Ultimate African Safari experience gearing up to open at Chester Zoo in August - here's what you need to know

Set to open in August, bookings for Chester Zoo’s highly anticipated 51-lodge wildlife experience, called The Reserve, went live last month giving animal lovers the chance to “sip your morning coffee while watching giraffes meander a few steps away”.

A variety of different lodges are available, sleeping up to nine, with some situated at the side of a lake and others offering spectacular views of a private savannah-style habitat, home to Northern giraffes.

Crafted using natural and sustainable materials, Chester Zoo hopes the lodges will help to fund its global conservation projects. The resort will also offer a restaurant, The Amboseli, and a lakeside terrace bar named Tsavo Lounge.

Three packages promising “animal encounters” are available - the Savannah Explorer Package, Savannah Adventurer Package and Savannah VIP Package. According to Chester Zoo, the Savannah Explorer is “the perfect choice for guests who want make the most of their time creating memories in the zoo coupled with luxury overnight stay in an oasis at the heart of the zoo”.

Though it is the cheapest of the three, the package isn’t cheap. When we searched for availability this August, we found that for a family of four in a Lakeside Lodge (two adults and two children aged between four and 15) from Monday 18 to Tuesday 19 was £960.50.

The stay includes breakfast, two day extended hours access to Chester Zoo, £25.00 dinner allowance per person to use in the Amboseli Restaurant, campfire stories and valet parking.

Prices are lower during the winter months, with the same package on Monday November 24 to Tuesday November 25 priced at £690.50.

When we checked availability today (February 26), the next available booking for the Savannah VIP Package - for a family of four - was Monday December 8 to Wednesday December 10 and priced at £1,471.56. The package includes:

• A two-night luxury lodge stay
• Breakfast each morning
• A three- day Extended Hours access to Chester Zoo
• Three-course dining experience per person, per stay in the Amboseli Restaurant (excludes drinks)
• Campfire Stories - an evening event set around the firepit on the lakeside terrace where you'll get the chance to hear expert conservation experiences from the field, plus activities to keep the children entertained. (slots bookable on arrival).
• Ranger guided evening Heart of Africa Safari tour where you'll get a peek into the evening activities of the resident species. Then go behind-the-scenes with the Giraffe Keeper Kitchen Experience, where you'll get hands-on with enrichment creation and learn all about giraffe care.
• An exclusive Giraffe Wake-up Experience where you'll join keepers to rouse the resident giraffe herd from their slumber, carry out morning preparations for breakfast and make their habitat ready for the day before releasing them out into the morning air. Please note this tour is not available for Children under 11 years old.
• Spend time with the zoo’s expert team on the Conservation In Action Experience where you'll enjoy an interactive behind-the-scenes look at the vital conservation and animal care work that goes on in the zoo, including an insight into live projects happening during your stay.
• Valet Parking

A next available weekend stay, from Friday December 12 to December 14, was priced at £1,795.95.

Speaking about the new resort, Jamie Christon, CEO of Chester Zoo said: There’s nothing else quite like The Reserve at Chester Zoo in the UK. It’s so much more than just a short break – it’ll provide guests with unforgettable experiences and bring them face-to-face with extraordinary animals, all while helping to protect the wild world and fund powerful conservation action.”

Bookings are available here.