14 Best Zoos in the Czech Republic: My Favourites & Local Tips

It’s a quiet weekday morning. The paths are almost empty, the giraffes are eating breakfast and the only sounds are birds and the crunch of gravel under my feet. This is why I love zoos.

There are also exotic animals, endangered species and other amazing animals you won’t see anywhere else. The Czech Republic has lots of beautiful zoos, and I like that each one specialises in different kinds of animals.

For some reason I also find quite calming watching the animals, stretching my legs and often just sitting on a bench reading my book. Saying that, if you want a slightly more peaceful experience, always visit during weekdays or slightly off season. I’ve now been to most of the zoos in the Czech Republic and only a handful of the ones furthest from Prague are left on my list.

I usually visit zoo’s on Monday’s because unlike castles or museums, they are always open. They are also great to visit off season, you can get a lot of steps in, see interesting animals and if you are cold you can visit the animal pavilions, which are always so lovely and warm! Plus there is never a shortage of refreshments and a good coffee!

Here’s my guide to the best zoos in the Czech Republic, with what makes each one special and everything you need to plan your visit.

1. Prague Zoo

I love visiting Prague Zoo, because it’s my local one and get to go quite often. The ZOO was founded in 1931 and is spread across about 58 acres in the wooded, hilly Troja area on the outskirts of Prague.

It’s been regularly voted as one of the best zoo’s in the world (TripAdvisor rates it as the 5th best zoo in the world, and Forbes magazine as the 7th best zoo). It’s no surprise: the zoo has an incredible 670 species and 5,000 animals, 10 animal houses and 150 exhibits, you can ride a little train and best of all, a chairlift!

Prague Zoo has a lot of different types of monkeys, including gorillas, which are super popular with everyone. I really like the Monkey Island and the recently built Indonesian Jungle house with Komodo dragons.

You can also see the sea lion exhibit, a really large elephant enclosure with a few young elephants, that were recently born (they are super cute!) and the Chambal house with gharials (Indian crocodiles). Another amazing section of the ZOO is the Rákos house, full of parrots from every corner of the world.

My local tip: There is lots to see here, so plan a whole day and arrive as early as you can. The ZOO is super hilly, so I always start on the top and walk my way down. There are self-service drink machines and quite a few restaurants, but I usually bring a packed lunch as these can be quite busy.

• Location: U Trojského zámku 120/3, 171 00 Prague 7 – Troja
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–19:00
• Tickets: Adults 330 CZK; children 250 CZK; seniors 150 CZK; children under 3 free

2. Jihlava Zoo

I was really pleasantly surprised by Jihlava Zoo, when I visited it recently, because it was super welcoming and the animal displays and enclosures were done so well. The zoo is fairly compact as it’s only 9 acres. You can comfortably see everything in a couple of hours, because there are no long walks between the enclosures and everything is very well layout.

The zoo was originally founded in 1957 and is divided into five continents, and you can see over 200 species of exotic animals, including endangered species. It has the largest collection of clawed monkeys (marmosets and tamarins) in the Czech Republic and regularly breeds big cats, such as the mountain-dwelling snow leopard, Pallas’s cats and Sri Lankan leopards.

There is also a pretty cool wolf enclosure, with a wooden lookout from which you can watch the wolves. Underneath it is a tunnel with a window into the wolf enclosure, where you can try out what it’s like to crawl into a big wolf den.

I managed to join one of the feeding talks on the day and there are also flying displays with birds of prey and owls or night tours of the zoo you can take part through the year.

My local tip: The zoo is set in a pleasant wooded park in walking distance of historic Jihlava town. I spend the morning exploring the town and a late afternoon in the ZOO. If you enter the ZOO from the main entrance you can walk out on the other side and then it’s just a short walk to the local train station to get back to Prague.

• Location: Březinovy sady 5113/10, 586 01 Jihlava
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 150 CZK; children and students 100 CZK; children under 3 free

3. Plzeň Zoo

I think, Plzen zoo is quite special, because it combines a zoo and a botanical garden in one park, so you can see thousands of plant species as well as a very large number of animals. I enjoyed walking around the park and learning all the different plant names, which are conveniently labelled.

The animals are grouped by continent, with areas for Africa, Asia, Australia and South America and so are the plants. You can walk through tropical houses, visit the large aquarium and terrarium pavilion, and relax in the carefully kept gardens.

Plzen is the third oldest zoo in the Czech Republic, founded in 1926 and although it’s quite large (about 49 acres) it’s still perfectly manageable with children and there is always something new to discover. If you have time, you can also combine your visit with DinoPark which is above the zoo and you can buy cheaper combined ticket for both.

My local tip: Don’t try to walk from the Plzen train station to the zoo, it’s way too far! Instead take a local tram no 4 to Zoologicka Zahrada stop from just outside the train station and then walk 5 minutes through the Lochotin park. During the low season, the zoo is offering reduced entry after 4 pm for only 100 CZK, which is great if you are on a budget and want to explore Plzen before hand.

• Location: Pod Vinicemi 9, 301 00 Plzeň
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 8:00–19:00
• Tickets: 240 CZK adults, 165 CZK children, students, senior citizens

4. Liberec Zoo

Liberec Zoo is the oldest zoo in the whole of former Czechoslovakia, originally opening in 1904.

The park has 1,000 animals from 170 species in about 14 acres of parkland. Some animals are quite special, for example only here can you see rare Bukhara urials (a wild sheep), golden-bellied mangabeys and hamadryas baboons.

It also has the most complete collection of birds of prey in Europe, the largest breeding group of endangered Somali wild asses in the Czech Republic, the only Himalayan blue sheep in the country and a large group of chimpanzees.

I totally loved the cheeky red pandas and the big cats enclosures. But, probably the biggest star attraction here are the magnificent white tigers, which are white because they lack the normal colour pigment. You can recognise them by their black-and-white stripes, blue eyes, pink noses and paw pads.

My local tip: You can easily spend the whole day in Liberec, as there is so much to do and see. I also saw the Botanical Garden (which is backing on to the zoo) and the local art gallery ‘Galerie Lazne Liberec’ on the same day. If you are specifically traveling to Liberec to see the zoo, take a local tram to go there first (it’s on the edge of the town) and then make your way back visiting all the museums you like and ending at the historic centre of Liberec.

• Location: Lidové sady 425/1, 460 01 Liberec
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 8:00–19:00
• Tickets: Adults 160 CZK; children and students 120 CZK; children under 3 free

5. Ústí nad Labem Zoo

Ústí nad Labem Zoo is the second oldest zoo in the Czech Republic founded in 1914 and it’s only about half the size of Prague’s zoo.

They have recently decided to give up some of their large animals, such as the Asian elephants, that got moved to other zoo’s that had better set up to deal with such a special animals.

But, there are plenty of other animals, such as giraffes, orangutans and other great apes, big cats, hoofed animals and many bird and reptile species.

Because the zoo is built on a slope, the paths wind up and down through the trees, which gives a pleasant feeling of walking through nature. To make the most of your day, take the zoo train to the top of the zoo area and then you can walk down back to the entrance seeing all the animals as you go.

My local tip: Usti nad Labem is only about one hour by train from Prague, which makes it an easy day trip. If you have the time, there are also good hiking trails around the town. You can also take a cable car from the town to the steep hill above the Elbe River and visit the famous restaurant and viewing point called Vetruse.

• Location: Drážďanská 454/23, 400 07 Ústí nad Labem
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–19:00
• Tickets: 140 CZK adults, concessions available

6. Olomouc Zoo

The zoo in Olomouc, on Svatý Kopeček (Holy Hill), is one of the most beautiful in the Czech Republic. It keeps over 1,700 animals from 350 species on about 42 acres.

The zoo specialises in giraffes, African hoofed animals, northern wildlife and sea aquariums. The Eurasia, Africa and America safaris are very popular. In the Kalahari house you can see meerkats, hyraxes and, more recently, aardwolves and honey badgers.

You can also see the African wetlands, with pelicans, guenon monkeys, red river hogs (a type of wild pig) and secretary birds, which hunt snakes in Africa.

Olomouc also has a giant shark aquarium, which is the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic. You can visit red-faced macaques with no barriers at all, or go into the bat house, where golden fruit bats, an endangered species in the wild, will swoop over your head.

My local tip: Don’t skip the zoo’s amazing 32-metre lookout tower, which gives you a view of the whole zoo and of Olomouc.

• Location: Darwinova 29, 779 00 Olomouc – Svatý Kopeček
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 140 CZK; children, students and pensioners 100 CZK; children under 3 free

7. Dvůr Králové Zoo

Dvůr Králové Zoo is famous for being set up as a real African safari. You can head out to see animals on the savannah or in the rainforest or admire the coral reef!

At this zoo you won’t look at animals behind bars. Instead, you’ll drive through the wide safari grasslands among freely grazing herds of zebras and antelopes.

There are over 2,300 animals on the safari, which is the largest collection of African animals in Europe.

You can also look forward to seeing okapis, tropical swamps, the African savannah, water worlds, twelve different exhibition areas and paintings by Zdeněk Burian.

My local tip: You really need a whole day for this zoo as it’s so big you might need more time to watch the animals as they are in large areas and free to roam (aka, they might not be always visible!). The safari car is optional (and paid as an extra), but you can also walk around the 70 acres on foot and see everything you like.

• Location: Štefánikova 1029, 544 01 Dvůr Králové nad Labem
• Opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 270 CZK; children and students 210 CZK; children under 3 free

8. Chomutov Zoo

Chomutov ZOO is the same age as me (founded in 1975) and it’s also the largest in the Czech Republic by area. It covers an incredible 112 hectares!

The zoo specialises in native European animals that prefer colder climates. Here you’ll find natural nesting sites for dozens of bird species, enclosures for even-toed hoofed animals (European bison) and odd-toed hoofed animals (Przewalski’s horse), beavers, predators (Eurasian lynx, Eurasian wolf, wildcat, brown bear, red fox) and farm animals.

There is also a little village skanzen of traditional cottages you can visit as well as large safari area, which is slightly separate from the rest of the zoo.

My local tip: Because the zoo has mainly animals from colder climates, they started to promote winter season as their main season! The ticket prices are staying the same during winter, but it means that there are going to be more things open during the winter season, including special programmes, exhibitions and facilities. I think, that’s great, because most of other zoos don’t focus on winter season, so I know where I will be heading to!

• Location: Třída Ing. Odložilíka 5413, 430 01 Chomutov
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 140 CZK; children and students 80 CZK; children under 3 free

9. Hluboká nad Vltavou Zoo (Zoo Ohrada)

Zoo Ohrada in Hluboká nad Vltavou was founded in 1939 and is quite different from most of the zoos on my list. Instead of exotic animals, it specialises in native Czech and European wildlife.

The zoo is quite small (about 6 acres), but you can still see well planned enclosures with wolves, lynx, bears, otters, birds of prey, storks and many other animals that live, or once lived, in the Czech countryside. There are also aquariums with native fish and a farm area where children can meet domestic animals.

The zoo is right next to the Ohrada hunting lodge, which is now a museum of hunting, forestry and fishing.

My local tip: It is just a short trip from the famous Hluboká Castle, so you can easily combine both in one day. The zoo is on a way to the castle as you walk from the train station, which is the quickest way to get there from Prague (about 2 hrs).

• Location: Ohrada 1, 373 41 Hluboká nad Vltavou
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets:

10. Brno Zoo

The animals in Brno zoo are grouped by where they come from into four main areas called Beringia, Caribbean, Wallacea and Kalahari.

The zoo’s big draws are its polar bears and Tiger Rocks with Sumatran tigers, which you can even watch from your dinner table in the U Tygra restaurant next door.

You can visit the African village of Sambura, made up of eight traditional mud huts and with two viewpoints over a safari enclosure with giraffes and zebras.

Other fun experiences include a walk-through kangaroo exhibit, a walk-through aviary with bald eagles and an exhibit of Canadian beavers and Arctic wolves linked by an artificial river with ponds and waterfalls.

My local tip: This is another zoo set on the hill, so be prepared! Or take the zoo train from the main entrance to the top and then walk down.

• Location: U Zoologické zahrady 46, 635 00 Brno
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 150 CZK; children and students 110 CZK; children under 3 free

11. Ostrava Zoo

Ostrava Zoo is the second largest one in the Czech Republic and you can see 435 species and more than 4,000 animals here.

Popular exhibits include the Asian Hoofed Animals Safari, Amazonia and the Wetlands. All around the zoo you’ll find models and skeleton replicas of rare or extinct animals.

The zoo also includes a botanical park with 6 kilometres of nature trails with rare plants and the largest collection of rhododendrons and azaleas in the Czech Republic. A new nature trail guides you through a wetland ecosystem, with giant models of local reptiles and amphibians.

My local tip: Ostrava zoo is also combined with a botanical garden, which is in a slightly separate area. You will need a whole day if you want to see both areas or at least 3 hrs to see the zoo part properly.

• Location: Michálkovická 2081/197, 710 00 Ostrava – Slezská Ostrava
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 160 CZK; children and students 110 CZK; children under 3 free

12. Zlín Zoo

Zlín Zoo is about 4 kilometres from the town, in the direction of Holešov. It’s quite a large zoo and you can see here well over 222 different types of species, arranged by continents.

I like that the animals live in a natural biopark with open enclosures and with over 74 acres they do have a lot of space. Birds fly in aviaries that look like their native homes and mammals live in natural-style exhibits.

Don’t miss the Yucatan tropical hall with animals and plants that have origins in the ancient Maya civilisation.

A fairly new exhibit in the Amazonia area is the Guyanas house, where you’ll find squirrel monkeys, capuchins, South American storks, macaws and, more recently, lesser anteaters and pied tamarins, which are the only ones in the country.

My local tip: You will need a whole day, if you wan to see the zoo properly. There are plenty of refreshments as you walk around, including coffee stands with coffee specially roasted for Zlin zoo.

• Location: Lukovská 112, 763 14 Zlín – Lukov (Lešná)
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 8:30–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 190 CZK; children and students 160 CZK; children under 3 free

13. Děčín Zoo

Děčín Zoo is a steep hike from the town and you can find it on the top of Pastýřská stěna (Shepherd’s Wall), a rocky cliff above the River Elbe. If you don’t fancy the climb, there is a local bus directly from the main train station.

I’m used to Czech zoo’s being in a hilly areas, but this one has the most dramatic location of them all! It’s quite small (only 6 acres), but I love the woodland setting. Animals from several continents live in enclosures built into the slopes of the hill.

My local tip: Next to the zoo is a lookout point with wonderful views of Děčín Castle, the town and the Elbe valley. The zoo is a great stop if you are exploring Bohemian Switzerland National Park, which is close by, and its small size makes it ideal for younger children.

• Location: Žižkova 1286/15, 405 02 Děčín
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 8:00–18:00
• Tickets: 150 CZK adults, 100 CZK children, students and seniors

14. Tábor Zoo

Tábor Zoo is the largest zoo in South Bohemia and also the largest privately owned zoo in the Czech Republic. The new owners, who reopened the zoo in 2015, focus on protecting endangered animals.

They want to help to bring the European bison back to the Czech countryside, and they also works to protect and breed endangered animals and animals on the edge of extinction.

The zoo has over 200 animals, and more than a third of them are protected species, including Amur (Siberian) tiger and Arctic wolf.

My local tip: This is relatively small zoo, so it’s easy to visit as part of a day trip to historic Tabor town. Tabor is only about 1 hr on a direct train from Prague, so it’s really easy journey.

• Location: Dukelských hrdinů 19, 390 02 Tábor – Čekanice
• Summer opening times: Mon–Sun, 9:00–18:00
• Tickets: Adults 160 CZK; pensioners and students 150 CZK; children under 15 90 CZK; children under 3 free

This blog post was originally written on 4 November 2026 and last updated on 4 November 2026