Banham Zoo — Attraction in Breckland District

Banham Zoo, while clean and well-organized, left much to be desired during our visit. Despite the neat layout and the care taken to maintain the grounds, the overall experience was disappointing due to a few key issues.

First, the variety of animals was limited, which made the visit feel somewhat lackluster compared to other zoos. The lack of staff engagement was also noticeable, with very little interaction or effort to engage with visitors about the animals. This absence of connection was particularly evident in the fact that there were no shows or demonstrations to highlight the animals and their behaviors, which is something many families look forward to when visiting a zoo.

There was one talk about the howler monkeys, but it was conducted in the main walkway, which felt awkward and poorly planned. The presentation lacked the focus and environment needed to really appreciate and learn about these fascinating animals. It’s clear that the zoo’s planning and execution in this regard could use significant improvement.

One of the more enjoyable aspects was a fun ride through the park, where the guide was knowledgeable about the animals. Unfortunately, even this experience was dampened by the fact that we didn’t actually see many animals during the ride, leaving us feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Nina and Lettie did manage to enjoy their time at the zoo, but overall, the experience didn’t live up to expectations. The pricing was another downside, with entry fees and merchandise in the gift shop being on the expensive side. For example, small stuffed toys were priced at £11.00 and up, which seemed excessive given the overall experience.

In summary, while Banham Zoo has some positives, like its cleanliness and knowledgeable staff on the ride, the limited animal variety, lack of engaging shows, and awkward presentation left us feeling disappointed. It’s one of the least impressive zoos we’ve visited, and we wouldn’t plan a...

Sadly seems to have gone downhill since our visit a couple of years ago. Animals were mostly hidden in enclosures and birds were not really accessible due to concerns around bird flu which is no one's fault. My main issues were that all the coffee and food places were closed up with no notices so we would walk to them and find them locked up. Only one open was main pizza place. Would have been nice to have some warning about this before trekking around finding them all closed. Lift in the giraffe place was out of order so couldn't access it with my pram for my under 2 yr old. My main grievance though was with the show they put on - it is made for children so we took our 4 and 2 Yr old. They urged us to wait in line early due to limited seats so we waited for 15minutes in the small hot room until 2pm when it was supposed to start. Doors weren't open until 10 past 2 so families were waiting in a small hot room for nearly 30mins with tonnes of small children getting antsy with no warning that they were running late. Then when we went in the show runners were doing the 'I can't hear you' routine so much so that people had to leave. The woman kept saying "louder... as loud as u can" kids all over were screaming at the top of their lungs and this happened so much that children were getting really upset. Several families had to leave within the first 5 minutes, some kids with their hands still over their ears when walking out. My 4yo has ASD and she also had a panic and meltdown from this and we too had to leave within 10minutes of being at the show. Even I couldn't stand the noise that was being insisted upon by the show performer. Really bad form that no regard was made to SEN kids or even kids that don't want to hear over the top screaming in their ears. So yea I was looking forward to our family visit but can't say that...

Love this zoo! Have been going since I was very little. There always something new and different, but also familiar scenes and animals. The staff are always very friendly and welcoming. The zoo is kept clean and tidy. The animals are well looked after and clearly cared for. There is a massive carpark (plus overflow). The entrance isn't too far from the parking area(s) and all with access for wheelchair users. Throughout the zoo there is access for wheelchair users and is friendly for people with pushchairs also. There are cafes on site, toilets and a gift shop. The prices are what you would expect from a zoo and the quality of the items for sale, either in the cafes or the gift shop are good quality. The price to enter the zoo is the price you would also expect, but there are always offers on, just have to look for them. If you want the option to visit again and again all year there is a pass that can be purchased. It is very child friendly. There is a climbing area/ play area. There is a climbing tower and a train that takes you on a mini tour of the zoo. There are interactive talks on throughout the day. There are areas that you walk among the animals, which are always fun! All in all, a lovely trip out, either by yourself or with family/ friends. If you were to just walk around it would take about 2 hours tops. If you were to watch a show/ talk and have some food etc, it could take you the best part of a day. With that being the case you are allowed to leave the site and go to your car and return as long as you have proof of ticket purchased. The vast array of animals is lovely and the photographs you can get is...