Johannesburg Zoo

Johannesburg Zoo is a large city zoo on Jan Smuts Avenue in Parkview, in northern Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. It occupies a wooded, hilly site beside Zoo Lake and the Hermann Eckstein Park area, and houses a wide range of mammals, birds and reptiles from Africa and elsewhere. Highlights typically include big cats, primates, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, hippos and a variety of antelope, alongside reptile and bird collections. Visitors walk a network of paths that climb and descend across the grounds, with picnic lawns, a children's play area and a restaurant or snack outlets. The zoo is popular with families and school groups, and a visit takes three to four hours for those who see most of the enclosures at an unhurried pace. Adult admission is about R120, which makes it one of the more affordable family days out in the city. Animals are most active in the cooler morning hours, particularly the big cats and primates, while midday heat in summer sends many animals into shade. Photography is possible from many viewpoints, and elevated paths give useful angles over the larger enclosures, though glass and mesh can limit clear shots. Weekends and school holidays are the busiest periods, with crowds gathering near the popular enclosures and around lunchtime; weekday mornings are calm. The site is hilly, so comfortable shoes, water and sun protection are useful in summer. Parking is paid on site, and many visitors arrive by car or by Uber or Bolt. Visitors interested in the ethics of captivity may wish to read about the zoo's conservation and education programmes on its website before deciding, and opening hours should be confirmed before the trip.