A compact, hands-on zoo in Kilkenny where keepers bring out snakes, lizards, tortoises and crocodilians for encounters you can touch.
Every hour from 11am to 5pm a zookeeper hosts a public Animal Encounter, where you can learn about and often touch several of the creatures. Tickets are valid for the full day with no time limit, so you can catch more than one.
Upgrade your visit with a private encounter, priced from €65 to €210 depending on group size, or one of the zoo's VIP experiences for a more personal meeting with the animals.
The collection spans reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates — snakes, crocodilians, tortoises, spiders, and amphibians such as axolotls, salamanders and dart frogs. Look out for the Curiosity Wall of in-house research projects.
Children get a playground and soft play area, and the site is wheelchair accessible with accessible parking, entrance, seating and toilet. Plan around an hour or make a whole day of it.
Grab a coffee, drink or snack at the on-site café, the Explorer's Mess, then browse the shop for reptile-themed gifts.
The zoo runs curriculum-linked education workshops (at the zoo, outreach or virtual), July summer camps for ages 9–13 at €150 per child, and seasonal events such as Biodiversity Week in May, Space Week in October and after-hours Wild Wednesday tours.
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