Chester Zoo, the UK’s number one wildlife attraction, has announced that the £30 million Islands Project will include a boat ride.
The Lazy Boat Journey will afford visitors a unique view of the exhibit and is the first of its kind in the UK.
Chester Zoo’s Simon Mann, who is leading the project, said, “Islands gives visitors the best of both worlds – the opportunity to stroll through these magnificent islands on foot or to take the more leisurely option of the boat trip.
“The Lazy Boat Journey will give visitors a taste of what it is like to explore the wild and take in some breath-taking sights including orangutans swinging through the treetops.”
Islands is inspired by the islands and animals of the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Bali, Sumatra, Sumba and Sulawesi. The Lazy Boat Journey will take guests past exotic animals that include Sumatran orang-utans, tigers and banteng .
Fourteen themed boats will be used in the attraction, which will move along a pulley system on the 15 minute journey.
The river bed is already under construction and the 450 metre river will eventually hold enough water to fill four Olympic size swimming pools and include a four metre drop waterfall.
Chester Zoos’ Islands open to the public in 2015.
