The Zoo in Wroclaw - An Introduction

One of the most popular places for visitors from all over the world to visit in Poland is the Wroclaw Zoo! With over 10.000 animals kept, it is even the largest zoo in Poland and one of the most species-rich in the whole of Europe (currently on the 4th place) – which, together with its surroundings, makes it one of the essential reasons to visit Wroclaw. Actually, the Wroclaw Zoo already was opened in 1865!

Especially with children and family, time at the zoo flies by, it is very easy to spend a whole day at Wroclaw Zoo from early in the morning until late in the evening without feeling bored. The Centennial Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is in the immediate vicinity, as are many other attractions such as the Japanese Garden, the Multimedia Fountain and the Pergola.

There is so much to see that we certainly can’t share everything about Wroclaw Zoo in our post. However, we would like to give you a good first impression of what is out to see there. And of course, we want to share some useful hints, such as what to avoid, how to save money, and how to skip the long queue in summer (something even better than just getting online tickets).

The easiest way to get to Wroclaw Zoo is by tram, as there are no parking spaces. Simply get off at the “Zoo” tram stop. We have more information on navigating public transport in Wroclaw here. You can also get there by boat, but we’ll tell you more about that at the end.

Overview Map of the Zoo in Wroclaw

Shortly after entering the zoo (practical information for that at the end of this post) you will find an overview map, which we have photographed for you here. The map is are also available for purchase at the zoo, but we got along very well with the photo.

One of the main attractions is the so-called „Afrykarium“, a new building that houses animals from the African habitat, but there are huge underwater worlds too.

As this is extremely popular, there are often bottlenecks and we recommend starting early in the morning when the queues are not so long. Under the open sky you can see the animals outside all day after that.

This is how the Zoo welcomes you after entering

Immediately after the spot with the overview map, you will be greeted by the first highlights. A great place for photos, because as you can see, the giraffes like to pose right in front of the Wroclaw Centennial Hall. Zebras and ostriches also run around there and are just waiting to be photographed 🙂

The Afrykarium – Let‘s enter the underwater worlds and more

The African animals that you can find in the Afrykarium are really almost unique in Europe and something very special. The different ecosystems are grouped by landscape, for example, there is a focus on Madagascar, the jungle on the Congo River, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, the Red Sea, the coast of Namibia and many more!

As already mentioned, it can get crowded quite quickly so that queues form and you have to wait a while to enter. So it’s best to jump right in when it looks empty. In the middle of the following pictures you can see how it looks from the outside.

Be prepared for warmer temperatures, as some areas will logically feel very African in terms of humidity and heat! There is enough space in the entrance area for strollers to be parked, and to be collected again at the end. Of course, these can also be taken inside and there are elevators – the tour is completely barrier-free.

But first, let’s take a quick look at the hippos together!

Probably the most photographed place is the 18-metre-long acrylic glass tunnel. You practically walk right through the huge aquarium! Only if you want to take a photo without people, you need a little patience 😉

But of course it’s worth taking such a great memory from the Afrykarium in Wroclaw!

Here are some more mixed impressions of the giant turtles at the entrance, a look into the water, and of course the hungry crocodiles are not to be missed.

Let‘s get out again to the fresh European air!

But it’s with a heavy heart that we leave the inside of the Afrykarium and see what else is out there.

Let’s start directly with the sea bears as an example!

They are fed twice a day, and the feeding schedule can be found on a display right outside. We observed the 3pm feeding.

As you can see in the picture, a couple of zookeepers come out and play a little with the animals. There are a few little tricks, but the highlight is of course the food!

Very interesting, especially how funny the hair can stand up, we were very fascinated 😉

So have fun watching this ceremony.

The main outdoor park of the Wroclaw Zoo

We continue through the monkey area and also look at some baboons and the terrarium – a beautiful building. And not only inside the monkey area, but also over the walking paths, you may see some monkeys jumping back and forth above your heads. In the terrarium you can watch butterflies hatch, which was also very popular with children!

Did you know that Wroclaw Zoo is actually one of the most species-rich zoos in Europe?

According to the zoo animal list here, it is currently ranked 4th in Europe in 2023. If that’s not another reason to come to Wroclaw? But unfortunately this is also the reason why we can only give you a very brief first insight here and couldn’t take photos of all the species 🙂

What has the Wroclaw Zoo for kids and families?

There are also a few special highlights for children that we would like to point out. For example, there is a great climbing park that is well secured and usually provides a lot of fun for children. In the middle of 2023, a surcharge of 25 PLN had to be paid, and this meant that the tree course could then be used indefinitely.

There is also a small petting zoo with sheep, goats and many smaller animals – isn’t the little lamb super cute?

And then for the adults (and the children likewise, of course) there are a few bigger and somewhat more dangerous animals in Wroclaw. So we are quite glad that there is a good piece of glass between the tiger and the visitors, because the teeth really do look very sharp.

The bear is huge, but due to her age she is already quite sluggish, so hopefully she shouldn’t eat any visitors. And as you can see in the picture, there are also elephants.

Practical information and insider tips for Wroclaw Zoo

The easiest way to get there is by tram (in summer there are also the tourist lines) – more information can be found here in our article on trams in Wroclaw. There is no parking directly at the zoo – but there is parking not far away at the Centennial Hall. The stop for the zoo is named (you guessed it): Zoo.

Alternatively, it’s super easy to get there by boat from the city centre. You can buy shuttle tickets from the Sand Island to the zoo and get off right at the waterfront. As this is the only stop, it’s usually even quicker going on the water compared to the tram, and above all you get some nice impressions along the way. There are also one-way tickets if you want to go back by tram. Click here for more information on boat tours in Wroclaw.

Don’t want long queues and waiting times at the zoo?

In summer, the queue at the entrance can be very long, sometimes we observed 1.5km at the entrance. Of course, you can also buy tickets online or on site at the ticket machine to save time, but we have a real insider tip:

Take the back entrance located at the north 🙂

If you arrive by boat, it’s right in front of you, and it’s almost never busy. You can see it in the picture, and it’s also easy to see on our overview map at the beginning, so it can be well worth walking around the zoo before entering.

Other practical tips for Wroclaw Zoo

In the zoo itself there are also a few little hints that we would like to give you along the way.

Food at the Wroclaw Zoo

There are plenty of options for food and drink, but there is one place you should really avoid, as it is certainly more dangerous than the tigers and bears combined. Next to the Afrikarium is a restaurant called „Karczma u Lwa“, which you’d better not visit. Why? We made the mistake for you and only then after saw the reviews on Google, so it’s best to check them out for yourself 😉

By the way, there is a coffee truck around the corner called “DODO Cafe” that makes quite good coffee, eventhough it is of course a bit overpriced and can’t quite keep up with our other café recommendations for Wroclaw.

After a visit to the zoo, a visit to a beach bar might be a good idea, as there are two right around the corner – here’s our overview of beach bars in Wroclaw.

What can you take inside to the zoo?

Unfortunately, small bicycles for children cannot be brought along, but small carts for kids can be rented. To be on the safe side, bring a lock to lock your bikes, otherwise you may have to buy one on site.

An overview map to the zoo – better do not buy it

Overview maps can also be bought on site – but in our view they are much more expensive than necessary. We therefore recommend that you simply bookmark this page and use the overview map above – or simply take a photo yourself when you visit.

Bring some coins just in case

You can buy animal food at some places, but you will need to have some small change with you (Euros don’t work, we tried that for you, only Polish Zloty!).

Entrance Fees for the Wroclaw Zoo

A regular ticket currently costs 70 PLN, a family ticket is 230 PLN and includes two adults and up to three children. All tickets include admission to the Afrykarium.

(Updated mid 2023)

Where to stay close to the Zoo in Wroclaw?

We recommend the Zoo Hotel in Wroclaw, which is modern and nicely designed. You can literally walk from here to the Zoo!

There are also a few more pretty nice villas around where you can stay, for them check our district guide to Wroclaw and focus on the “Eastern Parts”!

We hope you enjoyed our little overview of Wroclaw Zoo and hope you have a great time!

If you are looking for more activities for children and families in Wroclaw, we have also written another article. If you have any other comments, questions, suggestions or just want to give us some feedback, we are always happy to receive your comments in the box below.

The Zoo in Wroclaw – An Introduction