Our family has been meaning to visit Ark Avilon Zoo ever since it opened it’s first branch at Montalban, Rizal. Somehow, we never got the chance to do so. This was why it was a welcome surprise to find out that my son’s preschool class has scheduled a trip to Ark Avilon, in Tiendesitas. Though i heard from friends that the one in Tiendesitas is smaller, it was more convenient to take small children there instead.
As a parent, me and my fellow Moms had high expectations. To our youngsters, just the promise of seeing the animals is enough to excite them.
We were scheduled to start our tour at nine o’clock in the morning. Anticipating the traffic, we left a couple of hours early to be there on time. True enough, there was heavy traffic along Katipunan, all the way to Libis. Still, we arrived thirty minutes before opening. The Zoo’s facade is very appealing. You just have to make sure that your child knows the concept of the story of Noah’s ark before taking him there. That way, it will be more fun and interesting for him while he tours the zoo, discovering all the animals.
The zoo’s lobby was very nice. The kids saw a couple of birds feeding as well as guinea pigs, turtles and rabbit that were for sale. These animals were not in cages and the children were encouraged to observe without touching them. Good thing the kids were all well behaved or we would have bought everything that they touched 🙂
Though there was one bird that they were encouraged to touch, without having to pay for it. My son quickly obliged 🙂
Once inside, we were treated to a colorful display of toys and other knick knacks. There were stuffed animals, slippers, pencil cases and animal figures too. The prices are also affordable, ranging from one hundred to three hundred pesos for each of the stuffed animals.
And being kids, they all momentarily forgot the animals as they were all hooked on choosing which toy and souvenir to buy 🙂
We were the first group to visit the zoo that day and so there was still a very relaxed atmosphere in the venue. A guided tour soon followed after our group was divided into two.
To my son’s delight, the first animal that we saw was the white tiger.
The word fascinated is not enough to describe my son’s reaction to the tiger. He was simply rooted in his place. We were still in front of the tiger’s cage even after our group has moved on to the next animal. Truth be told, he was okay to go home already after seeing the tiger 🙂
The other animals that we saw after that did not interest him much anymore, except for the crocodile. But then, the crocodile was sleeping and he wondered and asked me a couple of times if the crocodile was dead 🙂
The zoo also has it’s most famous celebrity. And for the Tiendesita’s branch, it is “Jenny” the Orangutan. For only fifty bucks, guests can sit beside Jenny and have a photo with her.
Aside from Jenny,there are also photo opportunities with the other selected animals.
Although the photo sessions did not appeal to my young explorer, he most definitely enjoyed feeding the rabbits. Carrots and leafy vegetables are on sale for forty pesos per piece. A tad too pricey, i might say, as you can buy these at the market for a much lower price.
The feeding station is located at the second level of the zoo. It is also where the goats are kept, and so it was a bit smelly. Good thing the area is not enclosed and there was a substantial amount of air coming in.
There was also a play area right beside the feeding station where arts and crafts activities are done.
Here are some artworks done by previous guests as well as Ark Avilo’s very own “Jenny” the Orangutan 🙂
A small canteen is also located at the second level beside the play and crafts area. You can choose from a variety of affordable snack items from hot dogs, sandwiches, popcorn, ice cream and chips.
Our visit lasted for about an hour. This already included the feeding and arts and crafts activities. The guided tour was a bit short and the explanations a bit quick for a preschooler’s pace. Although the tour guide assigned to us was very pleasant, one can’t help but notice a couple of wrong grammar used and some mispronounced words. Perhaps the management can provide a more comprehensive communication training for their guides.
Apart from this, we had a pretty good tour, and wouldn’t mind visiting again.
My Greatest Adventure 