Haifa Zoo

I honestly don’t know how this place is allowed to operate in its current state. The Haifa Zoo is a complete nightmare, especially if you’re coming with children or god forbid a stroller. Be warned: this zoo is built on a series of steep, winding, and frankly dangerous hills. It feels more like a hike through a poorly maintained mountainside than a family-friendly animal park. There are no proper ramps, barely any handrails in key spots, and the paths are so steep and uneven I was genuinely worried for our safety multiple times. Stroller-friendly? Absolutely not. You’ll either be holding on for dear life trying to stop it from rolling down the hill or dragging it backwards up narrow, slippery paths. It’s exhausting, unsafe, and completely inconsiderate to families with small children or anyone with mobility issues. It’s as if accessibility was never even a thought when they planned this place. And as for the animals… what animals? There were barely any. Maybe 10-15 enclosures actually had anything in them, and the ones that did had animals that looked either stressed, lethargic, or hiding in the farthest corner where you couldn’t even see them. Half the cages looked abandoned or under construction. It felt more like a ghost town with a few sad animals scattered around than a functioning zoo. To top it off, signage is poor, there’s little shade, and the whole place feels dated and neglected. Definitely not worth the price of admission. We left frustrated, sweaty, and incredibly disappointed. Save your money and your energy — Haifa Zoo is one steep disaster.

This zoo is on the mountain side, there are some quite serious hills to climb at times. So be prepared for that. I suggest buying tickets through some coupon site like groo (groupon). I like this zoo because I've known it since my childhood. There are many animals. The variety of animals is changing from time to time. There is a nice place with snacks and ice creams to take a break. There is a small museum of prehistoric man. I give it a 4 because the cages of the animals are often small. And some of them are alone without partners. Also last time I went (january 2023) there were some places under construction.

Positive: discounts for olive hadashim, amazing flamingo cage, nice big cats (tiger and leopard), interesting reptiles area. Negative: A lot of closed locations without animals, rats it the parrots cage.

The variety of animals was nice and the info on them. However, the living quality is poor and the scenery is less than wonderful. More than half of the opportunities to interact with animals were closed. The price to get in was considering their limitations though so it is not over priced.

Great zoo for visiting with children. Great alternative if you do not want to travel to the country's center. Not so big but not small at the same time. There is a park and playground for children close to the zoo entrance. Cons there is no good parking close to the zoo. At least I did not find it.

Nice zoo. Great way to spend a Saturday afternoon! They've got lots of exotic animals that I have rarely seen in other zoos here in Israel.

Great experience in a very nice zoo in the middle of the Carmel center. Lot of unique animals (especially the Bangal White Tiger). Recommended and the price to the zoo is small (can get a coupon from ither site so entry for one person is only 29₪).

Very sweet zoo. Not big like the Safari, so feels like at home. Very special and unusual animals which makes the visit much more interesting than a regular zoo. Very recommanded.