London Zoo ★☆☆
The world's oldest scientific zoo (as opposed to some royal menagerie) is home to more than 750 species
London's main zoo, home to nearly 20,000 animals representing more than 750 species, is tucked into the north end of Regent's Park.
It is the world's oldest scientific zoo (as opposed to its predecessors, menageries of animal curiosities kept by royalty). It opened as a living collection for scientific study in 1828, then opened to the public in 1847.
There's a Gorlila Kingdom and a Butterfly Paradise, Tiger Territory (with new cubs) and the Outback, an Aquarium and an Animal Adventures area. In 2016, the London Zoo opened Land of the Lions, a new breeding facility for the endangered Asiatic lion (only 400 remain in the wild).
If you're here with kids, you can get a double-whammy sightseeing moment in the Reptile House, where the moviemakers filmed a scene early in the first Harry Potter movie, when Harry learns he can talk to snakes. There's even a little sign commemorating it.
Don't get any ideas about setting the real snake free, however. In the book and movie it might have been a firendly Burmese python, but the actual snake that lives here is an 8-foot black mamba, the fastest snake on Earth (clocked at 10–12 mph) and one of the deadliest serpents in the world (its venom can kill a grown man in 20 minutes).
Oh, and would somebody please do me a favor? At the BUGS exhibit, they have something called "In with the Spider," billed as Europe's only walk-through spider enclosure. Sounds interesting, but there's no way on Earth I am about to go into that room. I have a thing about spiders. Oh, I find them fascinting and all... I just choose to do so from a safe distance.
So please, someone braver than I needs to go in there and report back to me on what it is like. Thank you. Excuse me. I need to go be creeped out now.
Tickets
Upon entering, plot your itinerary through the diverse complex. See the Tiger Territory, designed to mimic the tropical foliage of the Island of Sumtran to make the zoo's tigers feel at home.
Then hit the Beach and join London’s biggest penguin colony. Penguin Beach recreates a South American beach landscape in the heart of London, with stunning colonies of around 200 Macaroni and Humboldt penguins. The exhibit features a large pool with underwater viewing areas so you can see how these flippered friends fly under the waves. And a larger demonstration area with seating turns feeding time into an even bigger spectacle than before.
Meet the giant Galapagos tortoise that can live for over 150 years, and carry around huge, bony shells that they can hide inside if they feel threatened. Visit the fantastic Blackburn Pavilion and learn how Darwin's contemporary, John Gould, identified the differences between species of finches that Darwin brought back from the Galapagos, helping Darwin formulate his theories on evolution.
You can observe the behavior of the apes in the award-winning Gorilla Kingdom, and also come face to face with a group of Bolivian Squirrel monkeys in conditions akin to their natural habitat.
Travel into Africa and marvel at the giraffes via a raised viewing platform or check out the playful yet lethal hunting dogs. Be sure to observe the komodo dragons prowling their state-of-the-art lair, landscaped to mimic a dry river bed.
ZSL London Zoo is a leader in conservation breeding and reintroduction and, with over 1 million visitors a year, provides a unique opportunity to engage and inspire visitors of all ages. Opt to upgrade to a skip-the-line ticket from February to October.
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As always, zoos take as long as you'd like them to.
You could wander through most exhibits in 60–90 minutes, or spend 2–3 hours enjoying watching the animals.
