Twycross Zoo Reviews 

We visited Twycross Zoo on Bank Holiday Monday, so we expected it to be busy. Given the number of visitors, the car parking was actually very well organised, which was a positive start.

Unfortunately, the rain meant that a limited number of animals were out, which obviously isn’t something the zoo can control; however, there were a couple of things that did leave us disappointed.

The Gruffalo experience was particularly disappointing. The schedule board as you enter advertised the Gruffalo experience, so our toddler was very excited and fully expected to see the Gruffalo; however, when we arrived at the teepee, we were told that he wouldn’t be making an appearance due to the rain. We appreciate that the weather can affect outdoor experiences, but this wasn’t made clear until we got there. The stage itself is sheltered and appears to have facilities for the Gruffalo to change, so we were left wondering why this couldn’t have been communicated earlier or reflected on the schedule board. Instead, we ended up simply having the story read to us. Our toddler was understandably extremely disappointed.

We also visited the Doughnut Den at around 3pm, only to be told that they had “run out of donuts”. It’s difficult to understand how a doughnut shop can run out of its main product while still operating. If they had sold out for the day, the shop should really have been closed and the app updated so visitors knew before making the trip over. The staff member we spoke to also didn’t seem particularly concerned and came across as having a bit of a “shrug your shoulders” attitude, which didn’t help.

Overall, it was an OK experience, but unfortunately not one of our best zoo visits. We appreciate that some things, such as the weather and animals choosing to stay indoors, are outside of the zoo’s control; however, better communication around cancelled experiences and sold-out food options would have made a big difference.

We regularly visit the zoo and the kids enjoy it. This week we went and the disabled parking was replaced with a ferris wheel which is unacceptable. The food, which is normally okay, was inedible and we had to throw it away. Really disappointed

Was really hoping this zoo was going to be worth the money we spent on it! 2 adults, 2 kids (3&5) cost us £102. Got there, and got in. Straight away noticed lot of the enclosures were covered with stickers on the windows, drove my little ones mad not being able to see throught them properly. There was around 2 animals per enclosure, most of them were shut. The card machines were broken, so cash only - wish this had been sent out as an email so we could have actually brought cash with us. 1 person per stand, serving; the queues were crazyyy. It didnt seem like anything that was on their website. It was a few animals, but nothing like advertised. Very disappointing, and to be honest a waste of time and money. They had a splash pad on, which again we hadnt seen advertised on their website, so came completely unprepared. There was an outdoor park and thats where we spent most of the time. We literally got there at 12 and left at 2:15. It took us aprox 45 mins to walk round and see all the ‘animals’. Rubbish and wont be returning.

I have been to this zoo many times when my daughter was younger. Back then it was a nice zoo that concentrated its efforts on conservation, however now I feel that has changed to a more money making, profit oriented environment. Other than the ticket price, there is an extra payment for parking and extra for the soft play area. I noted a number of fairground type stalls also extra cost. On the day we visited the car park was packed solid and the park itself was also fully packed with very little seating.

The staff scanning your ticket was obnoxious, and staff on the ice cream stall and at reception were ridiculously slow. 1 member of staff on reception.

I was so disappointed with this experience as it has changed so much and not for the better.

Never again.

Keep up the good work Twycross. Since the introduction of car parking fees together with a distinct lack of notices I reckon you’re raking it in with the parking fines.
My wife and I came last week and saw ZERO notices of anything regarding having to pay for parking and now we’ve received a parking fine for £50.

And we’re only one of thousands, since January..

With no parking fees at nearly all theme parks and zoos and NO SIGNS to tell you otherwise you kind of assume it must be free if there aren’t any.

Keep it up Twycross ,soon your directors will be able to give themselves 10,000 in bonuses .

Make sure you DONT erect any signs on entrance or exit detailing the parking fees or else your bonuses could suffer .

Remember , NO signs , NO information , fleece the motorist and watch that money flow in !

What a disgrace

Expensive Day out. To start it was hard going for a mobility scooter getting from the far car park to the entrance. Had we known we the surface was bad we would have left the scooter and rider at the disabled area before moving ourselves to the main parking. The money grab starts before you even show your passes to get in, passes at £30 per adult and parking extra, made this an expensive day. Not a huge amount to see, many empty enclosures or animals out of sight, I realise they are not performing animals , quite rightly too, but being able to see what you paid to see would be favourable. The giraffes were quite majestic but their enclosure was uninspiring, no enrichment that I could see just a dust bowl. Saw a silhouette of a tiger as it briefly passed by an opening. Did see a baby gibbon on its parent (probably the days highlight.)
Last visit was some years ago (maybe 8 years) and it was far better then. Wont be in a hurry to get back.

Very expensive. Miles literally from car parking to the entrance. Very few animals to see. Never again!

Our tickets cost a lot of money for a poor experience. Most of the enclosures appeared empty and we could not see the animal in question, even when we revisited hours later. All of the drinks on offer were in cans rather than bottles, so we couldn't buy any of those. None of the animals we were excited to see were in view either. Nothing about our experience made us want to come back. I would say making the animals available to see at most times is important and having food / drink we can put in our bags also. Otherwise lower the ticket prices dramatically as we've been to cheaper zoos that have a lot more to them and we return to often.

I like the care for the animals, enclosures were big and clean, staff were friendly. But many,many animals were not available to see, especially the ones that are quite exciting. Possibly due to the heat but if so I feel that should have been made clear before you arrive so you have an opportunity to amend your booking. We went through a 5 hour round trip by car and would have postponed if we knew in advance that few animals would be available to view.

Took my grandson to the zoo today, very disappointed, the zoo looked very run down, many of the animals you couldn't see, made hard to veiw for the stickers placed on windows. The tiger looked like he needed a good feed too. Ive always loved the zoo, but I fear that within a short time this Will close. And then to add insult to injury, you had to pay car park which to never had to before. Shocking. Safe to say I will not return

An Exceptional Ape Experience at Twycross Zoo

What an absolutely fantastic experience. The zookeepers were exceptionally knowledgeable, but what really stood out was how genuinely loving, caring and respectful they were towards the apes. Their passion for the animals was evident throughout.

It was incredibly special to see these magnificent apes so closely and see them interact with the team , while always maintaining a safe and respectful distance. I felt safe.

I bombarded the zoo keepers with questions, and they answered every one thoughtfully, patiently and with an extraordinary depth of knowledge. We came away having learned so much more about the individual apes, their personalities, behaviour and care.

This is an absolute must-do experience at Twycross Zoo. Fascinating, moving, educational and genuinely memorable. If you love animals and want to understand these remarkable apes at a much deeper level, book it. We absolutely loved it.

I’ve been to a special ape tour at the zoo with my partner. Ben and Craig as a Zoo keepers were excellent, knowledgeable and pleasure to interact with. It’s so great to see their bond and connection with the animals they interact with. A journey from London to see these special species, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonaboos’ was a worth while! Keep your passion going…

After paying £132.00 for four adults (our one year old was free). As we were paying, our son advised us that he and his wife had a year pass. We instantly told the woman at the till who, regardless, had continued with the transaction. We asked for a refund for two adults. This all happened within less than a couple of minutes. She told us that it wasn’t company policy to give refunds, which we felt was completely bizarre and wrong. £67.00 is a large amount. We were eventually directed to Guest Services who confirmed this policy because they “are a charity “!!! Grudgingly, after standing our ground, we were advise a refund request form could be completed by the member of staff and forwarded to the office. However, it was at their discretion and there was no guarantee that we would receive a refund!
We appreciate the zoo is a charity, but we feel it is fairer to give money voluntarily rather than having it taken without redress.
When we suggested that they advise customers about the policy at the till, Aaron, the Guest Services representative, advised that there was signage around the site. The signage only states that they are a charity with no indication of the no refund policy. The attitude of the staff was unhelpful and they would certainly benefit from customer service training. The woman at the entrance was positively dictatorial.
We have to wait for a maximum of two weeks before we know if we are to receive a refund.
To add insult to injury, the zoo is very run down with many enclosures closed. In Gruffalo Land many of the interactive things didn’t work! There were 2 ground level viewing windows, one at an ape enclosure, with large cracks in the toughened glass!
If our request for a refund is denied, at least it may go towards the conservation work that the zoo is renown for. However, if you want to take your children to a zoo we would strongly recommend you avoid this one.

👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻We visited the zoo today and were extremely disappointed. We paid £120 for our family, but we didn't see a single animal. most empty places To make matters worse, when we went for coffee afterward, we paid for four drinks only to be told they were out of stock, though we did eventually get a refund. Overall, it was a complete waste of time and money, and I would advise others to avoid going.👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻😡😡😡

We visited Twycross Zoo today as a family of four (two adults and two children) and unfortunately left feeling very disappointed.

Although we used the school holiday voucher offer, which allowed school-aged children to enter for £1, we still felt that the visit was poor value for money. A large number of enclosures appeared empty, and throughout the day we saw very few animals. The children became increasingly disappointed as we moved from enclosure to enclosure only to find many areas empty, overgrown, or with little to see.

What was particularly frustrating was that we were not aware there was a splash pad on site. Judging by the number of children using it, this seemed to be one of the main attractions on the day. Had this been made clearer when booking, we would have brought suitable clothing and towels so our children could have enjoyed it too. Unfortunately, they missed out entirely.

We cannot comment on the food and drink facilities as we brought our own picnic.

As part of our booking, we qualified for an annual pass, but based on today's experience, we have no intention of returning. The children expected a zoo experience with plenty of animals to see and left feeling disappointed. Sadly, this was not the day out we were hoping for.

So only a two star. Tried to give feedback on there website and qr code and they only allow feedback in stars without being able to actually say what the issue was. So we left after two hours because so many people had huge camping trolleys and basically navigating the paths ment standing around while they dragged them slowly. Then when you got to a viewing glass there were so many trollys impossible to even get to glass. The small path to giraffes, well was so blocked didn’t get to see them as couldn’t actually get there. The bonobos (main reason we went) same issue people standing in front of glass viewing blocking everyone with there trolleys. The zoo it’s self is lovely and yes sometimes you can’t see the animals but it’s a conservation zoo so there enclosures are for the animals so totally got not seeing some of the shyer animals. Sort out the trolleys and I would have given a four star.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **An Amazing Day Out at Twycross Zoo!**

Today I had the pleasure of visiting Twycross Zoo with my little sister, and I can honestly say it was one of the best days out we've had together. From the moment we arrived until the time we left, we were both smiling and enjoying every minute. It was the perfect opportunity to spend quality time together while exploring everything the zoo has to offer.

The first thing that stood out was how clean, well-maintained, and welcoming the zoo was. The pathways, gardens, picnic areas, and animal habitats were all looked after to a very high standard, making it a lovely place to walk around. The layout of the zoo made it easy to find our way around, and there were plenty of signs and information boards to help guide us and teach us more about the different animals.

One of the best parts of the day was seeing the incredible variety of animals. Every enclosure had something interesting to see, and it was fascinating watching the animals in their habitats. It was clear that a great deal of care and attention goes into looking after them, and it was wonderful to see them in environments that encourage their natural behaviours.

The information boards throughout the zoo were brilliant. We both enjoyed reading about the animals, learning new facts, and discovering more about the conservation work that Twycross Zoo is involved in. It's fantastic that the zoo not only provides a fun day out but also raises awareness of wildlife conservation and the importance of protecting endangered species.

The staff we met during our visit were all friendly, welcoming, and happy to help. Their enthusiasm and passion for the animals really showed, and they helped make the experience even more enjoyable. The whole zoo had such a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, making it a place where visitors of all ages can have a fantastic day.

Watching my little sister's excitement throughout the day was definitely one of the highlights. Seeing her smile every time we discovered another animal made the visit even more special. We made so many happy memories together, and it's a day we'll both remember for a long time.

If I had one small criticism, it would be the prices of the food and drinks, which I felt were a little on the expensive side. Thankfully, we had packed our own lunches before we arrived, so we only needed to buy drinks during the day. Bringing a packed lunch definitely helped us save some money while still enjoying everything the zoo had to offer.

Overall, Twycross Zoo is an excellent attraction and somewhere I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and educational day out. There's so much to see and do, the animals are amazing, the staff are fantastic, and it's a place that's clearly passionate about both conservation and giving visitors a memorable experience.

Thank you to everyone at Twycross Zoo for such a wonderful day. We had an amazing time, created some brilliant memories together, and we'll definitely be back again in the future. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would never advise anyone to visit this place. After being told we didn’t need to pay a £4 parking fee on arrival, we’ve later been billed £110 by a debt collection company.

We’d been interested in visiting the zoo for sometime and decided to go to when we had a free weekend.
Upon arrival, we noticed that you had to pay to park but when we went online, we read that if we bought an annual pass, we’d be able to park for free. We didn’t have too long on this day so decided to buy the annual pass with the intention of returning to see more in the future.
We therefore spoke to an advisor at the gate and they stated that if we bought an annual pass, we indeed would not need to pay for parking.
We therefore proceeded to purchase the suggested pass and give our registration details. We then spent some time walking around and had a bite to eat, before leaving.

This was the last we thought we’d think about this until we received a letter from a debt collection agency several months later.
Unbeknownst to us, the person at the entrance had left out some vital information. There are two kinds of annual pass. The second was only a few pounds more but we’d not been advised that there were two types, one of which didn’t include the parking.
We only discovered this when the debt collection agency contacted us.
Unfortunately for us, the zoo’s parking company had been sending letters (they say) to our old address and the dvla had taken some time to switch our V5 document to the new address. We very much doubt this as we’re actually friends with the new owner who has passed on several letters to us, so it seems incredibly unlikely that he would’ve decided not to forward these to us.
We explained this to the zoo, who emailed back saying that they’d get their parking company to cancel the charge on this occasion.
Despite this, the parking company refused to cancel the charge and didn’t even entertain the explanation that the zoo had previously accepted from us.
Therefore, due to an error at the zoo, we’d been sent bills to an old address and never received them.
It’s appalling that they wouldn’t cancel the penalty, considering we did exactly what we were advised to do upon entering the zoo.
It’s a disgrace to say the least and I’d advise other families to not even bother, as people who operate like this shouldn’t be rewarded with families spending their hard working money, only to be ripped off due to a mistake from the zoo. Won’t be returning

The grounds have turned into a dust bowl, which is fine in itself but that meant there was very little option to sit down. It was a hot day, the animals were out, the gruffalo land is now looking tired, lovely to see the younger animals, only a few available though, the food huts had one person serving and so very long queues during a holiday where you’re offering £1 tickets per child. I skipped the massive queue in the shop, by that time, after 3 hours, we’d just had enough. I wish them well but wouldn’t consider returning with my free annual pass.

It is an expensive day out, with very few animals available to see. The zoo was very busy, making it difficult to move around in some areas. In general the place was dirty. From the toilets to the picnic area. We took my elderly mother with us who has a blue badge. The allocated disabled car park was being used by the general public making it diffcult tk a spot to park. The signage was poor and nk one was monitoring the car park. Twycross zoo was very disappointing, we wont be returning even though we have an annual ticket and we will not recommend it to anyone else.