must-visit in AalborgZoo & Aquarium

Aalborg Zoo

📍 Aalborg Zoo, Aalborg, Denmark

1 photos

4/ 5.0

★★★★☆

Quick Facts

Location: Denmark, Aalborg
Category: Zoo & Aquarium
Duration: 3-5 hours
Opening Hours: Gates open daily at 10:00, closing 17:00-18:00 by season, last entry one hour before closing; closed only 24 and 31 December
Ticket Price: Adult: Free · Adults (12+) DKK 249, children 3-11 DKK 149, under-2s free; online booking saves DKK 10 per ticket
Address: Aalborg Zoo, Aalborg, Denmark
Coordinates: 57.0488, 9.9177

Introduction

Aalborg Zoo sits in the city of Aalborg on Jutland's north coast and opened in 1865, making it one of Scandinavia's leading urban zoos, with around 130 species and more than 1,300 animals. It was the first zoo in the world to earn ISO 14001 environmental certification, and part of every ticket funds field conservation in Borneo and Africa. The headline exhibit is the polar bear area, where a glass-fronted underwater tunnel lets children watch the bears swim at eye level; the EXTINCTION dinosaur walk, included in standard admission, scatters about twenty life-size dinosaurs through a woodland trail and is a firm favourite with ages 5-12. Scheduled keeper talks and feedings run daily - wild boar, penguins, orangutans, baboons, tarantulas - and the Zoofari stage brings reindeer and a trained falcon up close. The zoo closes only on 24 and 31 December, has paved stroller-friendly paths, welcomes leashed dogs, and is the first stop for families visiting Aalborg.

✨ Highlights

World's first ISO-certified zoo

Aalborg Zoo was the first zoo anywhere to earn ISO 14001 environmental certification, and part of every ticket funds conservation work in Borneo and Africa.

Polar bear underwater tunnel

The polar bear exhibit has a glass-fronted underwater tunnel where children watch the bears swim at eye level - the park's headline draw.

EXTINCTION dinosaurs

Included in standard admission, about twenty life-size dinosaurs - T-Rex, Brachiosaurus, Triceratops - are set along a woodland walk, ideal for ages 5-12.

Daily keeper talks

Scheduled feeding talks run every day - wild boar, penguins, orangutans, baboons, tarantulas - and the Zoofari stage brings reindeer and a trained falcon up close.

Easy city location

Inside Aalborg itself, reachable by buses 1 and 11, and open 363 days a year - closed only on 24 and 31 December.

Family friendly

Paved stroller-friendly paths, nursing rooms with bottle warmers, free wheelchair loans, and leashed dogs are welcome inside.

🛈 Practical Info

→Time needed：Three to five hours for the main exhibits; allow half a day with the EXTINCTION dinosaur walk.

→Keeper talks：Several daily - often 10:45 wild boar, 11:15 penguins, 11:30 orangutans, 14:00 baboons, 14:30 tarantulas; plan your route around the day's programme.

→Combine with：Aalborg's old town, the Lindholm Høje Viking burial museum and the Kunsten Museum of Modern Art make a one-day loop.

→Worth it?：Yes, especially for families with children aged 3-12; its ISO 14001 certification and included dinosaur exhibition set it apart among Nordic zoos.

→Watch out：Parking fills and queues lengthen on sunny weekends and school holidays - come by bus and arrive at opening. The park is smoke-free apart from designated areas.

→Opening Hours：Gates open daily at 10:00, closing 17:00-18:00 by season, last entry one hour before closing; closed only 24 and 31 December

→Transportation：15 min bus ride from Aalborg city center

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Adult	Free

Adults (12+) DKK 249, children 3-11 DKK 149, under-2s free; online booking saves DKK 10 per ticket

💡 Tips

• Booking online saves DKK 10 per ticket and skips the gate queue in high season.

• The EXTINCTION dinosaur walk is included in admission - many visitors miss it; allow 45 minutes for the woodland trail.

• The polar bear underwater tunnel is the park's number one draw; go early when it is quieter.

• Buses 1 and 11 are easiest; there is no zoo car park, and street parking by the main gate is free for up to 5 hours.

• Leashed dogs are welcome, but not in the free-roaming lemur, goat and kangaroo areas or the tropical houses.

• Bring your own food for the large barbecue area - it cuts catering costs significantly.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Aalborg Zoo?

Gates open daily at 10:00, closing 17:00-18:00 by season, last entry one hour before closing; closed only 24 and 31 December

How much is the admission for Aalborg Zoo?

Adult: Free; Adults (12+) DKK 249, children 3-11 DKK 149, under-2s free; online booking saves DKK 10 per ticket

Any practical tips for visiting Aalborg Zoo?

Booking online saves DKK 10 per ticket and skips the gate queue in high season. The EXTINCTION dinosaur walk is included in admission - many visitors miss it; allow 45 minutes for the woodland trail.