Explore the Best Wildlife Parks and Zoos Around Adelaide, Australia

Zoos and Wildlife Parks are a great way to explore the Animal Kingdom. They’re also an excellent way to get up close with some of Australia’s most iconic animals, including Koalas, Kangaroos and Crocodiles. If you’re visiting Adelaide for a short stay (or even if you live here), there are plenty of opportunities to see these Wildlife Parks and Zoos around Adelaide.

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links, I receive a small commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, and it helps me maintain this site. Thank you.

Subscribe to my blog and stay up-to-date as I share more information about my travel experiences.

All prices and times were accurate when this information was written or updated; however, please verify the details on the websites before your visit.

Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo is located just a short walk outside the Adelaide City Centre. It’s a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike, with over 1 million visitors each year. The zoo opened in 1947, making it one of Australia’s oldest.

The zoo has over 3,000 animals representing 400 species worldwide, including koalas! And if you’re feeling adventurous (or want to get close), you can even hand-feed some of them! The park also features an aquarium where you can observe marine life up close and learn about the conservation efforts underway around Australia’s oceans today.

Adelaide Zoo hosts special events throughout each year, including “Light Creatures” from the end of June until nearly the end of July, where visitors can walk past giant illuminated creatures.

Another great reason to visit Adelaide Zoo is that it is home to the only Pandas in Australia. Wang Wang and Fu Ni are part of an international conservation and breeding program, although no cubs have appeared yet.

I was lucky to see the Panda behind the glass, although I would have preferred it in the open. When I was in Edinburgh, the Panda enclosure was closed. There are only so many zoos in the world where you can see a Panda, especially when you live in the Southern Hemisphere.

Adelaide Zoo is a key player in animal conservation. Hopefully, you’ll find babies of all species when you visit.

Keeper Talks

You can plan your day by visiting the animals during the Keeper Talks. This is also a great time to see animals up close and in action.

Walkabout Free Guided Tours

Volunteers take you on a personalised tour, subject to guide availability, giving you information on your favourite animals.

They depart on the hour from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm at the Tour Meeting Point, located adjacent to the main entrance.

Animal Experiences

Would you like to be a Keeper or Junior Keeper for the Day? You can also explore additional experiences like penguins, meerkat giraffe feeds and more. Visit their website for pricing information.

How to Get Here

Walk:

Adelaide Zoo is an easy walk from the city centre on Frome Road behind the Botanic Gardens. You can take the walkway beside the Torrens River.

Car:

There is no parking at Adelaide Zoo. Paid parking stations are available throughout the city, and limited metered parking is available on Plane Tree Drive, War Memorial Drive, and Frome Road. 

Bus:

Buses stop on Frome Road directly outside the zoo (Bus numbers 271 or 273 from Currie Street). Visit Adelaide Metro for more details.

The half-hourly Connector Bus passes the Adelaide Oval and many of the UPark car parks in the city.

Hours

Adelaide Zoo is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm every day of the year, including public holidays and Christmas Day.

Prices

You can book online by clicking on the link.

Unlimited Access Membership Benefits

Buy a 12-month pass and visit Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park unlimited times throughout the 12 months.

This is great for those travelling around the country, as you also receive free entry to most other Australian zoos, including Taronga Zoo, Western Plains Zoo in New South Wales, Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Werribee Open Range Zoo, and Kyabram Fauna Park in Victoria, as well as Perth Zoo in Western Australia.

For more information on bookings and prices, please visit their website.

Monarto Safari Park

Monarto Safari Park is situated approximately one hour from Adelaide. The park is home to over 1,000 animals and birds, including giraffes, rhinos and zebras.

You can walk around the enclosures or take a bus to stops dotted around the grounds. This is a great way to learn about the animals and walk around, getting up close to them.

Monarto also hosts special events throughout the year, including guided tours. There are also experiences like lion feeding sessions, animal keeper talks, bird shows, and more!

Keeper Talks

• Chimpanzee 10.30 am*
• Giraffe 11.05 am
• Tasmanian Devil 11.30 am
• White Rhino 12.15 pm
• Meerkat 12.15 pm
• Cheetah 12.45 pm
• Giraffe 1.40 pm*
• Carnivore 2.40 pm

*Weekends, school and public holidays
All activities are subject to change or cancellation, so please check their website for the latest information on times.

Animal Experiences

Would you like to feed the Lions? Monarto Safari Park has a Lions 360-degree experience where you’re in the cage feeding the Lions on the outside.

They also have more animal experiences, and you can find the prices here.

• Land of the Lemurs
• Lions 360
• Black and White Rhino Interactive
• Giraffe Safari
• Grapes for Good Tasting Trail
• Meerkat Mingle
• Meet the Rhinos
• A Devilish Native Experience
• Lions at Bedtime
• Cheetah Experience
• Lions and Wines
• Keeper for a Day
• Keeper for a Morning
• Meet the Chimp

How to Get Here

By Car:

Monarto Safari Park is approximately an hour out of Adelaide, heading east. It’s an easy drive, with signs on the Southeastern Freeway.

Alternatively, if you are coming from Murray Bridge, it’s only a 15-minute drive west. Once again, follow the signs on the Southeastern Freeway.

By Bus:

LinkSA now has a direct service from Adelaide CBD to Monarto Safari Park, Monday to Friday. You can take the bus in the morning with a return trip to Adelaide mid-afternoon to allow you a full day at the Monarto Safari Park. You can also access the park from Murray Bridge via LinkSA services.

Want a bit more flexibility? LinkSA also offers six connecting services to Monarto Safari Park throughout the week.  From Adelaide, catch an Adelaide Metro Service to Mount Barker and connect at the Dumas Street Park ‘n’ Ride with a LinkSA service taking you from Mount Barker to Monarto Safari Park.  Some weekend services are also available via the Mt Barker connecting services.

Click on the LinkSA Website for full timetable details.

Hours

9.30 am – 5 pm every day of the year.

The last Zuloop Bus leaves the Visitor Centre at 4.30 pm.

Prices

You can find the prices on their website here. You also have the option of buying a pass for both Monarto Safari Park and Adelaide Zoo.

For Membership, read above or click to be taken to Adelaide Zoos tickets.

Other Zoos Around Adelaide

I haven’t visited the following wildlife parks, but they are on the list for when I’m next in Adelaide.

Cleland Wildlife Park

Cleland Wildlife Park is home to over 2,000 animals and birds from around the world, including koalas, kangaroos, dingos, and Tasmanian devils. There are also some reptiles, like crocodiles and snakes, on display here.

You can take a guided tour of their zoo or go for a ride on the tram that goes around it!

Cleland Wildlife Park also offers a range of animal experiences. Here you can get up close with Koalas, or take night walks or guided tours.

You can also plan your day around the Keeper Talks and Animal Feeding. See which of your favourite animals are fed to see them at their most active. You can also find a more personalised tour of certain animals, with additional information available on this website.

How to Get Here

Car:

Cleland Wildlife Park is located in the Adelaide Hills, about 20 minutes from the city at 365 Mount Lofty Summit Road. Take the South Eastern Freeway to the Crafers exit, then follow Summit Road to the Cleland turn-off. There is free parking here.

Bus:

Visit AdelaideMetro to plan your trip and use ‘Stop 27 – Cleland Wildlife Park.’

Hours

9:30 am – 5:00 pm, every day except Christmas Day and days of catastrophic fire danger.

The last entry is at 4.30 pm.

Prices

Find the prices and book online from their site here.

Warrawong Wildlife Park

The Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is located near the town of Mount Barker and is open year-round. The park features a variety of animals, including Koalas, Wombats, Kangaroos and Emus. It also features a reptile house with snakes, as well as an aviary housing birds from various parts of Australia.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary offers special events throughout the year including Easter egg hunts, summer camp programs for kids ages 5-12 years old (with their parents), night safaris where you can see nocturnal animals up close at night time (including possums!), school holiday activities such as pony rides and animal encounters where you can get up close to all kinds of critters like lizards or bats!

Have a large group of 15 or more and can’t get enough of Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary? You can stay overnight! Just bring your tent. You can find more information by clicking on overnight stays.

If you’re looking for information on Tours, Animal Encounters, or Junior Keeper details and prices, please visit the links. Want to pet a snake? See a show? Or learn about Dingos? You can work these shows into your day by planning them according to the times listed here.

How to Get Here

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is located at 47 Stock Road, Mylor. Parking is free. It’s only a 25-minute drive from Adelaide City.

Bus:

The closest bus stop to Warrawong is Stop 39, on Longwood Road. Stop 39 is a 22-minute walk to the Sanctuary. The stop is serviced by the 865 bus. Getting to Warrawong from the city requires at least two bus trips: one from the town to Stirling, then from Stirling to stop 39.

Hours

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is open:

• On weekends, 11 am – 4 pm (last entry 3 pm)
• During School Holidays, it’s open every day, 11 am – 4 pm (last entry 3 pm)

Closed on Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, and Good Friday.

It’s also closed on days when the temperature is 32 degrees Celsius and above, as well as when severe, extreme, and catastrophic fire danger days are forecast.

Prices

To book tickets or see prices, click here.

Gorge Wildlife Park

Gorge Wildlife Park is the place to visit to see mostly native animals. There are other, more exotic animals here, but they are smaller, such as monkeys, Lemurs, Meerkats, and Otters. There are also Reptiles and Birds.

You also have many types of Activities that you can participate in at Gorge Wildlife Park, and some don’t cost you a cent.

See Koalas up close and pet them for no cost, as well as Snakes, Lizards or Birds. See a Reptile Show or have an encounter with your favourite animal.

This is only on certain days, so plan your visit by visiting the Activities page of their website to find more information or the Encounters page to see which animals are available and to book.

How to Get Here

Gorge Wildlife Park is located at 30 Redden Drive, Cudlee Creek, a 40-minute drive from Adelaide City.

To get here by public transport, you would have to take two buses. For more information, click here.

Hours

Gorge Wildlife Park is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm except for Christmas Day and Catastrophic Fire Warning days.

Prices

For prices and booking, click here.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a day out with the family, or want to get away from it all, the wildlife parks and Zoos around Adelaide are the perfect places to visit. They offer something for everyone – whether you’re interested in seeing animals up close or prefer to admire them from afar.

With so many wildlife parks and zoos around Adelaide, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Have You Found This Blog Helpful? Then, Why Not Buy Me a Coffee?

Links

If you’d like to read more of my blogs about Australia, you can find them at the following links: Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Camping and Silo Art. Alternatively, if you’re interested in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or Photography, you can click on their respective links.

Travel Resources

• Flights & Accommodation—You can search for the cheapest flights and accommodation using Booking.com, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor, and WayAway, which offers 5% cashback.
• Car Hire— In Australia, you can use Apex Car Rentals Australia, Budget Car Rentals Australia, or Avis Car Rentals Australia.
• Camper & RV Rentals—Want a quieter pace exploring Australia and New Zealand in your own accommodation? Jucy Rentals and Star RV Rentals will give you an unforgettable experience travelling.
• Travel Insurance is the number one thing to pack when you’re travelling. Cover-More Australia, Cover-More New Zealand, EKTA, Travel Insurance Master, and Insubuy provide insurance coverage during your travels.
• Attractions—buy before you leave home with these great sites: Big Bus Tour, Get Your Guide, GoCity and Viator.
• House Sitting is a great way to save on accommodation, and Trusted Housesitters offers house sittings worldwide.
• Photo Editing is a great way to bring your photos to life, and you can try Luminar Neo, which I use.
• Visa Applications—apply online for your visa requirements with iVisa.
• Sim cards—Try Airalo, the world’s first eSIM store, which solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travellers access to eSIMs (digital SIM cards).
• Power Stations—Bluetti and EcoFlow Power Stations are your choices for sustainable, eco-friendly power on the go or at home.

• For more tips, try my Travel Links and Resources page.

Did You Like This Post? Then Pin It!