Edinburgh Zoo

Make a beeline for Edinburgh Zoo. Come and visit the 1000+ rare animals and watch the UK’s only giant pandas nibbling on bamboo! With so many fascinating hands-on animal encounters, educational events, and a fantastic gift shop too, it's the perfect family day trip.

From koala enclosures to giraffe houses, blue poison arrow frogs, and sloths, there's so many incredible animals to meet and learn about! So, let's jump straight in... 

Things to do 
On loan from China for 10 years these pandas are a must-see for animal lovers. Check out their state of the art enclosure and see Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine) whilst you still can. Kids will love meeting the bright pink flamingos, cool koalas and a hilarious hippopotamus.

Waddle over to one of Europe’s largest penguin enclosures at Penguin Rock. Most days there is the penguin parade where the little guys strut their stuff, and there’s also a diving board for the penguins to leap into the pool. Make sure to say hey to the mischievous meerkats, and Scottish Wildcats. 

Meet cheeky chimpanzees in the Monkey House or admire Brown Capuchin - they are seriously inquisitive monkeys! Ever seen a Buff-cheeked Gibbon? These adorable monkeys can be found in the gibbon enclosure near the Mansion House. They are also sadly on the endangered species list so make sure to donate if you can! 

There are so many amazing animal enclosures to choose from. One of our favourites is the Giraffe House - where you can become a giraffe keeper for Nubian giraffes. Did you know no two giraffes have the same coat pattern? We also love the Asian small-clawed otters, Asiatic lions, Chilean Flamingos and the Grevy's Zebra! Try to resist the urge to cuddle the adorable giant panda or marvel at the strength of the great one-horned rhinoceros'.

Do you dare meet the reptiles and amphibians at Wee Beasties? Follow your feet to the mini beast and amphibian exhibits where you can find Jungle Nymph, the Green Mantella. 

There are lots of great keeper packages to enhance your wild day out. From junior keeper experiences to half and full day keeper experiences, there's packages to meet all your requirements. 

Take a trip back to the prehistoric era and a roar-some time! Meet awe-inspiring dinosaurs against the backdrop of Scotland's capital city. Munch on a selection t-riffic themed food while boogying down to a range of acoustic music. Play outdoor games and brave the dinosaur territories before dusk... Pass by velociraptors, the triceratops, the troodon, utahraptor and so many more iconic dinosaurs. 

All the beautiful animals and minibeasts at Edinburgh Zoo are well worth seeing and learning about. If you've got a budding eco warrior at home or animal lover, they'll love grasping at every opportunity in Edinburgh Zoo's keeper talks. 

If ever you can't make it, there are interactive tours of the zoo online as well. Keep your eyes peeled for festive events and other seasonal events throughout the year. After a day filled with animal antics, stop off at Santa's grotto and snag yourself a present!  

Food & Drink
Enjoy a wide range of hot food, cold snacks, and a selection of drinks from the following food stalls around the park:

For more accessibility queries please check out the access statement here: https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/plan-your-visit/day-planner/visitors-with-disabilities/

Travel & Parking for Visitors
Parking
Car parking charges returned on Thursday 1 September for everyone apart from RZSS members who can continue to park for free as part of their membership benefits. All car park users will need to take a ticket from the barriers on arrival and have this validated to exit the car park without paying full price (£10) at the machine. Find out more here. You will also find two electric car charging points in the zoo’s main car park in dedicated parking bays.

By bus
There are two bus stops outside the front entrance. Lothian 12, 26 and 31 services all stop outside and can be picked up near both Haymarket and Waverly Station or in the city centre. The 100 Airlink Service also stops regularly outside our front entrance and operates between Edinburgh Airport and the city centre.

The following Lothian services pass the zoo every few minutes:
Service 12: Seafield – Leith – Princes Street –Haymarket – Zoo – Gyle Centre
Service 26 : Seton Sands/Tranent – Portobello – City Centre – Zoo – Clerwood
Service 31 : Bonnyrigg – City Centre – Zoo – East Craigs

By train
There are two train stations in the centre of Edinburgh; Edinburgh Waverley Station and Edinburgh Haymarket Station. Train timetables and ticket information are available from the ScotRail website.

From Waverley and Haymarket stations, take the buses listed above (from Edinburgh city centre) to Edinburgh Zoo.

If you are coming from further afield, please see the National Rail website for timetables and ticket information. Alternatively, Trainline is available for booking and travel information.

By bicycle 
The zoo is very close to Carrick Knowe cycle route (access from Downie Grove), which in turn connects by minor roads and other cycle routes to most of the city. To work out your best route, see the Spokes Edinburgh Cycle Map (available at most book and bike shops, or online at spokes.org.uk). An online cycle route planner is also available at edinburgh.cyclestreets.net.