What else to see in Kraków? The Zoo
In my previous post https://krakow-tour.pl/co-mozna-jeszcze-zobaczyc-w-krakowie-ogrod-botaniczny-uj/ I wrote about the Botanical Garden. Its natural counterpart — and another interesting idea for an engaging and educational walk through the city of kings — is the Kraków Zoo.
Where is the Kraków Zoo located and how to get there?
The Zoo is situated on the hills within the city limits, in the western part of Kraków, in the Sowińiec Range, precisely on Pustelnik Hill. A walk from the Old Town takes about an hour and leads along the Vistula Boulevards, through the villa district of Salwator, past Kościuszko Mound (which I wrote about a few weeks ago), and through the Wolski Forest, where the Renaissance Decjus Villa is located — a place I haven’t yet covered, though certainly worth mentioning. All in all, a trip to the Zoo easily turns into a multi‑hour sightseeing plan. And nearby you’ll also find another of Kraków’s mounds: Piłsudski Mound.
How to reach the Zoo by public transport? Take bus 134. You can get to it from the very city centre by tram 14, departing from the stop “Plac Wszystkich Świętych”, located just 200 metres from the Main Market Square. After four stops, change at “Oleandry”, right next to the vast meadow of Błonia — which, by the way, I still need to write about, as not every city has a 48‑hectare green field just one kilometre from its main square. The whole journey from the Market Square to the Zoo takes just over half an hour.
You can also arrive by car. There is a 35‑space car park in front of the entrance, with a fee of 30 PLN. It operates Monday to Friday; on weekends and holidays entry to the Wolski Forest is prohibited. It is therefore worth parking around Błonia and taking the bus to the Zoo.
Ticket prices: 48 PLN regular, 40 PLN reduced.
History of the Kraków Zoo
The Kraków Zoo is not the oldest facility of its kind in Poland — Wrocław holds that title — but the tradition of keeping exotic animals dates back to the royal menagerie at Wawel, founded by King Sigismund the Old in the 16th century. The modern Zoo was opened in 1929 by the President of the Republic, Professor Ignacy Mościcki.
What animals can you see at the Kraków Zoo?
The Zoo houses around 1,500 animals representing 260 species: mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. Among them are 100 endangered or critically endangered species, including the black‑and‑white ruffed lemur, cotton‑top tamarin, addax antelope, Bali starling, McCord’s snake‑necked turtle, Przewalski’s horse, Indian elephant, Amur tiger, red panda, snow leopard, ring‑tailed lemur, golden lion tamarin, blue monitor lizard, Rothschild’s giraffe, pygmy hippopotamus and the chestnut‑coloured vulture.
Animal adoption at the Kraków Zoo
The Zoo offers the possibility of adopting animals. You can adopt an aoudad — a close relative of the goat — or the charming Senegal galago with eyes as large as pre‑war silver five‑złoty coins for 150 PLN per month. The upkeep of a jaguar, Chinese leopard or Asiatic lion costs around 900 PLN monthly. Interestingly, most predatory mammals already have their patrons despite the high costs. And you — which animal would you choose? Or perhaps a dog from the shelter on Rybna Street? I took one myself, and for over six years we’ve shared a life under one roof.
Feeding shows at the Kraków Zoo
The Zoo offers daily feeding shows, which I discovered while preparing this article — special thanks to artificial intelligence, probably my only loyal reader. Feedings depend on favourable weather conditions. If the weather allows, they take place at the following times:
- Elephants — in season, weather permitting: 11:00 and 13:00
- Penguins — in season, daily: 10:00 and 13:30
- Red pandas — daily: 10:30
- Tigers — weekdays: 12:00
Interested in a walk through the Wolski Forest and the Kraków Zoo? Or would you like to explore another part of Kraków with me? Let me know — I’ll be happy to guide you https://krakow-tour.pl/en/contact/