Whipsnade Zoo - a wildlife wonderland
I shouldn’t really be writing this yet. Because although I paid my first visit in decades to Whipsnade last weekend, I didn’t spend enough time there to experience the full range of its wonders. But honestly, I was so bowled over by it, I didn’t want to wait until I paid a return visit (which will definitely be as soon as I possibly can, and absolutely NOT with anything like as long a gap) to recommend it to you.
Thanks to the good fortune of having close friends who live in Kenya, I’ve had a number of magical holidays in that very special part of Africa, all of which have included time in its various glorious safari parks (click HERE to read about the bucket list experience I had in the Masai Mara), experiencing animals as close to being in the wild as you can reasonably expect, for their safety and yours.
And whilst I enjoy visiting well run zoos where the animals are clearly carefully cared and catered for, and which give their visitors, young and old, the chance to encounter and learn about species they would never have the opportunity to otherwise, I still find it uncomfortable seeing them confined by cages and limited enclosures.
Whipsnade sits triumphantly between the vast open expanses of natural habitat safari parks and the necessarily finite spaces of a traditional zoo. With extensive enclosures, generous, thoughtfully landscaped pens and even some of the smaller animals wandering freely amongst the visitors.
The facts about this enormous animal centre are impressive enough in themselves - at 600 acres it’s the UK’s largest zoo and one of Europe’s biggest wildlife conservation parks. It’s owned and run by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), an organisation devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats, and is home to 3,626 animals, many of which are endangered in the wild.
The enormous Whispnade park is easy to navigate thanks to plentiful signs and this excellent site map
But bare statistics don’t start to convey the range joyful experiences that are on offer to its visitors. Or why it makes such a perfect day out (and really, I would encourage you not to spend less than a full day there if you possibly can) for anyone of any age. And an even better one for groups of mixed ages and generations.
Here, then, is my stab at trying to do them justice.
Of course, at the top of the list are the animals themselves. There are lions, tigers, elephants, bears and rhinos. zebra, penguins and lemurs, peafowl and red necked wallibies (two of the species you’ll find wandering freely around the park). Butterflies, fish and donkeys, pygmy goats, pigs, sheep, rabbits and guinea pigs that children can “meet and greet” in the on-site petting farm. From massive to miniature, quite literally all animal life is here.
Some of Whipsnade Zoo’s 3,626 residents
The fences of every enclosure are peppered with informative and engaging signs telling you all about the animals you can see, where they come from, what they eat, their characteristics, their mating habits, and more besides. It helps make the whole experience of looking at the residents of the park even more enjoyable and interesting.
Also, because of the dedicated conservation and endangered species work done by ZSL, there’s often the delight of sightings of baby animals. The day I visited a mother white rhino was recovering from the birth of a new calf. Sadly she was lying in the resting shed, protecting her baby from our view so we didn’t manage to see her new not-so-little, little one.
New baby southern white rhino, Nandi, who was sadly hidden by her protective mum when I visited
Then there are the various ways you can access that multitude of animals. You can wander round most of the park on foot (there’s one section that’s for cars only, more about that in a mo), using the well maintained and signposted paths, all of which are wheel friendly. (It’s all relatively flat, but as I think I may have mentioned, it’s big, so bear that in mind if walking is your chosen method of exploring the site.)
There is a free car park outside the park, but it’s a little walk away. You can pay to bring your car into the site and leave it in one of the plentiful designated spaces within the grounds. Once inside, you can hire wheelchairs, motorised mobility scooters and children’s trikes, but you’ll need to book those in advance.
If you prefer to use your larger wheels, the whole site can be driven round in a car, which you can park in specified areas dotted along the route in order to get out for a closer look at the enclosures. Other than in the Asia section, where safari-park like, the road snakes through the freely roaming animals, hence why it can only be driven through and why you’re, understandably, not allowed to leave your vehicle.
I didn’t see this, so maybe it just wasn’t operating when I was there, but apparently there is a free hop on/hop off safari bus which you can use to get around the park. If you might want to use that, it’s best to check if it’s operating before you go.
There’s also a wonderful steam train that weaves its way through the different animal territories. Tickets are extra (under 3s go free) and can be bought at the little train station from which one of the two steam engines pulling its passenger carriages departs hourly during the week, half-hourly at weekends from February to November.
The steam trains on the ‘Great Whipsnade Railway ‘ run from February to October
Whether you’re on foot, wheels or tracks, there’s the added bonus of magnificent sweeping views of the glorious Chiltern countryside from various vantage points around the park.
There are magnificent views of the gorgeous Chiltern countryside from various spots around the park
When the appeal of the animals wanes for little/younger ones, there’s a terrific, enormous playground, with an indoor soft play area as well and the aforementioned petting zoo alongside it.
Throughout the year the zoo runs a wide range of experiences, from up-close, ‘meet the animals’ encounters and the chance to be a keeper for the day, to talks and courses. For the adventurous (and those over 5 years old) at certain times of the year you can camp overnight on the site, or stay in one of the little lookout lodges and enjoy private evening tours of the zoo and, included in the lodge experience, a two course dinner and complimentary breakfast.
The double and twin-bedded lookout lodges, where you can spend a night and experience the park after dark.
As for the important practical stuff - there are plenty of toilets all around the site and various places to eat anything from snacks to fully cooked meals. The food isn’t gourmet, but it’s certainly more than adequate and there are vegan and vegetarian options at all the outlets.
Whatever you do and see, I guarantee you’ll go wild for Whipsnade.
You can find out everything you need to book and plan your visit on the comprehensive Whipsnade Zoo website.
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