Into Africa offers the opportunity to come eye to eye with some of Africa’s most unusual animals. Giraffes, zebras, okapis, warthogs and African hunting dogs all feature in this exciting exhibit.
Observe the elegance and grace of the giraffes from the viewing platform, taking in the African-like surroundings from a giraffe’s viewpoint.
Videos
You will go eye to eye with our tallest residents! Whilst you feed them an afternoon snack their favourite is browse! An expert Keeper will be on hand to answer any questions you have about these amazing animals, find out how long their tongue is, what they eat and where they come from!
By taking part in this experience you will be supporting ZSLs vital conservation work which includes the training of next generation conservationists around the world desperately needed to continue protecting the planets amazing animals.
Times
- Arrive at meeting point by 13:55 for a 14:00 start
- March to September Outside Giraffe house
- October to February Inside Giraffe house
Ticket prices for 2016
- £54 per person Mon - Sun
The meeting point is at the bottom of the viewing platform which is located in the outside area of the giraffe enclosure and overlooks their paddock.
Terms and conditions
- General admission ticket or valid membership per person must be purchased to be allowed entry into the zoo and take part in the Meet the Giraffes experience.
- Please listen to the keeper at all times. (Your safety as well as the welfare of all animals is their upmost priority. As such, the keeper can stop the encounter or ask participants to exit the VIP area at any time should they feel necessary.)
- Appropriate closed toe footwear must be worn for the experience.
- Maximum of 6 participants per experience. Children: must be at least 3 years old and 3-foot in height and be accompanied by an adult, no more than 2 children per adult. Each adult must also has a valid Meet the Giraffes ticket.
- Disabilities: Participants with learning or visual impairment must be accompanied by a carer who takes full responsibility for the adherence of health and safety and welfare protocols. Accompanying carers can enter the VIP area free of charge but must not participate in the experience. Wheelchair access is available for this experience - please let our Supporter Services team know in advance.
- Pregnant/ nursing mothers who have given birth within the previous six months cannot participate for health and safety reasons.
- Cancellations: ZSL reserves the right to alter the experience or cancel on any given day if necessary. We will endeavour to contact you via email at least 24-hours before your visit to notify you of any changes. We recommend checking your emails on the day before your visit in case we have emailed you. If these changes result in you missing the encounter or you are no longer able to attend, please contact us to discuss options. Turning up late will invalidate your ticket and will not be refunded. Bookings cancelled up to 14 days before the date will be eligible for a full refund. Thereafter changes will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of ZSL.
Meet the animals
Because of its shy nature and the challenges of fieldwork in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), obtaining accurate and up to date information on the okapi has been a major conservation challenge. In 2010, ZSL started a collaborative effort to carry out the first range-wide conservation status review of this little-known but iconic species. This research led to the reassessment of the okapi as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and laid the foundations for the development of the first okapi conservation strategy, which outlines the conservation measures to be taken to ensure the persistence of this species in the future.
