Marwell Zoo
Marwell Zoo things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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We bought an annual pass and went back the following day. The first day was amazing so much to see, we followed the path from the penguins up towards the giraffes. We were able to see most of the animals in our first day, some were definitely resting, I've not managed to see the smaller wild cats yet on either day but that's the best part about having an annual membership is that you can go back and visit whenever you want. Our daughter (14months old) absolutely loves all the animals. There is plenty of play parks, picnic areas, benches etc throughout the zoo to sit and enjoy watching the different animals. The zoo is very well sign posted, easy to navigate, pushchair&wheelchair accessible in all areas that we've been too. There is something different to see every visit. The first day one of the amur tigers were sleeping maybe sunbathing but definitely enjoying the rest and yesterday one was pacing up the side of the enclosure teeth and tongue visible but amazing to see. The rhinos we're one of the best to sit and observe. This was a happy accident, we sat on a bench to have some lunch we sat by an enclosure but there wasn't any signs to say what was inside we had some kudus, zebras and rhinos come from the other side of the hill, kudus enjoyed pulling some leaves off the bushes, the zebras had some zoomies and the rhinos were charging and seemed rather angry with each other but was amazing to watch and plenty of other people enjoyed too. Definitely so much to do, activities throughout the zoo, tombola near the entrance which is fab, feeding times, experiences are available which i absolutely would love to do, cafe is a little pricey but clean and the queue took ages to move even though the cashiers werent busy the staff doing food we're doing so at a leisurely pace and weren't that bothered the queue was well out the door. Plenty of toilets located throughout the zoo. I wouldn't recommend the tropical tunnel for anyone who may have breathing difficulties as it is very humid inside but it is full of amazing different animals from tortoises, lizards, different birds, fish, we found a millipede look out for the millipede crossing in the tropical tunnel! Definitely do not miss the wallaby walkthrough or the aviarys. Definitely fun for the whole family.
Amber FordAmber Ford
00
This place is fantastic and really good value for money. The site is huge with so many animals to see. The fact that you can return for free within 7 days is even better, though we'd travelled 2 and a half hours to visit so didn't end up re-visiting. If we'd have been closer we'd have gone back for sure. The day we went was absolutely boiling but there are a lot of free water refilling stations dotted about, and the water tasted great, and cold! There are a few food/snack places dotted about and one main large cafe/restaurant that we found. Price wise it was reasonable for such a place and the food was really nice. Much better quality than some attractions like this. We really wanted to see Santos the Sloth (youngest is Sloth crazy) in the dome which simulates a tropical rainforest. We'd seen on some days he climbed down close to guests - we only managed a glimpse of him but even so, that whole rainforest area was fascinating. The staff were really friendly and helpful throughout the site, they'll chat to you as they're passing through and give interesting insight into some of the animals and their behaviour/history etc. We'd definitely return one day, even with the distance from home, you get the chance to be pretty close to some of the animals. Even with the extreme heat we saw lots and many were trying to keep to the shade so on a cooler day who knows what more you could see. If you visit, be prepared to do a lot of walking!! Though there's a land train which can take you places (at an extra charge).
David CleworthDavid Cleworth
00
Another fabulous visit (members) Really enjoy being a member here, you never get the same experience and always come away with a different favourite of the day…today it was the weaver birds, busy making beats for their ladies absolutely fascinating to watch the different stages they were at with their ‘house builds’. Rhinos were very active today and we enjoyed watching them take a mud bath before bustling toward the same tree for a good scratch! Today we met a volunteer at two different points around the park ‘Dave Taylor’ he was fabulous telling us all about the lemurs and then what was new since we last visited including the new snow leopard (who we were lucky enough to later spot). We later bumped into him in the tropical house, his knowledge of all the bird species was fascinating and he helped us spot all the breeds. He really made the day more interesting and enjoyable. Very clean (including all animal enclosures we encountered were extremely well kept) family friendly day out, accessible for all with no steps, plenty of inside and outdoor picnic areas dotted around the park, even in the height of summer we have never struggled to find a picnic table. Good choice of food in the cafes/snack stations, gift shop sells a lovely array of items of interest to babies, children and adults. Would love to see a ‘keeper for the day’ experience introduced. I am still missing the Marabou storks though, loved how they liked showing off to visitors
Kat QuinnKat Quinn
00
I haven't been to somewhere like a zoo since I was a kid, we thought with our kids interest in animals, where would be a great place to go for their first birthday that would keep them interested, a Zoo of course. It was a bit of a treat for the family and it's somewhat surprising how you can wonder round and lose the best part of a day. There's a gift/coffee shop near the entrance which means you can get yourself a little something before you start your adventure, you can download an app to your phone to know what to look for when going round and I genuinely enjoyed it. There is a main eatery about half way round, which we mainly stopped at as feeing time for the child - the warning here if you are not a parent (or maybe if you are too) it does get really busy here and you have to leave buggies outside, which got surprisingly chaotic, because kids all need feeding at the same time. On the far side of the zoo there's like a little ice cream/coffee shop/loos which is OK to watch zebras from. I think the big lesson here is to always look for nicer/warmer weather. One of the things we wanted to see and thought our child would love was the big cats, like small cats they tend to sleep in the warm indoors on cold days so aren't roaming about, which meant we didn't see any. Overall a pretty reasonable day out, not too expensive either, next time we visit will definitely be in the warmer weather though!
Dale BucklandDale Buckland
00
First time visiting, came here after recommended by friends. Had a lovely day out, despite the rain, lots of animals to see including penguins 🐧, Monkeys 🐒, Red Pandas 🐼, snow leopard 🐆 and many more. There was no queues to get into the park and loads is parking available. Animals can be seen clearly, through glass and enclosures, so young children to adults can enjoy the experience. This is an Ideal day out for anyone, babies, children, on your own, couples, elderly, wheelchair users, as there is slopes to make the park more accessible. There is a lot of land and a fair bit of walking to do around the zoo, so bear that in mind, however, there are benches and seats all around. Had lunch in cafe Graze, it's quite small, but plenty of choices of food, from cookies, cakes and muffins, to chip, jacket potatoes or lasagne. There is probably only 10 tables inside the cafe, but there is a large outdoor dining area. All the staff are very friendly from the man who sold me my ticket at the entrance, to the lady who served me in the cafe and wished me a happy new year, to the gentleman who answered my questions in the tropical enclosure. Would definitely go again one day, but not for a while. If your looking to go often, you can upgrade your day ticket to an annual membership. The only thing, I felt let the zoo down, was the lack of toilets.
Em BEm B
00
I am greatly saddened at the state of the zoo compared to the many years I have visited. The whole place is in utter disrepair and does not look maintained in the slightest. The saddest of all is the animals enclosures they are completely overgrown or totally barren and a lot of the animals do not look happy, especially the meerkat enclosure where they have nothing high and witnessed many people leaning in. I saw barely any staff, not looking after the guests animals, the enclosures or the park grounds. There used to be so many zebras and cattle’s now in the surrounding fields now there are barely any, there are walkways that used to lead to the leopards now abandoned, no cheetahs, no cranes, no owls, no camels, no sand cats, no wolves? To name a few. What happened to all these animals? There are a lot of animals on their own which is heart breaking. Less about animals more about loading up the road train to make extra money and posters advertising animal experiences for more money. Marwell has lost its self and seems they do not care about the animals or the zoo itself anymore: My visit made me feel very sad of the years gone by where it was a sanctuary for the animals I can’t believe what’s become of this place. I will not be visiting ever again. I believe this place is not fit to look after the animals and should be shutdown.
Shaun WestShaun West
70
Nearby Attractions Of Marwell Zoo
Marwell Zoo Tropical House
Marwell Resort
The Adventure Barn
Marwell Zoo Tropical House
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Marwell Resort
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The Adventure Barn
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Nearby Restaurants Of Marwell Zoo
Cafe Graze
The Dining Room
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The Dining Room
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Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
Thompson's Ln, Colden Common, Winchester SO21 1JH, United Kingdom
Map
Phone
+44 1962 777407
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Website
marwell.org.uk
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Reviews
Overview
4.4
(4.1K reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
family friendly
accessibility
Description
Marwell Zoo is a 140-acre zoo situated in Colden Common near Winchester, in the English county of Hampshire. It is owned and run by the registered charity Marwell Wildlife. The zoo is home to 1,208 animals of 149 species.
attractions: Marwell Zoo Tropical House, Marwell Resort, The Adventure Barn, restaurants: Cafe Graze, The Dining Room
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