Advice please!

T

Theloderma

Active Member
15+ year member
I'm planning a short trip to Prague and Plzen in July and was hoping for a bit of logistical advice from folks that know the cities and the zoos. The Prague side of things should be straightforward enough but I wonder if anyone could give me some details on Plzen? Will be arriving in Plzen by train from Prague - what's the best way to get to the zoo? Is it walkable or is the public transport system a better choice? I believe there is also a separate terrarium in Plzen away from the main zoo - how easy is that to get to from the zoo? I've seen everything on a map so in theory know what's where but any advice from those that have 'done the double' before would be gratefully received.
Cheers :)
 
I think it's about a 45 minute walk from the rail station to the zoo. A taxi wouldn't be hugely expensive, so whether you walk, or get a cab, will depend on how lazy / well-off you're feeling. I'd want the maximum possible time in the zoo, and I'm pretty idle, so it'd be a cab for me!

The terrarium is en route from the station to the zoo, pretty much, and is very nice - but pretty tiny. You could look at the whole place in two minutes, but, of course, if you did it properly it'd take much longer. The zoo will certainly fill a day, so, if time is finite, I would concentrate on that; if you have more time, however, the terrarium is certainly worth seeing.

As has been mentioned elsewhere, if you can get to the zoo early, it's worth heading straight to the nocturnal house, where the lights are up for the first 30 minutes or so of the day.
 
Hi guys,
Using this old post to get advice on seeing the Prezwalski horses at Prague in semi-wild enclosure around Prague. I heard about Dívčí hrady but I would like to know :
- is there other places ?
- how likely I am to see them
- anything else good to know to have a good experience.

Thanks !
 
Is there other places?

No. All rewilding / semi-wild grazing projects in Czechia use either Exmoor ponies or donkeys as a proxi for extirpated native horses. You can see all places that keep Przewalskis here when you open ZTL - with one exception that is breeding station CHARZA that belongs to Prague zoo. It´s located in Dolní Dobřejov, a village in south Czechia. It´s a former farm with large pastures with surplus zoo hoofstock, it´s not open to public but when you park at roadside, you might see some animals with a bit of luck.

If you would want nice experience with semi-wild Przewalskis, I would recomend Hortobagyi national park in Hungary. They have a small zoopark with native animals near their visitor centre but also a huge fenced reserve where you can buy tickets for off-road truck that drives through that reserve at set times every day and the driver stops for best photo ops of the animals.

- how likely I am to see them

If we talk Divčí hrady, you are 100% guaranteed to see horses. It´s just 19 ha of fenced meadow with elevated observation platforms. However, you must be lucky to get any unobstructed photos. Their pen has double fencing with large space between them to prevent dogs or visitor feeding.

- anything else good to know to have a good experience.

Dívčí hrady is a windy location on top of small hill. Nowhere to hide from rain, buy something or visit toilet. Can be unpleasant in less than ideal weather.
 
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