IllustrationCome to Tierpark Ströhen for a zoo day that combines animal watching with a working Arabian stud and hands-on play.
Come to Tierpark Ströhen for a zoo day that combines animal watching with a working Arabian stud and hands-on play. The Ismer family's park grew out of a farm, and the old stud courtyard still gives the visit a distinctive setting. Start by checking the programme at the ticket desk, then decide which animals and activities matter most to your family.
The grounds have two separate parts on opposite sides of Tierparkstraße. Part 1 combines the stud with animals including tigers, tapirs and lemurs; Part 2 has further enclosures, the outdoor adventure playground and Emils Streichelzoo. Your day ticket covers repeated entry to both sides. Keep it handy and bring children together before crossing the road.
There is plenty to do between enclosures: solve the discovery-trail puzzles, look into the stud's visitor-accessible stables, or let children explore the wooden play spaces in the Entdeckerscheune. It is worth choosing a few animals to watch slowly rather than trying to tick off every enclosure. Important for a 2026 visit: no elephants are on view this year. Check the homepage for updates before making elephant-related plans. Explore the grounds like a pro—download the Snappit app to instantly identify animals and plants.
The park began on the former Hof Wege farm, inherited by Annemarie Ismer. The Ismer family founded the zoo in 1959 and first opened it to visitors in 1960. Arabian horse breeding developed alongside it, and the stud has welcomed zoo visitors since 1984. Today, the courtyard and stables help explain why horses are such an important part of the day out.
Build your visit around the animals in Part 1, a pause in the stud courtyard, and the playground and petting meadow in Part 2. Use the zoo's Expeditionsplan to choose your way through each section.
For children who enjoy a mission, pick up the free Entdeckerpass at the ticket desk or first discovery station. The Entdeckertour has six puzzle stops, is aimed at ages eight and up, and takes about one to two hours; younger children can join with an adult. A completed pass earns a small present at the Hofcafé.
On programme days, choose a bird-of-prey presentation, watch a keeper feeding or see the stud horses going out or coming back. Confirm the day's activities at the entrance before arranging your walk around them. The playground opposite Emils Streichelzoo gives children space to climb, slide and balance, while the Entdeckerscheune offers indoor wooden play areas, a multi-level maze and marble-run elements.
The zoo and stud open daily, with shorter opening hours from November through February. Check the official hours for your date, especially around Christmas and New Year. The advertised activity programme runs at weekends and daily in the two states' school holidays, but cancellations are possible. Bookable tapir and ring-tailed-lemur encounters are seasonal, running from March to October.
An accessible WC is marked near the stud courtyard on the zoo plan, and the regional tourism listing includes barrier-free access. That does not describe every path or play space. Ask the park on +49 5774 505 about your intended route, surfaces, road crossing and toilet access if you use a wheelchair or pushchair. The Entdeckerscheune occupies a stable loft with multi-level climbing play; do not assume its play areas are step-free.
Explore Part 1 for tigers, lemurs and the stud, then Part 2 for more enclosures and play. Keep your ticket for both sections and supervise the road crossing.
The free Entdeckertour adds puzzles to the visit. Collect a pass at the ticket desk or first station; allow one to two hours within your longer zoo day.
Visit the stables at no extra charge and make time for Ajas Hofcafé. Check locally whether you can watch the horses moving between stables and pasture.
Pair the Part 2 adventure playground with Emils Streichelzoo, or use the Entdeckerscheune for a change of pace when showers interrupt animal watching.
Collect the Entdeckerpass at the ticket desk or first station, use its instructions to find the six stops, then take a completed pass to the Hofcafé for a small present. Suitable from eight years, or younger with an adult; larger groups need to register.
Ask the park which stations suit your mobility needs before setting out.
Check the daily board, choose your priority enclosures in Part 1, then pause in the stud courtyard. Cross to Part 2 for the petting meadow and playground. Change the order to fit the day’s programme.
Add the Entdeckertour to your animal stops and choose one available programme activity. Leave a generous meal break and time for whichever play area your children prefer. Check closing time before making a late return to the other side of the road.
Choose the meerkats, tigers or lemurs and quietly watch one individual for a minute. Afterwards, each person names one movement they noticed. This is a family observation game; it does not depend on feeding or a performance.
Between animal stops, let children look for the different ways the old stable buildings are used today: horses, café and indoor play. Keep to the public areas and leave working stable routes clear.
Switch to the Entdeckerscheune’s indoor play or take a break at Ajas Hofcafé. The barn’s multi-level climbing spaces have different access demands from an outdoor path; check suitability for your family. Resume animal watching when conditions improve.
Look for the Siberian tigers in Part 1. Give a resting animal time and try a quiet second visit later if your first view is poor. A photograph of a relaxed animal can be more revealing than one taken in a hurry.
At the puma enclosure, compare the animal’s outline with your tiger photograph. Use the enclosure label to keep the two cats straight, and stay behind the visitor boundary even if the animal is close.
Pause at the small-clawed otter enclosure rather than taking a single glance. If the animals are out, try to include something of their enclosure in the frame as well as a close view. Visibility varies.
At the meerkat enclosure, let each child choose one animal to follow with their eyes for a minute. Compare what it did with what another family member noticed; there is no need to coax the animals.
Use the black-and-white tail to recognise a ring-tailed lemur. Watch from the normal visitor area; a booked keeper-led encounter is a separate activity, and close contact is never part of an ordinary photo stop.
Visit the Arabian horses in the stud’s public stables. If turnout or return is taking place, follow staff directions and stand clear of the horses’ route. These are domesticated stud animals.
The bird-of-prey presentation features Harris’s hawks when it runs. Choose the designated audience area and follow the falconer’s instructions.
Barn owls also feature in the bird-of-prey programme. Check the daily notice and listen as the keeper introduces each bird. Presentations do not run every day, so check before making these owls a priority.
The Ismer family opened the park to visitors in 1960, following its foundation the previous year. The Arabian stud became part of the visitor experience in 1984.
The Entdeckerscheune opened at the end of 2023. Its wooden maze and play elements occupy the loft of a horse stable, keeping the historic courtyard central to a modern family visit.
For a winter visit, prioritise animals and play within the shorter opening day. For a programme-led visit, check weekend and Lower Saxony/North Rhine-Westphalia school-holiday arrangements. No elephants are on view in 2026; check for updates before a later visit.
Use Ajas Hofcafé for a courtyard break; check the day’s opening of the other outlets. The zoo plan marks toilets in Part 1 and an accessible WC by the stud courtyard.
There are no lockers. Hire handcarts at the ticket desk only while available; advance reservations are not offered.
Check VBN for a journey to Ströhen (Wagenfeld), Tierpark. The venue lists routes 133, 145 and 170; confirm which actually serves your chosen time and check the return before leaving home. Diversion timetables can affect the journey.
The regional tourism listing flags barrier-free access and an accessible WC, and the zoo map places an accessible WC near the stud courtyard. It does not provide a path-by-path access audit. Ask about the surface and width of your chosen paths, road-crossing arrangements and access to the stable-loft play area.
Each card links to a full Explore page with photos, traits, and fun facts.
Start with the big picture, then zoom in to explore individual wildlife observations around this place.
Plan around the elephant notice
No elephants are on view in 2026. Recheck the homepage before travelling for any update.
Arrive at the right place
Use Tierparkstraße 43, 49419 Wagenfeld-Ströhen. The visitor car park is on the main road about 200 metres before the entrance when approaching from Ströhen.
Choose a realistic day
Budget three to four hours for selected stops, or five to six with extended play. Check admission prices and the daily programme before committing to extras.
Check the return bus
The park lists lines 133, 145 and 170. Use VBN for your exact date, destination stop and return journey; weekend, holiday and diversion arrangements need checking.
Photograph patiently
Stay on marked visitor paths and avoid flash. Let an animal move into view rather than calling it or trying to draw it towards the camera.
Follow feeding signs
Use only food supplied by the park, and only where permitted. Bring coins for feed dispensers and cash if you want pony riding; admission and food outlets accept cards.
Pack for carrying
No lockers are provided. Handcarts are available at the ticket desk while stocks last and cannot be reserved; bring only what you are happy to carry if they run out.
Dogs need a separate plan
Dogs enter free on a lead, but cannot enter the petting meadow or walk-through animal enclosures. Arrange for someone to stay with your dog while others go in.
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
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Take the discovery with you
Identify the wildlife you spot, learn as you go, and keep a collection of the adventure.
