Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Rd

Such a great day full of activities for the kids. Check the weather before heading to the zoo to make sure it's not too hot

Went there for Vivid in 2022. I was impressed though the food can be overpriced (though it was nice enough).

I really appreciated the Australian animals exhibits and the possibility to get there by ferry, but a lot of cages around the zoo were empty for maintenance. Also, after finishing the seal show at 2:15pm we could not find anywhere to have lunch because all the food places were closed or out of food (on a Saturday)

Really great zoo. If you’re in Sydney I highly recommend visiting. Take the cable car (gondola) for incredible views of the city.

Great visit to the zoo. First thing, the safari lift is NOT in use but there is a bus to the top front entrance. Small queue for tickets and grab a few map. Suggest planning your day, if you don’t like hills then go side to side then down so you finish at bottom. Some great exhibits, animals look well kept and some great view points to get a cracking picture. Wasn’t too busy (Sept) but hot. Overall a smashing visit, well planned out zoo with some interactive parts. *****

The Roar and Snore experience is fantastic. We had the opportunity to meet a few of the species and talk to their carers. You go on a nocturnal walk and an early walk when the park is still not open to day visitors. You learn a lot about the animals, the conservation efforts and all programs Taronga Zoo runs to educate on and protect wildlife. The guides are very knowledgeable and entertaining, you can feel they are really passionate about their work. You get the experience of waking up to an environment full of animals and listen to their sounds what is a quite unique experience.

Taronga Zoo in Sydney offers an incredible wildlife experience with stunning views of the cityscape and harbor. The diverse range of animals, well-maintained exhibits, and engaging keeper talks make it a memorable visit. The zoo's commitment to conservation and education adds depth to the experience, making it an enjoyable outing for both adults and children. The Sky Safari cable car provides a unique perspective, enhancing the overall charm of this iconic Australian zoo.

Lovely place that you can get close to animals and enjoy best view of the habour. They have Australian local animals and some other specials. Not very large park but good enough to spend half day here. Very easy to access by bus and ferry. However the ticket is $49pp that is a bit expensive.

Better than the San Diego Zoo. I say better due to the zoo not being nearly as crowded and the rarity of the animals here. The zoo is well laid out and the staff are extremely friendly.

There are two zoos. This one and the Sydney Zoo. No real way for tourists to tell the difference. Terribly inefficient and inept process. Walked from the ferry to the side entrance. They kept moving the lines back and forth across the street. At nearly 10am, they hadn't even opened the entrance. They finally come and separate the crowd in two lines. I get to the front and the employee, Ian, has people stepping aside with no explanation. After tending to the rest of the long line and taking a phone call he finally tells the waiting crowd that they have the wrong zoo ticket and need to go to the back of the ever growing second line. Why not tell people that right away?! Go to join the other line and suddenly they announce their computers are down and you have to walk back to the ferry terminal to catch a bus to the main entrance because it *might* be working. Can't purchase online. If you're a family, elderly, or disabled buy your ticket on Viator and go straight to the main entrance. Their signage could stand some work. I had to ask where the entrance was because you get off the bus and there's 2 paths. It's to your left. You can scan a QR code for a map before you enter but after that I didn't see a QR code to scan. Once you're in and your blood pressure returns to normal, I highly recommend the Birds in Flight show. It's quite entertaining. I found the rest of the animals to be underwhelming.

What a great zoo! So many well-designed enclosures for animals to have room to move. The educational aspects are excellent as the zoo staff makes an effort to teach zoo goers about animals and their environment. Koalas in trees and a show featuring seals were highlights. It took us all day to see most of the exhibits. One thing we learned was the importance of watching our food. My friend turned away from her plate for about three seconds only to find her lunch being carried away in the beak of a white ibis. What a surprise that was!

This is a 'must do' while in Sydney on holiday. We took the ferry over from CBD and had a lovely day. We opted to just walk up the hill to the lower entry but you can take the bus right off the ferry to go to the top entrance if you like. We loved seeing all the animals- most were sleepy today but the chimpanzees were quite active as well as the giraffe. The POS system was down for some reason so when we went to get something to eat they just told you to choose one thing (fries, hot dog or fruit) and it was just free (!). Make sure to pop into the littles caves and such a you'll miss the scary spiders and such. It was very cool to walk so close to the kangaroos!

If you came to Sydney expecting to kangaroos roaming around everywhere, unfortunately you won't see any in the city. You have to leave the city and drive through the country in order to see random kangaroos in random places like tearing up someone's garden. So, if you're only staying in Sydney and need to see the pouched hoppers, Taronga Zoo is a great and very accessible place to see some! My little daughter loved this expansive zoo as there are tons of animals to see up close. I think it takes a good 3 hours to see everything. I highly recommend taking a boat ride to the zoo from The Rocks to get an awesome view of the Opera House.

This zoo is amazing! Great location and great exhibits. There were a few places that were under construction while we were there so we will have to come back to see it again!

Get here early when they open (0930). Some of their Shows and animal Talks are only in the morning. We took Circular Quay ferry to Toranga wharf, then a Bus to the Zoo entrance (need to Tap). The sky tram is no longer in service (retired). Don't walk, it's long and uphill. Download the app. It gives you all the Show and animal Talk times. The paper map is missing some showtimes. Also, book the Koala encounter via app. It sells out fast. It's totally worth it. You get up close to the koalas (we saw a mommy and baby koala) and get a personal guide. We did these Talks in order: Dingo, Giraffe, Meerkat, Bird, Sea Lion. Bring your walking shoes. We walked 15000 steps. Excellent zoo experience. We were there from 9:30am to 3:00pm. It almost took the whole day to see all the Talks, Shows and exhibits.

Although we didn't see any of the shows we were able to do most of the zoo in 3 hours. We were disappointed that there was only 1 sleeping, mostly hidden koala, no red kangaroo exhibit, and the other kangaroo area had several sleeping kangas. All in all a good zoo with lots of walking and ups and downs. Wear comfortable shoes!

We stayed at the wildlife retreat and it was amazing. Comfortable beds and great view of animals. Food was amazing and we bought a mini capybara which is cute. 10% discount at the shop because we were staying at the retreat too! Only downside it was raining when we visited the zoo. 5/5 stars.

We took a 12 min. ferry from Circular Quay to this busy harbor full of kangaroos, koalas & Australian animals with million dollar harbor views. Highlights are the nocturnal platypus habitat, Great Southern Ocean section, feedings and animal encounters. The zoo is home to over 5,000 animals from over 350 species, many of which are threatened, including many Australian native animals and exotic species. There are 22 different daily shows and keeper talks. We spent 2 1/2 hrs here, sitting & admiring the kangaroos, 7 month old Joeys & Australian animals. The zoo is open from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM in winter & from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM in summer. Admission is about $30, reduced for families and 20% when purchased on line in advance. Unfortunately the website crashed so we had to cue up at Taronga. There were many water fountains, clean restrooms, food stands & expensive gift shops.

Are you in Sydney? Are you looking for something to do? Well, look no further! VISIT THE TARONGA ZOO! I know, I know. You're, like, but it's a zoo... And I'm here to tell you, it's more than that! It has phenomenal views of Sydney and terrific displays. This place has elephants, giraffes, kangaroos, koalas, tigers, penguins, and SO much more. My family and I had an even better time than we expected!

This is a great zoo. Lots of interactive areas. Highly recommend the behind the scene tours. They have some endangered species and are working hard to help them continue exist

On my vacation to Sydney from the US, I thought why would I go to a zoo... HAHA wow was a wrong!!! LOL first off Taronga Zoo is a WHOLE unique experience to everything "zoo" we are used to in the U.S., if you're from mericaaa please go!!! Lol best experience ever! From up close experience with koalas (schedule a few days ahead on app or EARLY AM if day of) we went to "see" kangaroos... Yeah experience of a lifetime when you enter the kangaroo "area" and you're in the free with them, as in if they wanted they will come up to you! I was freaked at first but quickly realized just how amazing the experience was!!!! Unreal yet incredible! 20/10 recommend!!!! One of the coolest things we did besides climb the Sydney Harbor bridge.

This is certainly a must visit attraction in Sydney. Tickets can be purchased in advance online, or there are combination tickets available through Captain Cook that also include your roundtrip ferry ride. The zoo is about a 10 minute boat ride from Circular Quay, and you will have a great view of the harbor and opera house on the way over. It's possible to reach the zoo by bus or car also, but ferry will be faster and easier for most (especially tourists). After docking at the zoo you will take a short cable car ride up the hill to the zoo entrance, and the zoo has a marked pathway that will guide you gradually past all the animals and downhill to finish at the bottom where you can board your boat again. It was a rainy day, but we still enjoyed ourselves and spent about 3 hours to see everything including a short snack break. Many of the small snack stands were closed, but there is a large indoor cafe at about the midpoint which features coffee and hot and cold meals. This is also where you'll find the second zoo shop (the other being at the top where you disembark from the cable car). There are many great and unique animals to see here, although some were not as active due to the weather. Some parts of the zoo seemed dated, but they seem to be trying hard to keep the place new and fresh. This is definitely worth a visit when you're in Sydney!

If you go to Sydney, then seeing Koala is a must. There are kangaroo and tasmanian devil. You can take the ferry from Circular Quay to the zoo. You just need to walk up to the hill...haha Also, make sure you get a ticket online before you go. Also, if you need to see Koala, then you need to get a ticket online on the same day after 0900. They only have limited time slot and it is worth for everything to see Koala. We got lucky that the Koala was moving around : ) Shocking!!!

We had fun We spoke with guest relations and they gave us a personal tour of the zoo. Great local animals and be sure to pay extra to be up close to the Koala

The trip will start off with a ferry from Circular Quay to the zoo- it's a smooth ride with amazing views of the opera house, bridge and city. The Zoo itself is massive, housing a wide selection of animals. They do several shows that are highly recommend if you have the chance. There food onsite is overpriced (as most are), but pretty good. I definitely recommend stopping by to see Australia's native wildlife up close and learning more about them.

Loved it! Great view of the city. Loved the shows and the open concept for the animals. Must do for animals lovers visiting the city.

Overrated Zoo, not many animals, very dirty toilets worst then train station, baby change room disgusting, dirty and my granddaughter was afraid to change baby afraid to get disease, Otherwise beautiful location and well organized zoo.

Pleasant place to spend a day with kids. Plenty of options for food and drink, not TOO crowded despite the Xmas holidays. Loved the addition of several playgrounds, which helped our 2 year old get rid of some of that bottled up energy.

This is the furthest we ventured from Sydney CBDCBD during our trip there in January 2020. We had to ensure every destination was accessible, and Taronga Zoo was definitely that! We opted to start the day with a tour. Our guides were super friendly, informative, and genuinely cared about the animals. They had extra work due to the raging bushfires... sharing some sad tales of the impact it was having on the wildlife. :( but I'm grateful the animals have this lovely place to call home, along with caring keepers to look after them. I'm not usually a zoo advocate, but it was clear that this one was different and truly have their hearts in the right place for the sake of the wildlife. The enclosures were often too big to always see the animals but I'd rather the little guys (and big guys) have that privacy as needed. Thank you, Taronga Zoo, for caring!

I'm an American tourist who has enjoyed extraordinary zoos such as the San Diego Zoo, but I am in love with the charm, beauty and open air atmosphere of the Taronga Zoo. The staff is passionate and excited to educate visitors about the various species. I loved the personal attention to detail. All of the animals looked silky smooth, clean, healthy and very well taken care of. If you have mobility challenges, a wheelchair may help you enjoy the experience as there are several inclines and declines. Perfect for all ages and easy accessibility from the Ferry. Highly Recommend!

This is one of the best zoos I have been to. The cable car entrance going over the elephants was so cool. The kangaroo den is especially cool because some of the run around you outside of the little wooden area, they're not completely fenced in. The koalas are so cute! You can't hold them but that's probably for the better. They had an impressive bird show as well. The entire zoo has a view of the Sydney opera house and harbor. Definitely take the ferry there!

We had a hard time choosing between Taronga and Featherdale but ended up here because the trip was so much shorter. It's a quick ferry ride from Circular and then a bus or cable car to the top. Definitely buy tickets ahead of time, especially in high season or on weekends. I'd also advise getting there as they open and booking your koala encounter (if you want to do one) ASAP at the main gift shop at the top. We did this and were the first ones of the day in for pics! They took a really nice photo of us which didn't cost extra and we were free to take our own photos as well. No touching - I'm ok with that since it's less stressful for the animals. I also loved that many areas were "free" enclosures meaning the animals are not caged. We saw tons of cool birds, some kangaroos and wallaby's very close up. In the Aussie area, we were told that the best time to get close to the kangaroos is later afternoon when there are few people. The zoo is surprisingly compact but packed with things to see. There's a huge roster of keeper talks throughout the day so you can learn more about the animals. They do a great job of talking about conservation and things you can do to help. All this fun doesn't come cheap - adult tickets are close to $50 each, plus an extra $30 for a koala encounter (good for up to 4 ppl).

If you are visiting Sydney with kids, a trip to Taronga Zoo is a must! You'll see all your favorite Aussie animals like wombats, koalas, and kangaroos. But what sets this zoo apart are their animal experiences. For a separate fee, you can get up close and personal with several different animals including giraffes and penguins. The catch is that the zoo sells a limited amount of tickets for each experience and if you want to ensure your spot, you must be at the gift shop early. We arrived about thirty minutes before the gift shop opened to purchase our tickets and there was only one other person in line. We were happy to get our tickets, but it made for a long day at the zoo since the giraffe experience is daily at 11am and the penguin experience daily at 2pm. But it was worth it! Feeding the animals was a very unique experience for my son and I and we both loved it.

If you're a visitor to Australia and you're in Sydney, you must put on your bucket list Taronga Zoo. The trick is to take the ferry over to the zoo and take the cable car to the top and then work your way down. You'll be amazed at the scenic view as you walk down. Go early there's a lot to see and you won't be disappointed.

Total rip-off. If ai could give it w negative rating I would. Overpriced, many enclosures closed, everything overpriced and poorly managed by staff that just don't care. The only thing worse than the park and the staff is the parking experience. Over an hour to exit the parking structure. Sad to see how far the once great Tarongo Zoo has fallen. I wouldn't go back if they gave it to me for free.

A very clean park. A very welcoming park. The staff was friendly and when questions arose the staff didn't have a problem answering them. I really enjoyed my visit to the zoo. Total time spent was about 3 hours. Cheers!

Well-maintained zoo. Lots of exotic native Australian animals who seemed content in their habitats.

I absolutely loved this zoooo! If your a tourist this visit to the zoo is a must. Especially the koala experience. Although you cannot touch the cute koala you can take all the selfies and videos you want! Its amazing ! However I was tempted to just stuff that cute koala baby in my bag since California has thousands of eucalyptus trees lol ! If your in Sydney, you must take a ferry from harbor 4 to the zoo or take the long way across the bridge.

Really nice zoo with amazing views! I'm not sure why everyone we talked to failed to suggest we come here but I highly recommend visiting here if you want to see animal species endemic to Australia and more! It is kind of a trek to get here by car but you can easily take the ferry across from downtown Sydney. Either way, my point is that you won't be disappointed with a visit to this zoo! At several points along the main path between exhibits you'll want to stop and take photos of the skyline below. If you have really squirrelly family members they can enjoy the rope course above the first several exhibits, where you can view the animals from above. I personally found this kind of annoying to have screeching children above me on the path, but I felt worse for the poor animals that have to live with that every day. The zoo was built on the side of a hill so you definitely want to wear your walking shoes - you will get some exercise! They offer elevators in a couple of areas but those are mostly occupied by the groups with strollers (so expect to take the stairs whenever possible!) My favorite parts of the zoo were the walkabout and the wombats burrow. We happened to be here on a beautiful day with no humidity and lots of breezes and sunshine - couldn't have asked for better!

A true Kolal-ity experience !! I've been to zoos all over the USA and one other in Australia. I appreciate their differences and love when they focus on local flora and fauna. Taronga is certainly one of my favorites. For the vast breadth of species on display, the actual grounds are fairly small and compact. Best to start at the top and work your way down. There is a cable car to take you back up. You won't spend valuable time waking long distances between exhibits but there is always lots to see along the way. There are several opportunities to be amongst the beautiful birds as well as Roos, wallabies, and even Emus! Some of these were more frightening than others. Our favorite thing was the Koala encounter. For $30AUD, we got up close and personal with an adorable koala and received a high quality photo as a keepsake. Also, it looks like there is a lot of building going on right now, so definitely more great things in store for the future! Be sure to come early and beat the crowds this place must be absolutely swamped during the high season!

Took a nice ferry ride to get to this zoo from the city. I purchased my ticket online, and saved a few bucks. Even though I got to the zoo right when they opened, it was super packed! The first thing I knew I needed to do, was book my koala experience. Fast walked to the shop and was able to get a time with the koalas within the next two hours. Which was the perfect amount of time for me to walk around. I came here by myself so I was able to go at my own pace and look at the animals I wanted to see. I got lost a few times as the map and arrows got a little confusing. Also, there was construction when I went. All in all, I had a great time!

TL:DR - A great /modern zoo with tons of interactive and unique learning opportunities. If you buy your tickets ahead of time and take the ferry in, you can take the cable car over the zoo to the main entrance. Only cons are the price can be prohibitive and the path through the zoo isn't super straight forward leading to lots of backtracking. This particular zoo is great and def deserves a trip while in Sydney. In addition to their great/money facilities, it has so many great and unique learning opportunities to learn about the animals and conservation that I've never seen anywhere else. After getting here around 10am on a weekday, we were able to go up into the elephant observation post that's located high on the middle of their enclosure, giving us a unique perspective on their behaviors. Right after, we got to go next door into the elephant enclosure to watch the keepers give them a bath and answer our questions. Then we went through their new tiger exhibit, which is setup to transport you to a different country to focus on how tiger conservation is going on all around the world. We then went right next door and watched their birds of prey show. I'm addition, they had a good number of Australian wildlife, something this American really wanted to see. Included in your admission, if you bought ahead of time, is a trip in their cable car that goes over the length on the zoo and down to the ferry dock. It's a great way to get in and out of the zoo. The only reason this place didn't get 5*s is that the layout of the zoo is so illogical. Like there is no logical way to efficiently see all the animals without backtracking a large portion of your day as well as the price of admission can be high compared to other famous zoos around the world.

This is a long overdue review, but this was by far one of the best zoos I have ever visited! If you are visiting Australia and would like to come to check out "australian wildlife," I strongly recommend this zoo. Koalas, wallabies, and hopping kangaroos are just some of the wildlife you will come across! I am obsessed with animals and purchased one of the animal encounter packages with a koala. It is not legal to pet a koala here, but you can get close enough to take photos with them. Our koala had a joey that was sleeping with the mom while hanging in the tree, which was pretty amazing to witness. Aside from the animal, the environment and atmosphere of this zoo is great. I can tell it is a true animal sanctuary where they protect and care for their animals! Great zoo all around.

Taronga is an Aboriginal word meaning beautiful view & the beautiful views were plentiful. From all the cool critters to the meticulously maintained grounds & even the spectacular views of downtown Sydney. This is a must see while visiting Australia. The exhibits were well displayed, you can usually see the animals from at least one of the viewing spots. The educational component was good without going overboard like a school lesson. - Lots of new habitats currently under construction to accommodate happy animals. - Cool gondola ride over the zoo to the main entrance at top - Get a map to guide yourself down the hill, many shortcuts throughout the maze of foot paths - The Koala experience is well worth the time & money. Book your time slot asap. They take groups of 4 every 15 minutes. - Overnight camping available in the heart of the zoo - Lots of birds & lizards roaming free throughout the zoo The Zoo is 12 minutes from Circular Quay by ferry. Ferries depart every 30 minutes. Save time by purchasing your Zoo tickets at the Wharf 4 ticket booth before you board. We used Captain Cook high speed ferries at wharf 4 to purchase a 2 day hop on hop off pass with entry to the zoo & a few other attractions.

I came to Taronga Zoo for one thing and one thing only- the Aussie wildlife. We're talking kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, emus, etc. Oh, and the beautiful colored birds that were scattered throughout the entire park. Did the zoo deliver? Yep, it certainly did. With two days to spend in Sydney, I made the decision to check out Taronga Zoo in order to witness some of the wildlife in a big city environment. From CBD, a bus or ferry will take you directly to the zoo. For a whopping A$45, you get access to multiple exhibits with creatures from all across the globe. But the most popular one (in my opinion) would be the Australian Wildlife, which was exactly what I came here for. Seeing kangaroos and wallabies hopping around/lounging around gave me life. I don't think I had ever been this excited to see animals at the zoo, at least not in my later days. The site of a giant emu was satisfying too, but I wished that there was a way to see more koalas or echidnas. These little ones like their naps so it was a shame that they were chillin' when I went. The other great part about this zoo are the views the animals get of the city. I am jealous that the giraffes have *that* kind of view of the Sydney skyline. Not sure if they realize how lucky they have it (although how "lucky" any animal is kept at a school is subject to your own opinion). Nevertheless, the zoo was great. Exhibits were well kept and informative, and it never really felt "busy" where I was fending off other tourists or school children. Although expensive, if you only have so much time and want to see Australian wildlife, this is a good place to do so.

I came here yesterday and had such a great day, this is easily the best zoo in Australia. Taronga is built on a hill so a decent fitness level is required to be able to get around and see the whole zoo. The enclosures for the animals are huge and extremely close to their own natural habitats, I have heard that they used to have even more animals than what they have now but they all had smaller enclosures, to be honest I would prefer less animals if it means the animals they do have get to live comfortably and besides they still have a very impressive amount of animals My favourites were - Sumatran Tigers, there enclosure is absolutely amazing, One of the Tigers actually came right up to the glass next to me and I got actually got a selfie with it through the glass. All around the enclosure has been set up to look like a village in Indonesia - Western Lowland Gorillas - One of the babies picked up a handful of grass and tossed it at a bush turkey XD - Komodo Dragon, do not miss the Komodo Dragon keeper talk at 11:00am The seal show that was held at 1:00pm was fantastic as was the Gorilla feeding at 2:30pm. Now for my favourite part the reptiles. Taronga have the most impressive collection of Reptile's I have ever seen after the Australian Reptile Park, they have so many exotic snakes some of which I had never seen in person before. I have always loved Viper's but as we don't have them in Australia I had never seen one before until yesterday, I had also never seen a rattlesnake in person so I was very excited to see both of these snakes in the flesh as I'm sure any Reptile lover would be. The collection of snakes they have include Amethystine Python Black Headed Python Boa Constrictor Broad Headed Snake Centralian Carpet Python Coastal Taipan Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Eyelash Viper Green Anaconda Green Tree Python Inland Taipan Monocled Cobra Olive Python Pacific Ground Boa Pygmy Python Reticulated Python Stimson's Python I could go on and on about this zoo but I strongly recommend a visit to Taronga Zoo.

A magical place! We mostly wanted to see the native Australian animals - this delivered, and more! It's a very expansive zoo, spreading several levels and over a wide area. We were there for about 4hrs and covered maybe half. We did manage to see the Australian animals: koalas, kangaroos, birds, the platypus, etc., as well as others like elephants, red pandas, gorillas. Definitely recommend that you go during one of the feeding/keeper talks since they are very educational. Entrance fee is a little steep (A$50) but worth it. Lots of birds just flying around, some of the animals as well. Very little fences for the non-dangerous animals, really, which makes the experience somewhat better - you can't really touch the animals but it feels open. We got here via the ferry from Circular Quay. Buy your ticket before getting on the ferry. That ticket will allow you to take the cable car up the hill. Otherwise, you'll have to walk to the main entrance. Also, amazing views towards downtown, the Opera House, and the Harbor Bridge. Lives up to the name

This zoo is a very good experience for anyone but make it an all day thing! I'll be completely honest, I'm from Los Angeles where the zoos animals are very close to each other so I'm not used to the amount of walking this zoo entails but it's amazing and worth it. It seems like they really care about the animals because they're so far from each other in nature and everything looks like their natural habitat. The workers are kind and views are phenomenal. I couldn't get to all the animals but I would love to return some day.

Now this is a pretty big zoo. Well, probably not as big as some of the zoos that I have visited (such as the ones in Singapore), but it is still pretty large. In fact it is located on the side of a hill that rises up from the harbour, and it can get pretty steep in places, though fortunately there does happen to be a chair lift to take you to the top (though you do have to leave, and then come back in). Like all zoos though, it can be pretty hit or miss in seeing the animals, though there are quite a few enclosures so you are bound to see something. Mind you, it is pretty pricey, particularly with the snacks and what-not inside, but then again that is to be expected. Oh, it even has its own ferry dock, and a bus that shuttles you up to the top (though there are two entrances).

Food: 3/5 Service: 5/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 The penguins were so awesome! The lift to the top of the park/mountain was cool too! One of the best zoo's I've ever been to. Definitely a must-see if you're visiting Sydney. Don't miss out!

My initial thought was to head out to the Featherdale Wildlife Park which was about an hour by public transportation from our hotel so that we could actually get up close and touch a koala. This desire was affirmed by a travel agent who told us that Taronga Zoo was a whole lot of walking and only really worth it for the free cable car ride with a nice view of the harbor. Another travel companion, however, really wanted to go to Taronga Zoo. So I acquiesced, which wasn't super-hard, since it was also closer to the other touristy things we had in mind. And in the end, we felt it worked out to be the better thing because: 1) her parents went to Featherdale the same day we visited Taronga, and called us while they were there. They told us that all the animals were sleeping and that it was crowded with kids, so they weren't really enjoying it. A couple of koalas were nappy at Taronga (not a surprise since koalas sleep 16-20 hours a day), but the rest were slowly moving about and eating. 2) sure you can pay to touch a live koala at Featherdale, but then we would have had to answer with an affirmative to the customs questionnaire on whether or not we had touched any local animals on our trip home. Not sure what, if any, difficulties that might have caused... 3) we saw folks up on the Wild Ropes course above Taronga Zoo, and added it to our trip's itinerary. This also gave us the chance to return for the cable car ride, which was unfortunately closed the precise day of our zoo visit. 4) we got to see Koalas! And Kangaroos! In fact, a kangaroo hopped quickly right past us! But we decided against the koala experience since it was $24.95 for up to 4 people and the photo you get to have with a koala doesn't seem to really get you that close to one. 5) we found the zoo to be interesting and not too much walking. *** Speaking of which, Wild Ropes is a separate business from the Zoo, although they have sort of a symbiotic relationship, as they overlay one another and each offer a discount for guests of the other business. Wild Ropes is a ropes course set at two different height levels and of varying difficulties. With two different courses at each level, you may challenge yourself with two different low courses, a low and and a high, or if you opt for the Ultimate Challenge package, you can hit all four. Requirements: 140 cm tall & 8 years of age for the Main Course 3 years of age minimum for the Children's Courses Fully Enclosed Shoes with Rigid Soles (shoe hire available) Hair tied back Nothing loose may be carried (no camera!) Glasses may only be worn with a strap (available for purchase) We went with the 2 course Adventure Package for $37. Picked up gloves for $6 (tip - get them!), and one of our bespeckled buddies had to buy the glasses strap. The first stop was at their free lockers where we stored everything that wasn't firmly attached, as they didn't want to risk coins or jewelry or cellphones being dropped into animals' cages or onto unsuspecting zoo patrons' heads. Then we awaited our turn to be fitted with harness and helmet in a group. Testing the belay on ground level made me feel more comfortable that I would only fall so far if I lost balance or hold on the ropes. I hate heights, so the low course was plenty high for me. Half the folks in our group tackled the low course on the right while our friend group was directed to the low course on the left. We took things slow and easy - well, except for one friend who scurried along ahead of us, so that I ended up feeling like I was first. Yikes! The continuous belay system, and the rules about having only one person on a challenge at a time, and a max of two people per platform means that the people ahead of you sets the pace. Yup, no jumping ahead since you're attached by the rope. So we also came to realize that if one member of a party might want the possibility of a steady familiar hand for a bit of an assist onto the next platform, best if the stronger member goes first to lead the way. We were but half-way through our first low course when a member of our larger group showed up above us on the high course, having already quickly finished the right low course. He offered his opinion that this high course was indeed a lot tougher. So yeah, for our 2nd course, we opted for the other low course. We felt quite accomplished by the end! Reservations recommended. We were going to buy some pictures (pose and step hard on the button!), but somehow our pictures weren't captured. Sad. Pricing: Adventure Package - access to 2 courses: Adult $37 Junior (8 - 17yrs, min. 1.4m tall) $32 Adventure Package + Zoo entry - access to 2 courses plus same day Zoo entry: Adult $71 Junior (8 - 17yrs, min. 1.4m tall) $47 Ultimate Challenge - access to 4 courses (approx. 90 min activity): Adult $64 Junior (8 - 17yrs, min. 1.4m tall) $54 Ultimate Challenge + Zoo entry - access to 4 courses plus same day Zoo entry: Adult $98 Junior (8 - 17yrs, mi

The Taronga Zoo is one of my favorite stops in Sydney. You really shouldn't miss out on this especially if you're looking to see some of the Australian natives and only coming through Sydney. In order to get there, you have to go to the Circular Quay ("key") and purchase your tickets for the ferry and the zoo. The ferry tickets can be purchased at the blue machines and the zoo can be purchased at the window. Take a look at the monitors to see what terminal the ferry leaves from and at one time. There should be one arriving and leaving every 15 min. Once you're on the ferry, it's about a 15 min boat ride to the other side of Sydney Harbor. Enjoy the sights and take plenty of pictures on the way over. During the summer it's really hot so be sure to put on sunscreen and a hat as you walk through the park. Once you arrive, you'll probably want to take the lift up to the park. That is free and is included in the ticket. If you want to skip the line, you can pay a little extra to take the bus which will take you straight to the entrance. Personally I like the lift which takes you over some of the exhibits and gives you a great view of the harbor. The line moves quickly and you'll be able to get through even in the longest of lines in less than 30 min. Once you're in, you just need to show your pass, get your map and away you go. I always like to start with the Australian animals first and then make your way through the rest of the park. Even if you speed walk through everything it will take a good 3-4 hours to see everything. They have kangaroos, echidnas, wallabys, cassawaries, wombats and a lot of spiders. Then you have your typical zoo animals as well including elephants, different types of birds and snakes. On a hot day, this walk can be tough so be sure to pack some water. There are places to grab lunch in the park but there is absolutely no air conditioning in this public eating areas. My suggestion is to pick up your food and eat as you walk. Must more tolerable that way. When you're done, you can take the lift/gondola back down and pick up the next ferry. If you only bought a one way ferry ticket, you'll need to get another before you can exit on the other side (learn that the hard way). Love the Taronga zoo and you should make it a point to come by as well!

MUST SEE! I was 2 years old when I went to Sydney back in 2000. I've forgotten a lot about the trip, but one thing I'll never forget is my trip to this zoo. I remember how beautiful and cool it was, the animals and the vibe of the zoo in general. Some people may be against zoos, I am not. The place feels like you're in the wilderness and the employees really care about the animals. There's also a cable car you can take that goes over the zoo. Check it out, great little excursion.

We came here super early, and we've only seen three giraffes, two camels, three gorillas and a few meerkats. We couldn't even see half of the other animals. They didn't show up. Of all the other animals in the animal kingdom, where are they? The place is almost empty. If I turn on my TV at home right now, and I switch it to a National Geographic Animals channel, I probably would be able to see twice as many more animals on my screen than having to see them here in this zoo. If we compare Taronga Zoo to other zoos across the world, oh boy, there is a tremendous difference. A wide gap for improvement. The animals look low in spirits. Some of the areas that they're staying in, we feel, are too narrow and compact. We feel worried about their overall well-being. The entrance tickets are also extraordinary high, and we didn't even get to see much in return, a disaster. Thank goodness we're using the Dine and Discover vouchers for this visit, or else it'll be a rip-off. The directions in the zoo are super confusing and unclear. It took us some considerable time to find the exit, which is a waste of our time and energy. In our opinion, Taronga Zoo has gone downhill by a lot that it'll make your head spin!

Though small, a trip across Sydney Harbour to the Taronga Zoo can be a really nice experience. My group purchased a ticket through the Fast Ferry, which included a two-day ferry pass. The ferry+zoo experience is great as it includes a primer in the form of a gondola ride up the hill, meaning the visit can be organized as a leisurely walk traversing down the hillside, ending back at the ferry pier--nice touch. There are places to snack and hydrate throughout the zoo. As a non-Aussie, I especially appreciated the opportunity to see and, in the case of the walkabout attraction, interact with the local fauna.

Had an excellent time here! We took the hop on hop off ferry from Darling Harbour. The gondola ride to the top was fun, and it was fun to meander around the zoo. It required some going back and forth along the routes to ensure we saw everything. This is definitely at least a half-day, if not full-day endeavor! They also have talks and sea otter shows and the like. Definitely one of the better zoos!

I think this is the most beautiful zoo in the world and a must go if you are visiting Sydney. Remember to take ferry and enjoy the view from ferry and cable car. It might be very busy and you should purchase tickets ahead of time if possible.