Location & Opening Times
You will find us on Yaverland Road, Yaverland, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 8QB, directly opposite Yaverland beach.
Our Sanctuary is located on the southeast side of the Island, which is easily accessible by road and well serviced by public transport. Adjacent to our site is a large private car park* where you can park all day for a discounted rate when visiting us!
Our Opening Times
We are open all year round, 7 days a week!
Winter Hours
From 1st October 2025 to 31st March 2026, we are open from 10:00 to 16:00 every day, with last admission at 15:00. Our Wildheart Café is open from 10:00 to 15:30 every day, with last food orders at 14:30.
Summer Hours
From 28th March 2026 to 27th September 2026, we will be open from 10:00 to 17:00 every day, with last admission at 16:00.
We are closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Parking
There is a large private car park adjacent to our site, where Sanctuary visitors can park all day for a discounted rate – this rate is only available at the machine inside the Sanctuary. This machine is located just outside the Cafe. Please ensure that you pay for parking during your visit. There are also council owned long stay car parks at Yaverland and Fort Street.
Blue Badge Holders – There are Blue Badge Bays available near the entrance, please however be aware that parking is NOT free in this car park. Please ensure that you pay for your parking at our machine.
*Please note: the car park adjacent to our site and the parking machine inside the Sanctuary are not owned or controlled by the Sanctuary, nor do we derive any revenue from them. We are not able to appeal any parking fines, so please ensure you pay for your parking.
Daily Animal Talks
These schedules will be running from Monday 7th September.
Weekday Schedule (Mon to Fri)
| Time | Talk |
|---|---|
| 11:00 | Monkey Feed |
| 12:30 | Big Cat Feed |
| 14:00 | Lemur Dome Tour |
| 14:30 | Bug encounter |
Weekend Schedule (Sat & Sun)
| Time | Talk |
|---|---|
| 11:00 | Monkey Talk |
| 11:30 | Lemur Talk (Dome) |
| 12:00 | Bear Talk |
| 12:30 | Meerkat Feed |
| 13:40 | Farm Encounter |
| 14:00 | Big Cat Talk (Lions or Tigers) |
| 14:30 | Reptile and Invertebrate Encounter |
| 15:00 | Monkey Feed |
| 15:30 | Bear Feed |
Check at Lemur Domes for daily opening times.
Getting to Us
Southern Vectis buses 2, 3 and 8 serve Sandown and timetable information can be found on the Southern Vectis website.
Island Line Trains serve Sandown Station, which is a 20 minute train journey from Ryde Station. From Sandown Station, it is a 30 minute walk to our Sanctuary. Train tickets can be purchased online or by calling 0845 6000 650.
Hovertravel is the Island’s fastest foot passenger ferry, with a crossing time of just 10 minutes from Portsmouth to Ryde. From there, take the number 8 bus to arrive right outside our entrance, or the number 2 or 3 to arrive in Sandown town centre, which is a 15 minute walk along the seafront to our Sanctuary.
If you’re travelling from the mainland to the Island by car, there are three different ferry routes to choose from. For a scenic drive across the Island to our Sanctuary, take the Wightlink Lymington to Yarmouth route, or for a shorter drive take the Wightlink Portsmouth to Fishbourne route or Red Funnel Southampton to East Cowes route.
Bikes – We have a bike rack next to our entrance, which you are more than welcome to use during your visit.
Walking – Our Sanctuary is just a 15 minute walk from Sandown town centre. You can also walk from Bembridge by following the coastal path over Culver Down.
Visit us as often as you like with an annual membership!
An annual membership is a fantastic way to support the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary and join our mission to protect wildlife and rescue animals from suffering and harm.
As well as being able to enjoy unlimited visits to our Sanctuary, you can take advantage of year round free parking right next to one of the Island’s best beaches. Members are also offered 10% off all food and drink in our Wildheart Cafe and Gift Shop.
Annual membership offers fantastic value for all ages, and don’t forget that children aged 3 and under do not need to pay for Sanctuary admission. Members with disabilities are entitled to free entry for one registered carer as part of their membership.
Did you know that it costs us more than £1,000 a month to care for just one of our tigers?
If you are a UK taxpayer please remember to sign a Gift Aid form. This enables the Trust to claim as additional 25p in every £1.00 from HMRC at no extra cost to you!
| Ticket Type | General Admission | Admission with 10% Gift Aid |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £17.50 | £19.25 |
| Child (3-14 Years) | £16.00 | £17.60 |
| Senior (Age 60+)/ Student | £16.50 | £18.15 |
| Infant (Age 2 and under) | FREE | FREE |
| Island Resident | £14.00 | £15.40 |
| Family (2 adults and 2 children) | £63.00 | £69.30 |
| Family Additional Child | £15.00 | £16.50 |
| Registered Carer* | FREE | FREE |
Donating through Gift Aid means that we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give. It helps us to take good care of all the animals in our care. In order to donate through GiftAid only a 10% donation is required.
Free entry for children under 3 years.
*A registered carer accompanying a disabled visitor will be admitted free of charge. Supporting documentation sh
ould be provided.
Return within 7 days for just £1 per person.
You MUST have valid proof of entry to the Sanctuary. So please retain your tickets. Online prebooked tickets do not provide proof of entry.
Our Sanctuary Map
We’re pleased to share our new visitor map, which you can view online or find on boards inside our Sanctuary when you arrive!
Visit us in Sandown Bay
We can be found on Yaverland Road, Yaverland, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 8QB, directly opposite the Yaverland Beach.
what3words – ///brick.shatters.flops
Accessibility
A registered carer accompanying a disabled visitor will be admitted free of charge. Supporting documentation should be provided, for example a current DLA letter or an Access Card with a +1 symbol. The normal admission price still applies to visitors with disabilities.
FAQs
Can you visit all year?
Yes! We are open all year round, 7 days a week – closed Christmas and Boxing Day!
How long should I allow for my visit?
That’s up to you. Some people spend all day at the Sanctuary visiting our animals but others only spend an hour or two. If you buy an annual membership you can visit as often as you like.
Minimum you need is around 2 hours to see everything – but if you get involved with the talks and spend time with the animals, have a picnic, enjoy the play parks, mud garden, water safari etc you can make a whole day of it.
Can dogs visit?
We allow specially trained assistance dogs in some areas of the Sanctuary, other dogs are allowed in the Cafe but not the Sanctuary.
Is parking available?
Yes, but it is not free.There is a large private car park adjacent to our site, where Sanctuary visitors can park all day for a discounted rate – this rate is only available at the machine inside the Sanctuary.
Is the Sanctuary wheelchair accessible?
Yes most of it is, but some of the paths are not smooth. The bears including the lookout is fully wheelchair accessible.