Can we visit the Tropen-Aquarium without the zoo?

Yes. It has its own admission, and you can choose it as a standalone visit. Choose the combined ticket only if you want both attractions that day. The Eismeer is part of the Tierpark ticket.

Pet dogs are not admitted. Certified assistance dogs may enter permitted Tierpark areas with documentation, but cannot enter the Tropen-Aquarium, animal houses, stables, petting enclosure, Eismeer seabird aviary or Antarctic penguin area. Arrange a suitable visit with guest services.

What can we do if the children need a break from animals?

Head to the adventure playground or the jumping pit beside the kangaroos. A gentler option is to look for leaf shapes along the pond paths: sweetgum has star-like leaves, while the dawn redwood is a conifer that loses its foliage in winter.

Illustration

ZooHamburg, Germany

Tierpark Hagenbeck Hamburg

Go to Hagenbeck for underwater views of walruses, time with the elephant herd and a long wander through a zoo shaped by ponds, mature trees and historic animal panoramas.

Official website

About

Go to Hagenbeck for underwater views of walruses, time with the elephant herd and a long wander through a zoo shaped by ponds, mature trees and historic animal panoramas. The 19-hectare Tierpark rewards an unhurried visit: collect the free map at the entrance, choose a few animals you really want to watch and leave space for discoveries between them.

Decide on your ticket before starting. The Tierpark and Tropen-Aquarium are separate attractions on the same campus. The Eismeer, with polar bears, walruses, fur seals and penguins, belongs to the Tierpark. Sharks, Nile crocodiles and the walk-through tropical world are in the separately ticketed Tropen-Aquarium. A combined ticket covers both on the same day and permits two entries to the Tierpark and one to the aquarium.

The outdoor park has its own rhythm. Capybaras share an enclosure with lowland tapirs beside the elephants, while giant otters offer another perspective on life around water. Farther around the grounds, Sumatran orangutans occupy a light-filled domed house whose roof can partly open in warm weather. Between animal stops, look for the red Japanese bridge, the Thai sala by the Birma-Teich and the old dinosaur sculptures. They make the walk interesting even when an animal is resting out of sight. Unlock an interactive field guide for this spot: get the Snappit app to identify nature on the go.

The Stellingen Tierpark opened in 1907. Carl Hagenbeck's use of concealed barriers and landscape panoramas influenced zoo design far beyond Hamburg, and the park gained heritage protection in 1997. The Tropen-Aquarium opened in 2007, followed by today's Eismeer in 2012. There is also a troubling human history: Hagenbeck organised colonial-era 'Völkerschauen', displaying Indigenous people as public attractions, with the last such event in Stellingen in 1932. The human figures on the historic entrance gate relate to those exhibitions. Understanding that context matters alongside appreciating the architecture; a reconstructed gate reopened in August 2026.

What to do here

For a first Tierpark visit, start with the elephants and nearby tapir–capybara enclosure, then use the map to choose a route towards the Eismeer. Its 750 m visitor circuit includes underwater windows and a walk-through seabird aviary. Pause at the windows: ask children to watch how a swimming walrus turns, then compare it with a penguin. You can easily spend much longer watching than walking here.

Give the orangutans a proper stop too. Look up into the climbing structures and follow one animal's movements rather than scanning the whole group at once. Children can test their own leap at the jumping pit beside the red kangaroos, then have a longer break at the adventure playground. Around the Birma-Teich, compare the dinosaur sculptures with the animals you have seen: which have tails for balance, broad feet or long necks?

With aquarium admission, follow the indoor sequence from the lemur area through tropical habitats, caves and reptile displays to the underwater world. Let your eyes adjust in the darker sections and look for the smaller animals before moving on. Finish by sitting at the Great Shark Atoll's panoramic window and following a single shark or ray through a complete pass. The Makalali-Lodge offers a meal stop overlooking the tropical hall and crocodile lake.

Seasonal info

The outdoor park is enjoyable in different seasons, but winter days are shorter. From 25 October 2026 the Tierpark closes at 16:30; check current hours before travelling. The Tropen-Aquarium normally stays open until 18:00 and is the stronger wet-weather choice. In autumn, look for the sweetgum's coloured leaves by the Birma-Teich. Bring layers for the change between outdoor paths and warm tropical rooms.

Accessibility

Tierpark visitor paths are largely suitable for wheelchairs and walking aids; signposted lifts serve level changes in the Eismeer. In the Tropen-Aquarium, narrow passages and changing levels need more planning: lifts are provided, but the Stollengang tunnel section is excluded from the wheelchair route. Mobility scooters there must be no longer than 1.20 m, with proof of medical need. Pushchairs are not admitted to the aquarium; covered parking is provided outside and baby carriers can be borrowed. Accessible toilets are available in both attractions. Reserve a loan wheelchair through guest services on +49 40 530033324, and discuss your particular route needs before travelling.

Plan your visit

Suggested duration: Allow about 3–4 hours for selected Tierpark highlights, or a full day for slower animal watching, play and a meal. Hagenbeck recommends about two hours for the Tropen-Aquarium and around 90 minutes for the 750 m Eismeer circuit. A combined visit can comfortably fill 6–7 hours. The park has 6 km of paths, so use the map to choose a route that suits your group.
Best time to visit: Arrive near the 09:00 opening if you want both attractions. Choose one keeper feeding as an anchor, then check the day's notices before setting off. Eismeer construction currently limits the fur-seal feeding programme, so don't build the day around that session. Aquarium presentations alternate: Nile crocodiles on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, sharks and rays on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, normally at 10:30. Sessions can change for animal-care reasons.
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Species in this guide: 10

Best for

Families Who Want Animal Watching With Substantial Play BreaksVisitors Interested In Marine Mammals And Unusual Underwater ViewpointsA Full Hamburg Day Combining An Outdoor Zoo And Indoor Tropical Habitats

Official website

Don't miss

Eismeer

Walruses, polar bears and penguins viewed above and below the water.

Elephants and orangutans

Two rewarding stops for watching how animals use space and interact.

Tropen-Aquarium

A separate indoor visit from free-roaming lemurs to the Great Shark Atoll.

Historic park

Animal panoramas, old dinosaur sculptures and mature trees around the ponds.

Walks and routes

Eismeer visitor circuit

Signed lifts connect levels. Certified assistance dogs are excluded from the seabird aviary and Antarctic penguin area.

Eismeer visitor circuit

Wildlife and habitats

Watch the end of the trunk while an elephant investigates its surroundings. Asian elephants have one finger-like projection at the tip, and smaller ears than African elephants.

Try both the land and underwater viewing areas. Hagenbeck keeps Pacific walruses; watch the changing outline of the body and flippers as one moves through the pool.

Look at the land area before settling by an underwater window. A bear may be resting rather than swimming; use the pause to talk about its dependence on Arctic sea ice.

Watch the whole group for a while. Giant otters live in family groups and hunt by day in the wild; notice whether the animals move together or explore separately.

Check the pool as well as dry ground. The capybara’s eyes and nostrils sit high on its head, helping it stay mostly submerged while looking and breathing above water.

The animals here are Nile crocodiles. Look patiently along the waterline and resting areas, and notice how little of an animal needs to show above the surface.

Look for the black-and-white tail and watch how it is held. The lemurs roam within the exhibit, but remain captive animals; keep food away and allow them space.

Trace the pattern along a resting python through the glass. Check both the land and water views rather than expecting the whole snake to be visible at once.

Look for the planted dawn redwoods from the visitor paths. Unlike most familiar conifers, this species sheds its foliage in winter; a bare winter tree is not necessarily dead.

Use the star-shaped leaf outline as your clue. The planted sweetgum is especially worth a look in autumn, when its foliage can take on strong reddish colours.

Sources and useful links

Wildlife you might spot

Each card links to a full Explore page with photos, traits, and fun facts.

Asian Elephant

Walrus

Polar Bear

Capybara

Crocodile

Reticulated Python

Snap map for this place

Start with the big picture, then zoom in to explore individual wildlife observations around this place.

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Good to know before you go

Getting there

Take the U2 to Hagenbecks Tierpark and follow signs to the main entrance. The address is Lokstedter Grenzstraße 2, 22527 Hamburg; nearby car parking is limited and paid.

Choose the main entrance

Gazellenkamp is seasonal and closes for winter from 1 November 2026. Its ticket desk can close earlier than the main entrance, so check before using it.

Leave enough time

Last admission is normally one hour before closing. Access to the Eismeer ends 30 minutes before Tierpark closing; visit it before your final outdoor stroll.

Aquarium queues

Indoor visitor numbers are limited, so allow for a wait at busy times. A combined ticket does not turn the aquarium into a quick indoor shortcut.

Picnic thoughtfully

Use the benches for your own food and keep lawns free for roaming animals. Check which park restaurants are operating that day.

Animal watching

Do not feed the animals. Keep your distance from free-roaming animals and let them pass without touching or pursuing them.

Photography

No flash in the Eismeer or Tropen-Aquarium. Private souvenir photos are allowed; contact Hagenbeck before publishing images, including non-commercial publication.

Children’s kit

Leave scooters, balance bikes and tricycles at home. Ask about handcart hire near the main entrance on weekends and public holidays; weather can interrupt the service.

Frequently asked questions

: Yes. It has its own admission, and you can choose it as a standalone visit. Choose the combined ticket only if you want both attractions that day. The Eismeer is part of the Tierpark ticket.
: Pet dogs are not admitted. Certified assistance dogs may enter permitted Tierpark areas with documentation, but cannot enter the Tropen-Aquarium, animal houses, stables, petting enclosure, Eismeer seabird aviary or Antarctic penguin area. Arrange a suitable visit with guest services.
: Head to the adventure playground or the jumping pit beside the kangaroos. A gentler option is to look for leaf shapes along the pond paths: sweetgum has star-like leaves, while the dawn redwood is a conifer that loses its foliage in winter.