A Day at Twycross Zoo
When we were away in Leicestershire for half term we decided to spend our only full day away at Twycross Zoo, somewhere we hadn’t been before but had heard a lot about.
As soon as we arrived at the zoo we loved how friendly and relaxed it felt. It’s smaller than zoos like Whipsnade, Woburn or Longleat and you feel at home the minute you park up and walk through the visitor centre.
One thing worth noting is that Twycross Zoo is also home to the Soft Play Jungle which is right in the entrance before you get to any ticket booths. This is at an additional cost – and if you’re local you can visit the soft play without actually going to the zoo. If you want to extend your visit, a trip to the soft play would be a great way to end the day.
Visiting Twycross Zoo
Twycross Zoo is well laid out so that you can easily see everything by doing one nice loop of the zoo. All the animals are in good size enclosures with plenty of windows, making them easy to see.
Our day started at the meerkats who can be viewed from all sides, followed by monkeys, penguins and leopards. We loved how spaced out the enclosures are at Twycross Zoo, with plenty of green space and seating areas, making it feel like you’re immersed in nature rather than simply at the zoo.
Keeper talks at Twycross Zoo
One thing we loved about Twycross Zoo is the keeper talks throughout the day. Every half an hour, they span so many different species and we were lucky enough to learn more about parrots and orangutans during our trip.
It was during the orangutan talk that we found out that Twycross Zoo is the only animal park in the UK to have all the great ape species – and the zoo has the largest collection of monkeys and apes in the Western World. That alone makes it a fantastic place to take any monkey fan!
Twycross Zoo have so many bigger animals too – zebra, giraffes, rhino, tigers. They are all well cared for and Twycross Zoo do a great job of balancing caring for the animals whilst showing them to visitors.
We loved seeing the giant tortoises – especially after feeding them in Mauritius – and there were lorikeets to feed too which is always a really lovely experience. Plus, there’s a butterfly house and even flamingos. It’s a really lovely, eclectic mix of animals at Twycross Zoo.
Twycross Zoo conservation work
Twycross Zoo are fighting the global extinction crisis, and protecting species around the world, from the heart of the UK. All around the zoo there’s information about the work that Twycross Zoo are doing both in the UK and around the world.
The Gruffalo Discovery Land
A big part of Twycross Zoo is the Gruffalo Discovery Land, a whole themed area dedicated to the Gruffalo and his friends, interwoven around animals and play areas.
Although LP and Little Man are 12 and 10 now, they still love the Gruffalo and it’s a franchise that will always hold such fond memories for us. Because of this we absolutely loved the Gruffalo area. With movie clips on show, interactive elements and just so much to see, it’s a greta place to spend time.
We had such a lovely day at Twycross Zoo. It was nice to go somewhere different and experience a zoo that has a slow, relaxed pace which also being really informative and educational. I wish we lived closed to visit again soon!
Tickets to Twycross Zoo
We bought our Twycross Zoo tickets using Tesco vouchers but at the moment, whether you buy through Tesco or direct with Twycross Zoo, you pay for one day and can return for free for a year. This makes Twycross Zoo a great value day out – and one you can experience again and again.
You can find out more about Twycross Zoo over on their website and for reference the address is: East Midland Zoological Society, Burton Rd, Atherstone CV9 3PX
