LONDON
FAMILY FUN IN THE BIG CITY CONT .
© ZSL London Zoo
London Zoo
Situated along the canalside in the outer circle of Regent ’ s Park , the London Zoo experience begins with your journey here , which is as varied and interesting as the inhabitants inside .
Dating back to 1828 , London Zoo is the world ’ s oldest scientific zoo , an incarnation which continues to underpin the zoo ’ s conservation efforts today . Following the relocation of the Tower of London ’ s menagerie in the early 1830 ’ s it opened to the public in 1847 and has been delighting visitors ever since .
Opening daily from 10am , visitors can plan their day around three cleverly laid out coloured trails , allowing you to factor in how much time you wish to spend and how much distance you wish to cover , whilst still picking your favourite animals to encounter .
Pink is for visitors wanting to see as much as possible and includes : giraffes , zebras , African hunting dogs , warthogs , okapi , pygmy hippos , lemurs , otters , and meerkats . You will then be able to take one or both of the other two routes too !
Blue is the shortest route and is perfect for those seeking a quick zoo fix ! Prepare to see western lowland gorillas , tigers , white colobus monkeys , whitenaped mangabeys , camels , various birds , and red river hogs .
The Orange route starts at the end of the Blue and can be added on to explore more of the zoo . This
route will take you past lions , penguins , llamas , langur monkeys , flamingos , donkeys , goats , porcupines , coatis , mongoose , vultures , pelicans , and macaws . And that ' s not forgetting the bug house , farm animals and reptile house along the way too !
With the littlest Ready obsessed with gorillas , the middle Potter-head wanting to visit ‘ Harry ’ s snake ’ and the giraffes , and the eldest wanting to revisit the penguins she had last seen nearly a decade before , we opted to follow all three routes , starting with the pink trail which immediately took us under the bridge and into Africa .
What followed was a day of jaw-dropping delight , echoes of ‘ wow ’; ‘ did you see …’; ‘ mum , mum , mum look !!!!’ interspersed with facts about at-risk species , habitats and breeding programmes .
The lemur walkthroughs , nighttime kingdom and big cats proved as big a hit as the giraffes and giant pythons !
There are also the added additions of fairground rides , face painting , playgrounds , and animal encounters available too , with ample snacks and hot food options should you not wish to pack a picnic .
Standard tickets start from £ 32.50 per adult and £ 21.12 per child with under 3 ’ s visiting for free .
www . zsl . org / zsl-london-zoo
Tower of London
Proudly guarding the north bank of the River Thames , the Tower of London , or to be officially correct ; ‘ Her Majesty ’ s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London ’ is a not-to-be-missed treasure trove of Royal history and actual treasure !
The best way to understand the varied history and legends is on a guided tour by one of the Tower ’ s resident Yeoman Warders , better known as ‘ Beefeaters ’. Instantly noticeable from their signature blue and red ER insignia uniforms , they will take you from outer walls to the depths of the dungeons on a guided walk full of anecdotes and historical facts , and a side order of comedic tour guide ; sharing stories from 1,000 years of intrigue , imprisonment , execution , torture , and of course , ravens and jewels !
With legend stating that the kingdom and Tower would fall if the six resident ravens leave the fortress , you ’ ll be sure to bump into at least one of the cheeky , noisy and intelligent birds as you wander the grounds . On our visit , one was taking its guarding job very seriously perched on the roped queuing area outside of the Crown Jewels building squawking at anyone who stepped out of line – who needs the Grenadier Guards !
Aside from keeping a lookout for Jubilee , Harris , Gripp , Rocky , Erin , Poppy , or Georgie ( they ’ re the Ravens not the Beefeaters !) you can delve into the dungeon and explore the imposing White Tower ; showcasing armour and formal dress of the former resident Kings ; and , of course , no trip here is complete without a visit to the actual Crown Jewels !
Having been stored and displayed at the Tower of London since 1661 , the Jewel House is home to the world famous Crown Jewels collection of some 23,578 gemstones . Prepare to be breathtakingly dazzled by diamonds , rubies , emeralds , and sapphires as you see ceremonial crowns , tiaras , coronets , challices , and more .
Tickets cost £ 29.90 for adults and £ 14.90 for children . Free Yeoman tours depart every 30 minutes starting at 10am .
www . hrp . org . uk / tower-of-london
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