Kent Owl Academy — Attraction in Maidstone

I was really looking forward to this experience but wasn't very impressed to be honest.

The vast majority of the time was spent just holding the owls rather than flying them, and although I was able to ask a few questions, Head Keeper Syl mostly just waffled on about the various injuries they'd sustained in their work and spoke negatively of other similar local businesses (unsolicited).

Volunteer Shannon had to be promoted by Syl to hand the owls to me and seemed more keen to hold them herself! She also "told off" some of the owls for making noises or defectating, but seemed to prefer others.

We received conflicting information about whether I needed a ticket to Kent Life to visit the rest of the attraction. I was prepared to buy one but the ticket office at Kent Life said neither I nor my family needed one, but I was then escorted off the premises after the experience with my family elsewhere.

Again, i was told I'd have to pay for my husband and daughter to spectate and my four year old wasn't old enough to handle the owls, which I understand but towards the end of the experience Syl and Shannon said they would have been able to watch for free.

I just didn't find the experience very professional, although I enjoyed the 10 minutes or so of flying...

We are so grateful to Kent Owl Academy for providing such a magical and unique experience at our wedding! One of their beautiful owls swooped down to deliver our wedding rings, and it was a truly unforgettable moment that left our guests in awe. The entire team was friendly, professional, and hands-on, ensuring everything ran smoothly and safely throughout the day. Their passion for the owls and their care for each guest really shone through.

Our guests absolutely loved the opportunity to see the owls up close and interact with them. It was a highlight of the day, and many were thrilled to carefully handle a selection of these magnificent birds. The team’s dedication to making everyone feel comfortable and excited about the experience made it even more special. Thank you so much to Kent Owl Academy for adding such a memorable and enchanting element to our wedding—highly recommended for anyone looking to add something truly unique to...

Our Owl Experience at the Kent Owl Academy was amazing and so very memorable. My daughter was allowed to choose up to 3 owls she would like to hold and got to spend a whole hour learning about these different owls whilst holding them. Then, she was allowed to fly and feed a barn owl for the final 30 minutes. The volunteer staff members, Ed and Silvia, were extremely knowledgeable and made the experience fun and very interesting, answering all our questions and explaining all about the different owls and their habitats. We were completely at ease and enjoyed the experience, which felt very exclusive and special as we were behind the scenes with the staff and were allowed to fly the barn owl without an audience. We were allowed to take as many photos as we liked and came away with very special memories. We highly recommend the Kent Owl Academy. It was also very good...