Chester Zoo Reviews 

A very poor and very expensive experience. I attended the zoo today, 10/7/25 at the online price of £36.50. It was a very warm day so most animals seemed to be hiding in the shade and therefore invisible. There were hoards of schoolchildren on school trips running wild and generally getting in the way.
I foolishly decided to eat on site and got a cold cheeseburger with some tepid chips and a bottle of water for just under £18. Come on Chester Zoo, do you really think this is acceptable pricing for what you offer? I certainly do not. I couldn't wait to leave the site and was probably there no more than 90 minutes. I left almost £60 worse off . Just not good enough. I will never return. Is there a refund option for disappointed customers I wonder?

Lots of enclosures appeared empty. Could not see the lions, tigers, elephants and many other animals. The food was very poor and expensive. The actual gardens were really nice. Overall it was a very disappointing and expensive experience. Shall never visit this zoo again.

Very expensive most of the enclosures were empty, and not many animals in the ones that had animals in. This is the first time I’ve been in about 10 years, I will never return again very disappointed.

The food experience in June's eatery was the worst. Avoid the burgers. We had very small ,burnt burgers hidden in a large bun, thought just eat it as I'd waited so long, then the foul taste of cardomom sauce caught me, in the bin it went. Who thought cardamom. Sauce was a good idea without warning. Poor value too at £11 something.
It was noticeable a lot of the larger animals have been moved to the new safari attraction leaving the zoo as a watered down version of its former self. Signage around the zoo is pretty useless and confusing it also looks very cheap.
Just as bad , is the carport signage.many people were blindly roaming around having lost there vehicles. New experiences have left the zoo I knew looking pretty sparse .

We booked a breakfast with lions experience for over a hundred pounds which was basically a dry scrambled egg and no lions to be seen ! Later on found out their lions had died but apparently according to their customer service that’s not an issue because we got given an amazing ranger talk ( their range stood chatting at one table that’s all ) ABSOLUTE SCAM !!!!!!

Took my daughter for the day .
The zoo itself was fine however the prices for refreshments were well overpriced £4 for a tea that wasn't very good ,,and selling slush puppy's cold drink for £15 a pop. Extaushion. Nothing less. Same drink at local shop £2-50 So anybody that's going there make sure you have plenty of cash to spend you will need it. Would I go again no I wouldn't unfortunately many of the animals were asleep or none existant. But each to there own,,you want opinions you've got one. Have a blessed day to all who read this. Oh and by the way bottles of bog water are priced from £3 to £3-50 so take some water with you out of your tap at home you will save alot.
Small cuddly toys £20 there more or less what you would win for a pound in a grabber machine at blackpool.
Some are £95.
Bubble machines are great though £20
Got one for my grandson proppa quality.
He loves it.

Over £200 pounds for tickets for us all, for a medioka experience. Got there 1st thing in morning and due to having young children, needed regular toilet trips, which meant we missed half of the zoo as it was closing time so didn’t even get chance to go into the green zone, meaning I missed out on the goats, peafowl, lions, butterflies and insects, black vultures, lemurs, Congo buffalo’s, chimps, orangutans and gibbons, camels, entire reptile section and jaguars, also didn’t have time to finish off the yellow section so missed half of that aswel

We had an amazing day here (May 2025) two adults & a 4 year old-
Very relaxed, well cared for animals, plenty to see, plenty of refreshments available, wonderful happy smiley, knowledgeable staff, wonderful enclosures full of enrichment, plenty of parking the list goes on!
We will absolutely be visiting again! Gift shop is pretty expensive but where isn’t!
We arrived at 10:45ish and left at 4 and still felt we had more to see- a wonderful family day out at the zoo with the animals welfare put first!

I ordered some tickets for the zoo however it was raining all day I tried to get a refund but they denied us. Our reason for the refund was the weather was awful raining non stop there was no shelter we got drenched through it. My worst experience I will post this all over social media so people can see what shit service CHESTER ZOO gives out. Worst zoo in uk. The animals are so old they look like they about to die. Some investigation is needed at Chester Zoo. They are a bunch of thieves.

After a few years I returned to chester zoo with my son, but unfortunately I am disappointed. Firstly the price of tickets was very expensive for 3 people £108.. secondly many places were excluded from the tour, every enclosure was almost empty - animals hidden. And shops and stores poorly stocked... very very many people I think there should be a limit on the number of visitors, the playground was poorly guarded - my son was pushed out of the queue by an adult man - and he was not with a child. I think you should work on the organization.
Magda with family

While the zoo is an educational experience it also appears to be a useful anthropology experiment showing human nature at its worst because of all the plastic crisp bags, cans and plastic bottles people have thrown around areas containing animals, and parents allowing kids to climb on exhibits.

I was very shocked at the price. The place is lovely and staff helpful but please please put better signs up we didn't see all the enclosures as the signs are not clear or consistent. Signs on the path to say which route you are on would be very helpful. The maps not easy yo read either. I think in the summer for a full day this would be amazing but take own food and have lots of time it us a lot of walking .

40 pound and no animals absolutely the biggest rip off, you want more people through the gates then charge less and you will make more less and less people will be able to go I see use closing in the near future feel sorry for the animals that are there. now the average family can scaresly afford to visit its 42 for alton towers, and let's be honestly most families can only choose 1 and it won't be Chester zoo it would be alton towers for that price

It is a great day out and animal conservation enclosures should be bigger ( better ) also what was a bit disappointing is the lack of animals in enclosures half of them are empty

Expensive and dissatisfied with out grandsons first experience where not many animals to show him on out visit .I complained by phone and email only to be fobbed off very dissatisfied and one of the shops at the zoo charging £ 1 for a straw to use for a child's drink

What a disgusting place this as become. My experience was from one year ago last march or april but i am writing my review now because my friend recently visited there and had a similar experience to me. Basically when i attended they stole from me, my niece is very tall for a 14yo but the server who was a blonde girl mid 20s, covered in spots seen me as a target she could scam with me being ill and struggling including to see what i was doing, it was my first time out since being bed ridden for four months and somebody does this to me, she was as rude and nasty as you can get when i said to her one adult and one child but she charged for 2 adults and then she said plus we put £8 charity fees on top of the entrance fee, so she stole about £15ish, and it probably went in her pocket at the end of the day, why would you steal for anybody else. Besides apart from giraffes and elephants the place was almost empty except for animals i could see at my local farm and then birds and insects i could see in the wild. I had to ask workers directions but they all grunted and walked away so dont expect much help from staff, they would probably have stepped over my body and ignored if i took ill again, that is how they made me feel. Over all the place left me feeling angry and upset because it was such a rotten day as i had to put a lot of effort into getting there with me having a terminal illness plus i thought it may even be one of my last days out the state i was in . Avoid the place at all costs if you are looking for a good day out, it as left such a bitter taste in my mouth i am writing a review nearly a year on.

3hr trip just to walk around and see enclosures without animals inside. Emaciated female lion, no snow leopard, no cheetah (thank goodness coz that enclosure is tiny), no jaguars. Spent the entire walk stuck behind 100's of strollers with no kids in. There is no management around to ensure proper flow in the enclosed habitat tunnels. Saw a young girl cleaning the men's bathroom while the men were using the urinals and an old mam cleaning the ladies toilet while they were in and out. Very dangerous! No organization, hardly any animals(definitely not 2500, not even close) 99%kids and strollers and empty enclosures. Way too packed. No quantity control. Under staffed. Disappointing experience. 2 stars for the tiger and penguins.

Total disappointment. We saw lots of enclosures that were simply empty. We went to a zoo but saw worn out land walking for ages to see nothing. Ordered a cheese burger and drink for £18. Flat cold. I mean totally cold. Took it back and the dim wit staff just stood expressionless. No refund. £85 for 2 of us to enter. What a complete waste of time and hard earned money

An amazing visit and day - definitely worth the visit.

Ignore the reviews about not being able to see any animals, there are plenty to see, 27,000 in fact!

They do a lot of conservation around the world and help protect endangered species too. Every penny spent there is worth it for animals around the world.

The place is great but i was disappointed when the staff refused to sell me an elephant 🐘