On the shores of Sydney Harbor, in the suburb of Mosman, you can find Taronga Zoo. Covering 69-acre and hosting over 4000 animals, this “zoo” is known as one of the “most famous wildlife parks and sanctuaries across Australia”.
Sydney Harbor hosts some beautiful attractions, the Sydney Opera House chief among them. However, experiencing over 1.5 million visitors every year, Taronga Zoo is still one of Tourism Australia’s most famous and frequented attractions.
You’ll find a trip here to be perfect for the whole family. The zoo offers a whole lot of variety and uniqueness, boasting over 350 different species of animals. It holds 8 subsections within the park, including the famous Tiger Trek, Seal Walk, and Elephant Trail.
Whether you’re bringing kids, visiting as a couple, or traveling as a solo traveler, Taronga Zoo Sydney has enough for everyone from all walks of life.
Highlights:
- Over 350 different species of animals
- 69-acres of well-maintained ground to cover
- View of the harbor is priceless
Know before you book:
- You may need to catch a ferry to get here
- Ticket prices can be higher costing
- The zoo can be very busy, experiencing 1,5 million visitors a year
Since its original construction in 1916, Taronga Zoo has worked tirelessly to shift its focus away from the standardized perception of a city-based zoo. Today, it’s proud to showcase itself as an animal sanctuary instead.
It’s no secret that zoos today have come under scrutiny from the public due to the forced enclosures it places animals in. If this is something that plays on your mind, fret not.
The Sydney zoo is well praised for its size and its careful habitat building. With over 6 different subsections, you’ll see firsthand just how seamlessly these creatures fit into their surroundings. Here, the animals come first, and their happiness is paramount. Here, they’re well looked after.
So, bring your kids, bring your partner, or just bring yourself! Come and see the wonderful world found on the other side of Sydney Harbor. Explore its paths, visit its inhabitants, and spend your day wide-eyed and well-catered to. It’ll be a day to remember.
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Taronga Zoo Pass Prices 2021
Adult entrance prices to the zoo start at $47 USD. Purchasing your ticket online will see $5 USD removed from that price. Kids cost $27 USD, and infants under 2 years get in for free.
In comparison, a guided tour of the zoo would normally cost about $20 USD extra. You can compare some of these price options below:
Times
The Sydney Taronga Zoo never closes. It’s open 365 days a year, including Christmas, Boxing Day, and Easter. However, its daily opening hours can change depending on what season it is.
Winter, due to the shortened days, sees the zoo close half an hour earlier, at 4:30 pm. This in comparison to Summer where the zoo closes at 5 pm. In all seasons the zoo will open at 9:30 am.
Summer:
Monday – Sunday: 9:30am – 5pm
Winter:
Monday – Sunday: 9:30am – 4:30pm
Best Time to Go
Summer in Australia is well-known both for its beautiful weather and it’s incredibly hot temperatures. If a visit to the zoo is on the cards, we’d suggest you aim for the shoulder months of Summer, between March through to May, heading into August.
By this point, the hot temperatures would have subsided and the crowds have dwindled.
Taronga Zoo Sydney Tickets
When it comes to enjoying all that the zoo has to offer, you’re probably going to want to make it as personalized as possible. Fortunately for you, Taronga Zoo offers discounts and bulk packages for you to make use of.
Options include annual passes, family passes, discounts on group sizes, and spot sales throughout the year. Keep your eye out for any of these offers, especially if you’re looking to make your trip unique to you and your family.
Taronga Zoo Tickets and Packages
A guided tour is always the best way to enjoy a center as large and filled with life as this one. You have a lot of ground to cover, and having someone to help inform you along the way will only make things more informative and purposeful.
Here are some of our personal favorite tour options for you to go through!
Australian Wild Animals Experience
The Taronga Wildlife Experience tour is centered around getting to know the animals that call Australia their home. We’re talking about koalas, wombats, platypus and more!
This tour is perfect for those wanting to learn more about Australia’s unique wildlife, and more specifically, interact with them up close and personally. For 2 hours you’ll get as close to the action as possible, meeting some of the cutest marsupials you’ll ever see.
You’ll also get exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunities to see where and how the animals’ food is made. By the time you’re done, you’ll know more about how to look after a baby koala than your own pet!
- All-day access to the zoo
- A free souvenir
- Post-tour tea and snacks
- Transportation to and from the venue
- Parking fee
- Additional meals
Although this guided experience doesn’t include a visit to all the exhibits, it does give incredible insight into Australia’s indigenous wildlife. It more than makes up for what hasn’t been included in its itinerary.
Since the tour also includes an all-access ticket to the zoo, you can continue your explorations after the formal tour has ended. You’ll get to see it all by the end of your day.
Check Price & BookExclusive VIP Tour
With this 90-minute tour, you get a unique, personal tour of Taronga’s normally restricted areas. These include the meal preparation site, the base of operations for the Australian subsection, and some hidden enclosures.
You’ll get to see wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, echidnas, and many other animals native to Australia.
There’ll also be some very necessary one-on-one time with your tour guide as you explore each sanctuary. You’ll learn so much more from being able to interact with your tour guide, just you and them.
- All-day zoo access
- Sky Safari cable car (weather permitting)
- Access to normally restricted areas
- Transportation to venue
- Meals
- Tours of the other exhibits
This tour offers a very unique experience of the zoo’s Australian exhibit. You’ll get access to areas not normally accessible by the public, as well as an included ride on the Sky Safari cable car!
It’s perfect for travelers who are with their family (kids included), or traveling alone and want to learn about these unusual creatures. You’ll get a unique tour catered solely to your needs.
Specification: Taronga Zoo Tickets (All-day Pass, VIP Access) 2024
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Anonymous –
We were very excited of this trip as every thing from ticketing till return back to Sydney Harbor goes well. We love it.
Anonymous –
Fantastic day out. Value for money trip for all ages. Lots to see and do. We really enjoyed the trip.
Anonymous –
What a wonderful way to experience a zoo. Traveling with an elderly parent the pace was ideal and we had an opportunity to learn about the wonderful fauna of Australia. The zoo itself is spectacular and despite some construction we had a wonderful visit. The close up koala encounter was also a great way to get close without invading their space. 10/10 would do again.
Anonymous –
Wow…. I cannot truly say enough good things about my experience at the Taronga Zoo!!! It started off quite questionably, though, when it was a fog-filled morning with the ferries not running. Not to be deterred from my plan, I arrived via Uber to the ferry drop-off point to follow the itinerary to an empty ferry dock with a lone zoo employee. She directed me to the sky-tram, and up I went into the foggy abyss. When I got to the Info Desk, they could not find my reservation, and the tour had left early for a private reservation. Short version, they had no one to give the tour, but were determined to make it right. After about 10 minutes of wrangling and the volunteers chatting with me to pass the time, the zoo folks put together an experience that likely was far better than the tour could ever be 🙂 I was escorted around the Australia native section of the zoo with a lovely volunteer, Lynn, and was also briefly handed off to an amazing zoo-keeper, Grace. Both zoo folks did an amazing job letting me take photos and learn about the unique animals of Australia. I cannot thank the Taronga Zoo enough for an unforgettable experience that could have been a major disappointment. It is something I will treasure for a lifetime!