Edinburgh Zoo

Beautiful Zoo! Plenty of animals to see although be prepared for hills! We have visited many zoos in the UK and this is second on the list (Chester is the best). Parking could be an issue, although we arrived early and only about 20 cars in the car park (staff I assume) We ate in the Penguin cafe which serves lovely food. We had an issue with one of our wraps. It was labeled incorrectly. Didn’t cause us an issue as the filling was another that we like. Might be worth double checking if you have any allergies though. I have uploaded some photos I took and would recommend you to visit.

One of the best zoos I’ve ever been to. It’s well kept. It seems like there’s new things being added or restored, which is important for comfort and safety. Most importantly the animals seem to be kept in right conditions, with plenty of space and the fauna mimicking their natural habitat. It was a great workout coming there with a pram as the entire place is on a hill— it’s not for faint hearted for sure. I recommend wearing extra comfortable shoes with a good grip on them.

We had a fantastic day at Edinburgh Zoo. The variety of animals is amazing, and it’s clear they are well cared for. The enclosures are spacious and thoughtfully designed, and we especially enjoyed watching the penguins and pandas. The staff were friendly, helpful, and always happy to answer questions. The whole place is well kept, with beautiful gardens and great facilities. A wonderful experience for visitors of all ages!

Lots of animals are sleeping or hiding. There are plenty of spaces for kids to play. Toilets are sometimes clean, sometimes dirty. Staff is friendly. I appreciate the red panda talk given by Hannah. It was informative. Better to purchase a ticket online so as to save queueing time.

Just so much to see!! We spent around 5 hours there and saw almost everything, but if you want to do it right then I'd say minimum six or seven hours. The park is over many different levels, so a lot of steep climbs, however there are vehicles for those who have accessibility issues so just ask the people at the entrance. Definitely recommend booking in advance to jump the queues and also for discounts. Check in is so easy. All the tickets are on one qr code which makes life so much easier. There's a pretty good map to use and also plenty of sign posts. The layout of every enclosure feels incredibly well thought out and the higher you go the more amazing the views. It's such a treat when you reach the giraffes!! There's plenty of places to sit and rest, as well as snacks and drinks, but I'd say picnics would give the best experience (if you can get a good spot when the school trips are about). Having such a fantastic place like this just an hour outside the city centre is a treat. One of the best experiences we had.

A lovely day out at the zoo! Plenty to see and do, great use of the land they have, lots of walking up and down, certainly got our steps in on one or two hilly bits! Seeing the penguins sat on their nests some with eggs and some with chicks was just adorable! Koalas another favourite with us! Giraffes are my favourite and the platforms are well set for plenty of viewing! Plenty of picnic benches fitted around for our picnic too.

Most probably THE best zoo I have ever been too! The animals all have massive enclosures, so you can be assured they are living a happy life in captivity. A massive range of animals that I feel like you got quite close to, obviously not touching distance, but there weren't big high fences between you and the animals. We got there at about 12 and didn't finish until around 4:40.

Amazing day out, can spend most of the day here. Great variety of animals. Additional play areas for kids. Dinosaur area was an unexpected surprise. Gift shop had options for all budgets. Only downsides can't be helped. Big hill to climb to see all the animals, and there was a bit of a wait to get in due to how busy it was. Pre booking is advised as it does speed up entry.

A high quality zoo. Animals seem very well cared for. Very good interpretative content. Animals are in very large habitats often. Not the biggest zoo, but good mix of animals. Pretty hilly so be prepared for a workout. A zoo worth checking out.

It has been a while since we last visited Edinburgh Zoo. We pre-booked to start at 11:30. Edinburgh Zoo has introduced a partial one way system with COVID-19 and it is working well. Most of the animals were out and as per normal there were some really outstanding displays. A great three hours spent including some very good gourmet hot dogs.

Fantastic day out with our nephew, and was extremely easy to get to by bus from the centre. Staff were also very accommodating when we asked to delay our ticket time due to one of our group being late.

The Edinburgh Zoo is a wonderful, large zoo with a lot to see. I would suggest arriving early to avoid queues and large school groups. The property is really large and you will certainly get a workout in as it has plenty of steep hills. I was disappointed that the pandas weren't out for viewing during my visit. I wish the zoo would have made that information available before I bought my ticket. The highlights of the zoo were the giant anteaters and the tiger sleeping pressed up against the glass viewing window! The view from the top of the hill at the back of the zoo was great too. Overall, I was really pleased with this zoo. The only thing I would change would be adding more signs around the property. Everything is so spread out, so it can be quite tricky navigating your way around. There weren't many staff out and about, so there aren't many opportunities to ask for directions.

This is a great zoo and so much to see. The only down side is the climb in this zoo as on a hill, but still well worth the visit as some great animals here. The staff were friendly and helpful and full of information. This zoo was well worth the money. Well worth a visit if in The area.

The last time i visited the zoo was when i was a small child so i was excited to visit again now that the pandas and meerkats were here. You get a small discount on entry for booking online but you need to do this 24 hrs before so worth noting. We paid £19 each and that included a time slot to see the pandas. A guide map is provided for navigating your way around the zoo. There is alot of walking to be done and most of it is uphill but wheelchairs and mobility buggies can be hired. There are so many animals to see but unfortunately for us many of them seemed to be having a siesta when we visited. The pandas were out for the count and one was hiding in her private enclosure! Asisde from that it was a fantastic day out and so easy to get too as its on the main bus route into town.

I love Edinburgh Zoo. It's a great place to spend the day looking at various animals. It's built on quite a steep hill but they do have golf buggies to give you a lift if needed. There is so much to see that every trip I discover something new. Either a new route, a different view or an animal that I haven't seen before. The pandas are a big attraction and you need to book a separate time slot for them. Often they have extra slots available on the gate if you ask. 90% of the time they are sleeping but they're cute anyhow. Another favourite is the penguin enclosure which is the biggest in Europe. It includes an underwater viewing area which is awesome to watch them swimming. The food options aren't that great on site of you've any dietary restrictions or allergies. However there are lots of picnic spots so bring lunch with you.

Yes, so much yes. I love animals, really love them, so my feelings on zoos can be torn, but here, and chester, do a hell of a lot for conservation, so I can kind of feel like this means keeping things cooped up can be more excused. Out f the centre, and on a steep hill, you're in for a good walk, with many adorable stops on the way. We of course, booked to see the pandas. Because pandas, only place in the UK to see them. Being a weekday, in term time (oh, freelancing does have it's benefits) it wasn't actually too busy, and we actually got to see the shy lady panda for a short time, and the male. The male was unintentionally putting on a real show, climbing, eating, and even a roly poly, which when exclaimed by a lovely lady to my left exclaimed about it, became my new favourite thing to hear in a scottish accent. The keeper in there to answer questions was lovely, informative and hilarious "Oh, aye, koalas often get chlamydia, riddled with the stuff, their labia swell up like you wouldnae knorr" another, more niche accent fave. The penguins are excellent, and the penguin parade is a real treat, though odd when they stop and stare! So many lovely animals, i'm a particular fan of otters too, and the scottish wildcats were beautiful, and something I hadn't seen before in real life, so that was nice, and the monkeys were wonderfully curious too, I could have sat and watched them for a while. One thing I will say- it gets dark early in winter, doesn't it? Not as busy in winter, is it? Well yeah, there aren't lamps around when the sun goes down. We had a good nervous half hour before we left, navigating to the exit in the dark, not seeing another soul, thinking that we would quite possibly be locked in if we didn't find it before the doors shut, awkward! If you go in the winter, go earlier rather than later, and consider a torch!

Not your average zoo! They actually let you in the enclosure to walk around with the lemurs, the penguins go for a walk around the park everyday at 2:15 and the best part for me was the layout. There are hills involved in walking around this zoo. It is not just a flat area with everyone lined up next to each other. The habitats are large, spaced out well and people visiting aren't over crowded. Plus the rockhopper penguins be still my heart

Wow. Having been used to London Zoo (and loving it) Edinburgh Zoo is beautiful in a way LZ isn't. The use of large open greenery, unusual and interesting habitats really added to the flavour of our day. The cafe got pretty full and the staff forgot parts of our orders because of a mix up behind the scenes. The chicken pizzas were delicious, though. Reasonably priced, also. We recharged our phones while there, a couple of sockets were free to use.

Just a short and cheap bus ride (£1.50) from the city centre the Edinburgh Zoo is a must place to visit if you're a tourist in the area. Admission at this moment in time is a little more expensive than usual as they have a dinosaur exhibition type thing going on (definitely aimed at younger children), but the price is definitely worth it. Be prepared for a lot of walking - this zoo is huge and to see everything you will definitely need a good few hours! As well as the usual types of animal there were also plenty of animals that I've never seen before and also some I'd never heard of so I even learnt a little as well as having a great time. I enjoyed the whole experience from start to finish. I was pretty lucky in that most of the animals were roaming around their enclosures whilst I was there. I think there was only one or two that I didn't get to see. I wasn't made aware on arrival that you needed to book a time slot in order to visit the giant pandas, however I was extremely lucky as some people in the group who had been admitted as I arrived at the panda section hadn't shown up so I was allowed to take their place, phew!! Throughout the day there's a few shows and displays you can see. I arrived just in time for the penguin march, where four or five penguins come out and take a short walk around the area surrounding their home. Absolutely adorable (I think I may have enjoyed it more than some of the small children). I visited on a Saturday afternoon and expected it to be super busy, however due to the sheer size of the zoo I never felt like I was in anyone's ways or that it was overly crowded.

I've loved going to the zoo ever since I was a little kid. I can't get enough of the animals, in particular, flamingos, lions, chimps, koalas, giraffes and orangutans. I had never been to a zoo in the UK until I visited Edinburgh Zoo for one of their Edinburgh Zoo Nights. This is an adult-only event where you can enjoy street food in a relaxed atmosphere, wander round and see the animals in the early evening along with some life-sized animatronic dinosaurs in their own lost world enclosure. Snazzy! Ross & I wandered around the zoo for over 3 hours taking photos of the animals, eating some food and trying not to pass out while trekking up the hill to the dinosaurs. I loved the fact we could roam around the zoo without a massive crowd, screaming kids (sorry!) and at times, felt like we had the entire zoo to ourselves. Even though we didn't get to see the meerkats, lions or tigers due to them hiding or the pandas due to breeding season, we enjoyed ourselves. The only downfall of the night was the pesky weather, sunny one minute, raining the next. As I'm rather unfit, the hill to the top was a bit of a hike. Luckily, I wasn't the only unfit person around so I didn't feel too bad. There were little benches on the way up for much needed rest breaks. When I got to the top it was definately worth it for the views over Edinburgh. Moral of the story? don't let steep hills put you off.

Love the zoo, its amazing day out with the family. We where there for 5 hours never got to see the whole place. Got we play grounds for the kids. Lots of places to choice to eat and they have a face paint point now. When we went to the zoo it was mystical and magical so we got to see a statue of a unicorn. That my little girl loved. The day took me back seeing the animals with my parents and I hope to go back soon

Edinburgh Zoo is the perfect place for a great day out, it has a large array of different animals alongside talks and shows which are fun and very educational, the best part of the day has to be the penguin parade which the penguins have complete control in whether they decide to come out or not, if they do; its so cute to see them up close and the staff are brilliant at keeping everyone entertained while you wait. We visited during the 'Dinosaurs Return' exhibition which was an added bonus, the staff are very knowledgeable and you can easily see that they love their jobs and are more than happy to answer any questions that you have or tell you all about the animals, there are also some different things for children to do too. They also have a few 'walk through' areas which are also really interesting, although it can be hard to spot some of the animals. However, I would recommend either eating outside or bringing a picnic with you (they have many picnic tables situated throughout the park) because the food offered at the zoo isn't worth the money, we visited the Jungle Food Court for something to eat and found that they had very little food available, we settled on chips with curry sauce; only to be told that no toppings were available. At that point we decided to get a drink and eat something later when we left the zoo. The penguin coffee shop is a great place to go if you are just looking for a quick snack and a drink, if you're quick enough to get a seat outside, you can also see the penguins from your seat. When you visit, be ready to do a lot of walking! The zoo doesn't seem too big from the outside and can be easy to miss if you are travelling there by coach or bus but when you get inside it's huge, there are so many animals and so much to see. There is a car/van which is available for people less able to walk but I recommend taking a cold drink into the zoo with you, the drinks from the stalls/vans can be quite expensive. The gift shop also has a selection of items that you can buy, that vary from 'pocket money' prices to more expensive items, there is something for everyone.

Edinburgh Zoo is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city and its easy to see why. This place brings back so many happy memories for me. Both when I was a child when I used to come here on school trips and now as an adult when I bring my daughter. We both love Edinburgh Zoo. Its an awesome day out and good exercise too !!! Here are just a few of my favorite attractions:- Amur leopards Asiatic lions Black howler monkeys Buff-cheeked gibbons Chimpanzees Rhinos Zebras Jaguars Owl faced monkeys Sea-lions Polar bears Hippos Squirrel monkeys Sumatran tigers European beaver ;) Amur tigers Reindeer Wild boars Wildcats Wolves Yaks & of course the red titi monkey !!! There's a ton of stuff for the kids to learn too. All in all, a great family day out. PS: Lets not forget about the daily "Penguin Parade" too. Get a chance to see penguins up closer than ever before !!! :)

I had a fantastic time at the zoo and was really impressed by it since I didn't know just how nice it is or how many great animals they have there. The two pandas were stunning to see, although they are so sedate just sitting and munching away on their bamboo that they were more mesmerising than anything. I loved seeing the playful penguins that were so cute, as well as the adventurous and even rowdy monkeys. The zebras, flamingos and tigers were also stunning in their own ways. The zoo is a lot bigger than I had expected and it is very well maintained. There are so many great animals to watch. The layout of the zoo makes it feel a bit like you're on an adventure popping up different paths and peeping into different enclosures and pools. Despite the pricey admission (£16 for adults or £50 for a family of four!), the zoo is really well kept and it is evident how much care and effort goes into the maintenance, research, and keeping the animals happy. The zoo not only has great animals to see but also hosts talks with zookeepers telling about the animals, which were interesting. One of my favourite surprises of my trip here was going up on the Sky Climber! It is a great structure of ropes, obstacles and balance beams one floor up in the air. The friendly staff ensured we were safely secured in harnesses before we ventured up to test our balance and have some good, old-fashioned fun in an adventure course up in the air. It was really brilliant!

For Christmas, Graeme got me a Penguin Keeping experience at Edinburgh Zoo and it took until September to be able to get a booking. No matter, I'm a patient person! Booking the experience was a little bit of a hassle as it involved going back and forth by email to find suitable dates. I was also told that I needed to have my session booked in by the end of January which put the pressure on, and that's the main reason I ended up doing it in September. I do have to say that every staff member who emailed me was incredibly helpful and lovely though, so that took the pain out of the process. They also offered to loan me gumboots for the experience as I don't have my own which made life easier! On the day, we arrived and went straight past the queue to the information desk to sign in. Even though the experience was for 2pm, we got there about midday so we'd have time to check out the rest of the zoo. I had to sign a disclaimer (mainly about getting pecked by penguins) and then the guy on the desk told us what to go and see in the zoo - tigers! Off we went. As others have mentioned, the zoo is on a hill and it can be a little hard going at times. The tigers are at the top but it is so worth it. Their new enclosure had just opened the day before and you can walk in a clear walkway under the tigers. While we were there, the tiger was standing on the glass above us which was kind of terrifying and yet amazing to see such a beautiful animal up close! We then went to the meeting point for the Penguin experience and I was the only adult doing it that day which was somewhat terrifying. The experience involved walking with the penguins as they do their lap of the crowd and then going into the enclosure to feed them. The person from the zoo who was looking after me was totally amazing and I wish I could remember her name - she really made the experience special by explaining everything about each of the penguins which was really interesting. She also made sure that Graeme had a good spot to stand for photos which was lovely of her. Going into the enclosure to feed them was great and you really got to see just what amazing personalities they have. At the zoo there's a few albino penguins who would probably get killed quite quickly out in the wild so it's nice to see that they're able to thrive in that environment. Feeding the penguins was a hilarious experience that I'll never forget and they really are awesome animals - cheeky and greedy! After that, we had booked to see the pandas and one of them (sorry, I don't know which one!) was out munching on his bamboo so that was great to see too. It was such a great day and we had so much fun. There's so many animals to see that you could definitely make this a whole day outing.

We had a great time at the Edinburgh Zoo this past weekend. The zoo is large - it has some of the largest exhibits I've ever seen. The zebra exhibit was truly remarkable. I couldn't believe how much space the animals had. Clearly, the zoo is interested in making the animals comfortable, as opposed to simply cramming in as many exhibits as possible. Speaking of the zebras, their exhibit is situated about half way up the HUGE hill in the middle of the zoo. We did not realize the zoo was situated on (what felt like) a mountain! I don't know how unfit people could properly navigate this place; it was quite a workout! I would not recommend coming here after you've done a 10 mile run in the morning, like I did! I was definitely beat by the end of the visit! The other really remarkable exhibit were the penguins. Another huge exhibit with DOZENS of penguins. We were there during feeding time, so of course all of the penguins were very active. We really enjoyed looking at and comparing the different varieties of penguins in the exhibit, and really got a kick out of some of their antics. If you're in Scotland, you must pay a visit to the Edinburgh zoo!

One of the worst zoos I ever been. Dirty place. Animals are kept in small rooms. dirt everywhere. Overpriced. Ticket for 3 adults and 2 kids was 87 pounds and additional automatic donation of 10% was included!? Pandas look depressed and again so dirty. It is a real shame and disgrace.

An absoloutely wonderful place. I got taken here for my birthday this year and having never been to Edinburgh zoo i didnt know what to expect so was pleasantly surprised at the size and scope of the zoo itself. Be prepared, it took us 5 hours of walking to see the entire zoo so be prepared for either return visits to see everything or a long trip! Also a point of note is to think of the weather, for instance we went when it was cold and the penguins lvoed it! they were swimming and very active but other animals were sleeping or in their indoor enclosures only as they hated the cold. We plan to go back during the summer to see things like the monkeys, lemurs lions and such rolicking about in the warm weather! Yes, i enjoyed it that much that i planned a return visit during my first visit lol. One of the things that i really loved were the walk-through parts such as pelicans where you actually walk through the enclosure. They also have this for lemurs as well as i believe wallaby art which , in better weather, lets you get closer to the animals. We also had little events such the reptile show and tell where we got to hold two snakes and see a variety of items made from snakes and snake items. Also we got to see the penguin parade which is where the penguins (if they feel like it) come out for a wee wander around which lets you get ridiculously close to them. To help you on your way for hunger and snackage you can go into any of the numerous restaurants, snack stops and ice ream places which are open dependent on the weather. A fantastic place and i cant wait to go back!

Ok, Ok - I admit, the first time I came to Edinburgh Zoo was only a few months ago, so no stories of fond childhood memories and school trips for me. Just a 20 year old reviewing a zoo. Firstly, let me suggest that you come here on a nice day - about five minutes after we arrived the heavens opened and then promptly closed again as we left. Typical - but, it genuinly didnt ruin our enjoyment of the zoo - because its really really great. There is a huge amount of animals spread out over an even larger area of land (most of it up a hill) and for those of you who get concerned about this sort of stuff - all the animals look happy and content with thier surroundings, and generally dont even give a second glance to the vast amounts of people who stare at them on a daily basis. Highlights include the african Jaguar (not the car), the beautiful Mercedes the Polar Bear (again, not a car) and the penguin parade (definatly not a car). Costs for getting into the zoo may seem a little steep, but some of that money goes to the up keep of these animals, so its worth it a million times over. All the animals here are amazing, and the zoo provides excellent educational resources, which were a treat as they really focussed on the conservation of these rare animals in the wild - something which I felt rather emotional about. Overall, a great day - really, but get a nice dry day to do it in.

I absolutely love wild, dangerous animals, so you would think that I'd love the zoo. Unfortunately though, if I wanted to see a lion, I'd want to see him in the Serengeti, tearing a zebra to shreds. I don't want to see him sitting bored out his mind in a cramped pen, wondering why all these big bald apes are staring at him like a freakshow. I understand that Edinburgh Zoo is quite well renowned for it's conservation work and contributions to zoological science, but it's still very sad to see such majestic beasts in this situation. The zoo was however inadvertently responsible for one of the most touching news stories I've seen in recent times concerning their polar bear Mercedes, who was recently moved up north to the Highland Wildlife Park for her retirement. She hadn't seen proper snow for 25 years, until last winter when about two feet's worth fell on her new home. Seeing the news pictures of her rolling about in it and generally having a fantastic time brought a tear to my eye, as it did to most of the staff at the park. If only I could show such compassion to actual humans, instead of my usual unflinching contempt.

Ok. I am no expert on Zoo's having been to a total of 1. This one. Actually, i might have been to a zoo in Germany when I was a kid but for the life of me can't remember it. Anyway.....this is a zoo. They have animals ( no surprise there) and I have to say that they were most rude as they all seemed to be asleep whenever we walked up. The lion, big monkeys and rhino were very lazy indeed! I think that they should have been told we were coming and put on more of a show for us. Still what can you do! Of course the birds were awake (who really wants to look at them though!) In particular the annoying pelicans who sounded like they were farting as they honked at each other. How rude! The meerkat wouldn't stop staring at me. He thought he was hard and stood there rigidly and just kept watching me. Lucky for him he was behind that glass or it would be on!! Now the penguins are another story. Little birds in tuxedos. Prim and proper indeed. Just how a gentleman should always be dressed. Take that meerkat! These guys show respect! I'll be back to visit with these guys again. Sadly the panda was in no mood and the tiger has either escaped or eaten the zebra and been put away as neither of these guys were available. Some excuse was given about upgrading facilities however I suspect foul play! I never tried the food but hope its better than what is being given to the monkeys. I mean geez can't you at least splurge for maccy d's? These guys need energy not vegetable and fruit! Maybe that's why they were snoozing in the shade all day??

Too many staff driving around in the zoo, you can't relax and let the children go wild. Animals aren't really that visible and cages need more frequent maintenance. Really good place to hike thou.

Ok people why is there only one review for Edinburgh Zoo? Everybody knows Edinburgh is all about the castle, the festival, the dungeons and the zoo, with its infamous Penguin Parade! One of my favorite attractions at the zoo is Budongo Trail which is where they keep the chimps. It is a huge outdoor and indoor enclosure with lots of ropes and wooden platforms for the chimps to play on in the outdoors section and a viewing gallery indoors where there is only a sheet of glass between you and these gorgeous creatures. Unfortunately they had to close the reptile enclosure to make way for Budongo Trail which is a shame as it was a hit with the kids, but hey everybody loves chimps' right? Another winner is Rainbow Landing where you can buy some nectar to feed the beautiful rainbow lorikeets which happily come and perch on you as long as you have a cup of the sweet stuff! The Animal Antics show is always good fun and has been different every time I've seen it. It mostly consists of birds of prey doing some cool stuff and the presenters always pick a few kids from the audience to help out. One of the first enclosures you come across at the zoo is the sea lions. There is a sea lion show on at various times throughout the day but even if you can't make this the sea lions are always entertaining to watch as they are so playful. The Hilltop Safari is a great way to see the zoo and is particularly good for anyone with mobility issues as the zoo is on a huge slope which is really steep in parts. In the Hilltop Safari you climb aboard what looks like a milk float being pulled by a jeep and the driver gives a running commentary of the animals you pass and tells you lots of interesting tit bits about them. If you get peckish you can visit the The Bistro in New Mansion for some fancy smancy food or alternatively you could dine in the Mansion House Bar which is more a sort of soup and sandwiches affair or you could go for the afternoon tea for two for £16! However if you have your little toe rags with you then your best bet is the Jungle Café where there is a soft play area and the food is more school canteen style with pizzas and baked potatoes. Last but most definitely not least is the Penguin Parade! As you would learn if you went to the parade it has been taking place at the zoo every day since 1951 when a keeper accidently left the enclosure door open and the penguins went for a little walk around but then just went back in the enclosure! The zoo has the largest penguin pool in the world and you could literally spend a good hour watching these little guys. Finally Edinburgh Zoo is open every single day of the year, even Christmas Day so you have no excuse not to visit!

A well maintained, mid-sized zoo. A taxi ride here from the city center came to about a reasonable 13 pounds. The entire property is built on a hillside. Be prepared for a workout. Penguin pit was down for renovations on my visit. But the pandas were fun to watch - they just ate and fell over all the time (see pictures)

The Edinburgh Zoo is easy to get to by bus (the Lothian Buses 12 The Jewel, 26 Tranent-Clerwood ,31Polton-East Crags,48 Ingliston Park and Ride and 100 Airlink leave from the centre quite frequently). Avoid on weekends because it's crowded by families and screaming children so everywhere is packed and there are large ques. They also bang on the animal cages to "make them do something." I hate that. And I think the animals do too. I came here for my course and truly enjoyed this sunny outing, even though I haven't really decided if I am a fan of zoos or not. Edinburgh zoo boasts a huge selection of species. It has a lot of penguins , including a knighted penguin of Norway (a King penguin named Sir Nil Olav who was awarded an honorary colonel-in-chief of the Kings Guard in the Norwegian army, and was knighted in 2008- its true there's even a statue of him!). I still don't know why they did this but the video of him being knighted and walking down a red carpet is hilarious. Speaking of walking ,some penguins go for a walk at particular times of the day(check their website for more details!). Feeding time is also quite amusing to watch. All in all the penguins seem very happy. Not so much their lonely polar but I read yesterday that there are plans for cheering him up by finding him a girl bear friend. Yay! Amongst the many animals you can see here (from koalas to large cats to reptiles and bats) I would suggest reading up a bit about one particular resident: the honey badger- Personally I am absolutely fascinated by this tough creature- one of the toughest in the world who sadly gets overshadowed in the zoo by his pretty cat neighbour. Also, make sure you check out the new Budongo Trail, which hosts a variety of our closest relatives, the primates, and is an educational experience for all ages. So as for a conclusion regarding zoos, I have yet to come to one. Edinburgh zoo does seem to be making the effort though to keep its standards high and its residents as happy as possible, and it definitely is a fun outing to make.

Theres nothing I can add to the fantastic reviews given here. Edinburgh zoo is wonderfull, has great schemes to protect animals in the wild and is highly educational. I find the staff here to be energetic and willing to engage with you and answer your stupid questions, such as do armadillos smell?* My top tip, the indoor bird area where you can walk through is worth staying in longer than you might think, small birds come out to play if your quiet and its pure magic. *they smell real bad

In my head I'm anti-zoo, anti keeping animals in captivity, and anti paying to see animals. In reality, I love Edinburgh Zoo. They do some great conservation work and when you're there it's a lot bigger and the animals have much more space that you would expect for a zoo in the city. Edinburgh Zoo has a pretty wide range of animals, something to interest most people and the keepers are really knowledgeable if you ask them any questions. My particular favourite is the Penguins, they are so cheeky and just look like they are having an absolute ball! And if you time your visit right, you can see the penguin parade where any penguins that want to get to leave their enclosure and go for a wee walk around. It's very cute! Let's be honest, a review of Edinburgh Zoo wouldn't be complete without mentioning the pandas. Whenever I've seen them they've been asleep, but I suppose the main thing is I've seen pandas and Edinburgh Zoo is the only place in that UK you can do that!

Not reviewed the Zoo? Really - where's my head at! I have been a RZSS (Royal Zoological Society of Scotland) since 2005 and I try to visit as often as I can. Just recently I went with my nieces who are 13/14 years old and they really enjoyed it. My personal favourite is the Monkey House with a lot of monkeys interacting with the visitors, and the Bodungo Experience were the chimp family were telling of some cheeky monkey kids. My nieces favourite visits were clearly the meerkat enclosure and the penguins. All the other animals, birds, rhinos, predator cats and reptiles were fairly animated and provided good picture and video opportunities. We were able to join a group of 'Panda visitors', unfortunately the Pandas were resting, but we did get a glimpse. A lot of information about the animals habitat and endanger listing was giving us enough to appreciate what the RSZZ is trying to achieve. It was a long day and we did a lot of walking. Afterwards we were knackered but we had taken 100's pictures and videos!

Edinburgh Zoo has its ups and its downs. See what I did there? Little play on words. The whole damn zoo is built into a hill. Right out of the gate, you're ascending. The habitats are generously spaced with certain areas obviously better developed than others. It's an unfortunate criticism but a logical realization of all zoos--the more popular animals live in better built habitats encouraging more flow traffic. So the nearly arrived Pandas and the ever-popular penguins get top-billing while Zebras and Giant Anteaters are atop the very long and steep climb at the opposite end of the grounds. All the shops, cafes, and the majority of bathrooms are all huddled by the Education center--which is across, you guessed it, the penguin exhibit. It's a damn shame because the bird sanctuary was awesome once I finally discovered it (I had to be showed). Defenders and those far more educated in zoo design will correctly correct me in saying that zebras (which I now pronounce "zebra" instead of "zeebra" thanks to my girlfriend) require considerable square footage and thus must always be segregated from the smaller habitats. That's a valid point but...okay, that is a valid point. I really have nothing to counter that with. The penguins were cute, that's certainly a thing I can't deny. Do I have favorite animals? I prefer ones where I can get close, not requiring physical contact, just where I can feel like the animal knows I exist. Perhaps we are divided by glass or not, makes no difference, so large animals, though obviously breathtaking, are not as interesting as the small ones I can get close to. So despite a lot of people placing the pandas atop the list of best habitats, I'd have to go with the penguins (huh, I guess it works). I mean at one point, the crowds formed a path for the penguins to walk through. They only do so a few times a day and its worth participating in. I enjoyed the flamingos, because who doesn't, and everyone loves the squirrel and capuchin monkeys. In all the experience was pleasant, worth the admission and an afternoon of your time. I visited in November, which resulted in a slightly overcast and melancholy landscape, but I imagine in the spring and summer, this place truly rocks.

I and family greatly enjoyed my experience at this zoo. The size, the location, the information, and the variety of animals was perfect. I have been to some zoos in North of Europe, and they mostly had forest mammals. Here I have seen for the first time Pandas, Rhinos, Hippos, Penguins, Lions, some wild cats, and other fauna that I am forgetting now. I was very impressed with the insect/amphibian room. Wish that there were more insects to adore. The praying mantis, deadly frog (in cyan and black) the leaf cutter ants and the beetles were astonishing to watch and photograph. The distance to travel around the zoo was not bad (esp. for kids) and the next site is more or less within the next 5-10mins of walk. I would suggest more snack/drink vending machines, or else bring your own food. We spent a whole day and we have seen about 80% of the zoo. I remember the monkeys and chimpanzees were also impressive. (I think it was here that I first saw a chimpanzee and if you have a good observing eye, you can't deny that humans have a lot in common with them. There's also a learning centre and souveneir shop packed with sort of things and animal themes. We bought two Panda T-shirts for our childen which they love so much. Well, we enjoyed it

I guess I'm going to title my reviews "From Pittsburgh to Edinburgh". I'm doing this review in our hotel's business center after a heavy morning of touring Edinburgh. I visited this zoo on July 2nd. I was recuperating after an overnight flight from Pittsburgh. International flying takes a toll on my body, so while my husband was out sightseeing on his own, I took a day of rest & relaxation. I felt better by the afternoon and strolled over to the zoo. It's just down the block from our hotel. I'd rate this zoo somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. The thing to remember about this zoo is it's built on several levels. If you use a wheelchair or a rascal (motorized scooter) or you're not a good walker, you may have trouble navigating around here. The map http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/export/sites/default/common/documents/maps-and-guides/W_chair_Zoo_map.pdf shows the many steep slopes and stairs here. So since I've visited many zoos before (the National Zoo in Washington, DC; Chicago's Brookfield Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo, Pittsburgh's Zoo, etc), what makes this one so different? Well for one thing, this zoo has a lot of educational talks and presentations. I arrived in time for the Penguin Parade and Talk and I also went to the Indian Rhinos talk. Yeah, I know it's a cliche, but penguins are funny little birds and it was hilarious watching them parade down the sidewalk. Some of the other attractions include the Budongo Trail, an interactive chimpanzee enclosure, and the only koalas in the United Kingdom. I think my two favorites however are the Animal Antics show and the Rainbow Landings where I got the chance interact with the rainbow lorikeet birds. The zoo was a perfect low key way to recuperate from jetlag. Based on what Sam C. says, I'm glad I ate lunch at the hotel. Just be sure to wear your walking shoes (you really don't want to be in flip-flops here!) and comfortable clothes. And be prepared to do a lot of hill and stair climbing!

Lazy pandas didn't come out but the park was as nice. The staff should stop telling people they're not allowed up the hill when there's only 30 min left, especially if they're willing to run but all in all it was nice.

I absolutely loveeeee the Zoo! The last time I visited Edinburgh Zoo, I must have been around 4 or 5. Therefore, the memory is rather hazy, so I decided to take my Nieces aged 5-12 to the zoo and re-live a bit of my childhood whilst I was at it. First of all, the zoo is easily accessible from Edinburgh Heymarket Train Station by catching one of the many buses which take around 10 minutes (get the £3 all day ticket, if your coming back to the station or going into City centre) When we arrived at the zoo, the queue was around the building and that was at about 11am, and as we hadn't pre-paid tickets we had to wait. It didn't take too long at all, and the staff split us into 3 queues for quickness. It costs around £15 for an adult entry to the zoo, however, we had taken advantage of the Scotrail 'Kids Go Free' train ticket offer, which meant if the two of us paid full price then the two kids would get into the zoo free. After a small disagreement (the Scotrail site said that one paying adult could get two kids in free as I wanted to use my student card, but when we got there, we were told that both of us had to pay full price) we got our wee map of the zoo and headed off to explore. We waited on the Hilltop Safari bus which takes you to the top of the zoo with commentary from one of the zoo keepers, but we would have had to wait another half an hour on it so we decided to walk. Big Mistake! It is so high up on the hill, my legs were aching! We really enjoyed looking at all of the animals and got lucky because most of them were out and walking around their enclosures. We stopped for a quick, very unhealthy lunch at the Jungle Cafe, which consisted of hotdogs, chips and pizza, and cost a small fortune. That's the only problem with the zoo, everything is so expensive! Even the kids activities dotted around the zoo like bouncy castles cost a couple of quid and if you have a few kiddies with you, it would cost a bomb. Highlights were; -Rainbow Landings, an aviary enclosure which you can walk through. If you buy a wee pot of nectar from the desk at £1 each, you can have them land on your arm! My boyfriend and I loved it, the kids were absolutely terrified! -Living Links research centre. In association with St Andrew's University, the zoologists study monkeys like the adorable Capuchin monkeys in their own indoor enclosures, although they also have a large outdoor area to mingle in. -Amur Leopard. It was so close to the glass it was almost licking our faces! The animals are absolutely fantastic and they have a huge range of birds and monkeys. The only disappointment was that the lions were no where to be found! We walked all the way to the top of the hill to find them and they weren't there, loads of people were complaining, especially mum's who trundled up there laden with buggies and backpacks and screaming 4 year olds. We must have missed the penguin parade in our hunt for these elusive lions but they were all out in the enclosure so it was great to see them. There are plenty of seats and play areas for the kids to stop at when the old legs get wearing, and lots of vending machines for juice and ice-cream dotted around, as well as cafes and a big Mansion restaurant. We had an awesome day, spending about 3 and a half hours in there, and we could probably have spent more. A great day out, but be warned that it will cost you so look for vouchers and money off coupons wherever you can!

I first noticed the Edinburgh Zoo' s location was on the bus route that took me from the airport to Waverly Bridge. After I had checked into my accommodations and deposited my luggage and grabbed something to eat, I took the bus back out to the zoo to visit some animals. The zoo is built on a hill so it was a bit of a workout that afternoon on an overcast and partly rainy day. I came too late to catch or plan any zoo talks and many of the habitats were under construction. I did manage to catch a glimpse of lions, leopards, jaguars, margays, lemurs, penguins, wallabies, and some other animals I don't remember because I started feeling the jet lag so I went to the coffee house at the zoo but found it was closed. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough energy to see any other animals that day and a few months later, the Giant Pandas arrived, too late for me to see them in my week in Scotland. However, a return trip to Edinburgh is in the works and I hope the construction will be done by the time I get there next. Overall, any zoo visit is usually a good experience and I hope this will be a better one my next visit..

I have been visiting Edinburgh zoo for over 40 years I went as a child and since visited with my own children and now my grandchildren. I have always loved it but now find the enclosures are not as good . I visited flamingoland zoo last week and was amazed at the difference the animals all at eye view and well equipped and maintained enclosures . the tigers n lion feeding times were awesome and the keepers talks too. I am sad to say I will not be visiting Edinburgh zoo again and think flamingoland could give Edinburgh a few tips

On my week off from work I decided I had to do something worthwhile, something I had never done. I'm ashamed to say I had never visited Edinburgh zoo before today. So the Mr and I though Fudge it, lets go! So we invited his mum and little brother along for an adventure too. Adult tickets were £16 each and child ticket was £11.50 (included free booking time to see the Tian Tian and Yang Guang the Giant Pandas)...on top of just under £40 for us all to get return tickets on the bus. I'll admit I did grumble about the price at first, but when we got there it became so very clear that it was definitely worth every penny. The zoo is on a hill...as is most of Edinburgh to be fair... There is a safari vehicle that drives you to the very top of the zoo so you can work your way down from there (Easy option for those of you who might not manage such a steep climb). Not sure how much the safari costs, but I'd imagine it'd be well worth it. We worked our way from bottom to top in an anticlockwise fashion. We arrived at the zoo at 11.06, we had a wonder around the right size of the zoo, up to the top and down around the left side towards the penguins for the penguin march which commences at 2.15pm which involves the keepers opening the penguin enclosure and letting them have a short wonder around Penguin Rock for a few minutes (Cute as several black and white buttons!) After the march we had time to go and visit the Monkey House before it was our turn to see the Pandas at 4pm We were impressed by the general cleanliness of the zoo and the welfare of the animals. All the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful and full of knowledge about the animals. Toilets and drinks/sweets kiosks are littered frequently around the zoo so we were never found wanting. I give this zoo 10 thumbs up!...or I would if I had 10 thumbs..? Anyhoo, I freaking love this zoo and I sincerely cannot wait to come again! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.627816773897627.1073741849.286936404652334&type=1&l=c6fba74f71

It's built on a 45 degree angle. The whole thing is a climb upwards. The map does not help very much. The paths drawn on the map are more like general directions, rather than accurate representations of real paths. What you will find is that each path splits up into smaller paths, that wind and turn so you get completely lost. What's worse, is that the winding paths go up and down the 45 degree angle hill. So you can't avoid going up and down the hill, often. It hurts. There is a Safari tour that takes you up the mountain. As you go further, up the hill, the 45 degree angle increases to about 60-70 degree's. Everyone we passed on the way up the hill looked at us with complete jealousy, because the safari ride isn't advertised very well. Nor is it explained at the beginning, that everything that you want to see, is literally miles away from the entrance, up a steep winding path hill. The Safari trip was informative, but short lived. They drop you off at the top and ask for money. On the walk down, the path is winding, so you actually end up walking back up hill every now and then. You can't avoid the hill. Be prepared to lose weight when you go. It hurts. We booked to see the Panda's, but do some reading up on Panda's. We only found out when we got there, that they sleep 16 hours a day. We waited in a queue to go in and see a youtube video of the Panda, because it was sleeping away somewhere in a dark corner.

I went to Edinburgh Zoo with my coworkers for our regular 'Retreat' ie. a day we go out of the office, usually somewhere fun, and give presentations on what we're up to. Surprisingly Edinburgh Zoo has fantastic facilities for this! We had a marvelous day with a semi-buffet lunch provided (I say semi as it was brought to our meeting room and wasn't all you can eat but it wasn't a sit down meal.) Our package also included entry to the zoo. We wolfed down our lunch so as to see the Penguin Parade, which was fantastic! After our meeting we wandered around to our hearts content and had a fantastic time (the cute animals helping to disperse the tensions that had built up over the day!) Although as a day out in general the zoo is fantastic, as a venue for a meeting it was surprisingly splendid!

This is a slightly difficult review to write, because as enjoyable as it is seeing over 1,000 different species in the one, admittedly large space, it always plays on my mind that it is captivity, even if the animals are amazingly well looked after and not cruelly treated. However, on the other hand, a zoo this size, with such an array of wildlife, has huge educational value for anyone visiting it, and in turn teaches people the importance of conserving every different type of species. If people can't come to a space like this and observe how amazing and impressive nature can be, and how crucial it is to look after the natural world, then that could mean less awareness, and more disregard towards the plight of endangered animals. With the serious part over, if you are visiting the zoo, there is a lot to see, so give yourself a good part of the day to survey everything. The zoo is the largest in Scotland, and set out over acres of parkland in the Corstorphine area. There's obviously tons of awesome species to have a peek at, but I adore the wee fairy penguins the most, plus you can't beat looking up at a giraffe, and wondering how long it took, in an evolutionary sense, for their necks to become that long.

We were in Scotland celebrating my daughter's 21st birthday and she and her two 20-something year old cousins wanted to go to the zoo. The zoo? We can go to a zoo anywhere I thought. Well, go to this zoo because it is amazing. So easy to catch a bus. Interactive exhibits where you can walk among wallabies, monkeys, and birds. Excellent restaurants for tea and sweets and farm-sourced lunch items at reasonable rates. The 215 penguin parade is so much fun - we laughed so much. This is a great place for all ages! Giant pandas and an excellent collection of animals large and small. Make sure this goes on your travel agenda!

Edinburgh Zoo has everything you want/need in a zoo. It is a fantastic day out (providing the weather cooperates) and will definitely keep you entertained for the day. Its slap bang in the middle of Corstorphine, about 15 minutes from the city centre. Jump on the 26 bus and it stops right outside. I have fond memories of coming here on school trips when I was a kid, and now I am an even bigger kid I still like an excuse to go. One of the highlights of the zoo is the Penguin Parade, which usually happens around 1 o'clock. It does what it says on the tin, the penguins come out of the enclosure for a march around the perimeter. Its entertaining and it is humorous to see animals misbehave as there is always at least one trying to escape! There is plenty more to see. The Budongo Trail is a fairly new enclosure for the chimps which has viewing areas in every possible position so you don't miss a thing. There is an outdoor section with ropes and platforms where the chimps play with each other, I could sit for hours watching them. Its a really interesting enclosure and is a step up from your standard cage. The selection of animals is like you would find in any zoo: from Lions to Porcupines and Zebras to Sea Lions. Note that the Polar Bear was moved up to Aviemore last year after 25 years at the zoo. There is plenty of little food stalls and cafes selling ice creams, snacks, tea, coffee etc but these places are usually pretty overpriced. I recommend bringing a picnic and eating in one of the many picnic areas- again if the weather cooperates. On the way out, the gift shop is bound to catch your eye and your pennies. Its well worth the visit.

Visited the zoo with an army of my friends for a fun packed day out. It was as fan flippin' tastic as usual! Considering about 30 of us flooded through the doors the staff were patient as always and got us sorted out in no time, with minimal fuss. Visited all my usual haunts - Budongo trail, big cats, koalas, and of course a few of the penguins came out for the parade today. Did one thing different, however - went up to the top for Animal Antics, which was very well choreographewd by the zoo keepers. The guy who was running the workshop was very chatty, all the way handling a wee armadillo and preventing his owl from flying away. Zoos can be very sad indeed but Edinburgh is very interactive and you can tell they take care of their animals. They seem to love them all and be very familiar with each of their needs. It's always very well signposted for information, so you can swat up on your animal facts. They are always great at keeping you up to date with their conservation projects. Next time I'll need to visit rainbow landings - with assistance you can feed the beautiful tropical birds!

How could anyone review the attractions of Edinburgh and not talk about the Zoo. This place was my day out of choice when I was a kid. And I have some of my oldest memories here, running about daft with my dad chasing after me, and trying ever so hard not to join in with the Penguin parade. The Zoo has a special place in everyone's heart that visited here as a kid. So now when you go back as an adult, not much has changed, except the price! Expect to pay through the nose for a day out here with the family. I was always a huge Hippopotamus fan when I was young, or as I used to call them, 'Hippomapotamus'. And the monkeys are always a winner. With the icing on the cake being, of course, the Penguin parade. Make sure you get to see this spectacle and the kids will undoubtedly love it. Go during the spring/summer and you will get to see the baby Penguins finding their feet as they get their daily wander around the Zoo. Excellent.

Frankly, I was irritated before we even got in. We booked online, thinking we'd be able to see when there was an opportunity to see the pandas and plan our trip for whatever day they had availability. Strangely for the first-choice day it appeared not to be necessary to book a time slot, so we bought tickets. The website happily takes your money. But at the drop down list to "select your panda entry time" it appears that "general admission" does not mean "general admission to see the pandas". In fact it means "sorry, all slots are taken". Obviously. To make matters worse the supervisor / manager got arsy with us for asking why the website didn't offer the option to book a time slot, and when we could go. I would have quite happily have enjoyed the zoo with or without pandas, but as it was I spent the whole day feeling conned by a cr***y website. That aside, the zoo's fine I guess. Good exercise walking up the hills, but lacking the wow factor that really great zoos have. And while I'm ranting, the restaurants were laid out by people who have never eaten there - the layout is awful.

I really struggle with zoos, especially as a parent. Whilst it's great that my little girl gets to see and appreciate all these wonderful animals I do have pangs of guilt as it is captivity and there's a voice in my head that says that no animals should be caged. Both my wife and I shared a look when we saw a gorgeous leopard pacing up and down staring at the kids through the glass - then we read that there were only 35 of this kind living in the wild and this one was part of a scheme to breed more and save the species, for us wannabe right on types it's a moral quandry. Generally speaking most of the animals seemed to have reasonable sized spaces and the zoo was clean and staff working away at all times, so as far as zoos go it's not such a bad place. The bits I really didn't like were the leopards and tigers, but I guess they need to make sure that there's no chance of them escaping - that being said, these most impressive of animals probably had proportionately the smallest living space. On the flip side, my daughter really liked it.....

One of the times i visited was when poor Mercedes the polar bear was still here and that poor old soul was one of the most miserable looking bored creatures I have ever seen. They are particuarly bad for breeding animals to work as a vistor draw and then culling them. google red river pigs edinburgh to find out more on that one. Only this year it is working on getting the giant pandas in to be a real money spinner yet at the same time it has been threatened with the removal of its operating licence after inspectors found it had failed to address a series of animal welfare and safety failings that date back at least five years. At the same time it is spending a fortune on pandas: the big cat enclosure is in a terrible state of disrepair; the sea lion enclosure has several animals were suffering from eye infections; and the main food store was infested withvermin. In additon to that just what you need when bringing in the worlds rarest bears with tricky needs - problems with the zoo's veterinary hospital. All of the above inspection findings are fully verifiable via freedom of information documents and other publications.

I didn't like it. It was a very sad place. Most of the animals were sleeping and it was very expensive.

Wow what can I say but wow. I love zoos and I must admit that this zoo is definitely now one of my best zoos. The reason why this zoo is amazing is the space that it has for its animals, how clean the zoo is, the friendlies of the staff and how the animals all look very happy. The other main reason that this zoo is totally amazing is that it is the only zoo in the UK to have some pandas and koala bears. What a joy to see I have never seen a panda or kola bear in real life before only ever on TV. I was lucky enough to get to see the panda roll over and yawn and one of the koalas eating, was so cute. I know some people think zoos are cruel but least they are save and least this way zoos are helping keep animals alive and save from poachers and save from total extinction. All the animals there seemed very happy and they all had enough space to roam around in. Particular areas that was well done and very spacious was the monkeys, pygmy hippos and penguins. The monkeys have a great big hill with many trees to swing to, the hippos a great pond and greenery and the penguins well a vast area of water and ground and they even had their own umbrellas to shelter under. Edinburgh zoo even had two rare white penguins so adorable to see and my first sighting ever of a white penguin. I would totally fly back to Edinburgh just to go to the zoo alone that is how much I loved the zoo and for sure if the panda ever has a baby I will be flying out there straight away.