National Zoological Gardens

The zoo is generally well maintained, though it could benefit from some additional care. Certain areas feel worn down and dilapidated, with some exhibits run down, and the cable cars currently not in operation. That said, there is a wide variety of animals to see, including reptiles, an aquarium, and animals such as giraffes, zebras, lions, and rhinos, which makes the visit worthwhile. Unfortunately, the bathroom and sanitation facilities are in poor condition, with broken toilets and flushing issues, which makes it challenging when visiting with small children. Overall, despite these drawbacks, the experience is still quite enjoyable.

We had an absolute blast exploring the park in a golf cart! It was a fun and exciting day out with the whole family. The park is massive and there's so much to see - we couldn't get bored. Highly recommend it!

The park is very big and we had to use a golf cart for our family of four to get around the 6 kilometers of the zoo in the first hour and also take pictures with the kids and animals. I'm glad my deposit get refunded within 5 days for the golf cart rental. An hours break for refreshments was enjoyed in the center park of the zoo and then the final tour was completed blissfully at the reptile passage and aquarium. This is one of the top options for family outings for any family.

It is always wonderful to walk around the zoo. There are plenty of animals to see, there are however some enclosures that does not have any animals in as they are under construction. All animals are well looked after. There is information boards on some of the enclosures, I really wished there was more information boards regarding the animal that is kept in the enclosure. There are enough toilets which are neat and clean. There are big open grass areas where you can have a picnic. There are also benches all over the zoo where you can sit and look at the animals. I did however wait for the shark feeding time and talk, but no one showed up and I left after 15min. Was a bit disappointed as I was looking forward to seeing how the sharks gets feeded. The shops only have basic items like cooldrink, water, ice cream and small packet of chips. The restaurant has a view items on the menu that you can choose from. The parking R30 is very safe as no hawkers are allowed inside the gate. They are transitioning into a cashless environment. Overall I had a great time and it was wonderful to see these amazing creatures up close.

Childhood memories unlocked! Pretoria Zoo you owe me nothing, I visited the zoo when I was about 12 years old and 34 years later 🤩 the park still looks the same with the flamingos 🦩 just by the entrance. I just wish the cable car was still working. The park is well maintained given the situation with this season’s rains, the picnic and the braai area was so clean, a place where you can easily spend the whole day at. I am definitely coming back for Azali the gorilla 🤩 he was so grumpy when we saw him, I wanna see him in a good mood, we also heard the best tiger roar ever. The snakes and the reptiles were the most beautiful, big and healthy too

I haven't been to the Pretoria zoo in 13 years and I am definitely going more often after this visit. The animals are well looked after. The bathrooms are clean. There are multiple picnic spots, but also a zoo shop (opens at 9h00) and Duku restaurant. They have recently renovated and reopened the seal exhibition. The only animals that we could not see were the elephants, but they have 2 types of hippos, 2 types of buffaloes, leopard, Lions, tiger, many species of interesting birds, camels, giraffe, rhinos, mountain sheep, goats, alpacas, monkeys, gorillas, aquarium, snakes, lizards, antelope etc. The golf carts are convenient, but there are plenty of trees and beautiful walkways. And you will miss out on the more niche corners of the zoo like the Pygmy hippo! We were there on a Saturday. It started getting busy from 11h00 so I would suggest getting there when they open. It takes 4 hours at least to get through the whole zoo and we had a golf cart. You can easily spend a full day here. The gardens are well maintained and there are beautiful trees. The staff are very friendly and it is has safe parking. They had very interesting displays at the entrance where passionate educators talked about conservation, climate change and the animals. It is very interesting to find out all the work they do to preserve the animals in South Africa. They have a green screen where they take photos that you can buy after.

While there is a lot that can be improved in terms of general maintenance on the enclosures, it remained a lekker outing with the family. Fantastic variety of animals. No elephant, no koala, no red panda, and did not see the rhino. The golf cart is every penny worth. All the animals are in excellent condition.

A Forgotten Gem! What a wonderful experience, truly a trip down memory lane! The place is spotless, the staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming, and all the animals are clearly well cared for and in great condition. It’s rare to find somewhere that feels both nostalgic and so well maintained. A hidden treasure worth re-rediscovering! Ps take a picnic basket and cooler box with!