ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bletchley

Good spot for a picnic & your kids will love to watch the animals , birds & butterflies. A well maintained park & playing area for kids is special.! Lot of parking lots available & if you pay an extra fee you can drive your car inside the zoo. Enjoy

I thought this was one of the best Zoos I have been to.The animals have plenty of space to roam and the visitors can get really close to them. I visited with my grandchildren and daughter in law halloween week there was lots of fun activities for them. There is a great park/playground for them to run around in.I didnt purchase food there as the reviews were not that good on Price and standard so I can not comment. I purchases a cup of tea on-route around the park that was priced at £2.70 rather steep I think but after all that walking it was out of desperation 😆. I did pack a picnic for us all and there are plenty of points around the zoo to stop to eat.Overall it is a beautiful place and I will definitely go again. There is also a free parking field opposite the zoo which was a bonus.

Extremely large areas for animals to live which is good but this requires long walking times, unless you drive your car in which costs an additional £25. Animals included elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, tigers(we only saw a sleeping oneand lions (same). We didn’t even see the bears, meerkats, porcupines and lynxes which was quite a scam. Most of the animals also looked bored and disinterested. The aquarium was decent but there were no large fish however the butterfly garden was good and we could actually get up close and interact with them. The base camp restaurant seemed to have improved from previous reviews however the wait time was a bit long. Overall not exactly worth the money (£30 for adults)

As with everywhere prices are going up and Whipsnade is no exception with an adult ticket now priced around £30.75. This makes their yearly membership much more attractive. As you need to go 3 or 4 times in the year to break even so to speak. Plus three membership covers London zoo as well.The zoo is running Easter extras including a egg hunt which is looking for egg boards with a chance to win a years gold membership. This was useful for my children to encourage them round the entire site!It is a large site and walking shoes are definitely recommended but this means that even when it is busy you have space.It was good to see the lions which are in loan to ZSL and hopefully Whipsnade will manage to get some of their own to replace the ones they lost in due course.The biggest attraction for my children is always the butterfly house and crocodiles but everyone has their own favourites!As with anything if you want to keep your costs down take your own food.A highly recommended day out!

Definitely you will love this place . We can spend a whole day there . Lots of animals are there , birds and butterfly world are there . We can use our car to visit the Safari park as well . But my suggestion is that you can only enjoy at the time of summer because otherwise animals will not come out, they will stay in their shelter itself . We can’t see them outside.

A good zoo with lots of space (the largest in the UK apparently based on physical spaceexpect to have to walk a lot between enclosures. Has good playground and the food is ok.. lots to do and see and the animals do seem to have more space than most!

Adore this Zoo. My little girl absolutely loves going here. Something new to see every time as you can never see it all in one day.The park is fantastic! So much to do for all ages there. Very well thought out and places. Train rides are fantastic, but are at an extra cost. We have annual passes, which if you are local I would recommend, as you only need to go a few times to have more than made your money.I got my partner the Giraffe experience for his birthday and it was amazing. He loved it so much! A bit pricey, but so worth it.

Had an absolutely fantastic time at Whipsnade Zoo. There is a lot to see and a huge variety in animals, the highlight being the latest addition to the Elephant herd which I highly recommend seeing as she is adorable.Plenty of rest spots, facilities and food stands if youre walking around, you can drive but I believe that costs a little extra.Would happily go again!

Great day out, highlights for me were the White Rhino and Elephants, along with the Steam Railway. The outdoor play area is probably the most extensive I have seen, it was nearly impossible to get the children out of it.Hint, a simple search on Google the day before found me a voucher code for 25% discount (booked in advance)

We visited it for the SENsation event. It was a lovely family day out. Its very good they are being inclusive to all families.Days out can be very challenging if you have children with disabilities events like this are invaluable thank you Whipsnade 😊

Decided to take the little one to the Zoo today. People wise, it wasn’t over crowded which was brilliant cause we were able to enjoy the atmosphere of the park. The attractions were all open and we could take our time. Elements like the Lion enclosure and the Cheetah section, you couldn’t view the cats cause they where out of sight.

The grounds are really beautiful, animals have a lot more room to live in and roam around compared to other zoos I have visited. Just make sure you take your own food and the choice of food is limited and not the best.

Such a beautiful zoo that’s set on large open spaced land! It’s great to see all the animals have so much space to move around and it all being kept in great condition.If you choose not to drive around do get ready to walk your feet off.

A lovely day spent at my local zoo. Take your time and enjoy all the wonderful animals in there environment. The bird display is always great .

Whipsnade is a massive zoo and does involve a lot of walking unless you pay the extra £25 to drive into the park so that you can then drive your car to each zone. Unfortunately on our visit a lot of the animals were either hiding or they just dont have them, the same could be said about the cafes and shops. The park also could do with some updating. A lot of the enclosures are really overgrown and areas of the park are untidy.The only saving grace of our visit was we got to see the new 4-day-old baby elephant which was amazing. Overall id say that we were a little disappointed with our visit and probably wouldnt visit again.

I’m a parent/carer, purchased a child’s disabled ticket. Carer goes free. If you are a BLUE BADGE holder, your car goes in FREE.Pre book the soft play! Staff were happy to let me if tho as they had a no-show.Carer also goes free on the train, child ticket is £2Pre book your tickets before you go.It really is a very large place to visit so really happy about the parking situation.

This place is amazing. Its massive the enclosures are double the size or more of London zoo. Animals look happy and healthy. Tones to do with the kids. We wasnt able to get through it all in a day. Will definitely return. Staff also extremely helpful brilliant day cant rate highly enough. Even the loos were clean and tidy.

A great day out for all the family. Plenty of space for a picnic or for the kids to run around in between visiting all the animals, a great place for a walk and the animals all look very healthy and well looked after. Theres plenty of free parking opposite the zoo as well, combined with ZSL membership for a very low cost day out.

Great family day out, lots of open space, a large selection of great animals to see, parks for the children and a little train ride, gift shop, cafes and restaurants. Animal shows throughout the day, large picnic area. All round great zoo.

Decent family day out, animals and enclosures all looked well cared for. Food was good in the restaurant although I feel for the staff in there, no fans or air conditioning, must have been 30+ in there today. Fairly reasonably priced compared to most zoos. Would re-visit 👌- Negatives - you have to pay extra for the steam train and the carousel which seems harsh, the restaurant was dirty and the online ordering over charged all 4 paying guests today from our party, we got a refund but it’s annoying - also there’s a lot of walking to do!

Great family day out, lots to explore. You feel like you can freely explore whichever animal you wish to see first there is no set route. You can get quite close to a lot of them. The butterfly and aquarium are brilliant. Lots of refreshments and food options available.

A lovely zoo that you can drive and walk around. You can drive to different areas and get out and walk around but taking your car in costs an extra £25 or you can use the free car park and walk around the whole place. It is big enough that we spent the whole day there from 10am to 5pm. A nice outside play area at the end for the kids to enjoy. It has a train ride around the park, just a shame you have to pay extra to go on it and the food and drink is a bit over priced hence 4 stars instead of 5.A very good day out though 👍

Really enjoyed a visit. My primary purpose was to see the Elephants 🐘 as there are limited numbers in the UK. Wasnt disappointed. Also saw the otters, giraffes and rhinos. Some animals are hiding as with any zoo visit but enjoyed all the same.

This is part of ZSL and is located outside of London (1 hour 15 min by drive). The zoo is huge and very well equipped with things to do for children like - train ride, indoor and outdoor play zone, toilets every few metres, different animal talks, and two cafes for food. As the zoo is huge, a lot of walking will be required. We went there and could not spot all the animals first, maybe because it was very hot outside. So we did another round of the zoo and we got lucky this time and spotted all the animals.

Whipsnade Zoo is a really brilliant place to spend a day, lots to see and do. Highly recommend a visit. I went on the Elephant experience which was superb again highly recommend booking this informative experience especially if you love Elephants like I do. We opted to pay for driving the car around which was great and made getting around so easy especially for people with mobility issues as it is a big place to walk around with so much to see that having the car really helped. The views around the Zoo are beautiful. If you want a fun and interesting day out go to the Zoo. A baby elephant due anytime so that will be lovely to see when baby arrives.

We originally went as a family of 7 and enjoyed it so much that I now have a membership for me and our granddaughter who we look after each week. This way I can take her whenever I like and spend as much time as we like there. The animals are well cared for and theres such a vast area that it doesnt feel crowded. Definitely recommend

If sunny make sure to take a hat, and some water. The place is vast, so get there nice and early to make the most of it.If a frequent visitor you realise that theres a lot more potential waiting to happen. Perhaps due to lack of funding there are unitised buildings in need of renovation which could house more attractions.More shows and events are needed, and it would be nice to see new animals.What is on show is 5 star, Id just like to see more!

The zoo is very big , many animals to see. We did not see any lions.Theres an option of taking your car inside as well. There is a train ride inside which takes you around the park which runs from 1pm to 4pm , so if you want to get on it , you need to check the timings in advance as they might change. It was closed when we reached there.They have interesting talks on animals , timings of which can be found at the entrance . The bird talk show in the open arena was very nice .

We had an amazing time at Lookout Lodge - the keepers are all so knowledgeable and overall just a fantastic experience. We saw as many of the animals as we could, and for the ones we didn’t see, in a way I was happy that their enclosure was large enough that they could hide from the public eye.I would thoroughly recommend going, it’s an experience like no other. You are well taken care of, the the zoo is huge so very easy to spend a full day (or more there). There’s safe pathways to walk around, or alternatively different car parks if you want to drive and park at different stops.

Had a fantastic weekend at the zoo, experienced keeper walks the absolute highlight. The whole team were so enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable. Learned so much. Whole lodge experience superb, well worth the wait.

You never know when to best come here, and that is the beauty of this place! Nature at its best! We caught giraffes being fed, chimpanzees feeding themselves and a flock of flamingos, fab!! Amongst other animals it was great! Every each time you come here, its great!!

Set in 600 acres! This place is massive! Amazing day out,pack a lunch/drinks as food places are few and far between but the outdoor areas warrant a picnic in the glorious surroundings. I wouldnt pay the extra to park directly site(unless you arent so able bodiedas you wont experience the full benefit of the wide open space and may miss a few of the animals.

Very good zoo but their communication is average: very difficult to find our way in the zoo (lack of indication), not obvious to understand that you can enter the zoo with your car and stop in different area (I will know for my next visit). Also the restaurant menus are a bit ‘weak’.Anyway it is a huge zoo that I can only recommend and I will be back !

This was my second time visiting and I enjoyed it just as much as the first. Its a full day out. It would of been nice to see more talks throughout the day. I imagine there will be more during the school holidays.There is a lot there for children and its brilliant that the children are allowed scooters and bikes to help keep them busy during the longer walks around enclosures.The steam railway was a really enjoyable way to explore the parts where only cars can venture.The animals are well looked after, everyone commented on how happy the elephants looked. Its ashame the dolphin enclosure is now closed. Hopefully they renovate it for the future.

Very spacious, good place to spend time with the whole family. You can see animals from all around the world. The aquarium and butterfly place is amazing. They also provide a playground for kids, a moving train and a few viewing points so you can spend there whole day.

Its an expensive day out. Even paying £25 to take the car in its a lot, your still find yourself walking a lot to see very few animals. I feel London zoo it a better day out with grandchild. We had to go on the train to see some animals.

Nice zoo, we spent a full day on a Sunday.Its massive on extension so be prepare to walk a lot.Some animals are difficult to see, we struggled to see with bears, cheetah died so no cheetah.There are tables for picnic so better to take your own food.Missing some other animals such as snakes, insects, that will be nice to see too

What an amazing zoo, absolutely love this place! The zoo is really open and spread out so you never feel cramped or crowded like some other zoos we have been to.If you like a good walk then its great, I would advise to take the car in if you dont / cant walk too far! There is so much to see and the enclosures are really big, the animals are really well looked after.The foods not the cheapest, but portion sizes are pretty good and it is fairly good quality. Loads of picnic space available as well.The views over the valley up near the penguins and rhinos are pretty amazing, and if you take your car into the zoo you can drive through the passage through Asia. We got pretty up close and personal with some deer and camels which the kids loved.Overall we loved it so much we are now gold members and plan to go as much as we can.

100% best zoo I have ever been to! Kids loved it aswell as the adults. Its so much bigger than expected. Good reasonable prices to get in but also for ice cream and drinks inside. Cant wait to visit again

The zoo is amazing, absolutely huge and quite hilly though so if you have someone that struggles with walking best to take the car in.It can be quite windy even on a super hot day which is lovely, you are also likely to get burnt if you are pale😂 the new park is really good has sand and lots of musical bits too.We even met Bluey and bingo this week which was fantastic. Would recommend getting a membership if you live nearby totally worth it

Very nice zoo with many impressive animals. The animals appear well looked after and most have relatively large outdoor areas to move around in. Well worth a visit, even if the price is on the high side. We brought our own picnic.

Me and my 7 year old son absolutely love this place! So much so, that we have had a Gold member annual pass for 5 years so far. We visit at least 6/7 times a year. It’s such a huge, beautiful place and the animals are obviously very well cared for.The childrens playpark is huge and there is definitely enough to keep the kids entertained what with the soft play and hands on farm all in the same vicinity.The train takes you on a lovely little guided tour of the zoo for a small fee and you get to see some of the animals which you might not see on foot.We also love the little wallaby’s that are free roaming around the grounds of the zoo. Especially when it’s Joey season :)The animal talks are great to watch, we particularly enjoy the Bird chat as the parrots fly right over your head! Also if you time it right you get to see some of the animals being fed…the chimps are by far the most interesting to see in this event.The butterfly house is a delight, so many beautiful butterflies which literally can land on your shoulder. You can also see them hatching out of cocoons.The only advise I would give is to wear very comfy shoes and bring a packed lunch or snacks as the food is very pricey as you would expect.All in all, a fantastic place to visit!

This is going to sound unfair, Whipsnade was exactly like a zoo that has had minimal funding for the last 2 years, because, due to covid, thats what it is. Everywhere it just felt rundown, there were buildings that you couldnt tell if they were in use or not, were there animals or not at each location. Many animals were hiding or not out and some areas you could go in and see, others were still closed due to previous covid restrictions.So that was the negatives. But, the animals we did see were amazing, the guy in the butterfly house was an example of many of the team at Whipsnade, really passionate, helpful and excited to pass on their knowledge, really made the day excellent. The staff and their enthusiasm make this place probably a 4 star, but the zoo management do need to go for a walk round as if they are a visitor, they might understand the first points I made.

Great day out with the family. It will be hard to see it all if you are bringing little ones but they will have a great time.Surely will be visiting again

We have an annual membership and under 3s go free. Animals appear to be looked after which is hugely important and hope that continues as a priority. Open most of the year and lots to see and do. You can pay extra to drive through but we prefer to leave the car (large free car parkand walk. For youngsters you might want to take a buggy/scooter as there is a LOT of walking. Zoo is divided up into various continents according to where the animals are from. The elephants, penguins and giraffes are amongst our favourite to visit. Especially lovely when they you see the animals up close via the indoor enclosures with screen, like the zebras. There is also a butterfly house and aquarium, a little farm and indoor soft play for children. A huge outdoor playground for young children from toddler age to much older children with plenty of equipment for them to enjoy. Plenty of eateries (expensive for the quality of food provided so if you are being mindful of spending you may want to take your own food and maybe top up e.g with ice creams on a hot dayand some eateries are only open during peak times. There’s a train that runs through the zoo during the warmer months and that’s an extra cost but worth doing around £4.50pp. Firstly it’s fun for the kids, you often see some of the animals you may not have seen already from the walking paths and also, for a rest! Not much in the way of shelter from the hot/cold elements so dress appropriately. Terrain generally flat and accessible. Lovely gift shop, again pricey but I think they’ve got to charge high prices bearing in mind the cost to run this facility. Recommended!

If you have younger children with you you might want to take scooters as there is alot of walking. We didnt and our 5 year old was fine but very tired after 2-3 hours. The play park is fab and the view is beautiful by the penguins so a great picnic spot in good weather.

A great visit. A very large zoo with a wide variety of animals from Europe, Africa and Asia. Nice steam train journey (additional charge £4.50 adults £2 kidswhich loops through some of the animal enclosures. Well worth a visit, and admission charges help ZSL with their conservation work.

An enjoyable day out. Sad to see the sealion and lion enclosure gone now.The cafe was very nice, and we were served very quickly. Just one thing to bare in mind is its card only at the moment and you order through your phone.

I have a gold pass to whipsnade zoo. which is Well worth the price if your planning ok visiting 3 or more times a year, plus its valid at London Zoo also for a change of scenery.It has outdoor animal enclosures, a small indoor aquarium/butterfly house, play park (little and big kids), train, farm area and a small drive around enclosure with deer in and of course the gift shop and restaurants and picnic areas.The zoos normally do seasonal events (such as meet santa), and before Christmas they had a dinosaur exhibition that was really great for the kids, (although this wasnt permanent, and has gone now).Prices are very expensive, especially the food. The zoo is split into areas by continent, so you can move around the globe when visiting the animals. The zoo is very spacious with lots of room to run around (and socially distance). They also do keeper/animal experiences for extra which is a nice gift.The drive through area isnt that great, but I still use it most times I go.My favourite animals to visit are the cheetas, hippos, Lions, giraffes and aquarium. Ive not been on the train yet as its always so busy. The park areas are cool, and have a good selection for older kids and younger kids.You can drive in (pay extra for caror you can park in car park and walk in zoo. Kids often go on their scooters around the park so they dont get too tired!Tip; if parking in the overflow car park, dont park at the bottom if its raining... Our vehicle got stuck in the mud and we had to get pulled out by whipsnade! 🙈

Winter is probably not the best time to visit, but quite mild for December, and not heaving with visitors. If you have a disabled badge you can park in the grounds, and can move from car park to car park, as it is big. We had mobility scooter though and were happy to wander. Spent 4 hours no bother and thoroughly enjoyed it. Everywhere is fully accessible and got to see all the animals. Restaurant was nice, and all the staff were fab and knowledgeable.