Johannesburg Zoo

The wild is closer than you think!

The Joburg Zoo boasts a rehabilitation centre, with trained experts who love and care for the animals. It is committed to keeping our animals protected and safe from harm - animals that have been previously hurt and wont survive in the wild.

The Zoo is 54 hectares in size, with 2070 animals, 380 species. The most popular animals are the lions, tigers, naughty apes, slithering snakes and majestic elephants.

All on offer at the Joburg Zoo

A fun walk in the zoo will lead you to the wild! Lookout for the scale covered snakes and the sneaky crocodiles hiding under water. And don’t leave without seeing a giraffe – the tallest mammal in the world! Fun fact: each giraffe has a different coat patch, that can be used as camouflage and is as unique as a human being’s fingerprint!

This is the perfect family outing, popular for casual strolls and exciting discoveries, fascinating all age groups. But it has more to offer, so you can make special memories with family, friends and your favourite furry friends too:

• The Big 5
• Guided Day Trips
• Guided Night Trips
• Kids party venue, school tours, restaurants and more venue hire
• Fun programmes- see calendar of events
• Golf-carts, ferries and getting around
• Animal Adoptions

The Big 5

The phrase Big 5 conjures visions of steamy jungles, rolling savannahs and big-game hunters stalking Africa's most feared animals; fittingly so as it was the game hunters who coined the phrase to describe the creatures: lion, leopard, rhino, African elephant and African buffalo they found most dangerous to hunt. Now, the Johannesburg Zoo invites visitors to see these creatures close to home.

Guided Day Tours

The Joburg Zoo offers 2 types of day tours:
1. Ferry Tour- this is a 90 minute tour on a ferry which stops at 5 main animal complexes. The tour guide treats three of the many animals with a snack. This tour is a hit with birthday parties! Bring your picnic baskets for lunch on one of our many beautifully manicured lawns.

2. Behind the Scenes tour- Go where only the staff get to go! This walking tour includes 2 animal night rooms, the kitchen and hospital. You get to see how the zoo runs while getting close to some of our wild animals!

Guided Night Tours

Visit the zoo at night and explore the zoo's active nightlife. 3 types of night tours and an occasional overnight experience available:
1. Sunset tour (4pm - 6:30pm)
2. Moonlight tour (5:15pm - 8pm)
3. Night tour (6:15pm - 9pm)

Or book a Zoo Snooze! A behind-the-scenes tour that ends off with a bonfire.
Times: Saturday 2:30pm - Sunday 8am | Booking is essential

Kids party venue, school tours, restaurants, and more venue hire

• Birthday party packages
• School tours, talks and animal demonstrations
• Venues to hire: Old Elephant house, Anglo Gold Lion enclosure, Ape House Deck and open lawn areas
• Stages restaurant for light meals and delicious coffee

Fun Programmes

Great programmes to learn about animals at the zoo! Save the dates for:

• Zoo Snooze: overnight camping experience | Booking essential
• Zoo Trot: every second Sunday of the month
• Holiday Programmes: March, June, October and December
• March: Birthday month- Free entry for those born in March too!
• Easter: Easter Egg Hunt
• 19 May: Endangered Species Day
• 30 August: World Elephant Day
• 22 September: Rhino Day
• 4 October: World Animal Day
• October: Night of frights, a scary Halloween celebration
• 4 December: International Cheetah Day
• December: Festival of Lights

To help you plan your next trip to the Johannesburg Zoo and stay updated about the activities happening, follow the Zoo’s social media pages twitter @JoburgParksZoo, Facebook @JohannesburgZoo and Instagram Joburgparkszoo

Golf carts, ferries and more

Need to get around? Explore the Zoo and various activities on a golf cart or ferry.
Golf Cart Hire Prices:
• 2 seaters - R150 an hour
• 4 seaters – R170 an hour
• 6 seaters – R250 an hour
• 8 seaters – R300 an hour
NOTE: A valid driver’s license is required | NO pre-booking | First come first-serve basis
For more information, please call 010 590 4448

Zoo Ferry transport system: Open on weekdays, weekends and public holidays
The Zoo is accessible for physically disabled groups

Animal adoptions

Looking for gift ideas?
Share your love of animals by adopting your favourite animal at the Joburg Zoo either for yourself, another animal lover, a friend or relative. It's both rewarding and fun! When you adopt, your gift provides for the care and feeding of the animals and supports the Joburg Zoo's ongoing commitment to global wildlife conservation.

Your generous donation helps to make the Johannesburg Zoo the best possible place for the animals to live, and for you to visit.
There are different kinds of adoption of packages and what they contain depends on the adoption fee. Adoption packs include tickets to the Zoo, an adoption certificate and information about your animal.
To participate, please email ioanna@jhbzoo.org.za | Packages start from R300
Click here for more information.