Taronga Zoo: Aussie Wildlife in the Heart of Sydney

Sometimes I think the more I travel, the less impressed I am with things. Like zoos, for example. When you’ve been to some of the best in the world, bog standard zoos just don’t cut it. So to be totally honest with you, I wasn’t expecting much from Taronga Zoo in Sydney.

But it started off really well with just the journey there! You see, you get to Taronga Zoo by ferry across from Circular Quay so the whole of Sydney Harbour is in view. And that is one helluva view.

When you arrive at the other side, people that already have their tickets can jump on a cable car to the main entrance but as we were getting ours from the ticket office we had to get a quick bus up the hill. But it was literally 2 minutes.

Still I did think that looking back it would’ve been much easier to buy tickets at Circular Quay with the ferry ride included, it makes things a tad easier.

Now, time for some animals!

What I really liked straight away is that there was a focus on Australian animals. I mean, obvs, because we’re in Australia, duh. But as a tourist, that’s what you want, right?

So of course there was the obligatory Outback Bushwalk with kangaroos, wallabies and emus wandering around. But there were also special areas for koalas, platypus, tasmanian devils and wombats. And a nocturnal area with the super cute sugar gliders that are my absolute faves.

Plus there’s a little Blue Mountains Bushwalk which I quite liked with more of a rainforest vibe, lots of colourful birds and turtles in the ponds. V nice.

And of course there is a BIG reptile house with lots and lots and lots of snakes and lizards and all things creepy crawly. Which is actually pretty cool at Taronga because there are loads of varieties.

And of course there are a couple of crocs thrown in. But since I visited Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park in Western Australia, I can’t get too near them. They literally terrify me. So I’ve added a photo of a bronze statue of a crocodile wearing Josh’s sunglasses for good measure.

But hold up. I’ve got to tell you, the animals aren’t actually the main draw to this place.

It’s the spectacular views.

You see, from most parts of Taronga Zoo you get a jaw-droppingly gorgeous perspective of the Sydney Harbour. Honestly it’s the best. Add it to cute animals in the foreground and you pretty much have a slice of heaven right there.

Pretty sick, right?

Another few things to note. If you’re into your high ropes adventures then their Wild Ropes will be just your kind of thing. With great views of the city and a chance to spot animals from the treetops, it does look like a lot of fun.

Also, other than the Aussie animals, I would definitely check out the seals feeding time (because it’s pretty funny) as well as the gorillas because they’re fun to watch for a while. It feels like people watching with all their dramas, you know?

The only drawback I would mention is that there weren’t many food options, just a few fast food joints. So what we did was arrived at the zoo early doors and left around 2pm to go back to the city for lunch. I’d recommend that.

When it was time to go, we took the cable car back down to the ferry this time. And it’s definitely worth it for yet more gorgeous views of the harbour, and a birds eye view of the animals. It’s pretty cool when you go over the elephants. Definitely a highlight of my zoo visit!

The only other weird thing though was that at the ferry port you get a lot of party boats hanging around with loud music. Which feels a bit strange when you’ve just had a nice family-friendly day at the zoo. But you know, Sydneysiders like a party. Players gonna play.

Overall I had a fun dat ay Taronga Zoo. Despite starting out with low expectations, I was impressed with how many different animals they had and most of all, how bloody amazing the views were from this part of the city.

I’d recommend a visit if you’re in town and want to escape the city and get back to nature. It’s a fun day out for sure!

Have you been to Taronga Zoo? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @HeelsInBackpack!

Total Blogger Transparency: I accepted a press ticket to Taronga zoo but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I wouldn’t play you like that, shorty.