Changchun Zoological and Botanical Park

Changchun Zoological and Botanical Park is a combined zoo and plant garden at No. 2121 Ziyou Road in Nanguan District, Changchun, Jilin province. It is one of the city's main family attractions, bringing animal exhibits and cultivated plant collections together in a single large park, and it draws both residents and visitors travelling with children. The setting is green and landscaped, with open walking paths linking enclosures, lawns and plant areas. Visitors can follow a circuit through animal houses and outdoor enclosures and then continue to the botanical areas, where planted displays offer a quieter counterpoint to the zoo. A particular feature is the separate day and night sessions. The day session runs from about 8:30AM to 4:30PM and the night session from about 4:30PM to 9:00PM, seasonal, with lights and evening programming that give the park a different feel after dark. A ticket-agent listing shows a day ticket of about ¥30, a night ticket from about ¥47 and a combined day-plus-night ticket of about ¥68. Children under 6 years or 1.2 m and active and former military enter free, and students and seniors receive reduced rates. A visit usually lasts two to four hours, depending on whether the botanical areas are included and how long families linger at enclosures. Spring and autumn mornings are the most comfortable for walking, animals are generally more active in cooler morning hours, and summer evenings are pleasant for the night session. Weekends and school holidays are the busiest times, with queues at popular exhibits, so weekday mornings are calmer. Bus routes and Didi serve the park, and a taxi from Changchun Railway Station costs about ¥15-20. Comfortable shoes and water are advisable because the circuit involves long stretches of walking.