Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre

Wanted to revisit Monkey World for sometime. I was able bodied the last time I went however I am now disabled and on this occassion I was in my powered lightweight wheelchair. Not a good experience from the car park onwards. Not enough disabled parking bays. Bays too far from entrance. Rough stone, gravel with potholes, very uneven surface. Because I am an ambulatory wheelchair user, I was able to use my stick to cross the carpark. My companion had to manually push my chair. At the entrance despite being in a wheelchair and showing my local Welsh Council disability card I was asked for further proof. Well my companion was. We had to show a photo of my Blue Badge. Not a good start to the day. Once inside, many of the paths were steep and the cambers meant that my wheelchair drifted severely to the side. I had to be assisted by my companion to keep the chair on the correct tragectory and not tip over. Many gravel paths not at all suiitable for a lightweight power chair. Because I can stand I was able to leave the chair and see into the enclosures. I also saw other disabled people struggling with similar problems. I did research before going and the site states thatmost of the site is accesible. This may be the case with an all terrain power chair or a tramper mibility scooter but not with anything else. The gift shop was small and cramped. Difficult to negotiate in a chair. Did not use the toilets or food outlets. The monkeys etc are great and clearly loved and well cared for. I would not recommend this place if you are in a ordinary wheelchair or power chair.

Great to see rescued monkeys in a better cared for environment. With a glass viewing section. There are a couple of sensory statues for sight impaired people to touch to find out what the monkey looks like, but these are barred off and you have to go and find a member of staff to let you in.. Regular talks are given around the venue. It’s very hilly in places and uneven paths. However (understandably) around all the cages it was thick post and rail, sometimes double railed and with plants and shrubs. These rails and hedges were all at eye height for a wheelchair bound user. The paths are narrow in places and groups gather for the talks,it’s nearly impossible for a wheelchair to get through the crowd. Or even get near to the keeper to listen. One high view point was wheelchair accessible , but when you actually got to the top, the fence was about 4 and a half foot high, so wheelchair users couldn’t see over. A long way to go to not be able to see. A lot of the paths are gravel or large white stones, and wheels do not roll on them. The woodland walk does not allow motorized vehicles in it, but it’s soft wood chips so a standard wheelchair with adult weight can’t go anyway. It does have disabled toilets in two places which were of good size, but no emergency pull cords. The entrance advertises used electric mobility scooters for sale.. but the venue does not actually provide any for guests to rent. Do to take a motorized wheelchair or scooter. as a manual one has a lot of difficulty maneuvering around, and it’s very hilly in parts. You wouldn’t get up and down the slopes. Many paths are gravel and large white stones in the car park make it very uncomfortable in a chair , front wheels get stuck on stones and nearly throw the user out. Even lightweight people like children were struggling to be pushed in their push-chairs; let alone an adult. All in all a lovely place for the rescued animals giving them a better life. Do take a motorized scooter or motorized chair. In general quite poor for disabled users. Feels like they have done the minimum requirements in order to meet government standards. Instead: Support the rescue by donating, disabled adults I would suggest go to a zoo for a better viewing experience, not here.

It's so hilly and the ground is really worn away and covered in potholes, they were so bad when my friend hit one while pushing me I actually got thrown from my wheelchair! I couldn't rent a scooter as they've stopped doing that and you have to arrange it all yourself now prior to going so definitely not somewhere to visit on a whim The only upside was once we got to the far side of the park they let us ride in buggies on the way back as we were too tired to go all the way back