‘Tiger incoming!’
My mother and I leap into action as the large, striped cat strides towards us.
Meanwhile, my brother Sam – acting as lookout – is stood frozen, just inches away from the predator staring him in the face.
He has no reason to fear, however, as there are three 11mm thick panes of glass between him and the big cat.
We are staying at the Tiger Lodge, a two bedroom wooden cabin at Port Lympne Reserve wildlife park in Kent.
The luxury accommodation has three panoramic windows that look onto the enclosure of our nimble neighbours Amura, nine, and Mischa, four.
They are two of the park’s four Siberian tigers – the largest cat species in the world. And we will be sleeping just inches away from them.
Outside, it’s a tiger’s sanctuary, comprising pine and sycamore trees to emulate their natural habitats in the mountains and dense forests of Russia, northern China and Korea. Laurel, bamboo and elder planting provides additional cover for them to hide and explore.
Laura Sharman stays at the Tiger Lodge at Port Lympne Reserve in Kent
The garden features an outdoor Scandinavia bath which staff heat upon request
In the far corner of the lounge, chunky wooden bookshelves are decorated with travel literature and miniature lamps which bring a warm ambience to the earthy room. Tigers walk up to the panoramic window at the back, comprised of three 11mm-thick panes of glass
While inside it’s a people’s paradise.
A countrified lounge is the heart of the apartment, furnished with a red velvet couch and two sink-into-me leather chairs positioned around a wood burner.
In the far corner, chunky wooden bookshelves are decorated with travel literature and miniature lamps which bring a warm ambiance to the earthy room.
This dimly-lit setting only enhances the popping green enclosure which lies beyond the window at the back of the lounge.
‘It’s like we’re watching David Attenborough at the cinema,’ my mum says as we watch Mischa tucking into a chunk of horse meat.
But in reality, the tiger is actually sat on the other side of the glass.
After some 20 minutes, Mischa glides towards the window of the neighbouring twin bedroom and nestles up against the glass.
We all line up across the beds – my mum, my brother, his partner Daria, and their one-year-old daughter Winona – with our legs stretched out towards the enclosure.
The lodge benefits from a private terrace overlooking the treetops of the Kentish ‘savannah’
LEFT: The twin room has a panoramic window overlooking the tiger enclosure. RIGHT: The double room has patio doors which open onto the terrace, overlooking a tree canopy
Lauren has access to a private golf buggy for the duration of her stay at the Tiger Lodge. ‘It’s a significant part of the experience, driving ourselves around the park, passing lions, rhinos, baboons and more,’ she writes
For the next hour, we sit in the company of Mischa, occasionally breaking into conversation and otherwise enjoying the moment in silence, while little Winnie enjoys pressing her hands against the window and looking down at the large sleeping cat.
We arrived at the reserve earlier that day, at 11.30 am.
An electric gate permitted us entry to a downward slope, shaded by a canopy of trees and surrounded by bluebells.
Staff were waiting at the bottom, ready to guide us to the car park and help us with our luggage.
Before the 2pm check-in, we sit down for afternoon tea at the Mansion, a redbrick manor house set on 15 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens within the park.
The Bridgerton-esque experience sees us welcomed into the room to the gentle clinking of tea cups and orchestral covers of pop songs playing softly in the background.
Arranging our napkins on our laps, we have fun naming the myriad of birds and animals depicted in the murals that cover the walls and ceiling, from a pair of red parrots to an elephant stampede.
‘You could play “I spy” in here for hours,’ says our waitress Holly who sets down four tea stands, each filled with handmade cakes, finger sandwiches, fresh pastries and scones with clotted cream and jam.
LEFT: The lodge features a small but stylish bathroom with a monsoon shower. RIGHT: In the morning, Laura is woken by whooping monkeys elsewhere in the park. Pictured: The private terrace
Even Winnie has her own tea setup, featuring cheese and jam sandwiches instead of our egg cress and smoked salmon fillings.
Next, we head to the front of the building to check in and collect the keys to our private golf buggy rental, which is included in our stay.
It’s a significant part of the experience, driving ourselves around the park, passing lions, rhinos, baboons and more.
But for now, we head straight to the lodge in the hope of meeting our neighbours Amura and Mischa.
We share a toast with a complimentary welcome bottle of Prosecco before park staff arrive to heat the outdoor Scandinavia bath for our evening soak.
‘Amura and Mischa might join you,’ they say. ‘They like this window as it’s nice and warm from the bath.’
As I stroll up to the tub and rest my glass on the side, I notice it has been filled with bubble bath.
The tigers do not pay a visit, but I hear the distant roars of the lions as I sink into the steaming water. I close my eyes and draw upon memories from previous trips to Uganda and Tanzania.
Grabbing my robe, I return inside to find Mischa resting against the bedroom window. It means we sleep almost side by side throughout the night, with him occasionally pawing the glass. Dreaming, perhaps?
Each Treehouse apartment is glass-fronted and has a private balcony and kitchen
Meanwhile in the double room, my brother has views overlooking the treetops of the Kentish ‘savannah’.
The lodge also comprises a small but stylish bathroom with a monsoon shower.
The next day, we are woken by whooping monkeys elsewhere in the park.
We could be in the rainforests of Sumatra, were it not for the Chestnut and Sycamore trees.
Piling into the golf buggy, we drive down to the mansion for breakfast – avocado on focaccia bread with roasted tomatoes and basil pesto.
Then, we explore more of the park’s 600 acres on a two-hour open truck safari.
Dozens of antelope, zebra and wildebeest are basking in the springtime sun as we drive up the hillside, with the Kent coast in the distance.
Stopping to see the resident giraffes, Winnie enjoys grabbing handfuls of birch leaves from the keeper’s bucket to feed them.
Guests who prefer to keep the park’s predators at a distance can stay at The Treehouses
‘Giraffe incoming!’ my mum cries as the animals gracefully bow their heads towards us.
Guests who prefer to keep the park’s predators at a distance can stay at The Treehouses, which are tucked into the canopy of the reserve and overlook the rhino paddocks.
Like the Tiger Lodge, the family-friendly accommodation sleeps up to four guests and has one double and one twin room. All of the apartments are glass-fronted with private furnished balconies and a fully-equipped kitchen.
Port Lympne Reserve and its sister park Howletts Wild Animal Park work in partnership with The Aspinall Foundation – an international animal conservation charity to rewild as many of their animals to protected areas in the wild as possible.
The UK based charity focuses on the conservation of endangered species and returning them to wild protected areas. It believes animals belong in the wild, in their natural habitat and not in captivity.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .