Enjoy the 5 Wildlife Parks and Zoos Around Adelaide

Zoos and Wildlife Parks are a great way to explore the Animal Kingdom. They’re also an excellent way to get up close with some of Australia’s most iconic animals, including Koalas, Kangaroos and Crocodiles. If you’re visiting Adelaide for a short stay (or even if you live here), there are plenty of opportunities to visit these Wildlife Parks and Zoos around Adelaide.

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The easiest way to get to some of these Zoos and Wildlife Parks is by having a car.

Need a Car?

If you want to book a car, you can try using one of these car rental websites, EconomyBookings.com, DiscoverCars, Expedia or RentalCars.

Need Accommodation?

Try using these accommodation websites to find a comfortable place to sleep after your day exploring, Booking.com, Agoda and Expedia.

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All prices and times were correct when this was written or updated, but please check the websites when you wish to visit.

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Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo is located a short walk out of Adelaide City. It’s a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike, with over 1 million visitors each year. The zoo opened in 1947, making it one of Australia’s oldest.

The zoo has over 3,000 animals representing 400 species worldwide, including koalas! And if you’re feeling adventurous (or just want to get close), you can even hand-feed some of them! The park also has an aquarium where you can see some marine life up close as well as learn about conservation efforts taking place around Australia’s oceans today.

In addition to its many animal exhibits and attractions such as feeding sessions with wildlife experts or behind-the-scenes tours led by zookeepers themselves, Adelaide Zoo hosts special events throughout each year including “Light Creatures” from the end of June until nearly the end of July, where visitors can walk past giant illuminated creatures.

Another great reason to visit Adelaide Zoo is the only Pandas in Australia. Wang Wang and Fu Ni are part of an international conservation and breeding program, although no cubs have appeared yet.

I was lucky to see the Panda behind the glass, although I would have preferred it in the open. When I was in Edinburgh, the Panda enclosure was closed. There are only so many zoos in the world where you can see a Panda, especially when you live in the Southern Hemisphere.

Adelaide Zoo is a part of the conservation of animals hopefully you’ll find babies of all species when you visit.

Keeper Talks

You can plan your day by visiting animals when the Keeper Talks are on. This is also a good time to see animals up close and more active.

Walkabout Free Guided Tours

Volunteers take you on a personalised tour giving you information on your favourite animals.

They depart on the hour from 10 am until 3 pm at our Tour Meeting Point, adjacent to the main entrance.

Tours are subject to guide availability.

Animal Experiences

Would you like to be a Keeper or Junior Keeper for the Day? You can as well as many more experiences by visiting their website for prices.

• Red Panda and Friends Experiences
• Giraffe Feed and Face-to-Face Experiences
• Meerkat Encounter
• Penguins in Person
• Keeper for a Day
• Junior Keeper
• Pygmy Hippo Lunchtime
• Lemur Encounter
• Koala Encounter
• Inspect and Insect
• Tortoise Encounter
• Lion Encounter
• Tiger Encounter
• Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby Encounter
• Big Cat Interactive
• Meet the Primates
• Squirrel Monkey Encounter
• Tree Kangaroo Encounter
• VIP Panda

How to Get Here

Walk:

Adelaide Zoo is an easy walk from the city centre at Frome Road behind the Botanic Gardens. You can take the walkway beside the Torrens River.

Car:

There is no parking at Adelaide Zoo. Paid parking stations are in the city and there is limited metered ticket parking available on Plane Tree Drive, War Memorial Drive and Frome Road. 

Bus:

Buses stop on Frome Road directly outside the zoo (Bus number 271 or 273 from Currie Street). Visit Adelaide Metro for more details.

The half-hourly Connector Bus passes the Adelaide Oval and many of the UPark car parks in the city.

Further information on buses (trams and trains), can be found through Adelaide Metro.

Hours

Adelaide Zoo is open 9.30 am – 5 pm every day of the year including public holidays and Christmas Day.

You can find the times that animal enclosures are open here to help plan your day.

Prices

You can book online by clicking on the link.

Unlimited Access Membership Benefits

Buy a 12-month pass and visit Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park unlimited times throughout the 12 months.

This is great for those travelling around the country as you also then have free entry to most other Australian zoos including Taronga Zoo, Western Plains Zoo in New South Wales, Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Werribee Open Range Zoo, and Kyabram Fauna Park in Victoria and Perth Zoo in Western Australia.

You also receive discounts in the Cafes and shops and invites to special events held at the Zoos.

For more information on bookings and prices, click here for their website.

Monarto Safari Park

Monarto Safari Park is located about an hour from Adelaide. The park is home to over 1,000 animals and birds, including giraffes, rhinos and zebras.

You can walk around the enclosures or take a bus to stops dotted around the grounds. This is a good way to learn about the animals and walk around seeing the animals up close.

Monarto also hosts special events throughout the year that include guided tours. There are also experiences like lion feeding sessions; animal keeper talks; bird shows and more!

Keeper Talks

• Chimpanzee 10.30 am*
• Giraffe 11.05 am
• Tasmanian Devil 11.30 am
• White Rhino 12.15 pm
• Meerkat 12.15 pm
• Cheetah 12.45 pm
• Giraffe 1.40 pm*
• Carnivore 2.40 pm

*Weekends, school and public holidays
All activities are subject to change/cancellation so check out their website to check on times.

Animal Experiences

Would you like to feed the Lions? Monarto Safari Park has a Lions 360-degree experience where you’re in the cage feeding the Lions on the outside.

They also have more animal experiences, and you can find the prices here.

• Land of the Lemurs
• Lions 360
• Black and White Rhino Interactive
• Giraffe Safari
• Grapes for Good Tasting Trail
• Meerkat Mingle
• Meet the Rhinos
• A Devilish Native Experience
• Lions at Bedtime
• Cheetah Experience
• Lions and Wines
• Keeper for a Day
• Keeper for a Morning
• Meet the Chimp

How to Get Here

By Car:

Monarto Safari Park is approximately an hour out of Adelaide heading east. It’s an easy drive with signs on the South Eastern Freeway.

Alternatively, if you are coming from Murray Bridge it’s only a 15-minute drive west. Once again just follow the signs on the South Eastern Freeway.

By Bus:

LinkSA now has a direct service from Adelaide CBD to Monarto Safari Park Monday to Friday. You can take the bus in the morning with a return trip to Adelaide mid-afternoon to allow you a full day at the Monarto Safari Park. You can also access the park from Murray Bridge via LinkSA services.

Want a bit more flexibility, LinkSA also offers 6 connecting services to Monarto Safari Park throughout the week.  From Adelaide catch an Adelaide Metro Service to Mount Barker and connect at the Dumas Street Park ‘n’ Ride with a LinkSA service taking you from Mount Barker to Monarto Safari Park.  Some weekend services are also available via the Mt Barker connecting services.

Click on the LinkSA Website for full timetable details.

Hours

9.30 am – 5 pm every day of the year.

The last Zuloop Bus leaves the Visitor Centre at 4.30 pm.

Prices

You can find the prices on their website here. you also have the option of buying a pass for both Monarto Safari Park and Adelaide Zoo.

For Membership, read above or click to be taken to Adelaide Zoos tickets.

Other Zoos Around Adelaide

I haven’t visited the following wildlife parks, but they are on the list for when I’m next in Adelaide.

Cleland Wildlife Park

Cleland Wildlife Park has over 2,000 animals and birds from around the world, including koalas and kangaroos as well as dingoes and Tasmanian devils. There are also some reptiles like crocodiles and snakes on display here.

You can take a guided tour of their zoo or go for a ride on the tram that goes around it!

Cleland Wildlife Park also has Animal Experiences. Here you can get up close with Koalas, or take night walks or guided tours.

You can also plan your day around the Keeper Talks and Animal Feeding. See which of your favourite animals are fed to see them at their most active. You can also find a more personalised tour of certain animals where you can find more information on this website.

How to Get Here

Car:

Cleland Wildlife Park is located in the Adelaide Hills, about 20 minutes from the city at 365 Mount Lofty Summit Road. Take the South Eastern Freeway to the Crafers exit, then follow Summit Road to the Cleland turn-off. There is free parking here.

Bus:

Visit AdelaideMetro to plan your trip and use ‘Stop 27 – Cleland Wildlife Park.’

Hours

9.30 am – 5 pm every day except Christmas Day and days of catastrophic fire danger.

The last entry is at 4.30 pm.

Prices

Find the prices and book online from their site here.

Warrawong Wildlife Park

The Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is located near the town of Mount Barker and is open year-round. The park features a variety of animals including Koalas, Wombats, Kangaroos and Emus. It also has a reptile house with snakes as well as an aviary with birds from around Australia.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary offers special events throughout the year including Easter egg hunts, summer camp programs for kids ages 5-12 years old (with their parents), night safaris where you can see nocturnal animals up close at night time (including possums!), school holiday activities such as pony rides and animal encounters where you can get up close to all kinds of critters like lizards or bats!

Have a large group of 15 or more and can’t get enough of Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary? You can stay overnight! Just bring your own tent. You can find more information by clicking on overnight stays.

If you’re after Tours, Animal Encounters or Junior Keeper information and prices are on the links. Want to pat a snake? see a show? or learn about Dingoes? You can work these shows into your day by planning them from the times here.

How to Get Here

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is located at 47 Stock Road, Mylor. Parking is free. It’s only a 25-minute drive from Adelaide City.

Bus:

The closest bus stop to Warrawong is Stop 39, on Longwood Road. Stop 39 is a 22-minute walk to the Sanctuary. The stop is serviced by the 865 bus. Getting to Warrawong, from the city, requires at least two bus trips; one from the city to Stirling, then from Stirling to stop 39.

Hours

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is open:

• On weekends 11 am – 4 pm (last entry 3 pm)
• During School Holidays, it’s open every day 11 am – 4 pm (last entry 3 pm)

Closed on Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, and Good Friday.

It’s also closed on days temperature is 32 degrees Celsius and above, as well as when severe, extreme, and catastrophic fire danger days are forecast.

Prices

To book tickets, or see prices, click here.

Gorge Wildlife Park

Gorge Wildlife Park is the place to visit to see mostly native animals. There are other more exotic animals here but are smaller like Monkeys, Lemurs, Meerkats and Otters. There are also Reptiles and Birds.

There are many types of Activities that you can take part in at Gorge Wildlife Park and some don’t cost you a cent to participate.

See Koalas up close and pat them for no cost as well as Snakes, Lizards or Birds. See a Reptile Show or have an encounter with your favourite animal.

This is only on certain days, so plan your visit by visiting the Activities page of their website to find more information or the Encounters page to see which animals are available and to book.

How to Get Here

Gorge Wildlife Park is located at 30 Redden Drive, Cudlee Creek, a 40-minute drive from Adelaide City.

To get here by public transport you would have to take two buses. If you’d like more information, click here.

Hours

Gorge Wildlife Park is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm except for Christmas Day and Catastrophic Fire Warning days.

Prices

For prices and booking click here.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a day out with the family, or want to get away from it all, the wildlife parks and Zoos around Adelaide are the perfect places to visit. They offer something for everyone – whether you’re interested in seeing animals up close or prefer to admire them from afar.

With so many wildlife parks and zoos around Adelaide, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

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Links

If you’d like to read more of my blogs on Australia, you can find them on the following links; Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Camping and Silo Art, or if you’re after New Zealand, the United Kingdom or Photography, you can click on their links.

Travel Resources

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• Travel Insurance – is your number one thing to pack when you’re travelling. Cover-More Australia, Cover-More New Zealand, EKTA, Travel Insurance Master and Insubuy are invaluable in keeping you insured during your travels.
• Attractions – buy before you leave home with these great sites, Big Bus Tour, Get Your Guide, GoCity and Viator.
• House Sitting – is a great way to save on accommodation and Trusted Housesitters has house sits all around the world for you to try.
• Photo Editing – is a great way to bring your photos to life and you can try Luminar Neo, which I use.
• Visa Applications – apply online for your visa requirements with iVisa.
• Sim cards – Try Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travellers access to eSIMs (digital SIM cards).

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