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Korkeasaaren Eläintarha
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Korkeasaaren Eläintarha

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See all things to do
Korkeasaaren Eläintarha
4
About
Korkeasaari Zoo – also known as the Helsinki Zoo – is located on an island close to the Helsinki city center, and is open all year round. Korkeasaari Zoo is home to over 150 animal species, and it's the biggest zoo in Finland. You'll also find a souvenir shop, restaurants and picnic sites on the Zoo island. You can get a free map at the entrance. The Zoo was established in 1889, which makes it one of the oldest zoos in the world. Today Korkeasaari Zoo is a non-profit foundation that aims to conserve endangered species and biodiversity – every visit supports this work. In addition to conservation work at the Zoo, Korkeasaari participates in the conservation of species in their natural habitats, and runs Wildlife Hospital for injured or orphaned wild animals. Korkeasaari Zoo is an accredited member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and also a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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2-3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.0
993 reviews
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Very good
355
Average
158
Poor
45
Terrible
19
Gee231205x2022
25 contributions
Lovely zoo on an island
Mar 2023 • Solo
Taking bus 16 from the central railway station takes you directly to the zoo ticket kiosks and from there it is a short stroll across the bridge to the zoo itself. Straight across from the bridge a lot of the exhibits were temporarily empty as they have moved the animals due to construction work on a new railway link from the city centre.
The zoo houses animals that can cope in the Finnish climate and it states this online, I personally really liked this as it meant there were some animals present that you would not normally see in other European zoos. All the enclosures seems clean and well suited to the animals and they appeared to have plenty of space to move around in.
Being on an island the zoo is easily walkable, they give you a map if you ask when buying the tickets and you can follow a recommended route or walk around as you want. On the far side there were some great views back towards the city centre with the cathedral popping up on the skyline.
I saw one restaurant by the bears which was open and seemed popular with families with small children. I didn't really see what hot options there were but it seemed they had snacks, cakes and hot drinks on offer.
Personally I really liked seeing how active the big cats were with snow still on the ground. They were moving around and in the case of the lionesses playing with each other which was nice to see.
I really enjoyed my visit to the zoo in the spring sunshine.
Written 2 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicola_W_0108
United Kingdom515 contributions
Lion and Tiger and Bear, oh my!
Oct 2022 • Couples
It was fairly straightforward getting to the zoo on public transport and we enjoyed walking across the bridge to access the zoo, as it’s located on an island. We visited on a chilly autumn day and were able to see quite a few of the animals. Our favourites were the big cats, and the elusive brown bear which we felt lucky to see as it could have started hibernating early. Compared with other zoos, here we didn’t get the best views of the animals and couldn’t access indoor viewing areas of some animals when they weren’t in their outdoor enclosures e.g. otters, wolverine. Also there was a lot of construction going on so considerable amounts of noise and empty enclosures. We were disappointed to find the shop was closed (we visited towards end of October) so we weren’t able to buy any zoovenirs and many of the food outlets were closed also, so minimal eating options, especially for vegetarians. The toilets were clean and it was a nice place to walk around enjoying the fresh air. Friendly staff in the bistro next to the ticket office.
Written 27 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yc
Southern Finland, Finland11 contributions
They don't trust people...
Oct 2022 • Family
Unprofessional welcome by the zoo personnel. We had a kite with us and I was told that we cannot use it inside. This is perfectly understandable as we anyway did only want to use it on the windy bridge not on the Zoo island. I respected and deassembled the kite next to the personnel. However, she insisted that we must leave the kite at the entrance. This was the case although I told them we would definetly not use it inside and keep it inside our backpack. I also talked to the supervisor and asked why we were treated this way. She said that the reason is that THEY DON'T TRUST PEOPLE. I found it very strange. I also reminded them that they should put clear rules and instructions at least on their webpage and preferably at the entrance, which can be used as guidance in these cases. Otherwise, it is not professional way of handling the entrance considering the fact that they don't check or search anyone's backpack besides having no clear information on the rules. Anyone can come inside the zoo with anything without being aware of such rules - considering I got to know this specific rule 15 years later than my first visit to the Helsinki Zoo. If I hadn't a small kid loving animals, I would never visit the zoo again after this unprofessional handling of the entrance. My child also asked why we were forced to leave the deassembled kite and I could not tell her that the reason is that they don't trust people... Very disappointed.
Written 23 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M_
1 contribution
Wonderfully laid out.
Oct 2022
Loved all the animals, even though it was a rainy day, cold and blustery with October winds from the Baltic Sea. Nicley laid out zoo.
Written 17 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kitkat3000
16 contributions
One of the most unique zoos we've visited!
May 2022
We took a bus over to the bridge and walked over to the zoo. Since this is on an island, and since the island is a breeding ground for a specific waterfowl, you are navigating around all the ducks and babies while exploring each habitat. I LOVED all the unique animals that we don't normally see at zoos, and the restaurant...DELICIOUS!! Was a great few hours for the whole family and a unique visit walking around the ducks that were all over!
Written 12 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SakiJR
Turku, Finland943 contributions
Excellent place to see animals
Sep 2022 • Family
Excellent place to see many animals. Large island to explore. Well maintained and easy to access from Kalasatama area.
Written 6 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julia H
1 contribution
worst zoo
Jul 2022 • Family
we visited Helsinki zoo 26th July, this was the worst experience we've ever experienced. no animals at all, only pictures, we were group of 4 kids and 4 adults walking around trying to find animals, 2 camels and some snakes that's all we've seen. wasted our money, very disappointed, we would never pay if we knew that zoo is empty. very angry, all experience was a huge disaster.
Written 9 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael Š
58 contributions
Don't visit at this moment
Jan 2022 • Friends
I really don't recommend to visit this zoo in the winter and time of pandemic. I paid 12€ for visiting 5 outside animals. Everything inside is closed, even you can have a mask and you are vaccinated. This zoo is scam !
Written 10 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
frequentflyersuffolk
Sudbury, UK297 contributions
Interesting zoo with a variety of animals
Sep 2021
The zoo is on an island - there is a lovely walk from the car park through woodland and then, after payment, across a bridge. The animals have plenty of room to move about, information boards are available so if you don't manage to see the animals you can learn about them. Lots of different species to see. The zoo is very clean and very easy to walk with lots to occupy children. As it was mid week the ice cream stalls etc were closed but the main restaurant had tea and coffee for sale. There is an indoor picnic area which is useful as the weather was not warm enough to sit outside. It is a great way to spend a day. We didn't have time to visit the glass houses but look forward to the next visit'
Written 19 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
trip-radar
Rhodes Town, Greece449 contributions
A lovely zoo
Jul 2021 • Solo
This zoo has plenty to present, from wildlife to the natural environment of Finland and Nordic countries.
Written 30 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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KORKEASAAREN ELÄINTARHA (Helsinki) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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