Ever wondered what it's like to sleepover at the Zoo? Well BedBUGS is the sleepover with a difference...

The perfect sleepover for young explorers aged 7-11 years, guests get to stay overnight in the BUG house at ZSL London Zoo, have a torchlight tour and get woken up to the sounds of our residents! There are activities, a night tour, breakfast, a morning tour and access to the Zoo for the day after your stay all included!

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Your experience includes

• Dedicated hosts for the evening
• An amazing animal talk
• A torch lit tour of the Zoo
• Activities for the evening
• Goody bags for the children
• T-shirt to take home for all children 
• Hot drinks for the adults all evening
• Access to the Zoo the day after your stay
• A continental breakfast
• Morning tour of the Zoo before it opens to the public

As well as checking out the residents in BUGS we'll make sure everyone is kept busy right up until bedtime. There will be lots of activities which includes an animal talk, a tour and activities - all animal themed of course!

 You will be sleeping in our BUGS house BUGS stands for B.U.G.S! (Biodiversity Underpinning Global Survival) and is the Zoo’s cutting edge biodiversity and Conservation exhibit. It is the main place where invertebrates – animals without backbones – are displayed in the Zoo, including insects, spiders, millipedes and lots of other creepy crawlies! B.U.G.S! is designed to explain what biodiversity - quite simply the variety of life on the planet - is all about, and why we need to conserve it.

The exhibit is quite large and you will be given a designated sleeping area for your group when you arrive.

Bathroom facilities

There are bathrooms located just outside the BUGS building but there are no showers available for this experience.

Accessibility

Please get in touch with our Supporter Services Team either via email experienceenquiries@zsl.orgor on the phone on 0344 225 1826 to discuss arrangements regarding accessibility. You will be sleeping on mats on the floor so please bear this in mind too.

Capacity

Each sleepover can accomodate a maximum of 60 participants. Children must be aged between 7-11 years old and need to be accompanied by an adult on the experience.

Are any of the bugs loose in the building?

All of our animals in BUGS are safely behind glass so they won't bother you. However, you are ultimately in a bug house so we would not recommend attending the sleepover if you are extremely scared of bugs and insects.

Sleeping in BUGS

Your group will sleep in BUGS, with everyone else attending the sleepover. Please ensure you read the FAQs regarding sleeping arrangements before you book.

BedBugs sleepovers run on select dates from January until November. All of the prices displayed are based on a per person basis, discounts are available for youth/organised groups.

We run public BedBUGS sleepovers on various dates throughout the year which can be booked below.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE NOW

We can arrange private BedBUGS sleepovers too! Please contact us on 0344 225 1826 or experienceenquiries@zsl.org if you would like to look into a private date. Children need to be aged between 7-11 years old. The itinerary is the same on public and private dates.

Prices

Prices

Full payment is required at the time of booking. However, we are happy to accept a £500 deposit for groups with over 20 children, and final payment is required six weeks before the sleepover. Please call 0344 225 1826 to discuss further.

Discounts

Please note that discounts cannot be used in conjunction with each other.

Do members get a discount?

Members get a 10% discount on tickets.

Can I pay a deposit or do I need to pay the full fee when booking?
If your group size is under 20 children, you will need to pay the full balance when booking.

If your group has more than 20 children, we will accept a £500 deposit for an agreed number of children. The remaining balance needs to be settled in full at least six weeks before the date of your sleepover.

Can I use Tesco Clubcard Vouchers to pay for Gir Lion Lodge?

Tesco vouchers are only accepted for general admission tickets (excluding car entry) when purchased on the day of your visit at the main gate. They cannot be used as payment for BedBugs sleepovers or any other ZSL experiences.

Can I spend the day in the Zoo before/after the sleepover?
Full day entry into ZSL London Zoo (on day of departure) is included in your BedBugs ticket price. The sleepover will finish at 10am in the morning, and you are welcome to spend the rest of day exploring the Zoo at your leisure!

Is there somewhere to store our bags whilst we visit the Zoo?
There is a room where you can store your bags after the night of your stay whilst you visit the Zoo you can then pick them up when you leave.

What dates are the sleepovers running on?

​Please visit the Prices and Booking page.

We can only accommodate a maximum of 60 people per sleepover so places are very limited.

We can also run exclusive sleepovers for a fixed fee and your group size would need to be a maximum of 60 people. Please contact us on 0344 225 1826 or experienceenquiries@zsl.org to discuss further.

What are the age restrictions?
Sleepovers are aimed at 7-11 year olds. We can be flexible with the upper age, but due to health and safety reasons we are unable to allow anyone younger than seven years old on the experience. The accompanying adult must be over the age of 18 years old.

What will we do during the sleepover?

Please see the experience page

What group sizes are allowed?
The minimum size of a group must be one child and one adult, although please be aware that this experience is suited to slightly bigger groups. We recommend a minimum group size of two/three children, plus accompanying adult.

If you are looking to attend with a smaller group, you may be interested in our Gir Lion Lodge experience at ZSL London Zoo.

Please ensure you have at least one adult per five/six children. The number of adults per group can never exceed the number of children.

What are the sleeping arrangements?
You will be allocated a sleeping area for the group you have booked with. There are toilets nearby for the groups to get changed in. All groups need to have an adult with them throughout the night.

How many adults will be required?
We recommend one adult for every five-six children and two adults for seven-ten children.
If you are attending a public sleepover as a family we will allocate your sleeping areas in the groups you have booked - each family group will have their own separate designated sleeping area.

What if the adult accompanying the group is not the parent or legal guardian?
We ask that the adult(s) attending complete the adult consent form and brings it with them on the night of the sleepover. 

What do I need to bring with me to the sleepover?

• Clothes to sleep in
• Sleeping bag and a pillow
• Camping mat
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• An evening snack and drink
• A torch
• Jacket or heavy jumper for the night tour 

We strongly recommend you do not bring things with you that are of financial or sentimental value.

• For health and safety reasons we ask that you do not bring inflatable mattresses or camp beds.

Do we bring pyjamas?
We ask that you bring clothes that you are happy to sleep in whilst bearing in mind that there is always the chance we may need to evacuate the building during the evening if there is an emergency. In the slightly colder months (September - November), participants may wish to bring an extra blanket or fleece to wear in bed.

Do we bring food with us?
Each person should bring an evening snack and soft drink with them. We suggest that everyone has dinner before arriving at the Zoo as the evening break will not be until approximately 20:30pm. You will be given a simple breakfast in the morning, which usually consists of a croissant, yogurt, cereal, fruit and drink. Breakfast is included in the price.

Are we allowed to bring a birthday cake?
You are more than welcome to bring a birthday cake with you, however we are not allowed to use candles in BUGS. Please contact us at experienceenquiries@zsl.org to let us know if you would like to bring a cake. Please note we are unable to provide plates/cutlery/napkins.

Can I bring a child who has additional needs?
Yes, we welcome participants with special needs. Please be aware it is your responsibility to ensure that any child with special needs is capable of getting the most from the events and they are able to cope in an environment with lots of other children. Do let us know if you are planning on bringing along a child or children with special needs and we will do all we can to ensure that their needs are met wherever possible you can contact us on experienceenquiries@zsl.org or call 0344 225 1826.

When do we need to arrive and how do we get there?
Participants will be allowed entry into the Zoo for the sleepover at 19:00pm, so please try not to arrive earlier than 5 minutes before the start time as you'll need to wait outside. However, please ensure you are on time as we won’t be able to wait for you as there is a tight schedule. Please visit zsl.org/visit/London-zoo for directions to the Zoo. The nearest tube stations are Camden Town (15 minute walk) or Baker Street (15 minute bus ride on 274). Please note that Regent's Park tube station is a 25-minute walk from the Zoo.

Can I drive to the sleepover?
Yes, if you are an accompanying adult participating in the sleepover you are welcome to park in our visitors car park for free. Once you enter the Zoo you will not be allowed to revisit your car until the sleepover finishes at 10.00am.

Will I get any sleep during the night?
Due to the excitement of the evening and the number of people in the room, we cannot guarantee you will get a good night’s sleep, however we do encourage groups to keep the noise to a minimum once lights are off.

What are the responsibilities of the accompanying adult?
We require at least one adult per five/six children. The adult will be responsible for the group throughout the entire event.

They are expected to:

• Ensure your group adheres to the rules set out in the health and safety briefing
• Ensure all children in your group are the correct age (between 7-11 years old)
• Ensure your group keeps together throughout the evening, and keeps up with your host during the tours of the Zoo
• Address the behaviour of children in your group if they are impacting on the enjoyment of other participants
• Ensure your group doesn’t disturb those who are sleeping, in particular keeping the noise down once the lights are off

What do I need to do if I need to cancel / amend my booking?
If you need to reduce numbers or cancel your booking you must tell us at least 14 days before the date of your visit.
We cannot accept cancellations or reductions in numbers within 14 days of your visit date. You will be asked to pay the full cost of the places you have booked.
You can increase your group number for BedBugs at any time, provided places are still available. If you are collecting ticket fees from large groups please bear these booking terms in mind and allow enough time to tell us about any changes in numbers. We are unable to confirm a booking until full payment has been received.

Will the ZSL staff be DBS checked?
The members of staff who sleep over and facilitate BedBUGS are DBS-checked and there will be at least one first aider onsite at all times.

Any other questions?
Please email us at experienceenquiries@zsl.org or call 0344 225 1826