Friday 16 August 2019

Chester Zoo | Our Day Out


Hello my lovelies! For my birthday last month, I was lucky enough to be invited to spend the day exploring Chester Zoo* with my husband. We had such a great day and not only is the whole park accessible for wheelchair users and people with disabilities but the staff are so helpful and friendly too. Here is what we got up to...


Chester Zoo* is a zoo at Upton by Chester, in Cheshire. Chester Zoo was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead and his family and it is one of the UK's largest zoos at 125 acres. Now, the zoo has a total land holding of approximately 400 acres. It is operated by the North of England Zoological Society, a registered charity founded in 1934, and something I wasn't aware of is that the zoo receives no government funding whatsoever.

The UK’s leading zoo is home to more than 500 species of endangered animals and it’s also the HQ of a team whose efforts to preserve biodiversity spans the globe, with initiatives such as the award-winning Act For Wildlife campaign, which helps you to get involved.

Learn how to support bees, butterflies and hedgehogs, how to defend the natural world from invasive non-native species, and how to help create safe spaces for our threatened wildlife. On a trip to Chester Zoo you, too, can become a wildlife champion.














Meet The Animals at Chester Zoo

Download a map of Chester Zoo to see where you can find the various animals. The zoo has sections that home:

Mammals | Air breathing animals, characterised by having hair or fur, such as Big Cats, Elephants, hoofed animals, Monkeys and Apes, Bears and other mammals.
Birds | There are over 1000 birds at the zoo many of them endangered species.
Reptiles | My favourites! There are over 50 types of reptile at the zoo including the world's largest lizard.
Amphibians | Amphibians are a weird and wonderful collection of animals that include three main groups; frogs and toads, salamanders and caecilians.
Fish | There are so many different fish in the world, at least 30,000 species, with new species discovered all the time (several hundred a year!).
Invertebrates | Invertebrates are animals without backbones and there are many different types, including insects, spiders, sponges, snails, octopuses, clams, squid, jellyfish, anemones, corals, starfish, sea urchins, worms - that's just the shortlist!.

Conservation and education are at the heart of everything the staff do at Chester Zoo*. They are committed to providing the highest standards of care for their animals, as well as protecting native and international wildlife. The team of experts and knowledgeable staff work hard to care for all of their animals and support conservation but are also passionate about connecting visitors to the natural world. They have a variety of tours and hands-on experiences, as well as daily animal talks to guarantee your day is full of animal adventure.

You can stop for a snack at one of their many restaurants, cafes and kiosks located throughout the zoo or let your little ones run wild in one of their adventure play areas. They really are a huge zoo, but they have also got plenty of options for getting around including their Zoofari Monorail and even a Lazy River Boat Trip! Also, don't forget to stop in at their gift shop on your way out for a souvenir of your trip - make memories that last forever.

| Disabled Accessibility | All Areas are accessible to disabled visitors and have facilities for hearing impaired visitors. They have a “loop system” installed at some of their main customer contact areas, including their gates. All you need to do is simply look out for the blue and white logo. Guide dogs are permitted are also very welcome at the Zoo, however, they do ask that they avoid our Monkey, Chimpanzee and Elephant enclosures encase their animal scares the other one. Parking areas for disabled visitors are there too and on arrival, you will find thirty-five designated parking spaces for orange or blue badge holders. There is also ramp and level access toilets for anyone who may need them too.









I love that the zoo doesn't just have some incredible animals, it also has some beautiful award-winning plants and gardens. For information about opening times and prices, please visit their website (prices and opening times vary throughout the year). Book your Chester Zoo Tickets here.

I highly recommend visiting the butterfly house and bat cave if you do plan on exploring here - they are both two amazing places and are my favourite!! Have you ever visited Chester Zoo*? What was your favourite animal to see? I'd love to know your thoughts so please let me know!

With love, Alisha Valerie. x