See & Do

Chester Zoo

££

Attraction

Hightlight

Cafe
Car Parking
Family Friendly

Take a trip from Manchester to Chester Zoo, a fantastic attraction for all the family. Whats better than a day out to the zoo? Well how about getting to feed the animals. With Chester Zoo’s experience packages you can feed them, eat with them and even take care of them as a keeper for the day!

Chester Zoo is home to over 27,000 endangered and unusual animals based in beautiful, award-winning zoological gardens. With over 500 different animal species in the 128 acres of award-winning gardens, you’re sure to have a great day out full of adventure where you’ll feel empowered and inspired to create a better world for wildlife.

Bring your pride to see the incredible Asiatic lions in their savannah habitat. Take a trip to Madagascar and wander through the lemur walkthrough habitat, then explore the dense jungles of South-East Asia by boat, and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of the Monsoon Forest.

Come and see some of the newest and cutest arrivals, with many making their very first appearances, from the critically endangered cotton-top tamarin to the incredibly rare dusky pademelon.

Stop for a bite at one of the many restaurants, cafes and kiosks located throughout the zoo! From classic family-friendly dishes to tasty street food.
If you’re looking for something extra special, our contemporary British pub The Oakfield, serves freshly prepared locally sourced food and hand-picked beers, wines and spirits – the perfect accompaniment to your zoo visit.

Join the Zoo Rangers for a jam-packed programme of talks and family-fun events to top up your knowledge of incredible animals across the globe! What’s more, we have plenty of playgrounds and activities to keep the kids (and the kids at heart) happy all day long!

Why not turn your zoo visit into an adventure and book one of their unique experiences that give you the opportunity to get even closer to the animals and plants with exclusive access and feeding activities? You’ll also gain behind-the-scenes knowledge from the zoo’s expert keepers.

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Opening Hours

Monday: 10:00 - 17:00

Tuesday: 10:00 - 17:00

Wednesday: 10:00 - 17:00

Thursday: 10:00 - 17:00

Friday: 10:00 - 17:00

Saturday: 10:00 - 17:00

Open now

Sunday: 10:00 - 17:00

Google Reviews

Chester Zoo

4.745364 reviews

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Mark Walmsley

2 weeks ago

Large zoo, will take several hours to get around. For mobility users it is advised to phone in advance if you need a wheel chair. For scooters, you need to phone a few weeks ahead. Great adventure and much to do about the area, plenty of smoking, rest and play areas. The toilets are pretty modern and clean. Food and drinks available throughout Zoo. Don't forget to do the free boat ride.

laurence chown

a week ago

We went to Chester, which is a 4 hour drive, specifically to visit Chester Zoo and we weren't disappointed. I'm an avid zoo and wildlife lover and I can say this was easily the best zoo I've ever been to. The zoo is easy to get to and parking was good although I would say we arrived just before opening (10 am) and it was already busy so I would recommend arriving early. We paid for a map and VIP photos around the zoo and I would recommend both. The zoo is large and navigating without a map will almost certainly mean you miss things as there are multiple routes you can take. There is a lot to see and we managed to see everything but it did take us 6 hours so expect a lot of walking. There is so much to see I think you could easily spread it out over 2 days especially if you go to every Zoo keeper talk and see everything. The enclosures are large and really well laid out with plenty to see inside and out. Highlights were the elephants, orangutans, butterfly's Aye-aye and sloths but honestly everything was great. There are plenty of places to eat or take a break and lots of picnic areas and garden spaces. There were some surprise additions we weren't expecting, lazy river boat ride, walk through bat experience and lots of walk through bird and tropical enclosures which are all included in the entry fee. The VIP photos: This was a bit of fun with several places where you can have your photo taken. At the end of the day you can get a printout, keyring and magnet for £10 and you can also access the photos online as part of the standard VIP photo cost. In total for 2 adults we paid £85 which included entry, a map and 2 VIP photos passes (You only need one for the whole group). Go to Chester Zoo it's awesome! ❤️

Jacqui Clark

2 months ago

Best zoo I’ve been to! We arrived midweek at 9.30 ready for 10.00 opening. It was calm And quiet and the car park was almost empty! The new zones are amazing! Very well set out with beautiful natural spaces for the animals. There are plenty of places to view the animals and we were fortunate enough to see almost all of them. The new areas have lovely wide paths with attractive landscaping. They are very well sign posted and there were ample places to eat and drink. The older zones were great however we found the signage challenging. Please make signs to the lemurs a little clearer. All in all an excellent day out. Would fully recommend.

Danny W

3 months ago

Visited on a Saturday and arrived right as the gates opened. Surprisingly, it wasn’t too busy at that time despite it being the weekend, which made for a very relaxed start to the day. The zoo itself is absolutely massive — it’s a long walk to get around, and honestly, one day probably isn’t enough to fully explore everything in detail. There are so many animals and enclosures to see that it could easily take multiple visits to take it all in. Some of the real highlights for us were the Snow Leopard, Red Panda, and the Lemurs. A few of the enclosures are designed to be very open and free-roaming, which was fantastic to experience up close — the butterfly house, bat enclosure, and lemur walkthroughs were particularly memorable. Unfortunately, the flamingo and other bird exhibits were closed during our visit as a precaution due to avian flu, but that’s understandable and didn’t take away from the overall experience. If you’re planning a visit, definitely make sure to wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of walking over a variety of terrains, and a good pair of shoes makes all the difference. There are plenty of spots throughout the zoo for a picnic, and I highly recommend bringing a packed lunch — while there are food options on-site, they can be a bit pricey. For families, there are lots of activities and interactive areas for kids to enjoy, so it’s a great place for all ages. Entry to the park is on the expensive side, so it’s worth making the most of the day once you’re there. We stayed for the full opening hours from 10am to 6pm and still felt like we could have seen even more! Overall, it was a fantastic day out with plenty of unique and rare animals to see, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves wildlife and nature.

Mark Cox

2 weeks ago

I visited for the first time in early July and was absolutely blown away by the entire experience. Because it’s almost a five-hour drive each way for me, I planned ahead and visited on two consecutive days—and it was completely worth it. From the moment I arrived, everything was smooth and well-organized. There was ample parking available, and I appreciated that the on-site café/restaurant opened around 30 minutes before the zoo itself. It was a great place to grab a coffee and some breakfast before setting off for a full day of exploring. What really stood out to me was the sheer diversity of animals at the zoo. The range of species is incredible—many that you rarely get to see elsewhere—and every enclosure was thoughtfully designed with the animals' welfare clearly in mind. There's plenty of space, naturalistic environments, and enrichment features throughout, which made the visit not only enjoyable but reassuring from an ethical standpoint. Over the course of two days, I managed to see almost everything. The only exception was the snow leopards, which was a bit disappointing, but that's nature for you—sometimes the animals choose to stay tucked away. It definitely won’t stop me from coming back. There are so many highlights that it's hard to choose, but a few really memorable moments included seeing the chimpanzees (especially the newborn!), the adorable baby okapi, and the majestic orangutans. I easily could have spent another few days just sitting and observing them all. Each area of the zoo offers something different and engaging, whether you're visiting solo, as a couple, or with family. Overall, this place exceeded my expectations in every way. It’s well worth the journey, and I’ll definitely be returning in the future. Highly recommended for anyone who loves animals, nature, or simply wants a great day out.