Beijing Zoo

 This is what most visitors come for. In July 2026, a brand-new Panda House debuted here, featuring expanded viewing areas, climate-controlled indoor spaces, and five resident pandas including Meng Lan, Fu Xing, Bai Tian, Ji Nian and Fu Jiang. Meng Lan, born in Chengdu in 2015, is the top panda star here. He is so naughty that once climbed over a barrier in 2021 and sat on the wall watching visitors till keepers lured him back with food - a clip that made him a national meme. He is known for climbing, "sit-ups" and a fondness for sprinklers.
 Beyond the pandas, three animals here are especially worth your attention：

 The golden snub-nosed monkey lives only in central China’s mountain forests. Its bright blue face and golden fur make it instantly recognizable, and troops are almost always moving and calling, never still. 
 The Père David's deer (Milu) has a remarkable history. Native to China, it went extinct in the wild over a century ago and was saved only by a small herd kept in European zoos, later brought back to its homeland. 
 The Przewalski's horse is the last truly wild horse species on earth, never domesticated. 

If time allows, also check out the crested ibis, Chinese alligator and Amur tiger, all rare finds outside China.
 

Map of Beijing Zoo

Golden Snub-nosed Monkey

 

Sharks in Beijing Aquarium

Beijing Aquarium sits right inside Beijing Zoo, well-suited for those interested in marine life and shows. The dolphin and sea-lion show always attracts the most visitors, so arriving 30 minutes earlier to save a good seat is recommended. The Ocean Tunnel area has a gorgeous underwater walkway and a jellyfish zone that’s very photo-worthy. Just don't use flash so you don't scare the creatures. In Shark Town and the Bering Strait zone, you can face sharks head-on and meet the adorable beluga whales. And the Chinese Sturgeon Hall highlights the first-class protected species, often nicknamed the “giant panda of the water.”
 The giraffe and elephant houses are easy to reach and open-air, making them great for kids. Lion-Tiger Hill, built in 1956 as a mountain-like structure, is the zoo’s oldest exhibit still in its original form, and it now houses Amur tigers, African lions, and white tigers.
 South Gate → New Panda House → Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys & Monkey Hill → Père David's Deer & Przewalski's Horse → Lion-Tiger Hill → Bear Hill & Polar Bear Pool → Giraffe House & Elephant House → Chimpanzee Exhibit → Reptile House → Beijing Aquarium (+2 hours) → Changguan Tower → North Gate exit

Total visit time without aquarium: about 3-4 hours; with aquarium: about 5–6 hours.
  Best months: April - May and September - October, when temperatures are mild and animals are more active outdoors. Summer can be hot and humid; winter is cold but less crowded.

Best time of day: 9:00 - 10:30 in the morning. This is when the pandas are fed and most active, and other animals tend to be livelier before the midday heat sets in.

Avoid weekends and Chinese public holidays if possible, when the zoo gets very busy, especially around the Panda House and aquarium.
    1. Please refrain from feeding the animals. Even well-intentioned snacks can upset their diet and health.
2. Flash photography is discouraged, especially near the pandas and primates, as it can startle them.
3. Baby-changing facilities are available near the main restrooms. There is also stroller rental service near the south gate. It costs CNY 10 per hour with a deposit of CNY 200.
4. Bring sunscreen items and plenty of water in summer.
5. The zoo has several restaurants and snack stands, but choices are limited. Bringing your own snacks is advised.
6. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The full trip covers several kilometers.
 Initially called "Garden of Ten Thousand Animals", animals were firstly fed here in 1907, but most of them were actually not the "aborigines" but the European "immigrants". 

A saying goes that Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) specially ordered ministers to purchase 59 cages of animals from Hamburg in Germany, including elephants, zebras, lions, tigers, kangaroos, ostriches, etc. Empress Dowager Cixi selected the types of animals in person, and even sent one of her beloved little monkeys to the garden to show she took the project seriously. The reason why the Empress Dowager wanted the European animals so much might be that she thought it would be helpful to learn some advanced experience from the Western countries that time, no wonder that parts of the place were also used for agricultural experiments. 

It was not until April 10, 1955 that the place was officially named "Beijing Zoo".

An Old Building in Beijing Zoo

There are still many old buildings from that time remaining in the zoo. Among them, Changguan Pavilion and Changchun Hall were both built in 1908. Changguan Pavilion in the northwest of Beijing Zoo was where Empress Dowager Cixi took a rest when visiting the place. It is the most intact European-style royal resting palace in Beijing. Regrettably, visitors are not allowed to get in. Changchun Hall in the southwest was where the accompanying officials rested, which is now a café with a reading area.
 Take Subway Line 4 to Beijing Zoo Station. Use Exit A or B, both leading to the South Gate of the zoo within a 3-minute walk.
 Bus No. 87, 105, 107, 111, 305 and 604 stop at Beijing Zoo Station. Upon getting off, walk eastward for about 5 minutes to find the South Gate.
 Boats cruise between Beijing Zoo and the  and Summer Palace via Ziyuwan Wharf, on the route historically called the Imperial Waterway Cruise or Empress Dowager Cixi Watercourse. This is actually a sightseeing activity, so operated seasonally from mid-March to late October. The full waterway is about 9 km (5.6 miles); total ride time is about one hour including the transfer at Purple Bamboo Garden.

 Where to buy boat tickets
1. Summer Palace stop: South Ruyi Wharf, near the South Ruyi Gate of the Summer Palace
2. Ziyuwan  stop: Ziyuwan Wharf, beside the north gate of Purple Bamboo Garden
3. Beijing Zoo stop: North side of the zoo, near the ticket office of Beijing Aquarium 

Type	Apr. to Oct.	Nov. to next Mar.
Zoo Entrance Fee	CNY 15	CNY 10
Combo Ticket (Zoo + Panda Hall)	CNY 19	CNY 14
Beijing Aquarium	CNY 175 for adult; CNY87 for children

 Note:
1. Children under 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) enjoy free entry of Beijing Zoo.
2. The Beijing Aquarium ticket includes Beijing Zoo entry; holders may enter directly via the zoo's North Gate without buying a separate zoo ticket.

 Beijing Zoo Tickets Booking
 

Place	Apr. to Oct.	Nov. to next Mar.
Zoo	07:30 - 19:00, Last entry 18:30	07:30 - 18:00, Last entry 17:30
Aquarium	09:00 - 17:30, Last entry 17:00	10:00 - 17:00, Last entry 16:30

  Top 10 Places to Visit in Beijing