London Zoo

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  • Mar-Oct 10:00 - 17:30 ; Nov-Jan 10:00 - 16:00 ; Feb-Mar 10:00 - 16:30

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Lonely Planet review

Established in 1828, these zoological gardens are among the oldest in the world. This is where the word 'zoo' originated. After a patchy period in the 1990s, London Zoo has become one of the most progressive in the world. The zoo is in the middle of a long-term modernisation plan and the emphasis is now firmly placed on conservation, education and breeding, with fewer species and more spacious conditions.

The newest developments have brought Gorilla Kingdom, an around £5.3 million project that involves a gorilla conservation programme in Gabon with the aim of providing habitat for Western gorillas and protecting them by providing the local communities and former poachers with work in the programme. The zoo now has three gorillas - Bobby, Zaire and Effie - who live on their own island, and their space measures 1600 sq m. They are fascinating and gentle creatures, with very distinct (and strong) personalities that are fantastic to observe. The Clore Rainforest Lookout and Nightzone is another excellent addition, with sloths, monkeys and other creatures wandering freely among the visitors inside the humid, tropical-climate room. The monkeys are especially happy to roam - they see it as their territory, so watch out!

The elegant and cheerful Penguin Pool, designed by Berthold Lubetkin in 1934, is one of London's foremost modernist structures, although the penguins didn't like it and are now bathing at a more ordinary round pool. The most popular penguin, Roxy Rockhopper - who likes to be picked up and cuddled - has her own myspace page: www.myspace.com/roxyrockhopper.

Other highlights include Butterfly Paradise, Into Africa and Meet the Monkeys. The Victorian bird house was scheduled to open at Easter 2008, after extensive renovations, and the big cats' living area is up for renovations in 2009.

A great way to visit the zoo is by canal boat from Little Venice or Camden, but you can also reach it by walking along the canal towpath. There's a delightful children's zoo, which is built almost entirely from sustainable materials, and busy programmes of events and attractions (like elephant bathing and penguin feeding) throughout the year.