If you’re visiting Ljubljana with kids, one of the most wholesome places to go is the Ljubljana Zoo. It’s a protected nature park that you reach with a 20-minute walk from the city center. It’s a sanctuary inside the Old Town, and it offers fantastic activities you can do.
If you have a whole day, the Ljubljana Zoo is a great place to visit. It contains many of the native and exotic animals in Slovenia that inhabit the surroundings of the Tivoli-Rožnik-Šišenski hrib environment. The Zoo offers a close-up view of these majestic creatures you will surely love.
For animal lovers, going to the zoo is always a treat. Here’s what you should expect when going to the Ljubljana City Zoo.
A Quick History of the Ljubljana Zoo
Much like Ljubljana’s mantra, the Ljubljana Zoo succeeds in fitting many things in small places. While the entire zoo is not the biggest in the world, it offers a pleasant reprieve to the animals inside. It has many exciting things that animal lovers of all ages should expect.
The history of Ljubljana Zoo started post-war, approved by the city’s board in 1949. The zoo’s original location was near the central district of Ljubljana but moved to its current locale in 1951.
It is now in Živalski vrt Ljubljana, lying on the southern slope of the Rožnik hill. Unlike many city zoos, it has an entire forest surrounding its facilities. It allows for the animals to emulate their natural habitat, with forestry and meadows around it.
The current site is great for the animals as it moves the animals away from the bustle of the city. The locale is generally isolated from the cityscape. It prevents city noises from increasing the stress levels of the animals.
By 2008, the facilities of Ljubljana Zoo received an overhaul. The entire process finished in 2016, with new animals coming in almost every year.
The entire zoo takes up 48.43 acres (19.6 hectares) and has as many as 4 miles (6.5 km) of walking paths. The zoo itself gets as many as 260,000 visitors every year from all over the world.
Why See The Ljubljana City Zoo?
Why should you go to Ljubljana Zoo? While many zoos cramp their animals in small, artificial spaces, Ljubljana Zoo tries to be different. All this comes in conjunction with how they develop their green space within the business.
For starters, the caretakers of the zoo are doing their best to develop a modern but green locale. They make sure that the animals are in a natural space that is as close to their natural habitat as possible. All the animals’ needs come into consideration.
In the 19th century, the Ljubljana Zoo was more concerned with making the zoo look like a circus. Now, all the animals in captivity have a place to sleep, play, bathe, sunbathe, excrete, and exercise. All zoo animals have a way to stretch their legs and do actions common to their everyday living.
Ljubljana Zoo also encourages the breeding of the indigenous animals in Slovenia, first and foremost. They also have non-indigenous animals that many Slovenians would love to see for sure.
Another detail that’s special with the Ljubljana Zoo is its commitment to draw its visitors closer to the animals. Visitors, especially children, can take part in a variety of workshops that allow close animal contact.
There are guided tours all-year-around, available during the daytime and nighttime visits. Visitors can also join during feeding time to give them a better understanding of the animals.
If visitors want to see their favorite animals, they can do so too. There are even opportunities to become a zookeeper for a day and see if they love the profession. With 119 species of animals and over 500 of them in total, it can be a pleasant afternoon visit for everyone.
How Do You Get To The Zoo?
So, how do you get to the Ljubljana Zoo? There are many ways to do it, depending on your fitness and willingness to walk. If you have a local tour guide, they can also help you travel around and seeing more tourist locales on the way.
If you start from the Triple Bridge, there are three ways you can get to the Zoo premises. You can follow a scenic walking path that takes 30 minutes to traverse. You can also get through a biking path or ride a quick bus to the zoo.
There are many scenic sites to see on the way for those who decide to walk or bike. For starters, you will see the Museum of Modern Art on the way to the zoo. You’ll likely remember the building, looking like a small, modern fortress.
Once you pass it, biking and walking lanes pass through the Tivoli Park. From there, you follow the route due west to see much of the beautiful landscape to the zoo.
There’s a ton of greenery all around the park itself. In the summer, you’ll find enough shade to keep you fresh during warm days. In colder months, trees will break the chilly winds.
The road is generally flat, which makes the trek easy for people of all fitness levels. Even then, seniors and small children are best to take advantage of the all-day bus.
What Animals Can You See In Ljubljana Zoo?
If you’re going to the Ljubljana Zoo, you’re likely to find some rare and exotic animals. With 119 animal species, you’ll find a cute animal that will make you fawn in enjoyment. Various shows run almost all year round for everyone to see.
For starters, there is an Asian elephant in captivity in the zoo. There’s also a sea lion that does afternoon shows for the people visiting. Cheetahs get their time running around, as well as capybaras scurrying.
One of the biggest attractions is the sea lion show. In the summer, the local sea lion likes to swim around and bathe under the sun. Like any sea lion, it knows a ton of tricks that it will gladly do if a zookeeper gives it some fish.
If you like your small animals, the zoo has its cute family of red pandas on the trees. It wants to move around, show its curiosity, and move along the branches.
For lovers of big animals, giraffes and ostriches are all over the zoo. Siberian Tigers also like to run around, especially during their feeding time.
Other animals in the zoo include fast climbing squirrel monkeys. Alpacas are also a part of the sights, which are quite exotic in these parts of Europe. There are even dozens of flamingos and Siberian cranes that like playing in their ponds.
If you like big cats, Ljubljana Zoo also hosts lynxes. Finish it off with a sight of the local raccoons and see how they enjoy living in the local area.
Enjoying the Mini Zoo
Apart from the primary areas of the Ljubljana Zoo, another superb place to visit is the Mini Zoo. The Mini Zoo houses domesticated animals that animal lovers can pet. It’s more like a small barn, with many animals playing and living together.
The goats in the zoo are some of the cutest, with their kids running around. The sheep like to ask for food, mewing when there is fresh grass or hay. Pigs big and small also like to lay out and sleep when they can.
If you have small children, it’s best to bring them to the Mini Zoo with supervision. The animals in it like to interact with people and are generally welcoming of visitors. They even love doing photo ops for everyone.
Other Things You Can Do Inside Ljubljana Zoo
For those who want to take a break, there are other activities you can do inside the zoo. Ljubljana Zoo has a central restaurant around the middle with open-air seating. It’s central to the zoo, near many playgrounds in the area.
The restaurant serves excellent fast food meals and snacks for the whole family. It’s a nice place to sit down to rest until you’re ready to see the next show available.
While you eat, the kids can play in the many tree houses, obstacle courses, and even slides. There are even trampolines where the kids can have a wonderful time playing.
The zoo is generally open all-year-round, with different schedules every season. You would want to go online first and see their opening times and what shows are available for the days you want.
Conclusion
For animal lovers everywhere, visiting the Ljubljana Zoo is a must. Though not as big as many other zoos from other countries, the animals love it here. They get a good home, alongside hills and forests that become their new sanctuary.
If you’re looking for a change of pace, the Ljubljana Zoo is the place to go. You can spend an afternoon here and carry your worries away with all the cute animals. See the magnificent creatures up close and personal!
Looking to give the Ljubljana Zoo a visit? Take a local tourist guide with you to make everything easier. You’ll get to experience much of the zoo, together with other local sights in the Old Town.
In Ljubljana, big things always come in small packages. It’s the same with the Ljubljana Zoo, and you’ll marvel with all the beauty waiting for you.
