Dartmoor Zoo
Dartmoor Zoo things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Dartmoor Zoo is a well planned array of wild animals, on an easy route to follow via an attractive map layout sheet given upon entry. Just be advised ladies and gents, the zoo grounds are quite hilly with varying inclines. Recommend using a buggy for younger children. As it is tiring. The routes are very well sign posted and information boards about each wild animal is informative and educational. One has to accept that these animals are wild and won't necessarily want to be bothered by gaping humans! So it's pure 'pot luck' seeing them in some cases. On our visit, Friday 7th May, there were some enclosures which were vacant for various reasons, but were in actual fact being cleaned. We saw the two Cheetahs, Wolves, and a sleeping Tiger, but no Leo the Lion. Guess he didn't want to play today. There were goats, Zebras and Peackocks. A whole menagerie of wild animals to see. So it is worth a definite visit.The staff were friendly and engaging as well as informative. Though our grandchildren desired t see the reptiles. Unfortunately this was closed due to Covid restrictions. The prices are reasonable, and this zoo is a business that has been through hard times recently, as have other businesses. So you are asked when booking whether your entry fee(s) can be used as Gift Aid, or you can make a seperate donation. There is work being carried out at various places around the zoo, and areas cordoned off, but these are not too disruptive. Also the car park is under going a resurfacing programme just so you know. Getting to the zoo via Satnav is straight forward. Be weary of the country lanes. As sections leading to the zoo are deceptively narrow but safe. We enjoyed our visit here, and were lucky enough to have a nice sunny day. Well worth a visit, and the views from the various picnic areas are worth just looking at.
Allan LeeAllan Lee
20
My daughter decided to have her wedding here back at the end of January 2023. It was the best Sunday ever 😊 The staff went out of their way to look after her and the guests. I think the wedding coordinator lady was called Jade who pretty much had everything under control and was amazing with her staff and my daughter. We decorated the chapel bit and the buffet area the night before when the zoo was closed with zero hitches. The garden house/chapel is a nice building with character, the room can be made up to how you like, the zoo provided the chair covers, the rest we added. The day ran smoothly, even tho the zoo was open whilst the ceremony happened we were out of the way enough that we didn’t notice the public. We had the pleasure of having a falconry show, and my daughter and son in law went and met the tigers 🐯then It was a short walk across the grounds to the reception for our meal. We had already pre picked our food choices, it was nice, the vegetarian main could of been more thought out tho. After closing hours we were allowed to go around the zoo freely but at the end of Jan it was freezing and getting dark so we chose not to stray far 😂 The evening do was in the restaurant also, the buffet food was provided by us but the zoo chef kindly set it up, we kept the bar staff busy with drinks orders! So overall the wedding package was totally worth the money, couldn’t fault the staff, the wedding chapel, the falconry show, the place was clean, we had a great day! I can’t really comment on the animals around the zoo 😁 apart from the meerkats outside the restaurant and they were adorable. Would totally recommend Dartmoor Zoo as a wedding venue tho. Thanks for making my little girls dream day special.
DinkDink
20
What a wonderful little zoo. This zoo has been rescued by a lovely family and is run by a team of very hard working and knowledgeable staff and volunteers. The animals here are clearly well lived and well looked after. There is a variety of talks on offer and you can pay extra to do lots of different animal handling and feeding experiences. It is pretty hilly but is accessible for buggies and wheelchairs. There is a range of different animals to see. The restaurant is a must the food is incredible and very reasonable value and of course helps to keep the zoo afloat. We lived that the education centre was open and offering exciting hands on discovery experiences like seeing a snow leopard skin and a snake's shed skin. Their walk through zone is a lovely experience for adults and kids a like though obviously a bit less accessible the children got to handle and see deer, goats, wallabies, peacocks, Guinea fowl, and geese and their goslins up close and personal. It was incredible. The whole site works hard to promote environment awareness, from plant based takeaway cups to raising awareness through their exhibits. This place definitely deserves a visit and is a lovely family day out. From big cats and lesser cats, to zebras or Lizards the range provides an interest for everyone. There is a little outdoor play area and a very simple soft play for small toddlers/babies in the restaurant. The toilet facilities were well maintained and present in two main places across the zoo. For me the nicest thing was how hard the staff and volunteers worked to share their passion for the zoo and it's animals and pass on their knowledge and care to our children as we explored the zoo.
Amy PhillipsAmy Phillips
30
The most unique, perfect place to have a wedding! Andrew and I chose to get married at Dartmoor Zoo as we love animals, prefer something a little bit different, and we didn't want a huge traditional ceremony. Well Dartmoor Zoo couldn't have been more special. From the first contact, Jade, Events Manager, provided the most considerate, attentive help you could imagine, nothing ever too much trouble and able to respond to our every need so efficiently. Amiable and caring, Jade went the extra mile at every step to ensure our individual requests were catered for. Everything worked out well and the service went ahead beautifully. Our group of 35 guests were able to spend a magnificent day in the stunning environment of the park, enjoying the scenery and animals, whilst Jade and team supported us to ensure the room and area were organised to our liking. At the allotted time, our service took place, and the amazing Ben, (owner and marvellous Saviour of the Zoo) kindly attended and made the day even more special! Everyone had the very best time and all commented on what a perfect day it had been. No two weddings are the same but I can honestly say it was the BEST DAY EVER and I thank each and every individual at the Zoo; all who are passionate about their place of work and about caring for their animals and guests alike. Dartmoor Zoo; so very appreciated and incredibly highly valued.
Jenny EvansJenny Evans
70
It's a nice enough zoo, however a lot of the animals you couldnt even see (not their fault I know), and some of the enclosures could of done with being bigger and better. Highlights of the visit - Tiger, cheetah, jaguar, gelada monkeys (especially the talk). Slight negatives - the meerkat enclosure is too small, no heat lamps, no digging for them to do. Wolves were impossible to see. A lot of the animals you couldn't see. The gift shop sold random toys, but nothing commerative of a visit of where you are. Bird enclosures seemed too small. This zoo is small in comparison to others in the area, and that isn't a bad thing at all. They do have a variety of different animals, and the tiger was majestic to see. However, if you do go to this zoo be prepared to walk up fairly steep hills, and only have a slim chance of seeing all the animals. The talk with Al about the monkeys was funny, and he was a true highlight of the visit. The Gelada monkeys were wonderful to see and not a monkey I've seen before in a zoo, so that was really good! Some of the enclosures were empty, some of them looked very tired and needed a bit of an update. You can really tell the workers there care a lot about the animals that are there, but it just doesn't shine through the zoo itself. Furthermore, the road you have to go down is narrow and windy (not their fault, but atleast you know).
Kel E-JKel E-J
10
Did a tiger experience at Dartmoor Zoo. Really, really enjoyed the experience. Many other zoos offer a similar one, but more expensive, and less included. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly and really great. You could tell he really loved his job and the animals he cared for. Although I would love to cuddle a tiger, unfortunately, this can't be done, but it was such a fab experience nevertheless. Included in our tickets was lunch from the restaurant which was nice enough and we saved another £25 on that. For the zoo itself, I wouldn't rush back. They do have bigger breed cats and that's fantastic, and most of them were out sunning themselves which was fab to see, especially when you have to really search for them at other zoos and you *may* get a glimpse of them if you're lucky. I do see more when I go to smaller zoos near home (Midlands) and it costs less than Dartmoor, but I get they have a lot more of the bigger breeds that I don't see at home. We probably would have seen more if we had wandered around a third time, but we were tired (and the tiger had been a little overexcited and my husband smelt a bit). Another shout out has to be to the young man in the reptile House with whom my husband had a good chat. Although small, we loved your reptiles, we could have stayed in there all day and stared at your chameleon!
J MarieJ Marie
00
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
Plymouth PL7 5DG, United Kingdom
Map
Phone
+44 1752 837645
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Website
dartmoorzoo.org.uk
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Reviews
Overview
4.4
(1.9K reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
entertainment
family friendly
Description
Dartmoor Zoological Park is a 30-acre zoo just north of the village of Sparkwell, on the south-west edge of Dartmoor, in the county of Devon in the South West of England. It was opened in 1968 by Ellis Daw who ran it until its licence was revoked and it was forced to close in 2006.
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