Come to Görlitz for a family zoo day built around close observation, a Tibetan village and unusually thoughtful places to play.
Come to Görlitz for a family zoo day built around close observation, a Tibetan village and unusually thoughtful places to play. The five-hectare park brings Asian animals and Upper Lusatian farm life into the same visit, with plenty of reasons to stop between enclosures. Begin with the banded mongooses near the entrance, then check the day's programme before choosing your next stops.
The Tibetdorf combines camels and yaks with stone-and-timber buildings, a farmhouse you can enter and details such as prayer wheels. Over at the Oberlausitzer Bauernhof, children can discover domestic breeds, watch the rabbits and try the small tools provided for junior keepers. Elsewhere, the rocky Alpenhang, kangaroo area and pond-filled Lausitz-Tal offer different ways to watch animals. These are zoo enclosures: even where visitors can walk inside, keep to the public paths and give the animals room. Explore the grounds like a pro—download the Snappit app to instantly identify animals and plants.
The zoo began in 1957 in a former private park on Zittauer Straße, with local volunteers helping to build its first enclosures. A supporting association took over in 1995. The farm opened in 1994, and work on the Tibetdorf began in 2005. More recent additions include the Naturbrücke, opened in December 2024, and Wild Love Stories, which opened in July 2026.
Make the farm and Tibetdorf the heart of a shorter visit. Compare the long ears of the donkeys with the camels' two humps, pause at the porcupine plateau, then let children choose a nature game or the Milchspielplatz. For a longer day, add the Alpine ibex, the kangaroos and the otters in the Lausitz-Tal. The newer conservation aviary is another worthwhile stop for ring-tailed lemurs and bush hyraxes. Save some curiosity for Wild Love Stories, an indoor exhibition spread across three spaces about animal courtship, mating and young. Use the zoo plan to find your way between your chosen stops.
The zoo normally opens every day from 09:00, closing at 18:00 from March through October and 16:00 from November through February. Winter visits need an earlier start. Indoor play and exhibition spaces provide breaks from rain, but the walks between them are outdoors. Check current notices and opening hours before travelling.
The Naturbrücke provides an accessible circuit through the park. Ask at the entrance for the route that uses it, especially with a wheelchair or pushchair: the grounds also have slopes, and the Alpenhang's enclosure path is a separate choice. An accessible toilet is available at the kangaroo area. Check individual buildings and detours with the zoo if step-free access is essential; the circuit does not establish access to every room or viewing point.
Explore the farmhouse and watch camels, yaks and porcupines
Combine domestic animals with the Milchspielplatz and indoor Entdeckerscheune
Add ibex, kangaroos and the pond landscape of the Lausitz-Tal
Allow 3–4 hours; use the Naturbrücke circuit for an accessible way around
Start with the mongooses, then choose the farm, porcupines and Tibetan village. Leave a proper play break rather than adding every enclosure. If one particular feeding matters most, let its time decide which part you see first.
Add the kangaroos and Alpenhang, using the main visitor paths or the Naturbrücke circuit as appropriate. Give the otters a separate pause in the Lausitz-Tal. Fit lunch and one or more Wild Love Stories rooms around the animals you most want to watch.
Compare the Tibetan farmhouse with the nearby Entdeckerscheune. Look at the building materials and the objects used in daily life, then ask which jobs involve animals. Let each person choose one detail they would like to learn more about.
On the Buchenallee, try the woodpecker-tongue game or choose a balancing challenge on the climbing path. Afterwards, watch an animal move and compare your approach with its feet, tail or beak. Keep the energetic part of the game in the play area.
Look through the large windows for the group moving around barrels, crates and benches. Follow one animal for a moment, then widen your view to see how its neighbours move around it.
Count the two humps, then look at the shape of the feet as a camel walks. The humps store fat, not water. These are domestic Bactrian camels, distinct from the wild camel species.
At the plateau, watch how a porcupine carries its quills while moving and feeding. A calm look from the designated visitor side is enough; do not try to make it display its defensive behaviour.
Find the pointed ears first, then trace the animal's outline. These small foxes can be easy to overlook when resting. If your first visit is quiet, consider returning for the scheduled keeper feeding.
Take in the whole herd before choosing an individual to watch. The males' throat swelling becomes more pronounced during the autumn rut; look from the path without trying to draw an animal closer.
On the rocky slope, compare the different horn sizes and watch how carefully the animals place their feet. Use the designated visitor path only if it suits your group, and leave animals room to pass.
Use the outdoor viewing area or the panoramic house window. Watch the tail as well as the hind feet. Enclosure entry is only with staff during an authorised activity, even though the area is described as walk-through.
Give the pond and banks a patient scan from a viewing platform. If the otters remain out of sight, the daily feeding offers another reason to return. These are captive otters in a landscaped enclosure.
Look carefully for these small, rounded animals in the aviary. Their family connections are surprising: they are closer relatives of elephants and manatees than of rodents. Watch from the visitor path and let them keep their distance.
Spend a moment watching what the parrot does with its beak rather than waiting for a flight. Keas are inquisitive birds; keep your belongings on your side of the barrier and enjoy watching their own activities.
All targets below are captive zoo animals, including the domestic camels. A quiet second look is often more rewarding than waiting for an animal to pose. Stay within public viewing areas and never try to attract attention by calling or knocking.
The Persian goitered gazelles are part of a coordinated breeding programme. An exchange in October 2026 brought unrelated animals into the Görlitz herd. Watching the group is a good starting point for explaining why keeping a population genetically varied matters.
The Sonnendeck gives a raised view over the farm and Tibetan village. Futterkiste uses a deposit system for reusable drinks cups, so return yours before leaving. The zoo plan also marks toilets and changing facilities; find your nearest stop early in the visit.
Ask for the route over the Naturbrücke rather than assuming every small enclosure path is suitable. The zoo also offers a Tierisch inklusiv leaflet with ideas for visitors with mobility, sight or hearing impairments. Use the current zoo plan alongside it and ask staff about any changes.
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.
Arriving
The zoo is at Zittauer Straße 43, 02826 Görlitz. From the station's south exit, the zoo gives a walk of about seven minutes. Tram 1 serves Tierpark; check GVB's current timetable and stop position before travelling.
Parking
Use the visitor car park at Zittauer Straße 19. It records number plates without a barrier. Remember your registration and pay at the machine or through the posted online service before leaving; follow the car park's signs.
Current animal plans
Red pandas are temporarily out of view. Check for an update before making them the reason for your trip. The advertised Tibet bear project is still a future arrival, so do not plan on seeing the bears yet.
Close encounters
Kangaroo enclosure entry is staff-accompanied during presentations, booked encounters or special occasions. Watch from the public viewing areas at other times. The mongoose enclosure also requires a booked, staff-accompanied encounter to enter.
Feeding rules
Only use food supplied by the zoo, only where signs explicitly allow it, and follow staff instructions. Do not bring animal food from home. Wash hands after animal contact and before eating.
Tickets and children
Under-threes enter free; children aged 3–16 qualify for reduced admission. Keep under-14s with an adult. Leave scooters, balance bikes, balls and balloons at home: they are not allowed in the park.
Bringing a dog
Dogs need a ticket and a short lead. Respect the dog-free animal houses, enclosures and playgrounds; bringing a dog changes which close-up activities your whole group can do together.
Food and rain breaks
Futterkiste offers meals, snacks and drinks, with seating on the terrace, Sonnendeck and in the visitor hut. Check its hours separately from the zoo's. The Entdeckerscheune and Wild Love Stories add indoor stops.
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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.
