Whipsnade Zoo — Attraction in Whipsnade

What an amazing place! Wow I do not know where to begin. I have never seen anything quite like this place before. The animal enclosures were huge and very well kept the animals weren't pacing up and down they were roaming in their paddocks/enclosures freely seemingly happy. The knowledge the tour guides had was phenomenal and the efforts that these guys are going to sustain all their species is outstanding.

This was a gift for me and my family a stay over at the lodge with an elephant encounter and this has to be the best I have experienced. The lodges are tiny but cosy. They come with tea/coffee inside but is very basic. There are use of a communal shower/toilet facilities that said it's for one night so bareable. The tours were really informative. We were very well looked after by the team Liv, Lucy, Laura and Patrick after hours. So arrived shortly after 5 (due to experience running over) and greeted with a complimentary drink and shown our lodges, how fitting ours was rhino/elephant our group love elephant and rhino so made our stay even more special. We were then given an after park tour before a pre ordered dinner. The dinner was a little issue simply because the food wasn't ready and seemed to take a very long time although they had already taken orders hours previously. We then had a night tour aided with our torches and we saw the nocturnal animals of the park. This was particularly lovely as you wouldn't usually see these. After this final tour of the night it was back to the lodges for bed. First thing in the morning it was breakfast and our last tour before the gates open. Really special place! Be aware this place is situated high up and is very open so can be very chilly with the wind.

The elephant experience was just perfect, you get to get up close (behind a fence) but as close as you can get safely and feed them, then get to walk around their house and learn more about them. Watching them play and just eating away. Again the keeper was so informative and very friendly we actually spent longer than suppose to but not at any point did we feel rushed!

The bird show also topped it all off for me, to see numerous varieties of McCaw flying in the sky at once was something I will never forget truly beautiful.

I highly recommend this place to anyone

This zoo is enormous please consider this when visiting especially those who have poor mobility and children. There were quite a few children with their little scooters perhaps more local children but definitely a good idea. There are mobility scooters available but these need booking in advance and incur a charge and deposit. There were plenty of places to sit and eat a picnic although we didn't eat at any of the eateries the prices seemed fair. There's a steam train that takes you on a 20 minute ride around part of the zoo this again is a small charge and tickets need to be brought from the train station.

There's a big play park and indoor soft play that needs to be booked in advance I believe, as these fill up very quickly.

The car park is also very big and seemingly un manned what somewhat confusing especially as this was our first time visiting and we didn't actually need to go to that part. There's a charge to bring the car into the zoo (highly recommend) but I believe this is quite a high charge (understandably) this should be on the booking form (appreciate it was a gift so I...

A Day Full of Adventure and Fun!

I recently visited ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Luton, and while it had its ups and downs, it turned out to be quite an enjoyable experience! Let me break it down for you:

What I Loved: The zoo is a beehive of activity! It’s family-friendly, with plenty for kids to do, including a fantastic playground that keeps them entertained for hours. The strategically placed food spots ensure you’re never too far from a bite to eat—great for refueling during a busy day of exploring. There are also ample toilets and kids' changing rooms, which make it convenient for families to navigate the zoo comfortably.

The Highlights: My absolute favorite part of the day was the train ride through the zoo. It was a unique way to see some of the animals, like rhinos, elephants, bucks, and camels. However, I wish the train covered more ground, as we missed out on seeing some of the bigger attractions. Expanding the train route would definitely add more excitement and give visitors a better chance to see all the zoo has to offer!

Room for Improvement: I was disappointed not to see the white rhinos and tigers—I traveled four hours to visit and was hoping for a more specific update on the availability of these animals. It would be great if the zoo could be clearer about what animals are on display to help manage expectations for those traveling long distances.

Animal Encounters: The zoo is home to a diverse range of animals, including brown bears, lemurs, penguins, and more—plenty to marvel at. I even bought the guidebook, which was helpful for navigating and learning more about the various species.

The Good Stuff: Despite that, the zoo is very safe, clean, and well-maintained. The staff is friendly, and the animal talks provide an educational touch to the visit, which is perfect for kids and adults alike.

A Word of Advice: Wear very comfortable clothing and footwear if you plan to walk around, as there is a wide expanse of land to cover—trust me on this one! Avoid carrying heavy loads, and make sure to bring a bottle of water. Fortunately, there are refill stations available throughout the site to keep you hydrated.

Getting There: Getting to the zoo is straightforward. If you’re coming from Luton train station, an Uber or Bolt ride is easy and convenient. The train ride within the zoo costs around £4.50, which I found reasonable for the experience it offers.

Final Thoughts: While there are a few areas where the zoo could improve, it’s definitely worth the visit. There’s a lot to do, and you won’t regret spending a day here. I’ll surely be back to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, hoping for an even better...

We enjoyed a magical overnight stay in one of the lodges and can’t rate the experience and the staff highly enough. The lodges are very comfortable, a two course evening meal and breakfast are included in the price. The food is very good, beautifully cooked and well presented, our waiter was very polite and friendly, so that was a bonus. I wish I had asked his name as I would like to have given him a mention. The experience gets underway at 6pm when the zoo closes to the public, our two guides for the evening were Laura and Amy and their knowledge was outstanding. We have stayed overnight before and did wonder if they have set animals to talk about, however if any of the animals weren’t visible they were happy to ask us if there were any particular animals that we would like to see, I have always loved the Ostriches and they were knowledgeable about them, and answered my questions without faltering. They were engaging and provided a great mix of facts about the species, the breeding program, where the animals had been born, risk of extinction etc, in addition to interesting anecdotes about them. There are two evening walks, one before the evening meal and a torch light one afterwards. The torch light walk is the most exciting, in June it’s a sunset walk and we stopped by the lion’s where the five cubs played together and their father looked on roaring from time to time making us very aware of his presence. Our two guides for the morning walk were equally as good, Jo the warden was joined by Frankie. After breakfast we had another guided walk before the zoo opened to the public, we walked and talked for long after the tour should have ended to discuss the history of the zoo and the challenges it faces as the need for conservation of the most endangered species becomes increasingly apparent. The lemurs were delightful, they were so close and obviously very interested in the snacks provided by Jo and Frankie. But the grand finale was the bears, they aren’t always easy to see but the two younger ones were out, playing and making a lot of noise until Cinderella the eldest bear came running through the enclosure and silenced them with a look. I can honestly say it was worth every penny and would recommend the overnight stay to anyone. Early morning and late evening is a great time to see the animals, the staff are a great asset to the zoo and should be congratulated for their knowledge and dedication to...