What to do with Kids in Prague - Go To the ZOO

The map on the right (click image for bigger version) is just behind the entrance and also available for free at the till / cash desk, use it to decide which of the fascinating animals you want to visit first. Don't forget to combine your discoveries with the feeding times mentioned below - the animals are most lively just before and during feeding times and often take a digestive nap directly after.

The best time to see the animals out and about is obviously when there is food on offer. The billboard at the right can be found just after you entered the Zoo and gives you an indication where to go when, to see your favorite creatures in full action. Whilst the names of the animals are in Czech, the pictures and times are good enough to find your way around.

My favorite ones are the lemurs, the wolves and the otters, btw, but also the sea lions are great fun, as they perform their tricks in exchange for some tasty fish.

One of the best features of this zoo, at least for me, are the many walk-in enclosures where you can see and observe the animals 'at home' and without any barriers. A visit to the zoo is not complete for me without visiting the funny Ring-Tailed lemurs ;-) You are not allowed to pet them, and looking at their teeth it wouldn't be a good idea anyway, but you can get very close to them and snap some great photos without pesky wires or dirty glass between camera and animal. It is also advisable not to take anything edible into the enclosures as these cuties can be sneaky little thieves and your kids' lollipop might be gone in a heart beat ;-)

The first time I noticed the exhibition I thought it was some kind of joke, but no, Shanti the Elephant really did paint them! Look at the short video below to see her in action ;-) If Shanti is not painting, apparently she is taking an artistic break at the moment, she and her friends can be admired in the all shiny new elephant house and enclosure.

I love the cheetahs because they often rest very close to the glass wall of their outside enclosure, allowing kids to see them from very close and me snapping some nice portraits of them. Their big enclosure, they do like to RUN, remember!, is near the big cat house where tigers, lions and other kitties live.

I do not like spiders, but I have a really soft spot for reptiles, snakes included ;-) Again, the reptile house is so laid out that you can observe them through, mostly clean, glass. This character on the left, sorry, forgot to note down his exact species, was resting comfortably on a vent / radiator cover or similar, literally centimeters away from my camera lens. Kids will enjoy especially the crocodiles and caimans, which have their own house, and can be observed both over and underwater.

What looks like some sort of domestic horse is actually a great lesson in animal conversation! It is the so-called 'Przewalski's horse', the last remaining truly wild horse on our planet. Prague Zoo was one of the most important ones to help to preserve it and to re-introduce it to the wilderness of Mongolia where it was extincted. Below a link to a Wikipedia article where you can learn more about this as the explanatory panels in the zoo are mostly in Czech ...

The image at the left is a good example what happens if you go directly after feeding time to see the big cats in their house - Nothing! This lovely kittie here, together with his friends and relatives, was just napping the afternoon away and digested the meaty bones and rabbits whose remains were still to see on the floor. So, make sure to visit them just before or at feeding time if possible, especially boys will be fascinated by seeing them eat - in all the gorey detail ...

There is a ordinary way to get to the Zoo and a rather extraordinary one ;-) Let's first look at the ordinary one: The bus No. 112 comes from Holesovice Station (Nádraží Holešovice) and stops directly at the main entrance. To reach Holesovice Station from the city center is easy as it is also a metro stop, to find your connection, just go to >>>The Official Prague Public Transport We Site<<< and yes, it has an English version ;-) Alternatively you can also take the free 'Zoo Bus' Zoobus from Nádraží Holešovice that operates on weekends and during holidays.

Now to the more fun way to get to the Zoo!

For those that want to drive, here you go, the GPS location you need to put into your autopilot ;-) 50°7'0.099"N, 14°24'39.676"E

You can bring your own food and drink and picknick pretty much anywhere in the zoo or you can visit on of the many food stalls and taste some typical Czech fast food like fried cheese in a breadroll or grilled sausages. If that doesn't appeal, there are also several restaurants and cafes in the zoo that offer some healthier options, especially the one near the Children's Zoo is recommendable. Meal and drink prices are very reasonable and you find main dishes and big snacks typically for CZK 100 or less. So, unless you are on a very tight budget or have some special dietary requirements, it is really not worth to bring your own picknick! 

Prague Zoo is extremely children friendly and great fun for the whole family. The added bonus is that it is not yet on the list of 'typical Prague tourist attractions' and therefor not overrun with tourists ;-) You don't need to know Czech to find your way around, but it does help to read up a bit beforehand so that you can answer all the questions your kids may have. The zoo is very popular with Prague people, therefor try to avoid the weekends during the summer and look if you can visit it on a weekday instead. Insider tip: The zoo is pretty empty when the weather is not sunny, so cloudy, but dry days are ideal for a visit. Have fun and say 'hello' to my friends the lemurs from me ;-)

And if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in a comment below and I will do my best to answer them!