Emirates Park Zoo in Abu Dhabi is not a safari park and it is not a theme park with animals on the side. It is a walk-through zoo where the animals are the whole point — more than 1,700 animals across more than 250 species, in zones you can cover on foot in three to four hours, with feeding sessions and shows that children remember long after the visit. That also makes it different from our Dubai Safari Park guide and our Sharjah Safari Park guide, which are both vehicle-safari days. Here, you walk, you stop, and you feed.
The zoo sits on 12th Street in Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi, and it has been open since 2008 as the UAE’s first private zoo. It is also home to the Emirates Park Resort, so some visitors turn a zoo day into a staycation. This guide covers the timings, the ticket prices as they are actually published (with an important warning about conflicting prices), the zones in a sensible walking order, the feeding and shows, and how to reach Al Bahia.
Emirates Park Zoo at a Glance
Location: 12th Street, Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi, via E11 Al Bahia exit. Timings: Sunday–Wednesday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM; Thursday–Saturday and public holidays 9:00 AM–9:00 PM. Animals: More than 1,700 animals, more than 250 species. Time needed: 3–4 hours. Best time: Morning 9:00 AM–12:00 PM or evening 5:00 PM–7:00 PM, winter November–March. Zones: Wildlife Walk, Giraffe Park, Primate Paradise, Bird Park, Reptile House, Snake Alley, Flamingo Park, Hippo House, Crocodile Pool, Petting Zoo, and more. Resort: Emirates Park Resort on site.
Emirates Park Zoo Tickets: Read This Before You Trust One Price
This is the section most guides get wrong, so read it carefully. Ticket prices for Emirates Park Zoo are published differently by different sellers, and older guides are still ranking with old prices. Some list AED 35 for adults and AED 30 for children. More recent guides list AED 50 for adults and AED 30 for children aged 3 to 6, with under-3s free. A 2026 package guide lists general admission in the AED 45–55 range, with Zoo Plus or Explorer packages at AED 75–95, Breakfast with Giraffes at AED 125–150, Dinner with Elephants at AED 150–180, VIP experiences at AED 250–300, and a family combo at AED 180–200.
Do not treat any single number in this paragraph as a guaranteed price at the gate. Use it as a budget range, then check the official Emirates Park Zoo booking page for the date you want, and check exactly what is included — general entry only, or entry plus feeding sessions and shows. Prices vary by package, by holiday, and by seller, and a reseller price that looks cheaper may not include the feeding session you wanted.
| Ticket / package | Published range (AED) | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | 45–55 | Zoo exhibits and animal areas |
| Zoo Plus / Explorer | 75–95 | General entry plus feeding sessions |
| Breakfast with Giraffes | 125–150 | Zoo entry, breakfast, giraffe encounter |
| Dinner with Elephants | 150–180 | Zoo entry, dinner, elephant interaction |
| VIP experience | 250–300 | Private tour, feeding sessions, show access |
| Family combo (2 adults + 2 kids) | 180–200 | Full-day access for a family |
| Children under 3 | Free | Free entry in most published guides |
Book online where possible. It saves queue time at the entrance, and it forces the price and inclusions to be shown before you pay, which is exactly what you need when published prices disagree.
Emirates Park Zoo Timings
The timings most consistently published are Sunday to Wednesday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and Thursday to Saturday and public holidays 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Some older guides list a flat 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily, and Ramadan timings are different again, so if you are visiting in Ramadan or on a public holiday, check the day’s hours before you travel. The zoo is open daily, including weekends, and the best times to avoid midday heat and crowds are early morning or late afternoon.
Zones to Walk, in a Sensible Order
Start with the big cats while you have energy, then work through the interactive zones, and save the petting zoo for children at the end, when they most want to touch and feed.
Wildlife Walk — Big Cats First
Wildlife Walk is an air-conditioned walkway, which matters in Abu Dhabi heat, and it brings you close to lions, white tigers, cheetahs, Bengal tigers and Amur leopards. The white tigers are the animals most visitors photograph first, and the Siberian bear is another headline animal here. This is the zone to do first, before crowds build and before the animals rest in the afternoon.
Giraffe Park and Gentle Giants
Giraffe Park has a raised area built for giraffe height, so visitors can feed giraffes at eye level rather than looking up from the ground. Nearby you will find elephants, hippos, zebras, deer and ostriches. Giraffe feeding is a paid session with limited spots in many guides, so ask about times on arrival rather than assuming a fixed slot.
Primate Paradise, Bird Park and Reptile House
Primate Paradise is home to blue monkeys, tufted capuchins, velvet monkeys, baboons and other primates in a lively, noisy section that children love. Bird Park covers parrots, macaws, African grey parrots, lovebirds, ducks and pigeons, with bird shows at set times. Reptile House and Snake Alley are for the braver visitors — pythons, boa constrictors, anacondas, crocodiles, lizards and tortoises, with feeding times that vary by day.
Flamingo Park, Hippo House, Crocodile Pool and Bear Cave
Flamingo Park, near the bear cave, is a calm contrast to the big-cat walkway — graceful flamingos, plus geese, cranes, capybaras and mandarin ducks in nearby areas. Hippo House and Crocodile Pool cover hippos and Nile crocodiles, and Bear Cave covers bears. These are good mid-visit stops: shaded, slower, and easy to photograph.
Petting Zoo and Camel Farm — Save This for Children
Petting Zoo is the hands-on zone: goats, sheep, rabbits, ducks, ponies and other farm animals that children can interact with and feed. Camel Farm nearby covers dromedary camels, donkeys, miniature horses, alpacas and llamas. Save this for last. Children enjoy it more when they are not already tired, and it is the easiest zone to leave from when you are ready to go.
Shows, Feeding and Activities
Sea lion presentations and bird shows run at set times, and feeding sessions cover giraffes, elephants, goats, hippos and monkeys. Feeding times are published differently by different guides — elephant feeding around 9:30 AM, giraffe feeding around 10:00 AM, farm animals and zebra feeding around 10:30 AM, sea lion presentation around 11:00 AM, and tropical bird show around 2:30 PM in one older timetable — so check the day’s timetable on arrival and plan around it, rather than trusting a single old list.
Paid extras include Zoo Zip and Climb, camel rides, horse rides and pony rides, and themed dining such as Big Cat Brunch, Breakfast with Parrot, Breakfast with Giraffes and Dinner with Elephants. These are booked separately from general entry in most guides, and spots are limited, so book the ones that matter to you in advance.
How to Reach Emirates Park Zoo
By car, take Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) and take the Al Bahia exit to 12th Street in Al Bahia. The zoo is about 40 kilometres and around 30 minutes from Abu Dhabi city, depending on traffic, and well over an hour from Dubai. By bus, guides report routes 202, 210, 218, 420 and 225 stopping near the zoo or at Al Rahba Hospital, but bus routes change, so check RTA routes for your travel date. Taxis and ride-hailing are available throughout Abu Dhabi.
Carry a photo ID — guides report it is required at entry, and international visitors are asked for a passport in some guides. Picnic bags and bottles are reported as not allowed inside, and guided tours can be arranged in advance. The zoo is described as wheelchair friendly and as the first zoo in the UAE certified as Autism-Friendly, with shaded areas and family facilities.
Best Time and a Simple Route
Visit in winter, November to March, in the morning from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM or in the evening from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Start at Wildlife Walk, then Giraffe Park, Primate Paradise and Bird Park, then Reptile House, Flamingo Park and Hippo House, and finish at Petting Zoo. Allow three to four hours. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water and sunscreen, and bring a camera — the zoo is walk-through, not drive-through, so you will be on your feet most of the visit.
For Abu Dhabi wildlife comparisons, our Umm Al Emarat Park guide covers a very different Abu Dhabi park day, and our Mangrove National Park Abu Dhabi guide covers a boardwalk nature day. For families choosing between safari parks, our Dubai Safari Park guide and our Sharjah Safari Park guide show the vehicle-safari alternative. If you want a relaxed family park list to plan around the zoo, our Best Family Parks in Dubai guide is a useful starting point, and the Mushrif Park guide on our home page covers the quiet nature park at the heart of this site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an Emirates Park Zoo ticket?
Published prices disagree, so use a range, not a single figure. General admission is most recently published in the AED 45–55 range, with packages from AED 75–95 for Zoo Plus/Explorer up to AED 250–300 for VIP experiences. Children under 3 are free in most guides. Check the official booking page for your date before you pay.
What are Emirates Park Zoo timings?
Most consistently published timings are Sunday–Wednesday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM and Thursday–Saturday and public holidays 9:00 AM–9:00 PM. Ramadan timings differ, so check the day’s hours before a Ramadan visit.
Where is Emirates Park Zoo located?
It is on 12th Street in Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi, reached via Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) and the Al Bahia exit, about 40 kilometres from Abu Dhabi city.
What animals can I see at Emirates Park Zoo?
More than 1,700 animals across more than 250 species, including white tigers, lions, cheetahs, Amur leopards, Bengal tigers, Siberian bears, elephants, giraffes, hippos, primates, parrots, flamingos, crocodiles and pythons.
Can I feed animals at Emirates Park Zoo?
Yes, in staff-run sessions — giraffes, elephants, goats, hippos and monkeys are the most commonly listed, with paid sessions and times that vary by day. Check the timetable on arrival and book popular sessions in advance.
How long do I need at Emirates Park Zoo?
Allow three to four hours for the zones, a show and a feeding session. Families with young children who want the petting zoo and rides should allow a full morning or afternoon.
Final Thoughts
Emirates Park Zoo works best as a walk-through family day: big cats first, giraffes and primates in the middle, petting zoo last, and feeding times checked on arrival. The one thing to get right before you go is the ticket — do not trust a single old price, check what your package actually includes, and book the feeding or dining experience you want in advance. Check the official Emirates Park Zoo site for your date’s timings and prices, and enjoy a zoo day that is calmer, closer and more hands-on than a safari drive.