We are a bit "sick" when it comes to zoos, we go there even without children. I even made a mini-rating. Actually, we have a very clear idea of what sections a zoo has and what minimum range of animals should be presented. So don't be surprised by the rather detailed analysis.
How to get there: Seoul Grand Park Subway Station Exit 2
Opening hours: HERE
Website: HERE
How much time does it take: We arrived at 10am and left only at 4pm, the zoo area is huge
The price of the issue: Entrance to the zoo itself is 3000 KRW, very inexpensive. Visit to the botanical garden is included in the price.
Nuances: Since the park is located on a mountain, it makes sense to use the local cable car Sky Lift. You will go up to the very top and will look at the zoo going down, which, you must admit, is much better than crawling, albeit not a steep, but a mountain. Immediately upon exiting the metro, go straight towards the majestic building, but you don’t need to go there, because it’s just Information. In front of the building, turn right and go to the funicular of the cable car. There is a ticket booth here. This is where you can save money. The thing is that the Sky Lift is divided into two separate parts. The first part (the so-called section A - B) goes from the official entrance to the park (where you are now) to the entrance to the zoo itself.
It's not very far (maybe a kilometer) and you don't have to crawl up the mountain yet. You can take a leisurely stroll. There's a cable car that goes over the lake. You might get some great photos.
There is also a children's zoo with goats, sheep and other domestic animals, as well as a certain Love Park, where, apparently, newlyweds take pictures.
You will reach the entrance to the zoo, buy entrance tickets and immediately there is the second section of Sky Lift (C - D). I recommend using it.
The fare for each section is the same: 5,000 KRW one way. There is no point in going back "downhill" on the cable car at all. We rode "there" on both sections, because we didn't know how long the first one was. In general, it's not a big deal, of course, we spent an extra ten dollars.
Personal recommendations and impressions:
Botanical Garden It's so worthless that it's not even worth talking about.
The zoo itself makes a rather average impression. An ordinary, decent zoo, but old, both in materials and ideology. The territory is very large, but not due to the enclosures with animals, but due to the distance between them. There is even a local bus, but we did not use it. Infrastructure is basically all right: a lot of toilets and enough places to have a snack and a fairly full lunch. Prices are higher than in the city, but no more than 20 percent.
More details. Poultry house. Birds are given a considerable part of the zoo, but the assortment is a problem. There are five "zones" for placing birds:
— the actual poultry house: for some reason there are only pheasants and mandarin ducks here;
- birds of prey sit outside in separate large cages, which are terribly barred and cannot be seen properly;
— the enclosure with large non-predatory birds is quite large, but there are practically only ducks and swans there. The crane was circling restlessly, as if posing;
- a parrot house (this is our special love). Quite diverse, but still not comparable to normal zoos;
- flamingos. Present, but nothing more.
Predatory animals. Good accommodation and enclosures only for lions. By the way, the cable car goes over their enclosure.
Where are all these young lions looking?
That's right! To the enclosure where the pride with females lives.
Penguin House is practically absent. I don't count the three penguins in the dull enclosure. They are worthily presented sea lions and seals, oddly enough. But here dolphinarium — closed for renovation. Sad.
Serpentarium sad and gloomy in terms of snakes, but a gorgeous collection of large ones has been collected spiders. I have never seen so many of these creatures in one zoo in real life.
All sorts ungulates like zebra, buffalo and various antelopes are in the usual assortment. Elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros, two hippopotamuses (both for some reason with paralyzed hind legs).
Monkey house not rich. But it is always interesting to watch chimpanzees and orangutans (especially babies).
The chimpanzee family has an impressive system of ladders and rungs built outside, probably as tall as a five-story building. It can be seen in this photo.
Well, that's probably it. In six hours (including lunch) we leisurely walked through almost the entire zoo. We were even surprised that we spent so much time.
General conclusion: a B minus. I couldn't shake the feeling of something left unsaid and unfinished, even the meerkats in this zoo weren't cheerful.
Source: travel.ru