The very highlight of our recent Easter half term: the ultimate sleepover which, at the same time was one of the best bonding moments with my 5 year old daughter.
While my other half Justin @alldadstalk & our eldest Lucas made the best of their time at Whipsnade Zoo on a separate trip a week after I went with our middle child, Amelie, here’s all about it…
First and foremost, you must know that when you choose a family day out (or night in) at any of the ZSL zoos, you are not only learning or having great fun, but you’re helping animals around the world – in a big way! This place is more than a zoo, Whipsnade Zoo are part of ZSL (Zoological Society of London) – @officialzsl on Instagram – a global conservation charity, made of teams of scientists, conservationists, rangers and community workers around the world helping to protect wildlife and restore their habitats.
Whipsnade Zoo is a hub of conservation activity, working on massive projects such as crucial breeding programmes for endangered wildlife like the scimitar-horned oryx to native species conservation on their lovely 600-acre site.
Arriving at the Zoo when most people are getting ready to return home was rather an interesting start to our overnight adventures. Drinks upon arrival, followed by a sunset tour, great dinner and a torch-lit night tour before sleeping in a comfy lodge! Breakfast and a morning tour to finish off in style! I know I already mentioned this, but it truly was of the best bonding experiences I had with my 5 year old in a while! There are more than 10,000 animals to discover at Whipsnade Zoo, and Amelie had 10,000 questions 😉
Here’s where you can find full details of what is included in the overnight zoo experience.
Did you know that the greater one-horned rhino is restricted to less than a dozen protected areas, scattered across north and north-eastern India and southern Nepal? Poaching and the loss of their grassland and wetland habitat have left just 3,700 rhinos alive today…During our sunset tour, as part of our amazing overnight stay, we learnt that a rhino eats up to 50-60kg of grass a day!!!
ZSL is driven by science, working everyday to restore wildlife in the UK and around the world. Last but never least…Don’t forget, when you visit a zoo, you have the chance to see and learn about amazing species, many of them endangered or already extinct so you’re helping to support ZSL’s vital conservation work around the world.
