brown coated monkey on branch

Where can you see Monkeys in the United Kingdom?

Travel & Explore·
Things to do
·0 Comments·2 mins read·

While the UK doesn’t have wild monkeys (other than the famous ones in Gibraltar), there are several fantastic places where you can see monkeys in wildlife parks, zoos, and sanctuaries across the country—many offering up-close experiences.

Contents hide
1 🐵 1. Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre (Dorset)
2 🐒 2. Trentham Monkey Forest (Staffordshire)
3 🦧 3. Twycross Zoo (Leicestershire)
4 🐒 4. Edinburgh Zoo
5 🐵 5. Chester Zoo (Cheshire)
6 🐒 6. Bristol Zoo Project (formerly Wild Place Project)
7 🐒 Honourable Mentions:
7.1 🦧 Looking for Something Interactive?

Here are the top places to see monkeys in the UK:

🐵 1. Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre (Dorset)

📍 Near Wareham, Dorset
🎟️ Adult tickets from ~£19
A world-renowned primate rescue centre home to over 250 rescued monkeys and apes, including chimpanzees, gibbons, capuchins, macaques, and more.

  • Huge enclosures
  • Great for conservation education
  • Perfect for families

🔗 monkeyworld.org

🐒 2. Trentham Monkey Forest (Staffordshire)

📍 Near Stoke-on-Trent
🎟️ From £11.50 adults
Walk through a 60-acre woodland where 140 free-roaming Barbary macaques live without cages or barriers.

  • No feeding or touching, but amazing photo opportunities
  • Educational talks throughout the day
  • Family-friendly and totally unique in the UK

🔗 monkey-forest.com

🦧 3. Twycross Zoo (Leicestershire)

📍 Atherstone, Leicestershire
🎟️ From £22.95
Twycross is known as the UK’s primate zoo, with the most species of monkeys and apes in the country.

  • Gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees, orangutans, and dozens of monkey species
  • Focus on breeding and conservation

🔗 twycrosszoo.org

🐒 4. Edinburgh Zoo

📍 Edinburgh, Scotland
🎟️ From £20 adults
Home to squirrel monkeys, colobus monkeys, and geladas, plus a huge variety of other animals.

  • Set on a hillside with beautiful views
  • Also home to UK’s only giant pandas (until 2023)

🐵 5. Chester Zoo (Cheshire)

📍 Chester
🎟️ From £24
One of the UK’s top zoos, with spectacular enclosures for a wide range of primates including mandrills, capuchins, gibbons, and spider monkeys.

  • Award-winning habitats
  • Great for full family days out

🐒 6. Bristol Zoo Project (formerly Wild Place Project)

📍 Just outside Bristol
🎟️ From £15
Set in open countryside, the zoo houses geladas, lemurs, and small monkeys in spacious, naturalistic enclosures.

🐒 Honourable Mentions:

  • Howletts Wild Animal Park (Kent) – Excellent for gorillas and monkeys
  • Marwell Zoo (Hampshire) – Colobus and tamarins
  • Paignton Zoo (Devon) – Great mix of monkey species in a lovely setting
  • Highland Wildlife Park (Scotland) – Japanese macaques in a cold-climate enclosure

🦧 Looking for Something Interactive?

Some locations offer:

  • Keeper talks
  • Feeding demonstrations
  • Behind-the-scenes tours or experiences (check in advance—often limited and bookable)