The first thing I did when I arrived in Beijing was asked how to go to Beijing Zoo. I love going to the zoos to look at animals that I wish I could see in the wild. But it would be very impossible for me to do that for now since safaris cost a lot and the nearest thing to do for me is to go to zoos whenever I travel to different countries.
I’m so amazed with Beijing Zoo. There’s a lot of animals that I’ve never seen before especially the animals endemic to China with the exception of the Great and Lesser Panda which I already saw on my last backpacking trip.
Here’s a short information about the Beijing Zoo from Wikipedia.
“The Beijing Zoo is a zoological park in Beijing, China. Located in the Xicheng District, the zoo occupies an area of 89 hectares (219 acres), including 5.6 hectares of lakes and ponds (13.8 acres). It is one of the oldest zoos in China and has one of the largest animal collections in the country. The zoo and its aquarium has over 450 species of land animals and over 500 species of marine animals. In all, it is home to 14,500 animals. More than six million visitors come to the zoo each year. The zoo was founded in 1906 during the late Qing Dynasty. Like many of Beijing’s parks, the zoo’s grounds resemble classical Chinese gardens, with flower beds amidst natural scenery, including dense groves of trees, stretches of meadows, small streams and rivers, lotus pools and hills dotted with pavilions and historical buildings. The Beijing Zoo is best known for its collection of rare animals endemic to China.”
I never imagine that rhino is huge. Almost as big as a car.
First time I saw an African Elephant
One of my favorite animals. Looks like a masked bandit.
Beijing Zoo shares the same subway line (Line 4) with the Summer Palace. you can visit the zoo in the morning and proceed to the Summer Palace in the afternoon.
Ticket Counter of Beijing Zoo
The entrance ticket cost 20 Yuan for the zoo and the Panda house. You need to pay an extra fee if you also want to go to the Beijing Aquarium.
The zoo provides ample moving space for most animals that I’ve seen but there are some animals that have very small cage such as the Slow Loris and other animals in the Nocturnal Area.
As soon as you enter the zoo, go to the tourist center to get the free map. This will guide you in navigating the zoo because it’s huge. wear comfortable footwear because you’ll be walking for hours to see everything there is.
There’s a lot of shops selling souvenirs inside the zoo. There are also snack counters where you can buy drinks and food. I suggest that you buy your own snacks and drinks in a supermarket and bring it in so it’ll be cheaper.
I also saw a surprising activity inside the zoo, that I’ve never seen before in any other zoos that I’ve been to… there’s a crazy motorboat ride that you can take if you’re bored to death inside the zoo. It’ll surely wake you up. Alternatively there’s also a small boat that cruise down the small river.
It’s such a treat if you’re with your kids or if you’re an animal enthusiasts. This is a must see for all animal enthusiasts out there.
Additional Information:
Beijing Zoo: 07:30 to 18:00 (Apr. 1 to Oct. 31); 07:30 to 17:00 (Nov. 1 to the next Mar.31)
i”ve been to many zoos but the one I’ve been wanting to see is the cuddly Panda. Kahit hindi sa wild happy na ko
i think the Panda Consevation Center is the best place to see Panda in China, its in Chengdu though not in Beijing. But you’ll see a lot of pandas there of different ages…
i remember seeing two young pandas in Chengdu, wrestling each other… they’re so adorable 