Famous Zoo In Cambridge: Everything to Know

When you think of Cambridge, what is the first image that comes to your mind? Maybe you think of the University of Cambridge or the royal family. A zoo in Cambridge is probably the last thing you think about.

However, the zoos in Cambridgeshire are as impressive as any other attraction in the region. If watching animals on Discovery Channel has made you curious, head on to these zoos and appreciate the marvels of nature. And some of these zoos even have exclusive activities for their visitors.

If you’ve been considering visiting a zoo in Cambridge, this article is for you. We will give you the Ultimate Guide for visiting the most famous zoo in Cambridge – the Linton Zoo. Here is the roadmap for planning a magical day with your animal friends.  

But wait, there’s more. As a bonus, we’ll even introduce you to some of the other great zoos in the region. If you’re a massive fan of wildlife, you can visit all these places and have your fill. 

If this sounds exciting, then keep on reading to find out more!

1. The Famous Zoo In Cambridge – Linton Zoo

The Linton Zoo Conservation Park in Cambridgeshire is a beautiful place to spend time with nature. While the zoo is open to curious visitors and animal enthusiasts, its primary focus is the breeding and conservation of animals. 

It is spread over 18 acres of greenery and woodlands. Animals that have made this zoo their home include magnificent big cats such as the African lion, Amur Tiger and snow leopards.  Other animals include zebras, hornbills, storks, parrots and owls. There are also many varieties of tortoises and reptiles in the zoo.

And this zoo even has an exhibit of extinct dinosaurs like brachiosaurs. If Jurassic Park is one of your all-time favourite movies, you cannot miss out on this part of the zoo.

It takes a visitor around 2 hours to finish touring this place. Of course, if you’re in the mood to watch every animal closely, you could be in the zoo till its closing time. One great thing about this zoo is that most places are accessible to people who use wheelchairs.

1.1 Tickets and Admission

The admission ticket is free for babies under two years of age. For anyone older, the prices vary depending on your age group. If you want to find a zoo in Cambridge that will give you an excellent experience for a reasonable price, look no further than Linton Zoo.

It is always a better idea to pre-book your tickets. Otherwise, you might lose your chance to visit if the tokens run out. The admission fee is collected at the zoo itself. Please show them your booking info and pay the fees using cash or debit/credit cards.

You can also buy their season tickets for a slightly higher price than these tickets. This will give you unlimited access to the zoo for up to one year. 

They will even send you regular newsletters, keeping you updated about new animal friends that come by or the latest events they are planning. Another plus point of season tickets is that you get a pretty good discount at other zoos in Cambridge.

If you bring a child under 14 years old, ensure they are always with an adult guardian. A point to remember while visiting these animal friends is that you’re not allowed to bring any pets to the zoo.

1.2 Experiences

You can’t miss this if you’re an animal enthusiast who wants to do more than watch and wave at these lovely creatures. The Linton Zoo offers a few remarkable experiences for people of different age groups. 

This zoo in Cambridge is very passionate about educating people about animals. They use these experiences to give you insider info about animals and zookeeping.

1.2.1 Keeper Experiences

If your child is obsessed with animals, this is a good chance for them to learn and enjoy at the same time. 

This is a one-and-a-half-hour experience for children between 8 and 13 years. Children who book this experience will help feed and clean selected animals. They will also help out with educational talks organized at the zoo.

But remember that your child needs to be with an adult when they come for this experience. The guardian can even participate in some fun with the little ones. It sounds like an excellent way to make fantastic childhood memories.

After a fun day playing with animals like lemurs, tortoises, birds and kangaroos, they can tour the rest of the zoo. Further, they will even get goodie bags to take home. 

Besides all these benefits, the little kiddos will get a certificate of participation for their hard work. They’ll even be able to sponsor their favourite lemur in the zoo.

Any child who likes animals will indeed have a great time. A bonus of this experience is that they will learn the responsibilities of zoo keepers and the importance of animal conservation.

1.2.2 Adult Keeper Experiences

You were wrong if you thought the zoo didn’t plan anything fun for adults.

The Linton Zoo also offers a similar experience for those above 14. Those who take up the adult keeper experience will also have the same perks as children. You can feed and care for animals, tour the zoo and get some goodie bags.

And if you want an even closer interaction, the zoo also offers a VIP experience for two adults over the age of 14 years. You can have some quality one-on-one time with selected animals from the zoo.

1.2.3 Fanatical About Felines

If big cats have always fascinated you, this opportunity is strictly for you. This experience will let you interact with the big cats in Linton Zoo, like the tigers, lions or snow leopards.

The only condition is that you need to be an 18-year-old adult. This memorable experience for limited participants occurs on weekdays when the zoo is closed. 

You will learn about the work of caretakers and even feed these majestic creatures. That is something to boast about for the rest of your life.

After the experience, you will be served food and drinks and can tour the zoo. You will also get photographs of this memory and gift bags from the zoo.

1.2.4 Private Access

If you want to have fun with your company or family, this might be a good option for a day out.

This experience lets 20 people have exclusive private access to the zoo on a day off. The experience also includes delicious meals and drinks for the group. 

You will get a private guided tour of all the beautiful creatures. You can even get close to animals like lemurs and visit your favourite spots repeatedly.

1.3 Cafes and Playgrounds

The experiences offered by Linton Zoo make it stand out compared to other zoos in Cambridge. But this is not the only highlight of this zoo.

This place also has a cafe serving delicious warm meals. The restaurant also functions as a gift shop for the zoo. If you want to preserve your memories of this trip, don’t forget to check out this place. The gift shop has many things like fossils, keychains, semi-precious stones, toys, etc. 

You can even buy food from the cafe, have a small picnic with your group or family, or enjoy your food in the garden. Picnicking is restricted to the areas designated for it.

And if the little kids want more fun, there are even playgrounds and bouncy castles.

Location: Hadstock Road, Linton, Cambridgeshire 

2. Some Other Zoos In Cambridge

We thought you might be curious about what other zoo to head on to after you’ve had fun at Linton. So here’s some info about other famous zoos in Cambridge that you could visit. 

2.1 Shepreth Wildlife Park

You can see many different animals, birds and insects at Shepreth  Wildlife Park. There are otters, lemurs, red pandas, tigers and meerkats to see and learn about.

Moreover, they even have different types of VIP animal experiences. You can meet their red pandas, tortoises, otters or even capybara. You can meet these animals in person and even feed them with your hands. 

This zoo also offers keeper experiences for children of different ages. Shepreth Park even organizes Keeper Talks. This helps the visitors to learn new and exciting facts about the animals.

In addition, there are play areas for kids, such as Ringo’s and Outside Play areas. And if your stomach is rumbling, head to Ringo’s Cafeteria for a hearty meal.

Location: Station Road, Shepreth, Cambridgeshire

2.2 Raptor Foundation

The Raptor Foundation has been committed to protecting birds for years. The main goal of this place is to take care of wounded raptors. After they are nursed back to health, they are released into the wild. The foundation also protects those raptors that cannot be released into the wild anymore. 

You can see flying displays and fantastic animals like reptiles and meerkats here. They also do many kinds of experiences and courses. 

2.2.1 Experiences

If you’ve always been curious about meerkats, check out their 30-minute Meerkat Experience. You can feed and pet them and even get your photo clicked with them. But this experience is only available for those 12 years old or above.

But don’t worry if this age criterion is a problem. The Meet the Birds experience comes in two packages – for those above ten years of age and another container for those younger. 

2.2.2 Courses

You can get close to eagles, owls and other amazing birds of Raptor Foundation. You may even fly some of them in the Flying Displays we discussed earlier. 

Besides this, the Raptor Foundation even conducts a Five-day Falconry Course. You can learn more about how to take off these beautiful birds, the equipment needed and much more.

2.2.3 Parties

If your child will have their birthday soon, you could even book one of the kids’ parties available at Raptor Foundation. They have different options, such as the Birds of Prey Party or the Craft Activity Party. You can bring up to 15 children, which is entirely free for the parents of the birthday kid.

Spending time with birds and animals is a unique and fun way to celebrate your birthday. Rest assured, your child will never forget such an awesome birthday party.

Location: The Heath, St. Ives Rd, Woodhurst, Huntingdon

If you love animals, you can’t miss out on taking a trip to these zoos in Cambridge.  

Zoo visits are not just about having fun or seeing cute animals. Visiting zoos also helps you learn about all these animals and makes you more aware of the need to protect them.

Taking your children to the zoo might be a great way to teach them kindness to other beings. And if you can do it in a fun way using the experiences or courses offered by these zoos, then even better.