Twycross Zoo

What it’s like

A big walk-round zoo with soft play, a splash park and a Gruffalo-themed corner alongside the animals.

The animals are the reason you're here. Apes and monkeys, big cats, lemurs and gibbons are spread across a site big enough that you won't get round it in an hour. Gruffalo Discovery Land gives younger kids a themed patch of their own with soft play built in, and there's a Room on the Broom corn maze from October for something a bit different on the same visit.

When they've had enough of looking at animals, the soft play jungle is there for a grey day, and Wet 'n' Wild splash park is there for a warm one when getting soaked is the plan rather than the accident. Soft play access runs on timed slots, so that bit of the day needs some planning around.

Entry is £28.75 for an adult and £21.55 for a child, plus £4 to park. It's open 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday, with last entry at 3pm on weekdays, and 10am to 5pm at weekends with last entry at 4pm. Booking 48 hours ahead saves 10% on tickets.

Picnics are welcome on the grassy areas, and Costa at The Vine Café, Oh Crumbs! Café and The Catch Fish Bar are open every day of the year, with a BBQ running May to September on drier peak days. Only assistance dogs are allowed in, and some animal areas are off limits to those too for welfare and biosecurity reasons. Wheelchair access is described as accessible, and there's a free Essential Companion ticket for anyone who needs support, via the Nimbus Disability scheme.

What’s on here

• THU15

  Meerkat Talk

  10:00 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Amazing Adaptations Talk

  10:30 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Giraffe Talk

  11:30 - 11:45 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Gorilla Ranger Chat

  11:30 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Humbolt Penguin Talk & Feed

  12:15 - 12:35 · Free · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Butterfly House: Meet the Keeper

  12:30 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Ape Feed - Meet the Keeper

  12:40 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Lemur Feed and Keeper Q&A

  12:45 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Aldabra Tortoise Talk and Feed

  14:30 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Big Cat Talk & Feed

  15:15 · 120 more dates

  →
• THU15

  Lemur Talk

  15:45 · 120 more dates

  →
• SUN1

  Room on the Broom Corn Maze

  10:00 - 17:00 · from £5

  →
• FRI6

  Lanterns of the Wild

  16:30 · from £13.75 · 125 more dates

  →

Facilities

Need to know

Last entry

3pm on weekdays, 4pm on weekends

Booking

Save 10% when you book 48 hours ahead

Parking

£4 per vehicle

Picnics

Welcome in open grassy areas and on benches

Wheelchairs

Accessible. Free Essential Companion tickets for those with support needs via Nimbus Disability scheme

Dogs

Assistance dogs only. Must be free from parasites, reliably toilet trained, and remain under handler's control on lead

Parties

Soft play birthday parties for ages 1-12

Worth knowing

Pay for a day, visit free for a year

• Booking 48 hours ahead saves 10% on ticket price
• Members get 10% off food and drink
• The BBQ only runs May to September and only on drier peak days
• Pay for a day and the site says you can visit free for a year after

Plan your visit

Animals

• Aldabra Tortoise

  Featured in a daily talk and feed.

• Aldabra Tortoises

  Long-living giant tortoises, featured in daily talk and feed.

• Amur Leopard

  One of the big cats featured in daily big cat talks and feeds.

• Big Cats (Amur Leopard, Sumatran Tiger, Snow Leopard)

  Big cats including Amur leopard, Sumatran tiger and snow leopard, featured in daily talks.

• Bonobos

  Twycross Zoo is the only UK zoo caring for bonobos.

• Chimpanzees

  Chimpanzees, one of the four great ape species at the zoo.

• Eastern Black Rhino

  Critically endangered rhino species, arrived in 2019.

• Giraffes

  Giraffe herd at the zoo.

• Gorillas

  Western Lowland Gorillas, one of the four great ape species at the zoo.

• Humboldt Penguins

  Penguin colony, subject of daily talk and feed.

• Meerkats

  African savannah meerkats, featured in daily public talks.

• Orangutans

  Bornean orangutans, one of the four great ape species at the zoo.

• Ring-tailed Lemurs

  Lemur troop with daily feed and Q&A sessions.

• Snow Leopard

  One of the big cats featured in daily big cat talks and feeds.

• Sumatran Tiger

  Critically endangered species arrived at the zoo in 2019 with a purpose-built habitat; featured in big cat talks.

Experiences

• Butterfly House

  indoors

  Indoor house with butterflies, moths and birds.

• Close Encounters

  Animal encounter experience.

Areas to explore

• Chimpanzee Eden

  Enclosure bringing together the zoo's chimpanzee groups.

• Gibbon Forest

  Naturalistic enclosure for gibbons opened in 2016.

• Nature Reserve

  Zoo's expanding nature reserve area.

• The Gruffalo Discovery Land

  Themed play land inspired by The Gruffalo story.

• Wet 'n' Wild Play Park

  outdoors

  Splash pad and outdoor water play park.

Featured in 1 Huddlepin list

See all Zoos & Wildlife Parks in Birmingham · Things to do in Birmingham