Jerusalem Biblical Zoo
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: mia kalkabany)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo:Jerusalem Biblical Zoo )
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: uriel nuri)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: uriel-nuri)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: uriel-nuri)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: momi buhbut)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: gilad frid)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: ehud cohen)
Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo: Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)
Israel’s Most Visited Attraction
The Biblical Zoo has become Israel’s most visited attraction, thanks to its unique Jerusalem atmosphere and its zoological collection like no other in Israel.
The zoo lies within a pastoral valley in southwestern Jerusalem and provides its resident animals with living conditions at international standards. At the zoo, you will find a variety of experiential activities for children and adults, alongside rich information on every one of the animals living at the zoo.
The Biblical Zoo focuses on maintaining a zoological collection with good living conditions and developing and facilitating educational activities to bring the public closer to nature conservation and the protection of wildlife. The zoo promotes social involvement, conducts research, and participates in national and international projects of conservation, breeding, and returning animals to the wild. It does all this while creating a place for enriching leisure within an atmosphere that emphasizes the values of nature.
Get acquainted with animals. Enjoy a precious green space.
The Biblical Zoo spreads over 400 dunams of land, which houses dozens of spectacular animal exhibits. They present nature’s biodiversity along with a system of pools, a manmade lake, whose water is purified and recycled, grassy areas, and plenty of shaded green spots. At the zoo, you will find an enchanting area for children, including a petting zoo and a living classroom, where you can encounter and get acquainted with a variety of animals up close, as well as an ecological playground.
Special Tours
The zoo offers a variety of special tours throughout the year, including behind-the-scenes tours at various exhibits, an overnight tour, and personal guided tours for groups and individuals. Details and registration are available on the zoo’s website.
To guarantee the visit, tickets must be ordered in advance through the zoo’s website >>
Opening hours
Sunday – Thursday, Saturday, holidays 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
The last entry is two hours before the zoo closes.
Hours of Operation are subject to change, and confirming on the zoo website is recommended.
Ticket Prices
- Adult 68 ILS
- Senior citizen / soldier / police officer / student 52 ILS (with valid ID)
- Child 52 ILS
- A person with disabilities (adult/child) 35 ILS (with valid ID)
Visit the Israel Aquarium
TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 658 traveler reviews
The zoo is located in the southern part of Jerusalem, about 20 minutes by car/taxi. We went on January 1, with the temperature in the mid 50s and the animals were quite active. The best exhibit (IMHO) was an aviary, where about 30 very colorful birds sat on branches and bushes and tweated, They were just...
MoreThe zoo is located in the southern part of Jerusalem, about 20 minutes by car/taxi. We went on January 1, with the temperature in the mid 50s and the animals were quite active. The best exhibit (IMHO) was an aviary, where about 30 very colorful birds sat on branches and bushes and tweated, They were just beautiful and you could walk right up to them. The zoo also has the usual elephants, lions, tigers, baboons, penguins, some fish in tanks. Not a "must do" but it's a great place to take kids who don't care about ancient churches or biblical tunnels. There is a snack shop and small gift shop. We spent about 2.5 hours and saw just about everything. This is not the Bronx Zoo or the San Diego Zoo, but there aren't that many things in Jerusalem to excite 7 years olds. This is one.
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On the credit side, the zoo shows its important role in the conservation of endangered species. Also, on a recent occasion I brought a group of environmental studies students for a detailed morning tour and our zoo-provided guide was a great success with the group. I felt that the relatively high admission costs were...
MoreOn the credit side, the zoo shows its important role in the conservation of endangered species. Also, on a recent occasion I brought a group of environmental studies students for a detailed morning tour and our zoo-provided guide was a great success with the group. I felt that the relatively high admission costs were a contribution to a good cause. However, bringing my family on Sukkot was less pleasant: (a) Parts of the zoo looked as though they had seen better and animal-better-populated days: the elephants, small in number, seemed decidedly unhappy. It seemed that the animals that died were not being replaced and that the zoo was thus a depressing rather than an uplifting experience. In addition parts looked rather neglected (e.g. the glass for viewing the penguins), some of the play areas were poorly grassed over and the playground apparatus was weary and insufficiently maintained. (b) I did not see any provision made for the festive period of Sukkot - plenty of Jewish observant visitors present and yet there was no sukkah which for them is mandatory in order to partake of substantial refreshments. This contrasts with the situation at Christmas time in Britain whereby the festive season is used to lighten and brighten everything up, and there are special seasonal activities provided. (c) The internal zoo train was not operating, which meant that people with limited mobility, including my nearly 90-year old father-in-law were not able to fully access the exhibits. Particularly strange and disappointing, given the peak capacity that the zoo enjoys during the holiday periods. (d) Refreshments, such as ice creams, were extremely highly priced. (e) Inquiries at the zoo shop and the entrance indicated that there is no quality publication for sale that shows the work of the zoo in conservation beyond the leaflet showing the way round. The server at the shop simply told me to use Google. Could something more substantial be produced for serious visitors? Overall, in my opinion the zoo urgently needs to regain its cutting edge by presenting happier animals in a better-cared-for environment.
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This is a pretty good zoo. There are several well-built habitats, including for orangutans, chimpanzees, otters, prairie dogs and wolves. Lots of birds, many very colorful. An Australian section, a South American section, a section with many types of deer plus giraffes. And the walk through is very pleasant; in...
MoreThis is a pretty good zoo. There are several well-built habitats, including for orangutans, chimpanzees, otters, prairie dogs and wolves. Lots of birds, many very colorful. An Australian section, a South American section, a section with many types of deer plus giraffes. And the walk through is very pleasant; in my opinion more pleasant than the Jerusalem Botanical Garden.
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