Twycross Zoo: Visitor Guide, Tickets & Family Day Out

Twycross Zoo is one of the most rewarding family days out near Northamptonshire, and it is genuinely unlike any other zoo in the country. As the UK’s World Primate Centre, it is the only place where you can stand in front of chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos all in one visit. Add snow leopards, giraffes, penguins and the Gruffalo Discovery Land into the mix and you have a day that keeps toddlers, big kids and curious grown-ups happy from opening to closing.

This guide covers everything you need before you go: where the zoo is, current ticket prices in GBP, opening times, parking, food, how long to allow and which animals are worth planning your route around. At the end you will also find an honest steer on where to stay nearby if you want to turn the trip into a proper weekend break in the countryside.

We have written this as a local who knows the area well, so you will get the practical detail the official pages tend to gloss over, plus a few honest trade-offs to help you plan a smooth day.

Where is Twycross Zoo and how do you get there?

Twycross Zoo sits right on the Leicestershire and Warwickshire border, near the village of Twycross between Atherstone and Market Bosworth. The full address is Burton Road, Atherstone, CV9 3PX, and that postcode drops you straight at the car park entrance if you use a sat nav.

By car it is one of the easiest big attractions to reach in the Midlands. Come off the M42 at junction 11 and follow the A444, or join the A444 from the A5 if you are coming from the south. It is roughly 30 minutes from Birmingham, around 40 minutes from Leicester and well under an hour from most of the East Midlands. Public transport is possible but slower: the number 7 bus runs from Atherstone railway station to the zoo, or you can take a taxi from Nuneaton station in about 15 minutes.

How much are Twycross Zoo tickets and prices?

Twycross Zoo ticket prices start from around GBP 19.75 per person, and children under three go free. The single best money-saving move is to book online in advance, which knocks 10% off the gate price. Even better, a standard day ticket doubles as an annual pass, so your one visit unlocks free return trips for a full 12 months.

If you are making a weekend of it, a stay at our luxury cottage near Market Harborough pairs well with a zoo day, and if you think you will come back more than once or twice a year, the Zoo Plus membership is worth a look. It adds unlimited soft play, a reusable coffee cup with 50% off hot drinks, priority event booking and 10% off food and retail. Here is how the main options compare:

Ticket type	Adult (from)	Child 3-17 (from)	What you get
Day ticket / Annual pass	GBP 27.15	GBP 20.35	Full zoo entry plus 12 months of free return visits
Zoo Plus membership	GBP 44.15	GBP 31.40	Everything above plus unlimited soft play, coffee cup, 50% off hot drinks, 10% off food and retail
Infant (under 3)	Free		No ticket needed

A few money-saving pointers worth knowing before you pay:

• Always buy online for the 10% discount rather than paying at the gate.
• Because the day ticket includes a year of free return visits, two trips effectively halve your per-visit cost.
• Keep your booking confirmation and parking details handy on your phone to speed up entry.
• If you plan regular soft play sessions, the Zoo Plus tier usually pays for itself faster than you would expect.

What are the opening times at Twycross Zoo?

Twycross Zoo is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm. The only day it closes is Christmas Day. Opening hours can shift slightly with the seasons, and the zoo runs extended hours and special events during school holidays and around Halloween and Christmas, so it is always worth a quick check of the official calendar before you set off.

For the best experience, aim to arrive at 10am. The primates tend to be most active in the cooler morning hours, the car park is emptiest and you will have the run of the paths before the lunchtime rush. A morning arrival also leaves you plenty of time to fit in soft play and the Gruffalo trail without feeling hurried towards closing.

What animals are at Twycross Zoo?

Twycross Zoo is home to more than 500 animals, but it is the primates that make it famous. As the UK’s World Primate Centre, it is the only zoo in the country where you can see all four great apes in one place: chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos. The ape houses are the heart of the zoo, and watching a gorilla family or a troop of chimps interact is the kind of close-up moment children remember for years.

Beyond the apes there is plenty to fill a route around the grounds. Highlights families gravitate towards include:

• Snow leopards, one of the rarest and most beautiful big cats you can see in the UK.
• Giraffes, with raised viewing that brings you eye to eye with them.
• Humboldt penguins, always a hit at feeding time.
• Amur leopards and tigers, plus rhinos and zebras across the wider collection.
• A walk-through nature reserve and a host of smaller primates, birds and reptiles.

Keepers run talks and feeds throughout the day, and these are well worth timing your visit around. Grab a map at the entrance and circle the feed times for the animals your children most want to see, then build your route from there.

Gruffalo Discovery Land and play areas for younger children

If you are visiting with little ones, the Gruffalo Discovery Land is the part of the day they will talk about on the way home. It is a themed, walk-through woodland trail bringing the story to life, with characters to spot, live performances and ranger-led quests dotted along the path. It is paced perfectly for toddlers, who can stop, explore and discover at their own speed.

The zoo also has a large indoor Soft Play Jungle with age-specific zones for children from one to twelve, plus parent seating with refreshments, which is a lifesaver on a rainy day. Outside, the Wet ‘n’ Wild play park gives older children somewhere to burn off energy in warmer weather, so pack a spare set of clothes in summer. This blend of animals and play is exactly what makes Twycross such a strong choice for mixed-age families.

How long do you need at Twycross Zoo?

Most families spend three to four hours at Twycross Zoo, and that is a comfortable amount of time to see the apes, walk the main routes, catch a keeper talk or two and squeeze in some play. If you want a relaxed pace with a sit-down lunch and a long session in the soft play, give yourself the full day from opening to closing.

With toddlers, plan to alternate animal spotting with play breaks. A loose rhythm of one section of the zoo, then a snack or a stop at the play area, keeps small legs happy and avoids the mid-afternoon meltdown. Because your ticket includes free return visits for a year, there is no pressure to cram everything into one day, which takes a lot of the stress out of visiting with young children.

Parking, food and practical tips for your visit

There is a large on-site car park at Twycross Zoo, right by the entrance at postcode CV9 3PX, with blue badge spaces and baby-changing facilities close to the gate. It is a flat, buggy-friendly site overall, and wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be hired in advance if you need them.

For food, you are well covered without leaving the zoo. The View Restaurant does pizza and pasta, the Catch fish bar serves fish and chips, and the Vine Café handles coffee and cake, with smaller kiosks scattered around for snacks and drinks. You are also welcome to bring a picnic and use the designated picnic areas, which is the budget-friendly choice on a sunny day.

One honest heads-up: dogs are not allowed at Twycross Zoo, with the exception of assistance dogs, so leave the family pet at home. If your day out is part of a longer break in the area, it pairs nicely with other attractions across Northamptonshire such as the National Space Centre or a slower afternoon exploring local market towns. A trip here works brilliantly as the centrepiece of a family cottage holiday, with a comfortable base to come back to each evening.

Is Twycross Zoo worth visiting?

For families, Twycross Zoo is one of the best-value big days out in the region. The primate collection alone is unique in the UK, and the combination of rare animals, the Gruffalo trail and proper play areas means it appeals across a wide age range. The year of free return visits built into a standard ticket tips it firmly into worth-it territory, especially if you live within an hour or are staying in the area for a few days.

The honest trade-offs are familiar zoo ones: busy weekends and school holidays can mean queues at the popular enclosures and the soft play, and it is an outdoor day that rewards good weather. Visit on a weekday morning with a picnic and a loose plan and you will have a brilliant time.

Where to stay near Twycross Zoo: The Loft

If you would rather not rush home after a long day with the animals, The Loft makes an ideal countryside base. It is a Victorian red-brick stable conversion on the private 14 Acres estate at Clipston, just 10 minutes from Market Harborough and around 50 minutes’ drive from Twycross Zoo. The signature feature is a large dining balcony that looks straight out over a private lake, with vaulted ceilings and panoramic windows that make the most of the views. After a day on your feet, there are few better places to wind down than our lake-view cottage with a drink on the balcony as the light fades over the water.

The Loft sleeps six plus two infants across two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and it is genuinely set up for families, with cots, high chairs, a stair gate, toys and even wellies on hand. There is a well-equipped kitchen, a gas BBQ, air conditioning, fast fibre and free parking, all from GBP 129 a night. It is a relaxed, value-luxury choice for a family cottage holiday, and it puts plenty more within easy reach, from the National Space Centre to all the things to do in Market Harborough on your doorstep.

Frequently Asked Questions