Colchester Zoological Society

“An absolutely fantastic day out at Colchester Zoo. From start to finish, the experience was excellent and well worth the visit. The zoo is beautifully laid out, clean, and very well maintained. There is a huge variety of animals, and the enclosures are spacious and thoughtfully designed, giving you great views while clearly prioritising animal welfare. Every area feels well looked after, and there is always something interesting to see. Staff throughout the zoo are friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful, whether answering questions, giving talks, or assisting visitors. The animal talks and feeding times are informative and engaging, making the visit even more enjoyable for both adults and children. Facilities are excellent, with plenty of food outlets, seating areas, clean toilets, and play areas for children. It’s very family-friendly, but equally enjoyable for couples or groups of friends. There is also so much to do that you can easily spend the entire day there without feeling rushed. Overall, Colchester Zoo offers an outstanding experience — well organised, educational, and fun. One of the best zoos in the UK and highly recommended for a memorable day out. We will definitely be visiting again.”

“We had a lovely time at the zoo. We arrived around 11:30/12 and left around closing 4pm. We had a spot of lunch which was reasonable but only one of the restaurants were opened because I think footfall was low. That wasn’t a problem because we preferred it being less busy. There are so many hills and steep warning signs everywhere!!! Despite this, my little 2 year old insisted on walking around and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would come again and definitely recommend buying tickets in advanced. It’s just easier and cheaper and show via phone at entrance. Free parking although slightly muddy. A variety of animals to see but we missed a few due to them going inside earlier which we wasn’t aware of. And some animals when to sleep probably because it was a bit cold. The signage was a bit confusing at times too so we ended up going quite a few laps. Would love to take part in some of the experiences next time and would visit again when the weather is warmer.”

“My partner and I visited today and we had the best day out. The enclosures for every animal we saw were clean, spacious and very well designed. All of the animals looked happy and well looked after. We ate a burger each at one of the restaraunts and it tasted great. The restaurant was clean and the menu was good for money. The zoo was clean, with multiple points for food, drinks and restrooms. The overall layout of the zoo is easy to understand and is well kept. The staff giving their talks seemed happy and very knowledgeable. We were lucky enough to see every animal - cheetah, lion, tiger, wolf, sun bear! There were so many exhibits and enclosures to look at with a variety of species of different animals. I would rate this the top zoo I have ever visited. We intend to bring the family later in the year.”

“Absolutely, amazing , incredible and huge zoo! One of the best in the U.K. , we walked around for almost 3 hours but didn’t finish looking at all the animal exhibits. My highlight was feeding the cute, friendly, gorgeous lorikeets with nectar. The zoo was very clean, the animals looked very happy and well cared for. As an animal lover who has visited all the major zoos in the country, I would highly recommend this zoo.”