Marwell Zoo

"This place is fantastic and really good value for money. The site is huge with so many animals to see. The fact that you can return for free within 7 days is even better, though we'd travelled 2 and a half hours to visit so didn't end up re-visiting. If we'd have been closer we'd have gone back for sure. The day we went was absolutely boiling but there are a lot of free water refilling stations dotted about, and the water tasted great, and cold! There are a few food/snack places dotted about and one main large cafe/restaurant that we found. Price wise it was reasonable for such a place and the food was really nice. Much better quality than some attractions like this. We really wanted to see Santos the Sloth (youngest is Sloth crazy) in the dome which simulates a tropical rainforest. We'd seen on some days he climbed down close to guests - we only managed a glimpse of him but even so, that whole rainforest area was fascinating. The staff were really friendly and helpful throughout the site, they'll chat to you as they're passing through and give interesting insight into some of the animals and their behaviour/history etc. We'd definitely return one day, even with the distance from home, you get the chance to be pretty close to some of the animals. Even with the extreme heat we saw lots and many were trying to keep to the shade so on a cooler day who knows what more you could see. If you visit, be prepared to do a lot of walking!! Though there's a land train which can take you places (at an extra charge)."

"Absolutely blown away with the place! Managed to get some beautiful photos of the animals there, abd we were pleased to see that they are so well cared for. You can really see that the keepers are trying their best to make each animals enclosure as close to their natural habitat as possible. Lots of open spaces and walking around which was nice, and lots of different variety of parks for the children. I would definitely recommend this as a place to visit if you are in the vicinity, or for a day out as we did from the Isle of Wight. Beautiful place and a great attraction. We liked that the price was so good also!"

"I recommend arriving early around 10 or 11 AM, that way you can enjoy watching many of the animals be fed. Catching meal times ensures that the animals are active and you see the interactions with their handlers. There’s a decent amount of parking, and make sure you bring your walking shoes as there’s a fair distance between some of the exhibits. There are even some enclosures that you can walk into any animals roam around you. There’s lots of space for families to spread out and enjoy!"

"I have visited Marwell Zoo many times over the last 15+ years and have always enjoyed my time here. They have a large selection of animals and have upgraded enclosures and added new ones over the last few years. The Tropical House and the aviary are currently closed due to the avian flu so you won't be able to see the birds that fly here or the sloths. The restaurant serves lovely food with large portions, although on pricey as to be expected at these types of attractions. The staff are always polite and helpful and the zoo keepers take great care of the animals. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in wildlife."