Prague ZOO - Zoo in Top 10 of World Best Zoos
Prague ZOO is said to be one of the best in Europe and could easily keep your kids busy for one entire day. The ZOO does its best to be a pleasant and interesting place for everybody and if you take a few minutes and organize your trip it can really be an unforgettable experience.
Be sure to take a look at the “Don’t miss” section, where you can find a timetable of the most important events that take place in the ZOO during the day.
One of the most appreciated pavilions are the Indonesian Jungle and the Monkey Island where you can have a look at the luxuriant flora and fauna of the jungle or practically play with the cute lemurs.
Another place that your kinds will definitely love is the Children Area and the Children ZOO, a special built farm, where kids are allowed to enter some enclosures and play with different domesticated animals (rabbits, sheep, pigs, ponies, hens, ducks, geese).
There are also some slot machines, where kids can buy low calories granules and feed their favourite animals.
Entrance fees:
High season (April – September)
| Adults | 150 CZK |
| Children 3-15 years, students, retired | 100 CZK |
| Families (2 adults+2 children) | 450 CZK |
| Children 0-3 years | Free |
| Groups bigger than 10 persons | 10% discount |
| Dogs | 20 CZK |
| Cable railway | 15 CZK |
| Parking – cars | 50 CZK |
| Parking – buses | 200 CZK |
| Evening guided tours (selected days in December and August) | 200 CZK (adults), 110 CZK (children) |
Low season (October – March)
| Adults | 70 CZK |
| Children 3-15 years, students, retired | 40 CZK |
| Families (2 adults+2 children) | 200 CZK |
| Children 0-3 years | Free |
| Groups bigger than 10 persons | 10% discount |
| Dogs | 20 CZK |
| Cable railway | 15 CZK |
| Parking – cars | 50 CZK |
| Parking – buses | 150 CZK |
| Evening guided tours (selected days in December and August) | 140 CZK (adults), 70 CZK (children) |
Opening Hours:
| March | 9.00 – 17.00 |
| April, May, September, October | 9.00 – 18.00 |
| June, July, August | 9.00 – 19.00 |
| November, December, January, February | 9.00 – 16.00 |
Website: www.zoopraha.cz
How to get there:
1. Use a Zoo Bus
The Zoo in Prague is managing the flow of thousands of visitors everyday, but sometimes, the traffic around just doesn’t. Full parking lots, people parking wherever possible, or stuffing themselves into full buses. Now, this may became a history, because the Zoo brought a long–expected innovation – a Zoo bus.
It goes every 10 minutes, every weekend, at the same trace as the bus 112, which means from Nadrazi Holesovice (Metro C) to Troja, and back, without changing or unnecessary stopping. And the best news – it is free for everyone. And what is inside? LCD television with movies or Zoo information. Do you want to try?
2. Drive (Follow the signs all to “Nadrazi Holesovice” and then “ZOO”). Take also in mind that during high season periods you might not find a parking place in front of the ZOO. Anyway, if you manage to find one, be sure not to leave any valuables at see, as it might attract thieves’ attention. Parking fee: 50 CZK/ day.
3. Take a boat ride to “Pristaviste Troja”, cross the bridge over Vltava, go around the Trojan Castle (“Trojsky Zamek”) and then walk to the ZOO. The walk to takes about 25 minutes.
4. Use a regular bus – take the metro to “Nadrazi Holesovice” (metro and tram station) and from there take the Bus No 112 to the terminus (“Botanicka Zahrada”).
Why is the Zoo so Great after all?
1. Gorillas
In November 2005 a very interesting multimedia project started, the Prague Zoo prepared it together with the Czech Television and the Czech Radio, it is called The Revealed, and it had three main aims: to show to the wide public successes which the Zoo has made with breeding gorillas, to help to raise some money for protecting highly endangered gorillas who live in the free nature and to offer more meaningful alternative to reality shows as Big Brother, which emerged in the commercial TV that time.
The project was very successful and popular among the wide public, it even won a Panda Award at Wild Screen Festival in Bristol, which is the most prestigious award for films about nature. It also helped to attract more visitors to the Zoo itself. So the project goes on until now.
If you want to see the reality show, go directly to the camera website of the Zoo
2. Changes set by Petr Fejk
Petr Fejk, Prague Zoo Miracle Maker, made the visit rate go from 400 000 in 1997 to 1 300 000 in 2007. The Monkey and Giraffe pavilion appeared, construction of African jungle started. Gorillas babies appeared in the new Gorilla pavilion, first baby gorillas born in the Czech Republic.
3. Forbes Magazine 2007: Prague Zoo the 7th Best in the World
What did Forbes Magazine stated about Prague Zoo?
“Despite its modest area of 111 acres, Prague Zoo has 4600 animals of 630 kinds. Just last year, a few young of Comodo varan, Rothschild giraffe or Panther turtle were born there.”
Petr Fejk, the manager of Prague Zoo was surprised: “I still don’t get it, this is a really prestigious company we were put in. Of course we are very flattered.”
What was the thing that made Troja stand up the most? “Probably because the zoo is active and friendly. The animals and visitors feel the same here – they both feel nice.” Petr Fejk