We got there about 30 minutes after opening and asked the ticket people what is the "not miss" things. They said to go straight to the Heart of Africa and feed the giraffes. This was the BEST advice. Walking into the "Heart of Africa," there are little books. Make sure that you find these, as it will tell you what you are looking at. As we walked to the giraffe area, we were totally blown away. It was like walking into Jurassic Park, zoo-style. As you come around the corner, you get your first glimpse and it has wild animals walking all around you. You can't see most of the enclosures, so you really feel like you are just out there in the open with them.

We sat on the terrace by the food area for hours just enjoying watching things walk by. A really big bird tried to steal my food when I wasn't looking, but he didn't get it. There are birds flying overhead. The giraffes only really come in to eat first thing in the morning and we were fortunate to get there when one wanted something to eat.

The rest of the day was dreamy, like we had walked into a safari. You have to see it to believe it. You can also take the tram ride when your feet get tired and get a look at the animals on the far end of the park. There was so much to walk through and so much to see that we could have easily spent another day there.

When you enter the park, the first thing to do is take the train ride round the park (included in the price of your ticket). By doing this first you get a really good overview of the park. Be aware that many of the animals you see in the ride are not viewable from elsewhere in the park, so if you want to take photos, take them from the train. The train moves very slowly round the park and stops regularly to view animals close up. You get a tour guide on board who points out all of the animals and tells you what they are, their history, etc. The park is huge and the animals are pretty free to wander around -- many are a good distance from the train. Take a camera with a good zoom; a pair of binoculars will not go amiss either.

Once off the train, you can explore the rest of the park on foot. There are a few set walks that vary in length and walking ability, but all are worth doing. You can also visit places such as Lorikeet Landing, where you can buy a small container of nectar-type syrup and go into a large aviary housing the lorikeets. These beautiful birds will then happily sit on your hands, arms, and head until you run out of nectar, at which point they disown you very quickly and move onto their next food source.

You can also see the baby animals in the nursery. You can attend the bird-of-prey talks, where you get to see fantastic birds of prey up very close. There are many other exhibits dotted around the park . . . you basically have to wander round and find them all. The map they give you on entry is worth holding onto believe me.

The day we went it was extremely hot and we found it very tiring, but very worthwhile. The park has a world-wide reputation and you can understand why: it is huge and the majority of the animals wander as free as they can be without being in the wild. The park goes a long way to conserving endangered species and does the utmost to educate visitors as to the plights of the animals in its charge. You cannot help but be impressed by this place.

There are also plenty of toilets, restaurants, and drinks machines dotted around. If you love animals, then you will love this park.