What is Animal Experience? An animal experience is about creating an environment where people can interact with animals as they would with their own pets at home. Animal experiences are becoming increasingly popular. They are a great way to get up close and personal with animals, as well as learn about them. There are many different types of animal experiences that people can go to. Some of the most popular include zoos, safaris, aquariums and petting zoos. Here we are going to look at the best animal experiences in the UK that you can visit with your family and have an unforgettable experience.
This article will list some of the best animal experience places to visit in the UK for an animal lover:
1) London Zoo
London Zoo is one of the oldest in the world opening on the 27th of April 1828. It’s an incredible experience to see all of these amazing animals in one place. Visitors can get up close and personal with monkeys, giraffes, elephants, lions and more.
It covers 36 acres with many areas and attractions to visit. Including the ever popular Monkey Valley, The Reptile House and the big cats at the Land of Lions.
2) Marwell Zoo
Marwell Zoo is a great family day out in Hampshire, it is home to more than 140 species and is owned by Marwell Wildlife. Which is a global conservation charity leading programmes in the UK, Africa, and across the world. The charity engages with around half the 40,000 students visiting each year through curriculum-based workshops and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors each year to its 140-acre site.
There are 100s of popular animals to see for the ultimate animal experiences UK – with giraffes, tigers, leopards, meerkats, the penguin experience and more! Don’t forget the 5 adventure play areas for a special day out.
3) Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo is one of Europe’s largest zoos and it’s home to over 700 species and 20,000 animals from around the world which makes it a great destination for animal lovers. Check out the meerkat experiences. They are the most social animals, with at least one always on the lookout! Have a chat with the expert keepers about the giant anteaters as part of your experience.
Visitors can enjoy walking through Africa with the giraffe experience as they explore this beautiful zoo filled with wildlife from all over the globe. Come and see your favourite animals!
4) Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a wildlife park that houses over 1,000 animals from around the world. It is a great place to visit for animal experience days. The park became a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2015. They offer birthday parties, events and attractions for children such as animal demonstrations, animal feeds with their favourite treats and animal encounters with an expert guide. Hear about all the animal’s individual stories for a VIP experience.
5) Dartmoor Zoo
Dartmoor Zoological Park is a 30-acre zoo just north of the village of Sparkwell, on the southwest edge of Dartmoor. They have some of the best animal experiences of any zoo. You can join the big cat keeper for the day for the ultimate big cat experiences. It’s hard work, but definitely one for the bucket list!
Be a junior keeper! The younger enthusiasts will work alongside the zoo keeper with a variety of species for feeding time, behind the scenes access, and guided tour for the most epic animal adventure and learning fascinating facts experience!
6) Paignton Zoo
Have a trip on the wild side to your favourite zoo in the South West – Paignton Zoo! There are over 2,000 animals and countless amazing plants across 80 acres of beautiful, spacious grounds to explore with your day entry ticket. Tip – buy your zoo admission ticket online for the best price!
Paignton zoo is fully supportive of endangered animals. Only recently in October 2022, a critically endangered male baby orang-utan was born at the zoo. They really are majestic creatures.
7) National Marine Aquarium Plymouth
The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth is the UK’s largest Aquarium. With so much to see, be fascinated by an underwater world. You will journey across the world’s Oceans, from the shores of the Plymouth Sound to the coral reefs of the tropics of Australia for a lifetime experience.
There are 4,000 animals to meet including sharks, stingrays, octopuses, jellyfish and a giant turtle! It’s open to the general public and with your day experience admission tickets comes a free 12-month pass! Perfect for school holidays!
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