With literally thousands of wild animals including many on the endangered species list, its no wonder that San Diego Zoo is world famous. With more than 4,000 animals representing 800 species, San Diego Zoo is home to a diverse collection of animals, many of which are rarely seen at other zoos.
Come meet the newest addition to the panda family, and the fifth baby panda born at the San Diego Zoo! This is truly one of the most unique and most beloved species on the planet - and very few are ever seen outside their native habitat in northern China.
The San Diego Zoo is highlighting California animals from the ancient past, present and future in The Harry and Grace Steele Elephant Odyssey, the newest and most unique exhibit to date! At the Elephant Odyssey, step into the fossil dig site and explore prehistoric fossil evidence, and visit the habitats of current wildlife species including elephants, a pair of lions and a jaguar! Learn about extinction causes of the mammoth and saber-toothed tiger and stop by the Pleistocene playground to find out about conservation projects at work.
Activities available at San Diego Zoo include (additional costs may apply):
Guided Bus Tour: A 35-minute tour by double-decker bus covering 75 percent of the San Diego Zoo. Your ticket also includes use of the Express Bus which allows you to hop on and off at 3 different stops throughout the Zoo. (included)
Skyfari Aerial Tram: Take an airborne shortcut over the treetops to the other end of the Zoo and enjoy spectacular views of the Zoo, its animal and plant collection, and surrounding Balboa Park. (included)
Balboa Park Miniature Railroad: pulls out of the station for 3-minute rides around a portion of Balboa Park. (approx. $1.75)
4-D Theater: If you haven’t experienced 4-D, it’s a film that you can see and hear but also feel, smell, and sense. Wind in your face, snow on your head, a pat on the back—it’s like you’re there, part of the action! This new attraction is located near the western terminal of Skyfari. Guests can purchase tickets at the entrance or at the theater ticket booth. (approx. $6)
Make sure to visit the Conrad Prebys Australian Outback exhibit which showcases some of the wonders from the Land Down Under. Venture through a eucalyptus grove and discover species from wombats to wallabies and kookaburras to cockatoos. The Australian Outback exhibit culminates at a Queenslander house-style care center that overlooks a forest for the Zoo's Queensland koala colony - the largest koala colony outside of Australia.
Don't miss your chance to see the adorable new Panda cub Xiao Liwu ("Little Gift"). He is on display (weather permitting) from 9am to noon daily.
Many displays you won't find in other zoos. Very clean
Review by: dane.wilson, December 2017
Fantastic place to visit and the night sessions are even better
Review by: Maureen B, November 2017
Great! Hop on /Hop off bus makes the zoo accessible without a lot of walking. Don't miss the tram ride. We appreciated that it was included in our purchase price.....and not an extra 16.00 per person. The zoo seemed to exist for the well-being of the animals, rather the _br/_ convenience of the zoo visitors. Can't argue with that!
Review by: Destiny, November 2017
Fantastic zoo! There's so much to see, so definitely plan a full day! Also, dress comfortably because you are sure to get a ton of walking exercise in.
Review by: trevorian27kiel, October 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Johnvass, August 2017
Fantastic zoo, the animals look well cared for and as happy as any that are in captivity. We enjoyed the bus tour and the Skyfari was very good too. Saw animals we had never seen before and really enjoyed our visit. The only thing that I would criticise would be the restrooms which were small and not kept up to a reasonable standard considering the numbers using them.
Review by: Anthony M, August 2017
The San Diego Zoo is by far the best zoo I have ever been too. Its clean and Beautiful. It is an all day thing so plan time to stay._br/_ Lots to do and see. I can't wait to go back. I will plan time better next time. DO NOT MISS THIS.
Review by: Angela N, August 2017
This was not our first trip to this Zoo but it was amazing as always.
Review by: bellmex, July 2017
Visiting the Zoo was an awesome and fun experience. It is beautiful and the animals are very well taken care of.
Review by: May L, July 2017
What an amazing day it was to tour the San Diego Zoo. Most definitely got my 10,000 steps for the day. Loved the Panda and particularly the giraffes. Loved being able to feed the giraffes. All of the animals are so lucky to be in this extraordinary facility. They are well cared for and areas are so clean. Enjoyed the bus tour and the information that the guides would share. Great day and hope some day to be able to return.
Review by: ANDREW S, June 2017
Try it!
Review by: Denise O, June 2017
I loved this zoo. I gave it 4 stars because of the price. I thought it was a little costly. But the best zoo I have ever been to.
Review by: Winona P, May 2017
So much fun and not just for kids! Very well laid out and easy to get around. There's a tour bus you can take to get a overview of the park and then you can catch the Kangaroo Shuttle. It's a hop on hop off ride that gets you to all the sections without excessive walking. It's great for older adults as well as young families.
Review by: Nana, April 2017
WOW this is a great zoo. Very clean and well organized. Great way to let children see animals they would not see otherwise. Great price and easy access having pre-purchased our tickets from Viator. I love Viator!
Review by: Catarina, March 2017
Very easy process of purchasing through Viator._br/_ Wonderful experience.
Review by: vanessa, February 2017
Defiantly the best zoo in the world.
Review by: Pamela N, February 2017
Really wonderful zoo to visit.
Review by: Yanex H, January 2017
An amazing place to visit with the family.
Review by: Rebecca P, January 2017
Wonderful zoo!!!!!!! Arrive early to beat the crowd. We took the 50.00 tour with guide. The guide was very informative and made it possible for us to visit many of the animals without having a long wait or crowded view. After that trip we knew which animals we wanted to ride the free Kangaroo Bus to see. The free Skyride was the quickest way to get from one side of the park to the other. Food at the restaurants was very good. The only thing I would change would be to lower the price on the 4-D movies.
Review by: Marcos E, December 2016
The experience was excellent. We took the bus tour to see where everything was located. Then we walked most of the zoo with the exception of the kids area. _br/_ The exhibits were easy to see all the birds and animals. _br/_ The only change we would suggest is charging stations for mobile devices. In the age of so many smartphones, tablets, and cameras, having charging stations near the food locations would make it convenient for when people are not walking around the zoo, rather resting or eating.
Review by: Ronald L, December 2016
Outstanding in every way. Highly recommended for all who visit San Diego.
Review by: csilla1111, November 2016
the most amazing Zoo...lovely :
Review by: Judy F, November 2016
The zoo was nice and we enjoyed it. However, the tour we arranged through Viator did not provide transportation. We had to make our own arrangements to get there and back from our hotel.
Review by: Collie, October 2016
Good day out but felt not enough room for the animals enclosed._br/_ The zoo goes on about pollution and Eco etc but the safari bus they use is pure fuel
Review by: Michael S, October 2016
Zoo was fabulous
Review by: elias c, September 2016
everything ok
Review by: marinaeug, September 2016
SORRY, BUT i GUESS THE ZOO EXPERIENCE IS NOT FOR ME...VERY SAD TO SEE THE ANIMALS IN LIMITED SPACE...It may be important for breeding purposes and saving threatened animals...but.......
Review by: glab_nouvelle, September 2016
One of the best zoo in North America.
Review by: Zoe Rena S, August 2016
bus overall ride a good starting place to determine where you might want to spend more time.
Review by: Pearl S, August 2016
This is the nicest zoo I have ever been too. I felt like I was in a disney park.
Review by: Heather L, August 2016
Nice zoo - booking on Viatour allowed me to use a discount and save some money, which was nice because the tickets are expensive. Leave plenty of time to explore!
Review by: b.latouche, August 2016
very nice tour
Review by: Jim H, August 2016
If you like animals this is the place to go. We spent about 5 hours there and only really scratched the surface. I would recommend that you take the bus around the Zoo first so you can see where you want to go. The Pandas are a must see so are the big cats. All sorts of things for kids to do as well in the childrens zoo.
Review by: Erica L, August 2016
Not really a tour but we were able to get right into zoo which was really good!
Review by: Kayleigh B, July 2016
Such a great place to visit and so big! Definitely a must see :
Review by: daphnehiett, July 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Bridget F, July 2016
Best zoo ever! So many animals not fond in other zoos. And, so lucky my timing was right because I got to see lots.of babies; animals that is.
Review by: Marlin R, July 2016
The zoo was amazing!! With our pass we were able to enjoy everything that they had to offer.
Review by: Michael M, June 2016
I brought your tickets in advance hoping to beat the queues but alas my tickets where unacceptable due they did not accept them as on the iPad , there fore I had to pay again plus the price of entry was 10 cheaper than yours.
Review by: vickie, June 2016
We had a great time at the San Diego Zoo, lots of animals.
Review by: daveranck, June 2016
It was nice, take the bus tour of the park but sit on the right side of the bus. About 95 of everything they talk about is on that side.
Review by: Susan C, May 2016
The zoo was great, a good representation of our wild animals. Fairly easy to get around and well laid out. Food and drink was expensive but what are you going to do? The tickets were reasonably priced and parking was free unlike Seaworld! I would definitely go back again.
Review by: gary s, April 2016
to hilly
Review by: Mary S, April 2016
We would not purchase through Viator again. Turns out Viator only sold us a voucher to the zoo, not a ticket, so it took us forever to get into the zoo as we had to go through customer service office, email them the vouchers from my phone and have them turn the voucher into tickets. It would have been much quicker to just go through the ticket lines. Even if I had printed the vouchers at the hotel, it still would have been a longer process to get into the zoo than through the usual lines. Viator did not make it clear that this was a voucher and what that really means._br/_ The Zoo however was not to be missed!
Review by: Sylvia M, March 2016
Great fun with grandchildren.
Review by: Whopper, March 2016
Love this zoo! There are so many things to see! So glad the tram was included in this ticket. It and #39;s a good way to get a lay of the land. _br/_ Everyone who works here is so nice! _br/_ The only issue we had was with the voucher. The instructions say you can use the mobile pass but you can and #39;t. Need to print.
Review by: JULIE, March 2016
Loved the zoo! Great weather on 2/18/16. One day was enough for my husband and I to see everything we wanted. Especially loved seeing the pandas, koalas, and polar bear.
Review by: Cathy T, February 2016
The tour was great! However, what we thought was our tickets ended up being a purchasing receipt. We could have gotten in the 30 minute line when we got there instead of going to the gate to be told those weren't tickets. So people, if you want to get tickets here, go to the purchase line with your e-mail and it can be redeemed for a ticket. It will save you some time.
Review by: Claire D, January 2016
We loved San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and had a very close encounter with the 2 Pandas.
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