Zoos & aquariums · South East England
The Living Rainforest
In or near Ashampstead.
The Living Rainforest — zoo in Berkshire, England.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Goring & Streatley · 7.5 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit The Living Rainforest, the nearest railway station is Goring & Streatley, located 7.5 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is RG18 0TN. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
The Living Rainforest is a zoo, wildlife park, or public aquarium in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1993. Address: RG18 0TN. Wikidata describes it as: "zoo in Berkshire, England". Coordinates: 51.4813°, -1.2208°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2026
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the official site
The Living Rainforest is an indoor tropical rainforest experience featuring over 850 types of plants and animals, including rare and endangered species. Visitors can explore lush glasshouses, observe various wildlife, and engage in educational activities suitable for all ages.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Living Rainforest is an indoor greenhouse tropical rainforest located in Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire, England. It is an ecological centre, educational centre and visitor attraction consisting of three glasshouses, operated and run by the Trust for Sustainable Living. The glasshouses are named Amazonica, Lowlands and Small Islands respectively. The Living Rainforest has been accredited by the Council for Learning Outside of the Classroom and awarded the LOtC Quality Badge. Each year around 25,000 children visit the Living Rainforest as part of their school's curriculum. It is open 7-days a week from 09:30 to 16:00.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The site was once an orchid nursery called Wyld Court Orchids who were well known for their collection of rare and beautiful natural orchid species, especially Cymbidiums and Lycastes. Wyld Court Orchids received considerable recognition from the R.H.S. including a distinction of Grand Champion Hybrid and Best in Show for a home-raised seedling at the British Orchid Council Congress Show. The privately owned ‘Wyld Court Rainforest’ was created in 1991 by philanthropist Keith Bromley (former chairman of the shoe retailer Russell and Bromley) and horticulturalist Barry Findon. Keith Bromley said he was inspired to create Wyld Court Rainforest after sailing in the Orinoco delta in Venezuela in…
Description
The visitor attraction consists of three glasshouses that adjoin each other; the flora and fauna in each glasshouse are representative of different layers or areas of tropical rainforests. The rainforest layers represented in the Amazonica and Lowlands glasshouses include the canopy, understory and forest floor layers. The Small Islands glasshouse exhibits shows life at the edge of an island rainforest, the exhibits in this glasshouse are being developed to highlight the issues and concerns faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) throughout the world. The Human Impact Building opened in 2006 incorporating sustainable materials, Low Embodied Energy, passive/natural ventilation,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4813, -1.2208
- District
- West Berkshire
- Parish
- Hampstead Norreys
- Postcode
- RG18 0TN
- Parliamentary constituency
- Reading West and Mid Berkshire
- Phone
- +44 1635 202444
- Established
- 1993
- Annual visitors
- ~95,000/year
- Nearest railway station
- Goring & Streatley — 7.5 km
- Official site
- www.livingrainforest.org
Sources
- wikidata: Q7747862 (CC0)
- wikipedia: The Living Rainforest (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: AmazonicaTLR1.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
The Living Rain Forest
Zoos & aquariums · 0.1 km
Hampstead Norreys Motte
Archaeological sites · 1.3 km
Hampstead Norris
Castles · 1.3 km
Hampstead Norris Castle
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Hampstead Norreys
Villages · 1.4 km
Hampstead Norreys Castle
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Yattendon Castle
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Church of St Peter and St Paul, Yattendon
Historic churches · 2.0 km
Ashampstead
Towns & cities · 2.3 km
Tower Approximately 70 Metres To North Of Blorenge House
Memorials & monuments · 2.5 km
In memory of Colonel Frank Beale, LVO
Memorials & monuments · 2.5 km
Perborough Castle
Hill forts · 2.8 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is The Living Rainforest?
- The Living Rainforest is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode RG18 0TN), in the parish of Hampstead Norreys.
- What is The Living Rainforest?
- The Living Rainforest — zoo in Berkshire, England.
- How do I get to The Living Rainforest?
- The nearest railway station is Goring & Streatley, about 7.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode RG18 0TN.
- When was The Living Rainforest built?
- Built or established in 1993.
- Is The Living Rainforest a protected site?
- Yes — The Living Rainforest is part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- How do I get to The Living Rainforest?
- The nearest railway station is Goring & Streatley, about 7.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode RG18 0TN.
- How busy is The Living Rainforest?
- The Living Rainforest draws around 95,000 visitors a year.