Zoos in Europe: Budapest

The Budapest Zoo is the oldest in Europe, founded in 1866. In those days he was on the outskirts. But the city grew a lot, and the zoo was not far from the center. You can get there by metro, “Kupalni Secheny” station, or by ground transport. After the reconstruction in 2003-2007, the zoo became modern, well-kept and so interesting that a full daylight day should be set aside for its visit.

An adult ticket costs HUF 3,000 (EUR 9.3), a child’s ticket costs HUF 2,000 (EUR 6.1). But you can buy tickets cheaper. First, a family with two children can buy a family ticket for HUF 8,400 (EUR 26.1) and save HUF 1,400, or EUR 5. Second, check with your hotel for a zoo discount coupon. Usually, near the reception or in the common area, there is a small rotating shelf, on which there are business cards and flyers of the city’s attractions. The coupon reduces the price of tickets by 20 percent. Be sure to take a map at the entrance, especially if you are here for the first time.

What is worth seeing in the zoo?

First, fashionable combined three-level enclosures. They were created during the last renovation to accommodate the animals with maximum comfort in a limited space. For example, a polar bear lives in a polar enclosure on the top tier of a small, carefully fenced hill. Penguins live in the stone a tier below. And if you go down to the lower level, then through the built-in window you can see the same penguins, but from under water. Due to the tiers, the aviaries are compact, but spacious.

Secondly, houses (Hazá in Hungarian) where there are no barriers between animals and people. For example, a squad of kangaroos. Visitors walk through the enclosure along paths surrounded by a low, purely symbolic fence. Kangaroos walk freely in the same enclosure, sometimes go out on the tracks. The signs near the enclosure strongly ask not to touch the animals with your hands. However, they can be photographed close-up.

Madagascar Khaza is also good, where lemurs roam freely in a hot pavilion in the middle of lush tropical vegetation. These animals with striped tails are very interesting, they are happy to approach people, but you can’t feed or touch them – the lemurs get sick from the wrong food, and besides, they bite painfully. Lizards and amphibians live nearby in the Terrarium. How many lizards are in this photo?

Depending on the season, you will meet elephants, hippos and giraffes either on the street or in warm winter houses. Of course, the winter enclosures are small, but beautifully decorated. Their animals are well cared for and look great. For example, crocodiles, which can be viewed both from above and from under water.

But when summer comes, you can admire the casual plasticity of cats or the fun games of noses.

By the way, about birds. In the central part of the zoo there is a small lake. Several species of birds swim there at any time of the year. Here they can be fed. But in general, if you really want to give food to the animals, it is better to go to the baby – this is a traditional enclosure for European zoos with domestic animals that can be petted and fed with special food. Feed is sold there.

You can also buy food for people at the Budapest Zoo. Of course, if you spend a full day at the zoo, you will want to have a snack and rest. For visitors, there are several cafes and a cute Japanese restaurant – right across from the lake. For travelers with children, several playgrounds and even an interactive museum are open. True, the texts in the museum are in Hungarian and English, but you can figure it out.