Well with the current pandemic this trip is probably going to be put on hold for a bit but for the sake of knowledge I am curious to hear which zoos would be the best to visit in this region. This trip would have been a week in each city more likely that not and I would have been able to visit 1-2 nearby zoological facilities that are nearby each city. So a zoo with a nice diversity of species would be my preference. Currently I am looking into these zoos: ZSL London zoo ZSL Whipsnade zoo Marwell zoo Howlett’s wild animal park Chester zoo (This is a decently far zoo from London but I included it since I heard great things about it) Paris zoological park Jardin des Plantes Paris aquarium ZooParc de Beauval ( Another zoo that’s a bit far but I heard great things about it) So I know through Zootielistre that many of these facilities have a decent amount of species that I haven’t seen. So I ask the people who traveled Europe which of these or other zoos are worth to visit in the London-Paris area.
To be honest, I would swap Marwell out for Hamerton! The former is a bit of a slog from London and doesnt really have all that much to attract you methinks, whilst the latter will have a lot of oddities you have never seen and (as long as you don't mind a peaceful countryside walk from the nearest bus stop) is not as tricky to reach as many people think. A possible French addition would be Parc des Felins, which keeps a LOT of cat species absent or all-but-absent from North American collections and is just outside Paris.
If you're staying in/near London, Hamerton Zoo is a must-visit. It's a little difficult to get to by public transport, but well worth the trip. Honestly, unless you really need to see a lot of reptiles or the historical importance of the zoo is what you're looking for (and this might be controversial), I would avoid ZSL London. The zoo is in a sorry state, its aquarium closed and many birds not on show. Besides, ZSL Whipsnade has more to offer. Colchester is another zoo with much to offer in easy reach of London. For Paris, I would replace the aquarium with the Paris Zoo, but they are lacking in fish.
Already a lot of interesting choices! Hamerton has a lot of Australian species and Colchester seems pretty nice also. It sucks that this trip only allows for 1-2 zoos per city since they all look like good options.
This trip sounds absolutely great! My two favourite cities on Earth, bar none Anyway, you have a week in each city so I would make the most of it. Having lived in London for (almost) all my life, I reckon it is important to stress that a week is not enough to fully appreciate these great cities and their zoos, but enough to see a good deal of it, and I hope you thoroughly enjoy both cities. I have a few questions. Are you taking the Eurostar to get between the cities? It is faster in the long run (all the waiting at the airport + getting to and fro the airports) and a good deal more pleasant. Both Eurostar terminals in the respective cities are a delightful piece of architecture, with great transport links from them (especially in London), whereas the airports are fairly dull, crowded and isolated. Also, do you plan to prioritise zoo-going or sight-seeing? I feel as if London and Paris both have so much to offer generally that it would be a shame to miss out on a day of it for Marwell, or Paris Aquarium. Neither nor are extraordinary collections, and I would echo previous suggestions to visit Hamerton, it really is an extraordinary collection and not too difficult to get to by public transport, although it isn't easy. Parc des Felins is an excellent collection, with, notably for you from the states, Margays, Oncillas, Southern tigrinas are the interesting ones among an immense cat collection (with lots of subspecies of leopard other than Amur, as well ) Marwell, while it is a good zoo, has nothing particularly special that makes it worth forgoing a day in Hamerton or exploring London for, while Hamerton is, in my opinion, well worth it but then again moderately difficult to access. Howletts…. I don't know. Go if you really want, but what do you particularly want to see. It takes a full day from London, so another day gone. I also agree with @Mo Hassan that London zoo is not worth it if you have 1 week. personally, I'd go to either Whipsnade or Hamerton (or both, although if I was faced with a similar choice, I'd go for Hamerton, Whipsnade doesn't have a very special species list). I'm sorry if I've just made things more complicated. Chester is also going to be rather difficult because it is really a full day zoo, perhaps even more if one arrives late. What are you planning in this regard? A very long day trip, or flying to London and then to Liverpool? Not sure how this would work but if it is feasible, Chester is well worth it and an excellent collection, as is Beauval, which seems to bring up a similar problem, especially in terms of public transport, by which it is only accessibly via a pretty cryptic bus service. Paris zoo I would say is worth it. I would suggest going to the Paris Natural history museum (both the Grande Galerie and the gallery of compared anatomy and paleontology), the Menagerie and the Paris zoo in the same day. It is really a stretch but there is so much else to do in Paris... Alternatively you could try going to the Jardin des plantes and museums on a separate day to the zoo and seeing Notre Dame and surrounding attractions on the same day as the Zoo. Parc des Felins is a difficult one because you have a limited time, but if you really want to and like Disney, you could also fit in Disneyland on that day I guess...? I don't know how fast you are at visiting places, and what you would find interesting. I've never visited Disneyland Paris (not my cup of tea) but I think it might just be feasible if you cook up a very sturdy plan in terms of transport between the places. I'm wondering whether it might be worth renting a car for the last two days in Paris to see Beauval and PdF and wherever else. Sorry if I'm rambling, I've just realised how long my post is! I get a little carried away with these things, these being by favourite two cities and all . Don't hesitate to DM me if you want any help/advice as I know both cities quite well (a pair of grandparents live in one and I have lived forever in the other), so feel free to do so, I would be very happy to be of service, travel is my thing! Hope your trip goes really well
The priority is sight seeing since 1.) It will be my first time in Europe and 2.) My family is coming with me so I can't just go on a zoo tour of both countries hence why the agreed limit was 1-2 zoos a city. Eurostar is probably going to be used. Since I live in California, we are not going to spend a day in Disneyland in France when we could theoretically do the same thing but do a 5-6 hour drive. I like the suggestions and after looking into Hamerton I think it will be worth the drive plus scenic countryside views are great for vacations. So right now I am thinking I will go to these zoos London Hamerton park zoo (Unusual and rare Australian animals and other small mammals) ZSL Whipsnade (Ungulates galore and some European subspecies) Paris Paris zoological park (West African giraffe, Guinea baboon, Manatee, Unusual lemurs, South American sea lion, European herps) I'm unsure which zoo I should go to since all of them seem great. Is there one that should be visited over the others?
I'd advise you to go to the Jardin de Plantes for its interesting collection of museums (don't miss the extinct animals in the Galerie de Evolution) and the Menagerie. The gardens have/had a roundabout with models of extinct animals.
Here is a list of Paris collections and their various merits: Paris Zoo : Interesting species: Woolly monkey, Chilean puma, Antillean manatee, Red-backed bearded saki, Bush dog, European wolverine, Eurasian otter, Midas tamarin, Greater bamboo lemur, Grey-handed night monkey, Brown capuchin, Kordofan giraffe, Iberian wolf, Northern bamboo lemur, Northern lynx, South American fur seals and sea lions, Western baboon, some interesting bird species and a few European herps which could be lifers. Interesting exhibits/history: It has a large hollow mountain near the African and European exhibits which holds a water tower inside it which is still in use. There is also a large glass-roofed rainforest house with some South American and Madagascan exhibits inside it. The exhibits are generally quite nice and the whole thing was renovated quite recently. Paris Menagerie: Interesting mammalian species: Arabian oryx, Central Chinese goral, Common rock squirrel, Corsac fox, Dusky pademelon, Goodfellow's tree kangaroo, Himalayan blue sheep, Indian gaur, Lowland anoa, Negros warty pig, North Chinese leopard, North Luzon giant cloud rat, Yellow-throated marten, Rocky Mountain goat, Pallas' cat, Sichuan takin, Tajik markhor, Transcapian urial, Western woylie. Interesting exhibits: It is an example of a really old zoo that has so much history and has essentially kept it on display. I think if one wants to see a really old zoo, one should go to Paris Menagerie instead of ZSL London, because more of the history remains. However, I should want you that some of the exhibits are not very suited to modern times and it probably isn't best to have the menagerie as your first European zoo visit. Parc des Felins: Interesting species: Amur leopard cat, Arabian sand cat, Central Asian lynx, Geoffroy's cat, Gordon's wildcat, Indochinese leopard cat, Jaguarundi, Jungle cat, Northern lynx, Oncilla, Persian leopard, Pallas' cat, Southeast Asian golden cat, Southern tigrina, Sri Lankan leopard, Rusty-spotted cat, Tibetan golden cat, Yucatan margay. All in large and good enclosures. Difficult to get to without a car Thoiry Animal Park (added this in just in case it had something interesting): Interesting (mammalian) species: Arabian oryx, Eurasian harvest mouse, Wisent, Indian gaur, Kordofan giraffe, Lac Aloatra bamboo lemur, Lowland anoa, North Chinese leopard, Red lechwe, Siberian lynx, Somali wild ass, Spectacled bear, Tonkean macaque. Mostly nice enclosures, Half safari, so you'd kind of need a car (to get there, as well as see many of the hoofstock exhibits). ZooParc de Beauval: Interesting species: Well, by the time you go, the douc langurs may have (fingers crossed) arrived, and of course refer to @Antoine's very thorough list on the Beauval news thread, which covers about all of it. It is the best zoo of the group I have posted on, (although it does depend on whether one loves cats or not), and is spectacular in some respects. It has a large Dome full of rainforest animals, a hippo aviary, a Chinese exhibit area and a fair amount else. If you visit Chester and Beauval, you will have seen the best two zoos from these two countries. However, it is important to note that it is difficult to get to Beauval without a car - the bus system is cryptic even for me, and I have taken it multiple times and speak French fluently(ish )! Anyway, I'm glad you are taking the Eurostar and I hope you can choose which ones you will visit from that. If you aren't going to rent a car, the decision has been made for you! Only two are feasible (really) without a car. If your family is up to it, Beauval and PdF especially are very rewarding visits and the jewels in the crown of French zoos. I hope I have made the decision slightly easier for you, although I am aware I have just complicated things, and if I have, sorry Fair enough with Disney, I have never got the point of it personally . I think your British zoo decisions are the best you can make if you really do have time, but I would prioritise Hamerton if your family doesn't feel like visiting 4 zoos in 14 days. The upside of the Menagerie in Paris is that it is a relatively short visit and can be combined with the Natural History Museums. I would advise to also visit the Galerie d'Anatomie Comparee et de Paleontologie as well as the Grande Galerie if you do spend time there, it really emphasises the massive collections Paris and London accumulated through their empires and explorers. Le Zoo de Vincennes (Paris zoo) can also be combined with Notre Dame or something else via the Metro Ligne 1, which is also the modern line and passes quite close to both attractions. Sorry for such a long post again, I do really get carried away .
Understatement of the year... If you like ornithology then Colchester is not the place to go at all. Penguins, ratites, cranes, birds of prey, flamingos, and weavers were the highlights.
If you plan in visiting Whipsnade, don't go by public transport - the bus schedule is awful, the last bus to leave the collection is in the early afternoon, leaving very little time to see the biggest zoo in the UK. Best to either rent a car for that day, or hire a taxi to get there and back. Luton or Luton Airport Parkway are probably the closest train stations, with direct trains to and from London St Pancras International. The journey by taxi should take 30-40 minutes.
I generally take the bus there and a taxi back, although once or twice I've missed it/it hasn't come/the schedule has been so cryptic I couldn't figure it out and have to go by taxi there and back.
Well, as a usual Paris' visitor I think you may still concentrate on the town center as there are so much to do and see. A week will not be enough (it was the same for me in London even with 8 days in !). If you have a day to spend for zoo I recommend you to combinated Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes and Paris Zoo. You must pay attention to opening hours but in summer it is possible : The two parks are not so large and not so far from each other. You must start with the Menagerie and finish with Zoo as the opening hours are larger. If you have more time you can visit the Natural History Museum of course and have a look at Aquarium de la Porte Dorée (because the palace where it is located is very pretty and the fish collection is interesting).
