ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos have safely reopened

• Can I visit ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos?

Yes, our Zoos are safely open and covid-secure. Both ZSL Whipsnade and London Zoos fall under social distancing guidance, which should have a minimal impact on your visit. You can pre-book your ticket here.

Visitors will need to pre-book tickets online (including Members, Fellows and Patrons). From 17 May, Members, Fellows and Patrons will only need to pre-book for peak-day visits, which are weekends as well as school and bank holidays. Visitors will select a date to visit and are granted entry any time after their selected time up to 5pm, one hour before we close at 6pm. 

Please wear a face covering on entering Whipsnade Zoo unless you are exempt or are entering the Zoo by car. You can remove it when you are outdoors and have passed through our admissions gate.

• Will the Zoos be very busy with lots of queues?

We have strictly limited the number of tickets on sale each day. We will also be quickly scanning visitors on arrival to avoid big queues at the entrances, and we have marked out areas where queues might occur to help everyone maintain 2m distance from one another. 
We have also postponed several promotions and all third-party sales so that we can control numbers more effectively and ensure that visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience. 

•  Are all the exhibits open?

We are working hard to have as much of our experience open as possible but all of our indoor enclosures at both our Zoos remain closed to ensure we adhere to social distancing rules. They will reopen from 17 May onwards where possible.

Where open, masks are advised and are mandatory for visitors in indoor areas such as our gift shops and walkthrough exhibits such as Gorilla Kingdom at London Zoo. You don't have to wear a mask during the rest of your visit in outdoor areas, but we do encourage it as a courtesy to other visitors and staff.

We have also introduced one-way routes around London Zoo to help with visitor flow and to ensure social distancing. Visitors can choose from 3 different routes depending on the animals they would like to see and the time they would like to spend in the Zoo.

At Whipsnade, our penguins' area will close half an hour before zoo closing time.

• Can I take the one-way routes around London Zoo multiple times?

Yes, all the routes end in the Zoo's central courtyard so you can take them in any order and as many times as you wish, as long as you remain in the Zoo.

Tickets are for single entry to the Zoo only. If you leave the premises, you will not be granted re-entry.

• How long can I stay at the zoo?

There is no time limit on your visit but to manage capacities and ensure safe distancing, we would recommend you stay no longer than 4 hours.

• Are the play areas open?

At London Zoo the Animal Adventure play equipment is open, but the Splash Park remains closed. At Whipsnade, Hulabazoo indoor play will reopen on 17 May, and our brand new outdoor play area is now open.

• Are the cafes and shops open?

In line with government advice our Terrace Restaurant at London Zoo is operating a take-away only service but will reopen for indoor dining from 17 May onwards. At Whipsnade, our Base Camp restaurant will open for indoor dining from 19 May, with social distancing measures in place.

Additional take-away units are open around both of our Zoos including a fish and chip van and a barbecue both on-site at Whipsnade. You are welcome to bring your own picnics and packed lunches, as mentioned below. You will still be able to refill water bottles at our Visitor Centre at Whipsnade and by Penguin Beach at London.

Our on-site shops are safely open and our online shop is a great place to pick up a souvenir online.

• Can I bring my own food and drink? And where can I eat it?

Yes, you can bring your own food. There are open-air picnic areas at both Zoos and outdoor tables will be 2m apart and cleaned regularly. We kindly ask everyone, whether bringing their own food or buying food on site, to help our staff and please dispose of all waste in bins provided.

• How will you manage your toilets so they are safe to use?

We are providing extra hand sanitiser for people to use before and after entering the toilet blocks. We also have social distancing markers and reminders for everyone, and expect all visitors to respect these whilst using these facilities. Our cleaning staff will also be cleaning all bathroom facilities with increased frequency. In addition, a queuing system will be in place for the main toilets at Whipsnade with only one family/household being allowed in the toilet block at any one time.

• Will you be running talks and demonstrations?

As these attract groups of people standing in close proximity, we are not running our regular talks programme until further notice.

• What about animal experiences like ‘Meet the animals’ or overnight stays in the Lodges?

Experiences are available to book in advance - please see the Experiences section of the website for the latest details.

Anyone with pre-booked experiences whose booking has been affected by previous closures will have been contacted by our Supporter Contact team. If you haven't heard from us, please email us.

• Are the Zoos still accessible for wheelchair users?

Yes, both Zoos are still fully accessible. Find out more about accessibility at ZSL Whipsnade and London Zoos.

• Will I still be able to hire a wheelchair?

Yes, both Zoos will still have wheelchairs for hire which will be cleaned after each use.

• Is the number of tickets I can buy restricted?

In order to maintain social distancing we have set a limit of buying no more than 6 tickets in one transaction. If you are visiting as a larger group adhering to the rule of 6, you can book over more than one transaction.

• Do I need to wear a face mask?

Yes, please make sure each of your party bring one with you and review our face mask guidance lower down on this page.

• How is ZSL contributing to NHS Test and Trace, and what does this mean for my data?

In accordance with the latest government COVID-19 guidance, ZSL is required to ask for names and contact details of all Zoo visitors aged 16 and over for NHS COVID-19 Test and Trace purposes. Please submit this data before your visit here.

If you visit one of our Zoos, we will ask you to give us some basic information at the point you purchase a ticket, including your name and email address.  Government guidelines ask us to do this to help NHS Test and Trace reduce the risk of a further COVID-19 outbreak. You will find check-in points in some areas for use with the app.

If the information is requested by the NHS Test and Trace service, we will share it with them so they can use it for contact tracing and to investigate local outbreaks of COVID-19. Only the basic information needed for NHS Track and Trace will be shared, and only if deemed necessary by the NHS – other details collected during your transaction (e.g. payment details) are not passed on.  This process allows NHS Test and Trace to quickly identify people who have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. NHS Test and Trace can then ask them to act in ways that keep them and others safe.

Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.

• Is it safe to visit?

The wellbeing of our visitors, animals and staff is our primary concern and we have well practiced procedures in place – both Zoos are COVID-secure under Government guidance, and we have plenty of information for visitors including advice on how to get to our zoos safely.

Scientific advice is that open outdoor spaces are the places of lowest risk. Both our Zoos are open air; London Zoo is set within London’s largest park – Regent’s Park – and Whipsnade Zoo is in the Chiltern Hills countryside. 

We are limiting the number of people who can visit so that we can safely manage people and enable social distancing between visitors, and between visitors and our staff.

• What specific precautions are you taking at the Zoos?

We have made the decision to limit our visitor numbers so that we can safely ensure social distancing. We are operating at a reduced capacity, and we will regularly review our numbers in order to increase our daily capacity as lockdown is eased further and in line with government advice.

All visitors, including Members, Patrons, Fellows and under-3s, must book their tickets in advance. From 17 May, Members, Fellows and Patrons will only need to pre-book during peak times, which are weekends as well as school and bank holidays.

The following measures have also been put in place:

• Floor markings and reminder signs throughout the Zoos demarcating 2m distance
• Protective screens at contact points including at ticket checks and Member kiosks
• Hand-sanitiser/handwash stations at the entrances, exits and at regular stops around the Zoo
• Card or mobile device payments (e.g. Apple Pay, Google Pay) only, no cash will be accepted
• Hulabazoo indoor play at Whipsnade and will be open from 17 May onwards. Hullabazoo's new outdoor play area is now open too - find out more here. 
• Our Splash Zone at London Zoo is closed for now
• The Great Whipsnade Railway is currently closed
• Our delicious food options are all take-away only, indoor dining areas reopen from May 17
• Talks and demonstrations cancelled until further notice to prevent over-crowding
• Regular cleaning carried out across the Zoos

We have also introduced one-way routes around London Zoo and both Zoos' indoor areas to help with visitor flow and to ensure social distancing. Visitors can choose from three different routes at London depending on the animals they would like to see and the time they would like to spend in the Zoo. You can do all three routes if you wish.

• How will you ensure that all visitors act responsibly and ensure the visit is safe for all?

We ask that all those visiting our Zoos behave responsibly and respect the measures that we have put in place. There are three key rules that we ask people to adhere to on their visit: Stay 2 metres apart; do not touch anything as you explore the Zoo; and wash your hands regularly. We will also have staff in key places throughout the Zoo to help remind people of our ‘Zoo rules’ whilst also supporting a great day out for all.

We also ask that people take responsibility for their own health and the health of the community before visiting the Zoo. Please do not choose to visit the zoo if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have any underlying health conditions that may put you at risk. If you are vulnerable in any way, it is your responsibility to make the right choice for yourself and others around you.

• Is it safe to be near the animals?

Yes, there is no evidence that this poses any risk of COVID-19 infection.

• Will I need to wear a mask?

Please bring a face mask when you visit. If visiting Whipsnade, please wear a mask on arrival, unless you are exempt or entering the Zoo by car. All visitors aged 3 or over will need to wear a mask in walk-through primate enclosures such as Squirrel Monkeys at London Zoo, if they are open on your visit. Visitors aged 11 and over will be asked to wear masks in any other indoor areas such as the toilets at both of our Zoos. You don't have to wear a mask during the rest of your visit in outdoor areas, but we do encourage it as a courtesy to other visitors and staff.

Some of our Zookeepers will be wearing masks to minimise any risk of transmitting any virus onto our animals.

• Why do children as young as 3 have to wear a mask in some areas?

This is to minimise the risk of passing any virus to our animals, especially primates. As well as keeping visitors and staff safe, it’s really important we protect the health and safety of our animals in walk-through enclosures if they are open on your visit.

• What if I have a disability or medical condition that makes it a struggle to wear a mask?

As masks are for the safety of our animals, if you or a member of your party may struggle with a mask, please make yourself known to the steward at the entrance of the area that requires you to wear one. We will do all we can to make reasonable and practical adjustments – this may for example include adhering to more stringent social distancing measures. However, if it’s felt that the safety of the animals can not be guaranteed, we may have to refuse entry.

• How are you making it safe for your staff?

Staff safety is just as important as visitor safety, so a range of plans are in place to protect them too, including small numbers of staff on site, new safety equipment and help maintaining social distancing from one another, and from visitors.

• Why are some zookeepers wearing masks?

Everything ZSL does is to protect animals, including those in our care at London and Whipsnade Zoos. Our keepers are wearing masks to minimise any risk of transmitting any virus onto these incredibly important animals.

• Have you performed risk assessments to ensure my visit will be safe?

Yes, we have and if you'd like to, you can read them here:

ZSL LONDON ZOO RISK ASSESSMENT

ZSL WHIPSNADE ZOO RISK ASSESSMENT

• Do I need to pre-book a ticket to visit?

We are operating on a reduced number of visitors at the Zoo per day to ensure that we keep everyone safe within Government guidelines. This means that all Members, Patrons and Fellows will need to pre-book free slots to visit the Zoos. From 17 May, Members, Fellows and Patrons will only need to pre-book during peak times, which are weekends as well as school and bank holidays. From Mondays to Fridays outside of school or bank holidays, you can visit the Zoo by showing your membership card - or temporary slip for new members - at Zoo entrance on the day you would like to visit.

Tickets for our supporters are released in batches and are available for visits up to 16 May. We will be releasing further tickets for dates up to 20 June on the 11 May, subject to Government announcements. We will send you a email updates with everything you need to know for future member ticket releases. Not signed up to emails yet? Sign up here.

When pre-booking free tickets: please bear in mind that every pre-booked free ticket is for members only, valid on the selected date for the selected Zoo and in conjunction with a valid ZSL Members, Fellows and Patrons card, or temporary slip for new members. Otherwise, unfortunately, we will not be able to grant you entry into the Zoo.

• Where do I book members tickets?

You can access the booking system through our website by visiting zsl.org/booktickets.
Please select the ‘Book Free Tickets’ option of the Zoo you would like to visit. 
You will be asked to enter your membership ID – you can find it on your temporary membership slip for new members, on the front of your membership card or in the ticket release emails you receive from us.

• I am a new member – why can’t I book a ticket?

If you bought a new membership today, please allow 24 hours for your membership ID to be updated on the booking system and try again the next morning. You will then be able to book your free tickets – capacity permitting. Check the website regularly for the most up-to-date information on ticket availability and booking requirements.

• Are tickets limited for Members, Fellows and Patrons?

In order to safely manage visitor numbers and to ensure social distancing, we must limit the number of people who can visit our Zoos. We are currently operating with strictly reduced capacities. So that we can also generate much needed funds from single visit paying customers, this also means that we have ring-fenced allocations of tickets for our Members, Fellows and Patrons. We will monitor our capacities on a regular basis in order to maximise the number of slots available to Members, Fellows and Patrons.

• Why are there dates available for paying visitors but I can't book them as a member?

There is a pre-defined, ring-fenced allocation of tickets for members that may become booked up at a different rate to paying visitor slots. For instance, many people buying tickets don't book them until the day before visiting. Tickets for paying visitors are released for several months in advance, whereas we are releasing member tickets much more frequently to give our supporters a fair chance to book a visit in the weeks ahead, whilst preventing block-bookings and decreasing the likelihood of no-shows.

Please note, paid visitor tickets are non-refundable. If you as a member decide to purchase a ticket to visit the Zoo, we will not be able to offer you a refund for this ticket.

• How often can I come and visit?

From 17 May, Members, Fellows and Patrons have unlimited visits during off-peak weekdays and can visit the Zoo as often as they like from Monday to Friday outside of school and bank holidays.

To ensure all of our members have a fair chance to book a visit during peak times, we have set a temporary booking limit of one visit per member on 11 May. From 18 May, this limit will be relaxed and you'll be able to make additional bookings for the peak-day dates up to 20 June 2021.

• What if I can’t make it to the Zoo on the day I have pre-booked?

To give as many visitors as possible the opportunity to visit our Zoos, we kindly ask you to consider dates carefully before booking your tickets. Please make sure you can visit on the day and time you have selected and cancel your booking as soon as you can if you can't attend at least one day before your booked visit so you can book in another visit, capacities permitting (see below).

• Can I give my pre-booked free ticket to a friend?

No, free Members', Fellows' and Patrons' tickets are non-transferable and can only be used by those listed on their Membership or Fellowship and in conjunction with a valid ZSL Membership or Fellowship card which must be shown when entering the Zoo. 

• I haven't received my tickets via email. What do I do?

If you have booked though See Tickets and haven’t received your tickets, you can ask for them to be resent. Simply enter the email address you booked with into the ‘Forgotten Details’ section at the bottom of the SEE Tickets customer service page. Please check your spam and junk folders too. 

• Will my additional benefits still be available?

Most of your special Gold Member, Patron and Fellow benefits are safe to use and are available for you to enjoy. Only the following benefits will not be accessible in the early stages of re-opening:

• Great Whipsnade Railway discount – closed for now
• Hullabazoo indoor play - closed for now
• Fast Track entrance at the corner of Regents Park - closed for now
• Reference use of ZSL Library – closed for now

• Can I use my half price tickets at the moment?

We’re pleased to let you know that from 17 May, you will be able to use your half price Zoo tickets again during off-peak weekdays. This means you can use your half-price tickets again from Mondays to Fridays outside of school or bank holidays.
For peak dates where Members, Fellows and Patrons have to pre-book a free slot to visit the Zoo, promotions such as half price tickets will remain suspended. Rest assured that we will be re-introducing the full usage of half price tickets during peak times as soon as it is safe to do so. All half-price tickets must be redeemed online. Find out more here.

• As a Fellow, can I still bring in a family guest with me for free?

As a Fellow, you are still able to bring a family guest into the Zoo with you, however you must also pre-book this ticket at the same time as you pre-book yours for peak days. Your guest must accompany you when you present your tickets and card at the gate. For off-peak periods, Fellows can sign in guests using their relevant cards, without pre-booking. We respectfully ask that you follow Government guidelines during your visit.

• I am a Patron, can I still sign in family guests for free? 

As a Patron you will still be able to sign in one family guest into the Zoo as part of your Patronage, however you must pre-book this ticket at the same time as you pre-book yours for peak dates. Your guest must accompany you when you present your tickets and cards at the gate. For off-peak periods, Patrons can sign in guests using their relevant cards, without pre-booking. We will be reviewing the Patron family guest sign ins regularly and hope to increase these as soon as we can. 

• Can I use my complimentary Patron tickets at the moment?

From 17 May, Patrons will be able to use their complimentary tickets again for off-peak weekdays. For the first time, these will be available online. For peak dates where Members, Fellows and Patrons have to pre-book a free slot to visit the Zoo, promotions such as half price tickets for Fellows and Gold members as well as complimentary tickets for Patrons will remain suspended. Rest assured that we will review this regularly.

• I’m a new Member, Fellow or Patron, how can I pick up my membership card?

The membership kiosk at London Zoo and membership desk at Whipsnade Zoo are open – staffing levels permitting – to take your photos and print your membership cards. However, if there is a queue or if you would prefer to receive your cards by post, please send a passport-sized photo of each member on your membership to membership@zsl.org, quoting your membership ID in any email with the team. This can be found on your temporary membership slip.
For Fellows, please send to fellowship@zsl.org quoting your membership or CRM number in any email. This can be found on your Fellowship welcome letter.
For Patrons, please send to patronage@zsl.org quoting your membership or CRM number in any email. This can be found on your Patronage welcome letter.

• How do I cancel my free ticket?

As we are working with See Tickets, you will need to cancel directly with them. All you need is your booking reference – you will have received with your PDF tickets – and the postcode associated with the order. Visit See Ticket's customer service page and fill in reference number and postcode in the top section, and proceed to cancel. Please cancel at least one day before your booked visit to give others the chance to enjoy the Zoo instead. If you cancel up to one day before your booked visit, your member ticket allocation will be automatically added back into your account within 10 minutes, so you can book in another visit capacities permitting. However, if you try to cancel on the day of your visit, the ticket cannot be released for others to use and you might not be able to book for another day.

• Will my membership be extended for the time when the Zoos were closed?

If you are a ZSL Gold or Silver Member, we have automatically extended your membership for 3 months to cover the first lockdown (April-June 2020). Given the major financial losses from all lockdowns this last year, we are not able to automatically extend memberships for the duration of our closure. We are reliant on every bit of support we receive to get us through this difficult time and we are simply not able to bear the further loss of income this time around. 

• I want to do more to help. What can I do?

We need every bit of help we can get so a donation, of any size, would help us survive this second lockdown. You can donate online at donate.zsl.org.

ZSL’s Library is currently closed. If you have borrowed books we will be automatically renewing your loan, so please don’t worry. There’s no need to attempt to return your books at the moment.

Our hire venues aren’t operating at the moment. Please do email us in the meantime, one of the team will get back to you as soon as we can.