offers free entry and provides access to an array of eateries and shops, such as Evolution for an immersive dining experience, Wilds Cafe Bistro perfect for a café stop, and Uproar, which presents an intriguing dinosaur-themed play area for children.

Shopping spots include Rupert's Candy, Vintage Buzz, and the Wildlife Clothing Co. , ensuring there's something for everyone before even stepping foot into the zoo proper.

Our journey began in earnest with a dive into the newly opened 'Dinosaur Park', Pangea, where life-sized dinosaurs move and roar among educational displays depicting their ancient historical context, reports the Express.

Despite being amongst a group of adults, we were totally engrossed in the experience, finding the Cathaysia Mountains section particularly captivating.

After leaving the dinosaur area of the park, we made our way to see the sea lions at Point Lobos. These Californian sea lions are incredibly entertaining, leaping in and out of the water, barking and occasionally playing with a ball.

The sea lions' residence is the largest purpose-built habitat of its kind globally, featuring two naturalistic lakes with varying water depths, sandy shorelines and rocky beaches.

One part of the park that should not be overlooked is Lion Country. During my visit, I was fortunate enough to witness four African lions in their expansive seven-acre habitat.

From the waterfall bridge, I had a panoramic view in all directions, allowing me to watch the lions as they napped and groomed each other.

My favourite section of the park is Project Polar, which houses the largest collection of Polar Bears in England. Despite being at a safe distance, I was awestruck by their immense size and strength.

On a particularly warm day, I saw two of the polar bears swimming. One bear plunged into the pool, causing a large splash and continued to play with a blue ball.

Weighing in at 600kg, these vulnerable creatures are the largest living land carnivores on Earth. Yorkshire Wildlife Park also holds the title as the world's leading centre for Polar Bear welfare and conservation.

During my visit to the Into Africa exhibit, I had the opportunity to observe a young giraffe trying to nibble on some leaves from a low-hanging branch.

Adult giraffes, standing at six metres tall, are the tallest living land animals and are incredibly adept at foraging through the treetops.

Among the animals I encountered were baboons, meerkats, lemurs, capybaras, rhinos, wallabies, maned wolves, red pandas and more.

Despite my best efforts, the cheetahs remained hidden from view that day.

You can book tickets for Yorkshire Wildlife Park online in advance, but please note that they cannot be amended after booking. There are also some tickets available on the day from the office, but these come with an additional £5 charge per person.

Online adult tickets (16+) are priced at £27.99 per person, while on-the-day tickets cost £32.99. Please note that prices may vary on peak days and event peak days.

Children under three can enter for free, while those aged between three to 15 years are charged £22.99 online and £27.99 on the day.

Car parking is complimentary, and the park is open most days from 9.45am to 6pm, with last entry at 3pm.

I would wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Park, whether you're with children or a group of adults. We spent a good six hours exploring the park, taking a break halfway for an ice cream and a coffee.

The park boasts a variety of cafes, restaurants and refreshment stands, so if you're in the mood for a snack or lunch, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Alternatively, visitors can pack their own picnic and enjoy lunch at one of the numerous benches scattered around the park.