Discover your experience
- Visit Chester Zoo — widely regarded as the UK’s leading zoo and a globally respected conservation charity — where every visit supports a clear mission: to create a future in which wildlife not only survives but thrives, making it an ideal day out for curious travelers, outdoor-loving families, and anyone who wants their trip to have purpose and impact.
- Wander through an ever-changing mosaic of immersive habitats and meet incredible animals at every turn, from towering savannah residents to tiny, ecosystem-essential species; the zoo is designed to spark wonder, encourage learning, and leave you with unforgettable moments you’ll want to share.
- Open all year round, Chester Zoo offers a flexible escape whatever the season — perfect for weekend getaways, spontaneous day trips or planned family outings — and provides countless opportunities to reconnect with nature while supporting conservation work for future generations.
- Immerse yourself in Heart of Africa, a sweeping 22-acre landscape that captures the sounds, sights and plants of Central and East Africa; here more than 50 species coexist across vast grasslands — from giraffe, zebra and antelope to critically endangered vultures, porcupines, aardvarks and tiny pygmy mice — and over 30 dazzling bird species, including flamingos and colourful black-cheeked lovebirds, roam in a scene that truly feels like the African plains.
- Explore the Hidden Savannah within the African zones to discover some of the continent’s tiniest treasures — chameleons shifting colour, pancake tortoises ambling along and a fascinating colony of naked mole-rats — all housed in thoughtfully designed microhabitats that celebrate biodiversity at every scale.
- Step into Madagascar: Lemur Walkthrough to come face to face with free-roaming lemurs — including ring-tailed, white-belted ruffed and crowned species — where the close encounters are educational and intimate, offering a rare chance to watch endangered and critically endangered primates move and interact in spaces designed for their wellbeing.
- Find the snow leopards Yashin and Nubra high among the rocky outcrops of their Himalayan-inspired home, and celebrate the zoo’s conservation success stories — in June 2025 they welcomed Bheri, the very first snow leopard cub born at Chester, a heartwarming symbol of breeding and protection efforts.
- Lose yourself in Islands, a lush recreation of South East Asian environments where the Lazy River Boat and the Monsoon Forest — the UK’s largest tropical biodome — house Sumatran orangutans, Sunda gharial crocodiles, rhinoceros hornbills and a host of free-flying birds, offering a steamy, sensory-rich voyage through tropical ecosystems.
- Stroll through Chester Zoo’s award-winning botanical gardens, home to thousands of plants and five national collections, and let the colours, textures and scents whisk you around the world as much as the animals do, making the gardens an irresistible stop for plant lovers and photographers alike.
- Enjoy a fully accessible site with free daily animal talks, play areas for children, a range of shopping options and plenty of picnic spots; dining choices include a classic Sunday roast at The Oakfield gastropub, authentic South East Asian street food in Islands and convenient kiosks for snacks and drinks, so you can tailor your day to your taste and schedule.
- Remember that every ticket you buy, every coffee you sip from an on-site kiosk and every cuddly toy you pick up in the gift shop helps fund crucial conservation projects — your visit directly supports the work that protects some of the world’s most endangered species and their habitats.
