ZURICH ZOO

About Zurich Zoo

Nestled amidst the lush greenery of tropical forest, Zoo Zurich is the perfect escape from the hum-drum of urban life and a memorable encounter with exotic wildlife. This zoo could be located in the Fluntern quarter of Zurichberg in Switzerland. Locally popular by the name Zurich Zoologischer Garten, the zoo has existed at its place since 1929. Plan your Switzerland Packages and make sure to include a visit to this enchanting zoo for a unique and unforgettable wildlife experience.

The credit for the popularity of the zoo goes solely to the tropical variety of more than 380 species which multiplies to at least 2,200 animals and birds in total. Among these animals lives the oldest resident of the zoo Nigrita, the Galapagos giant turtle, who has been existing there for 73 years.

Upon visiting the zoo you must explore all of its sections including ‘Lewa Savannah’ which is the biggest courtyard housing rhinos, giraffes and zebras. ‘Masoala Rainforest’ is also a great spot of the zoo in which geckos, turtles, snakes, parrots and many other rainforest species live merrily.

You must not miss the ‘Australian Enclosure’ which lets you get sights of koalas, kangaroos, perenties and emus whereas ‘Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park’ houses eight Asian Elephants for you to witness.

The zoo also has an ‘Aquarium’ with 70 species of fish in it, a ‘Mongolian Steppe’ which is a home to Bactrian camels, domesticated yaks and cashmere goats along with a ‘Pantanal’ which has capybaras, squirrel monkeys, giant anteaters and other mammals and birds.

Upon your visit do not miss visiting all these enclosures including the ‘Zoolino’ to have a memorable and cherishable experience at the Zurich Zoo among the exotic wildlife from around the world.

How To Reach Zurich Zoo

There are a plethora of ways to reach Zoo Zurich from the Airport. You can take a train from the Airport to reach the zoo. Alternatively, you can also take a line 6 tram which takes almost 45 minutes to reach the zoo from the Airport.

You can also drive to the zoo from the airport which is also the most cost effective way to reach the zoo. You can also get taxis from outside the airport and go directly to the zoo. Taxis will cost you around INR 4500 and will take 14 minutes of your time.

You Can Also Checkout: Switzerland Tour Package For Couple

Zurich Zoo Other Essential Information

Location: As the name suggests, Zoo Zurich is located in Zurich, Switzerland. You must reach Zurichbergstrasse to visit the zoo. 

Timings: The zoo is open for visitors every day of the week but the opening hours vary with the seasons. The zoo opens at 9 O’clock in the morning. The closing time is 5 PM from November to February and 6 PM from March to October. Masoala Rainforest opens at 10 AM in the morning. 

Distance from the airport: The road distance between the Airport and the Zoo is 11.8 KM.

Tickets at Zoo Zurich 

Since the zoo is one of the most visited destinations in Zurich, the ticket prices are kept low. It is made sure that the tickets are affordable for teenagers, adults and disabled individuals. The entry fee at Zoo Zurich varies for adults, youth, children and disabled visitors.

The standard entry fee for adults above the age of 25 years is CHF 26. Individuals from the age of 16 years to 25 years will have to pay only CHF 19 to get an entry into the zoo. Children from the age of 6 to the age of 16 will have to pay CHF 13 to get inside the zoo and take a tour of the great biodiversity of the area.

Children up to the age of 6 can get a free entry. The entry free for disabled individuals is CHF 13. You can also buy tickets online and get great offers and discounts when you make purchases with a Zurich card.

Must Checkout: Europe Packages

History of Zurich Zoo

One of the biggest and the most popular zoos in Europe is Zoo Zurich, located in Zurich at a distance of 4.5 KM away from the city center. It was inaugurated in the year 1929 and has been one of the most visited tourist places in Switzerland ever since.

It is also a part of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and European Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The father of zoo biology, Heini Hedgier, served as the director of the zoo from 1954 till the year 1973. The zoo has a reputation for being the pioneer in European institutes to breed Galapagos tortoises successfully. It even discovered a new species of lemurs which is now known as Goodman mouse lemurs.

The zoo, over the years, has also sent various baby tortoises to other zoos across the country. In 1992, the authorities came up with a plan to double the area of the zoo by the year 2020. The plan also includes redoing and renovating the enclosures.

Various enclosures have already been implemented including Himalaya (home to Snow Leopards, Red Pandas and Amur Tigers), Zoolino and nature workshop, Gir dry forest (home to Indian Lions and Asian Otters) and more. The Lewa Savannah Section is still under development. Further developments include event locations, new buildings for great apes, aerial cableway and Asian steppe ecosystem.

You Can Also Checkout: Europe Tour Packages For Couple

Food and Drinks at Zurich Zoo

There is not one but various places at the zoo where you can buy food and refreshments. If you are up for a delicious meal after all that hustle- bustle at the zoo, you can head straight to the Thai Lodge which is open for tourists every Sunday. At the Lodge, not only do the tourists get to savor local and international delicacies, they also get to enjoy the landscaped view of the entire zoo! 

You can also enjoy various Thai dishes and delicacies from Pranburi food stand which is located near the elephant house. There are various other restaurants and eateries situated near the zoo. If you would like to explore other dishes, you can head out and explore some other restaurants like the Zoocafe, Altes Klosterli, Rosiata’s Food and Drink and many more eateries.

Do Checkout: Europe Tour Package For Family