Attention! Due to the numerous photos of the most beautiful black and white teddy bears in the world (aka giant pandas), the level of cuteness in the following article will be significantly exceeded. The content is intended exclusively for viewers with a high tolerance for sweetness.
Today we are taking you on a trip to Zoologischer Garten Berlin, which is the largest zoo in Europe. We spent a wonderful afternoon here and fulfilled our childhood dream. Are you curious what it was? We saw a giant panda live! But the Berlin zoo has many more attractions, which we will tell you about below. Let’s go!
It’s also beautiful in the neighboring countries. See the best attractions in Germany!
Giant pandas at the Berlin zoo
At the beginning we present you the two brightest stars of the Berlin Zoo. Here is a duo of giant pandas – twins Pit and Paule. The teddy bears were born in 2019 and were quickly hailed as the biggest attraction of this place. The bears look almost identical and are said to have similar tempers and characters.
Of course, feeding the pandas arouses the greatest emotions among zoo guests. At the designated time (you can check it every day on the Zoo Berlin website), crowds of children and adults gather at the Panda Garden. Zoo employees bring bamboo branches into the glass room. Basically: whole stacks of bamboo branches. Everyone waits impatiently and anxiously for the fluffy bears to be let into their ‘dining room’.
When they finally appear at the ‘canteen’, the magic begins. At first, the bears timidly bite leaves, as if they were a little ashamed of the audience. However, when they become more familiar with the surroundings, the feast begins. Of course, everything happens as if in slow motion. Well, pandas are not the most dynamic animals. But does that take away any of their charm? Definitely not.
Finally, the bears begin to cover themselves with branches and bathe in bamboo leaves. They bite off each leaf very neatly. It’s so nice to look at these clumsy fluffy balls. That’s amazing how efficiently and gracefully they handle their meals.
In the world of zoologists, giant pandas are considered exceptional loners. It is said that this is the reason why the species was threatened with extinction. In natural conditions, the bears avoided contact with each other so much that they stopped breeding. Pit and Paule, however, are a complete contradiction of this theory. They’re inseparable companions for almost the entire feeding time.
A little later, however, we managed to catch one teddy bear alone while resting. (This was the most underestimated activity in kindergarten by children.) As the famous(?) Old Polish saying goes: every panda always thinks about lying down after eating.
There is no shortage of places for bears to lie down here. Their German apartment, Panda Garden, is really spacious. Moreover, it was decorated in a truly oriental style. Exotic greenery, an intensely red gate, dragon figures on the top, and Chinese inscriptions – all this makes the teddy bears feel like they are in their Chinese homeland. There is also a relaxation zone where they can spend time more or less actively.
Zoo Berlin – attractions
Zoologischer Garten Berlin boasts not only a huge area, a wealth of species and a record number of visitors. This zoo focuses on helping endangered animals and creating living conditions for them that are as close to natural as possible.
We will start our journey through the Zoo Berlin with the Empire of Cats. Here you will meet not only the majestic lion king and his partner, but also tigers and jaguars. Predators have rocks and trees at their disposal that allow them to practice climb.
The elephant enclosure occupies a large area of the garden. These huge mammals have relatively plenty of space to show off their charms to tourists. In addition, their pen is really hygienic, aesthetic and exemplarily maintained. It’s unbelievable how close wild animals walk to people.
One of the most recognizable buildings in the Zoo Berlin is the Antelope House. This oldest preserved building in the garden is the home of African hooved animals – antelopes and giraffes. It also houses the permanent exhibition “The History of Berlin Zoo”, which allows you to learn about the over 175-year history of the oldest zoo in Germany.
The landscape architecture of Zoo Berlin is truly impressive. To prove this, we present you two photos (above and below), which show this perfectly. These rock hills were designed for animals that naturally live in mountain conditions. Thanks to this, they can jump as much as they want without losing their natural instincts.
The building that probably attracts the most attention in the entire zoo is the Rhino Pagoda which is a ‘rhino temple’. The 25-meter tower with an oriental facade is a kind of monument to the protection of species. Its purpose is to catch the attention of passers-by and arouse curiosity.
Around the Pagoda, you will find hundred-year-old trees, water reservoirs, swampy areas and tall grasses. One-horned rhinos, lowland tapirs and Visayan pigs graze peacefully here. They seem quite happy and unthreatened by attacks by potential poachers.
And now a short break for lunch. We couldn’t help but show you this heartwarming photo of a family Sunday dinner of a group of rodents. Even though we were not invited to the table, at least we fed our hearts with this touching view.
And now we come to the topic of birds. Flamingos have two habitats in the Zoo Berlin. Both look incredibly exotic. It makes you dream of going to work in the Caribbean, which only involves feeding flamingos. During breaks, the employer provides lounging on sandy beaches and swimming in the turquoise water of the Caribbean Sea… We are jolted out of our dreams by the thought: ‘Are these birds really feel comfortable standing on one leg?’.
While flamingos walk like models on the catwalk, their winged cousins inhabit the aviaries. Macaws, kiwis and warblers gathered in the World of Birds can jump from branch to branch at will. Visiting aviaries allows you to see a huge variety of species. Have you ever seen a macaw with such a unique blue color?
We quickly move to a rocky coast surrounded by reservoirs. They’re inhabited by seals, penguins and sea lions. As usual, penguins capture our attention for a long time. Knowing that penguins mate for life, we look for potential pairs in the crowd. They’re so adorable!
We end our adventure at the Zoo Berlin with a meeting with sea lions. Lazily napping animals remind us that it’s late and time to go home. Not only because the garden will soon be closed, but also not to disturb their daily rhythm. When visiting the zoo, you should always remember that you are here to visit and you should adapt to the hosts’ lifestyle without abusing their hospitality.
Finally, one more important piece of information: the Zoo Berlin has one huge advantage over the others we have visited so far. It’s about being close to animals. They are almost at your fingertips. In some cases – literally. Just look at the photo below. So you need to be careful, especially when visiting with children.
Zoo Berlin – tickets
Tickets to Zoo Berlin cost:
- Regular ticket* (valid for people over 16 years of age) – €20 at the box office, €19 online.
- Reduced ticket** – €12 both at the box office and online.
- Ticket for children from 4 to 15 years of age* – €9.50 at the box office, €9 online.
- Children under 4 years old enter for free.
For a combined Berlin zoo + aquarium ticket you will pay as follows:
- Regular ticket* (valid for people over 16 years of age) – €29 at the box office, €28 online.
- Reduced ticket** – €17 both at the box office and online.
- Ticket for children from 4 to 15 years old* – €12.50 at the box office, €12 online.
- Children under 4 years old enter for free.
* The ticket price includes a voluntary contribution to the animal protection program BERLIN WORLD WILD, which amounts to a symbolic €0.50. You can waive it yourself when purchasing tickets.
** The reduced ticket applies to students over 16 years of age, trainees, volunteers of FSJ/BFD programs, registered unemployed people receiving benefits under the ALG I+II rules, holders of an enterprise number (Betriebsnummer), people with a significant degree of disability (from 50% and above, 16+).
Zoo Berlin – opening hours
The opening hours of the Berlin Zoo are as follows:
- January 1 – February 26 – 9:00 – 16:30 (last entry at 15:30).
- February 27 – March 26 – 9:00 – 18:00 (last entry at 17:00).
- March 27 – September 24 – 9:00 – 18:30 (last entry at 17:00).
- September 25 – October 29 – 9:00 – 18:00 (last entry at 17:00).
- October 30 – December 31 – 9:00 – 16:30 (last entry at 15:30).
- On December 24, the zoo closes exceptionally at 14:00.
Zoo Berlin – how to get?
The Berlin Zoo is located almost in the center of the German capital.
- Plane. To visit the capital of Germany, you need to fly to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER).
- Train. From Poland (where Travel-Mates Team live) you can easily and really quickly get to the capital of Germany by rail. We boarded the train in Warsaw and after less than 5.5 hours got off at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof station. Round-trip tickets cost about EUR 85.
- Public transport. Berlin is a huge city, but it is really well connected. To get to the main entrance, go to the Zoologischer Garten stop.
- Hop on-hop off tourist buses. How does it work in practice? You buy a ticket (for example 24 hours, but there are also longer options). During selected time, you can hop on and hop off at any stop along carrier’s route. Travel-Mates Team absolutely loves this way of traveling. There are several companies operating in Berlin that allow you to explore the city from a bus. We took advantage of the most interesting offer and the longest route offered by CitySightseeing. You can also ride the equally popular Big Bus or City Circle. Each of these carriers has its own stop at the zoo.
- Taxi. Uber, Bolt and Freenow operate efficiently in Berlin.
Zoo Berlin – tips
- Did you know that the giant panda is also called… bamboo bear.
- The Zoo Berlin is the only place in Germany where you can meet giant pandas.
- Check the feeding times of animals on the zoo’s website. This is the best way to see them all in their full glory. Well, who of us doesn’t rush to the dining room when delicious food is freshly served to the table?
- Berlin boasts an extraordinary and most beautiful ‘water zoo’ we have ever seen. Of course, this is an aquarium located within the zoo. Most of the fish live here on colorful coral reefs, many species are exceptionally large, and some jellyfish look like visitors from another world. Be sure to visit them.
Zoo Berlin – reviews
- Patrix – 10/10. This is definitely one of the coolest zoos I’ve ever been to! The animals have enclosures that resemble their natural environment. They are usually not fenced off with bars, but in a more natural way (for example a ditch with water). Walking through the Berlin Zoo, I realize that all the animals there are the most beautiful representatives of their species. I mean, zebras in the Zoo Berlin are the most beautiful zebras I have ever seen in my life. There are lions and they are the best looking lions in the world. All animals are like in a magazine – well-groomed and graceful. And what’s more, these wonderful pandas! This zoo definitely deserves a rating of 10/10!
- Wiolczix – 9/10. If there can only be one queen, at the Zoo Berlin it is definitely the giant panda. Fluffy black and white bears eating a meal is one of the most adorable pictures I have ever seen. Pandas are really super cute. As for the zoo itself, I must admit that Zoologischer Garten Berlin is almost perfectly maintained and very green. It certainly doesn’t resemble the ‘caged breeding’. It looks more like a huge park. It’s the perfect place for a family trip. The pens and runs are really well-kept, relatively large, and most importantly – they are clean and tidy (you know, German order).
Zoo Berlin – FAQ
Is it worth going to the Zoo Belin?
Of course it is worth visiting the Berlin Zoo. Not only because of the presence of giant pandas. According to information published on the official website of Zoologischer Garten Berlin, it is the oldest and most visited zoo in Germany, as well as home to the largest variety of species of any zoo in the world. A large amount of greenery inside the garden makes walking around it a pure pleasure.
How many animals are there in Zoo Berlin?
On the official website of the Zoo Berlin you will find information that the zoo and aquarium are home to over 20,000 animals belonging to approximately 1,200 species.
How long does it take to visit Zoo Berlin?
It takes about 3-4 hours to walk through all the streets of the Zoo Berlin and take a quick look at the aquarium. However, if you want to take a leisurely walk, stop at selected pens, admire some species, watch pandas or other animals feeding, take a few photos, drink coffee or eat a snack – well, then you need at least half a day.
Where is the largest zoo in Europe?
The largest zoo in Europe is Tierpark Berlin. Its area is as much as 35 hectares.
Where in Europe can I see a panda?
Giant pandas in Europe can be seen in zoos in only a few cities. These are: Berlin (Germany), Brugelette (Belgium), Copenhagen (Denmark), Edinburgh (Scotland), Madrid (Spain), Rhenen (Netherlands), Tours (France), Vienna (Austria).
Zoo Berlin – map
The Berlin Zoo is located almost in the center of the German capital.
