Quick answer: Yes, Knowsley Safari explicitly warns that its baboons may damage visitors’ cars. You do not have to drive through the baboon enclosure: there is a car-friendly route, and the park also operates a Baboon Bus for visitors who want the close-up experience without risking their own vehicle.
Our ExploreAlotLife video below shows what happened when we drove through Knowsley Safari ourselves. This guide uses the park’s current rules so you can decide which route makes sense for your own car.
Can Knowsley Safari baboons damage your car?
Knowsley Safari says they can. Its current rules warn visitors that baboons may damage vehicles and that the park cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage caused by its animals. Entering the animal drive is therefore at your own risk.
That does not mean every car will be damaged. It means you should make the decision knowing that climbing, pulling and investigating vehicles is normal baboon behaviour and damage is possible.
Can you avoid the baboon enclosure?
Yes. The official car-friendly route bypasses the baboon enclosure. Knowsley specifically recommends it for visitors who do not want to accept the risk of animal damage.
You can still see the baboons from the safer route, although you will not have the same animals-on-the-car experience as vehicles entering the enclosure itself.
What is the Knowsley Baboon Bus?
The Baboon Bus is the park’s alternative for visitors who want to travel through the more mischievous sections without using their own car. Knowsley currently advertises the bus on weekends and during school holidays, with a separate charge on top of normal admission. Availability and price can change, so book using the official page rather than relying on an old figure.
Which vehicles cannot use the baboon and lion sections?
Current Knowsley rules place restrictions on some vehicles. Soft-top cars and certain vehicles with roof openings or similar features must use the car-friendly route rather than entering the baboon or lion enclosures. Vehicles with cracked windscreens are also restricted from those sections.
Check the current vehicle rules before travelling if you have a convertible, roof box, unusual roof fitting or any concern about the condition of the car.
How can you reduce the risk of damage?
- Use the car-friendly route if damage would seriously bother you
- Follow all signs and staff instructions
- Keep windows and doors closed and locked in restricted animal areas
- Do not feed or touch the animals
- Keep moving when instructed rather than encouraging animals to stay on the vehicle
- Consider the Baboon Bus if you want the full experience without using your own car
The park also tells drivers not to stop beside larger animals and to move forward slowly if approached.
Can you go around Knowsley Safari more than once?
Current ticket information says visitors can drive through the Safari Drive more than once before the final entry time. That gives you the option to use different routes or repeat the drive if time allows. Always check the day’s last entry before starting another circuit.
Our practical verdict
If you would be upset by a damaged trim, wiper or other car part, take the bypass. The baboon section is meant to be unpredictable—that is part of why people enjoy it—but the official warning is real. Our video gives you a better idea of the experience before you decide which route to take.
Watch our Knowsley Safari visit
Check the latest official information
- Knowsley Safari: plan your visit and rules
- Knowsley Safari Drive
- Knowsley Baboon Bus
- Knowsley Safari rules and terms
Last fact-checked: 20 August 2026. Vehicle and animal rules above are based on current Knowsley Safari information.