Berlin Zoo Preferred route around the Berlin Zoo

[Norwegian moose]

I am maybe going to Berlin Zoo this summer. And I have heard that the zoo is so extensive, that it is impossible to see it all in one day. As I only have one day to visit it, it would be logical to first look for the highlights first, so I at least got to see the biggest atracctions

The biggest highlights as I define them is:
- The Berlin Aquarium (really a seperate attraction, but I will see it first)
-The Carnivore House
-The Hippo House
-The Penguin House
-The Primate House
-The Birds House

While I am walking to and from the biggest atractions, I will watch other enclosures as well. What do you think about this, is it a good way to see the zoo ? Do you get time the see the whole zoo when you do it this way ?

 

[zooboy28]

I am maybe going to Berlin Zoo this summer. And I have heard that the zoo is so extensive, that it is impossible to see it all in one day. As I only have one day to visit it, it would be logical to first look for the highlights first, so I at least got to see the biggest atracctions

The biggest highlights as I define them is:
- The Berlin Aquarium (really a seperate attraction, but I will see it first)
-The Carnivore House
-The Hippo House
-The Penguin House
-The Primate House
-The Birds House

While I am walking to and from the biggest atractions, I will watch other enclosures as well. What do you think about this, is it a good way to see the zoo ? Do you get time the see the whole zoo when you do it this way ?

I could only visit the zoo on one day, and while I managed to see most things, it was very rushed and I definitely would have missed some species. And that was when the bird house was closed.

Rather than first, I suggest you spend the day at the zoo and do the aquarium in the evening, as the aquarium was open for a couple of hours after the zoo had shut, at least in winter. I honestly didn't find the aquarium that great and easily did it in two hours.

 

[condor]

in terms of large fish (>1 m. in length) such as large sharks/rays many aquaria around the world and in Europe are ahead of Berlin, and the largest tank in Berlin (<200.000 l.) is quite small compared to the multi-million-liter tanks that increasingly are becoming the standard for large aquaria. However, the Berlin collection of small and medium sized fish is excellent; it includes many rarities and some you're unlikely to have seen elsewhere, but you probably have to be a bit of a fish fan (like me!) to fully enjoy that. The collection of water invertebrates is also excellent. The terrarium section (reptile+amphibians) in the Aquarium is good and the land invertebrate collection (insects and alike) is very good with many rarities, but again this is something that most ordinary zoo visitors don't really appreciate fully.
In summary: If you only have a single day, your main interest is larger animals and you don't care much about smaller/medium fish, reptiles, amphibians and inverterbrates, missing the aquarium isn't a huge loss. Then you have more time in the Zoo itself.

Currently the aquarium closes one hour before the zoo (Aquarium 6 p.m., Zoo 7 p.m.). I'm not entirely sure but suspect this will be the opening pattern throughout the summer, and it switches in the winter.

 

[lintworm]

I do not agree with the fact that the zoo is undoable in one day. We managed to see every thing quite relaxed (but not spending half an hour on stupid polar bears f.e.) within 7 hours. So it is doable, but be sure not to miss the carnivore house, primate house and both bird houses for your species list

 

[markmeier]

@lintworm: It depends on what you want to see/ experience. You can rush through the zoo in still less hours, but I wouldn't like it very much or expect to actually watch enjoyable scenes and consider it a recreational activity. I'm very glad I don't have to see it all in one day, but I also don't like to rush when I'm in a zoo. Even if I was to visit a new zoo for just one day i wouldn't feel I had to see it all, but that is personal preference like I said. It has to work for you.

@Norwegian moose: Personally I would recommend to stick to your list . It sounds like some good highlights. Just take your time to enjoy each of it and then you will see how much time you still have left afterwards for other enclosures.

If I was to visit the aquarium for the first time, I would make sure to see at least the large fish tanks at the end of the building (there you also find a deep sea section) as well as the crocodile hall. If you are not too much into reptiles and insects you may perhaps want to skip the other sections to save time. I enjoy the whole building but I guess you have to set priorities.

The new bird house is a similar case. I would rather focus on the halls and take time to discover the birds than rush through the entire aviary section. Perhaps you can look for some highlights there, though (unfortunately I'm not an expert and also don't know which birds you definitely want to see).

-In the carnivore building I best like the nightlife exhibit in the basement. It definitely deserves some time in my opinion.

-The hippo house and the penguin house are self explanatory. Some very nice modern exhibits. If you are at the penguins anyways I would also watch the sea lions for some time. sometimes the glide around near the panorama window which is quite nice. Of course they aren't any rare species, but I think they are very attractive anyways.

-The primates live in the same building like the other monkeys nd the ape exhibits aren't as modern as other sections of the zoo. So If you know enough better exhibits for apes you may want to focus on some of the rare monkeys you will find in there or the outside enclosures for the apes.

I hope you enjoy the trip

 

[Norwegian moose]

First off all it is not sure I am going to Berlin Zoo this summer, it is my mother that have said it, but it is not certain it is going to happen. I am interested in all animals, but I am mostly interested in mammals and birds. I want to see every one of the highligst, but I am all so interested in seeing the hoofstock, the bears and the little expansion of the zoo. When you have seen that, you have seen most of what the zoo have to offer. What do you think would it be possible to see all the highlights above+the hoofstock+the bears and the little expansion in one day ?
I did not mention the giraffe house in the list of highlights because it would then be to mush to see, but maybe I will see it anyway.

What do you think of the aquariums reptile collection, condor says it is good but I have read that they only have 69 reptile species, and some people have said that it is smaller than that one at the Tierpark. Appropos Tierpark I dont know if I will get time to visit the tierpark, but if I get time I would love to do so. What do you think about the birdhouse, have they downscaled the collection much after the new birdhouse was buildt ? Also can you think of some major species Berlin does not have. Berlin Zoo have most of the ABC species, but I can think of some they do not have (ringtailed lemurs, cheetahs, koalas, pandas, and whales). So thank you all for helping me, and thank you in advance for what might come.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Berlin Zoo have most of the ABC species, but I can think of some they do not have (ringtailed lemurs, cheetahs, koalas, pandas, and whales). So thank you all for helping me, and thank you in advance for what might come.

Whales are an ABC now are they? Last time I saw any cetacean in a zoo was when I was knee-high to a grasshopper! Things are only slightly better on the continent

 

[Norwegian moose]

Whales are an ABC now are they? Last time I saw any cetacean in a zoo was when I was knee-high to a grasshopper! Things are only slightly better on the continent

I mean animals that are popular, not strictly abc species. I said whales because it is the only major animal group I can think of that Berlin does not have. And it is actually quite many zoos in Spain that have bottlelnosed dolphins.

 

[condor]

I have read that they only have 69 reptile species, and some people have said that it is smaller than that one at the Tierpark.

I guess others will comment too but a few notes: Yes, there are more reptile species in the Tierpark than the Zoo (see this), but 69 is actually fairly decent, though far below the zoos with the largest collections. However, the reason I consider their reptile collection quite good is because of the species it contains. Some of the notable species are tuatara (though beware that sightings aren't guaranteed; at least I've struggled!), bearded pygmy chameleon, Guatemalan spiny-tailed iguana, 3 species of sea snakes and some interesting constrictors incl. woma.

 

[zooboy28]

I guess others will comment too but a few notes: Yes, there are more reptile species in the Tierpark than the Zoo (see this), but 69 is actually fairly decent, though far below the zoos with the largest collections. However, the reason I consider their reptile collection quite good is because of the species it contains. Some of the notable species are tuatara (though beware that sightings aren't guaranteed; at least I've struggled!), bearded pygmy chameleon, Guatemalan spiny-tailed iguana, 3 species of sea snakes and some interesting constrictors incl. woma.

I didn't realise they had sea snakes! I must have missed them when I visited, I did go past the fish tanks quite quickly. I was rather disappointed by the reptile collection, lots of common species and only a couple I hadn't seen before (and obviously Tuatara and Australian pythons weren't as fascinating for me!). The amphibian and invertebrate collection was great though, including 13 new species of amphibian. I think they were the highlights of the building really.

 

[Chlidonias]

(and obviously Tuatara and Australian pythons weren't as fascinating for me!).

hmm, for me NZ animals are always a highlight in foreign zoos. I like to see how they are being kept. Especially tuatara because there are so few outside NZ.

 

[zooboy28]

hmm, for me NZ animals are always a highlight in foreign zoos. I like to see how they are being kept. Especially tuatara because there are so few outside NZ.

While I really enjoyed spotting NZ species in Europe, I wouldn't say that they were highlights for me in any collection I visited, I guess because they are commonly held species in NZ, and there were so many other new species that aren't common or present in NZ that I was focussing on. Especially at a massive zoo like Berlin.