1 / 3Wellington Zoo
📍 Newtown, Wellington
Wellington Zoo is a walkable, compact zoo in Wellington that covers most exhibits in around two hours — longer with young children. The zoo offers genuine animal encounters in a relaxed environment and includes a café on site.
I had the most amazing experience at the Wellington Zoo!! I walked in on a Monday morning and had no issues, zoo is small but at that hour not too crowded. I did the snow leopard close encounter and I absolutely recommend it, what an incredible look behind the glass. I loved chatting with the zookeepers about the animals and getting the behind-the-scenes experience. They do a great job of making it interactive and letting you feel like you’re really meeting the animal, even though obviously you can’t touch them or get too close! Some encounters are much more hands on, but this one is very much safety first. Still, super cool to get the chance to meet one of these elusive animals in person, what a once in a lifetime experience!
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Visitors describe Wellington Zoo as highly recommended, noting the relaxed pace and close animal encounters make it a genuinely enjoyable visit. Monday morning visits are described as calm and unhurried. Reviewers say the zoo surprised them with how enjoyable it was, even for those visiting to fill time.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →6,339 Google reviews
Slex
2 months ago
“I had the most amazing experience at the Wellington Zoo!! I walked in on a Monday morning and had no issues, zoo is small but at that hour not too crowded. I did the snow leopard close encounter and I absolutely recommend it, what an incredible look behind the glass. I loved chatting with the zookeepers about the animals and getting the behind-the-scenes experience. They do a great job of making it interactive and letting you feel like you’re really meeting the animal, even though obviously you can’t touch them or get too close! Some encounters are much more hands on, but this one is very much safety first. Still, super cool to get the chance to meet one of these elusive animals in person, what a once in a lifetime experience!”
Chynal Prior
a month ago
“I had such a great visit to Wellington Zoo. Highly recommend a visit. I was originally just going to fill time between flights but man I really enjoyed it. Great enclosures. The snow leopard was difficult to spot but was really cool once someone finally spotted it. The chimpanzee were cool to see aswell, there are so many!”
Anonymous Horse
2 months ago
“Taking around 2 hours to visit everywhere in the zoo. If you are company with tiny human it will takes more. They have many bathrooms and shelters for rain or sunlight. Zookeepers and workers are nice and humorous. Worthy 26nzd!! Hope i can come back for close encounters once I get rich🥹”
Anton Afanassiev
2 months ago
“They take care of the animals good. The enclosures are well designed so you can see the animals. I've been to a lot of zoos and some leave the impression that the animals are unhappy. This one is not like that. Highly recommend. Worth the money.”
Reviews from Google
Overview
Wellington Zoo is a compact zoo in Wellington that rewards a relaxed visit. Most of the zoo can be covered in around two hours, with more time needed for families with young children who stop longer at each enclosure. The zoo's smaller scale means animals are generally close and accessible. A café is on site. The zoo is well-regarded for its intimate atmosphere and the accessibility of the animal encounters. Weekday visits are typically calm with easy access throughout.
