Preparing for your education visit

Free familiarisation visit

Once you have booked your trip you are entitled to a free familiarisation visit to the zoo (one teacher per class).

We strongly recommend this to help you plan your day. Please email [email protected] quoting your 5-digit Order Number to book this.

Free pre-visit consultation

Once you have booked your trip you are entitled to a free pre-visit consultation with a member of our learning team. These are 20 minute meetings which take place online via Microsoft Teams. These are available to any group who have booked a trip with us, but are particularly recommended for those: 

• Who haven’t visited before
• Who are bringing a large group
• Have students with complex needs

We recommend booking this for a date that is 2-3 weeks before your visit.

All trips must be paid for at least two weeks in advance via BACS or credit/debit card. Details of how to pay can be found on your booking confirmation email. We do not accept cash or cheques, nor can payment be made on the day or after a trip. Visitor numbers cannot be changed once payment is made. We do not offer refunds for any students or paying adults who are unable to attend on the day.

If the group have not paid for their trip by the date of their visit, the debt owed will be passed on to our finance team who will generate a new invoice which will be sent to the school. This will include an additional £25 administration fee. ZSL reserves the right to cancel or refuse entry to any group who have not paid in advance of their trip nor made prior arrangement with ZSL to pay after the visit/activity.

Prices and full terms and conditions of educational rate tickets can be found here:

Education visit prices  Terms and Conditions for Education Visits

You can find our risk assessment guides and other health & safety information to help you plan for your visit here:

Education Visit Health & Safety

 

Coach Travel

No coach parking is available at London Zoo. Coaches are able to drop off & pick up in the car park but will then need to park elsewhere. Please ensure your coach company is aware. Details for coach parking locations near the zoo can be found on the Transport for London website.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, it will not be possible for coaches to drop off or pick up from London Zoo car park between 23rd September - 27th October. Please advise your coach company of this in order for them to make suitable alternative arrangements.

Public Transport

Please see our complete guide on finding your way to the zoo by public transport:

DIRECTIONS TO LONDON ZOO

We have three coloured zones at London Zoo:

• Pink includes: giraffes, zebras, African wild dogs, Rainforest Life, pygmy hippos, lemurs, otters, and meerkats.
• Blue is the shortest route and includes western lowland gorillas, tigers, the Reptile House and Komodo dragon.
• Orange includes: lions, penguins, butterflies, squirrel monkeys and Tiny Giants.

All three zones can be started from the main entrance, finish in the Zoo's central courtyard and can be visited in any order. If you are visiting within normal school hours, we recommend splitting into smaller groups (depending on your adult supervision ratios) and picking two routes for each group, stopping for lunch halfway.

To help you plan your route, please use the map below.

London Zoo Map

Daily talks

You can find times for talks and animal feedings below. Please note these are subject to change. Please check the What's On board as you arrive at the zoo for any changes to the schedule.

daily talks at london zoo

Teaching resources

If you're looking for inspiration to extend your learning while at the zoo, you can find a host of teaching resources at the link below.

Teaching resources

Recommended Lunch stops

• There are a number of outdoor areas around the zoo where groups can sit to eat lunches that they have brought with them, which are marked on the schools map below.  
• We no longer have a bookable lunch space, but guidance on lunch and areas to eat are marked on the schools map below.

10% discount for teaching staff at catering outlets

Any teachers and teaching assistants visiting with educational tickets can also get 10% off food and drink in our catering outlets. Simply show your booking confirmation when you pay.

Toilets

We have a number of toilets around the zoo, as well as a Changing Places facility in our Animal Adventure space. You can find more details on toilets in our schools map below.

Potential Quieter areas

• We recognise that some groups or children may need an area to chill out away from others, so we have highlighted areas we find are best for this on the schools map.

London Zoo Schools Map

You can find visual and sensory stories for London Zoo, as well as more information on accessibility at the link below.

supporting students with send