Walk on the wild side at Taronga Zoo
If you're looking for great family holiday destinations it's a good idea to put Sydney on the list, especially if you've got children that love animals!
Apart from having some of the most recognisable Australian landmarks (such as the Opera House), Sydney is also home to the wonderful Taronga Zoo.
The zoo is only 12 minutes from the city by ferry, so if you're staying at one of Mantra's holiday apartments in Sydney, such as Mantra 2 Bond Street, you can get there and back quite easily.
With a range of fascinating animals to see and plenty of tours and activities to take part in, the Taronga Zoo offers a fun day out for the whole family.
What's on at the zoo?
There are a range of tours and activities happening everyday at the zoo, so you can get a chance to meet some of the animals up close in special keeper-only areas.
Taronga's Wild Australia Experience tour is led by the zoo keepers themselves and lets you see, touch and feed the animals during a two-hour journey.
There's also a special early-morning tour and an Aboriginal Discovery tour, as well as others to choose from.
Taronga Zoo holds daily talks and encounters, and offers a 'Keeper for a Day' experience to really make your visit special. And you can always make your own way through the zoo if you'd prefer not to take a tour.
"With a range of fascinating animals to see and plenty of tours and activities to take part in, the Taronga Zoo offers a fun day out for the whole family."
The ultimate sleepover
If you'd like a truly unique experience it could be worth considering the 'Roar & Snore', a fully hosted sleepover that lets you camp in safari tents in the heart of the zoo.
You'll enjoy a delicious roast feast, up-close animal encounters and a chance to experience the zoo before the crowds get in.
To top it all off, you'll wake up the next morning to a beautiful view of the sunrise over Sydney harbour - perhaps with a lion's roar or an elephant's trumpeting call as your alarm clock!