23 June 2026
During a heatwave, there’s no better place to be than London Zoo. With cool treats, shady spots, and amazing animals to chill out with, visit the capital's wildest venue this summer.
During extremely hot weather, it's worth visiting earlier in the day. During heatwaves you may find that some of our animals may not be visible or some areas closed - but with our new offer you can revisit another day, absolutely free! Read more on that, below.
Pop by Penguin Beach
A visit to the beach is a must on a hot day, and London Zoo’s Penguin Beach offers an experience like no other.
The seaside-habitat inspired by the Peruvian coastline is home to a colony of Humboldt penguins. Named for the ocean current off the coast of Peru and Chile, Humboldt penguins are epic swimmers – and London Zoo’s waddle love showing off their Olympian skills. Leaping, diving and soaring through the water, visitors to the conservation zoo will be able to go to the beach, without even leaving London.
Plus, don't miss the Penguin Beach Café for a selection of delicious shakes, sundaes, and cold drinks - Gold members get 10% off!
INCREDIBLE SUMMER VALUE - SAVE UP TO £39 WITH A FAMILY TICKET AND GET A FREE RETURN VISIT!
Save even more with the family ticket for 3 or 4 people, and when you book online to visit up to and including 2 September 2026, we’ll also give you a return visit absolutely free! T&Cs apply*
Chill out with the big cats
Home to the coolest of the big cats, London Zoo’s Endangered Asiatic lions know exactly what to do when it’s hot. Absolutely nothing.
These chilled felines can sleep for up to 20 hours a day! Our lions often nap right by the indoor viewing area, so you might have the incredible opportunity to get up close and personal with the majestic animals as they snooze.
Unlike most water-shy cats, London Zoo’s Critically Endangered Sumatran tigers know the pool is the place to be when it’s hot. Their open-air pool is nestled in their Indonesian habitat, providing the perfect spot for a cooling dip.
Stay hydrated
There are plenty of catering outlets around the Zoo to pick up a cool drink to stay hydrated when the sun is shining, and no one understands that more than a Bactrian camel.
Noemie and Genghis, London Zoo’s pair of camels, are perfectly adapted for life in a hot environment – but contrary to popular belief, their humps are filled with fat, not water. This helps nourish them when food is scarce, and their bodies are designed to lose as little water as possible; camel urine is thick and syrupy, and their poo is very dry.
Bring a bottle
You can find water re-fill stations at Penguin Beach and just inside our main entrance.
Keep cool in the shade
While we may try to avoid it, sweating is our body’s way of coping in a heatwave – but some animals have evolved to sweat less, and preserve precious water, including colobus monkeys.
The stunning primates, with their iconic black and white ‘capes’ not only look cool, but stay cool in the shade provided by the tree canopy in Monkey Valley, and they also have special sweat glands on their palms and soles which produce a fast-evaporating liquid to cool them quickly.
Splash around
Our Animal Adventure playpark is home to our splash zone*! During the warm months, kids will love cooling off as they run and jump through the sprinklers - make sure you bring a spare set of clothes!
You can also take a pitstop at Peckish Parrot to keep energy levels up with cold drinks and plenty of snacks to choose from.
*We may have to close the Splash Zone for maintenance at short notice and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Escape the sun
Seeking shade is a must when it’s hot in London, and the Zoo’s Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians is the perfect place to have a break from the sunshine.
Head indoors and explore the weird and wonderful world of frogs, snakes, turtles, salamanders and more. These creatures can often only cope with very small temperature ranges – making them particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change – but the Zoo’s new conservation hub for these animals has individual heating and cooling systems to provide every species with the ideal habitat.
Plus, our Terrace Restaurant and Gift Shop have air conditioning, so you can keep nice and cool as you have your lunch or browse for the perfect zoo-venir.
