Super fun time - We visited on a weekday in winter so I was not sure how great it would be, it was really great. There was no crowd, the buildings were open and warm, the cafe in the gift shop was open and we had very good breakfast sandwiches. There is a daily penguin walk down a path from the penguin house and that was just plain fun. I recommend seeing it. There was a few things closed but it really didn't effect our day. The animals are in nice enclosures. The highlight was the African Hippos. They were so awesome we got to chat to a volunteer about them as well as view them up close. She told us all about them, names, ages, favorite treats and about the noises they were making. Overall the zoo was really nice and we had a great time.

Engaging Experience for young kids - Our young kids were thoroughly engaged throughout the entire day. We spent the majority of the day and still weren't able to see everything. The kids especially enjoyed observing the newborn Malayan Tapir, and the Komodo Dragons.

I wish we had a zoo like this!! - What a great zoo!!! We are from Winnipeg and our zoo is not well thought out, like a maze. This zoo flows so well and bathrooms and water fountains around every corner! I think I lost track of the play grounds at like 3, and they were all so fun!! They are lucky to have such great animals, the otters, penguins and gorillas were our favorite! What added as well was the volunteers, they were everywhere and had so many great facts to share.

Much bigger than expected, excellent exhibits, and worth a full day - We visited the Calgary Zoo on a very cold, snowy weekday and were surprised by just how much there was to see and do. Despite the name, this is a large zoo - we spent around six hours there without feeling rushed. Getting there was easy, either via the CTrain from downtown Calgary or by car, and it’s located right next door to the TELUS Spark Science Centre, which makes the area feel like a full day-out precinct. Even though it can clearly get busy, the zoo is very well laid out with plenty of space to spread out. During our visit it was quiet, and we rarely crossed paths with other visitors, which made the experience feel calm and unhurried. The penguins were an absolute standout. The exhibit allows close access with interactive displays on both sides, and it’s very engaging without feeling overcrowded. We didn’t see the polar bears during our visit, but the highlight of the day for us was the gorillas. They were active, curious, and genuinely beautiful to watch. One mischievous two-year-old was full of energy, and a female gorilla even played a brief knocking game at the glass when my partner tapped, which was a memorable and unexpectedly human moment. Another highlight was the volunteers positioned throughout the major exhibits. They were friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to chat. In the hippopotamus area, a volunteer encouraged us to stay for the daily teeth-cleaning session - watching hippos have their teeth and gums brushed with a human electric toothbrush was both fascinating and oddly delightful. Many of the exhibits allow you to get close to the animals without feeling intrusive, which really adds to the experience. We didn’t notice any behind-the-scenes or animal encounter options during our visit, though it was extremely cold and a weekday, so this may vary. We didn’t eat or drink onsite as we brought our own water, but there are plenty of food kiosks around the park, although many were closed during our visit. There’s also a gift shop with a good range of souvenirs, some of which were reasonably priced. One small observation: we didn’t have much interaction with animal care staff, and those we did see didn’t seem particularly welcoming. The volunteers, however, were consistently excellent and really elevated the experience. Practical tip: wear good walking shoes and carry a map, as the zoo is large and it’s helpful to keep track of what you’ve already explored. We would 100% return, ideally in warmer weather, and would happily recommend the Calgary Zoo to anyone visiting the city. It’s far bigger and more engaging than expected and easily fills a full day.

Great place - Great zoo! I saw so many animals. I was closer to a hippo than I would ever like to be again! I attended during zoolights, so I went to the zoo and saw animals in the day from 1300-1600, and then the lights came on and I stayed for the zoolights experience. The zoo is massive and took me hours to get around all the exhibits/animals. Would definitely recommend.

Don’t Miss the Calgary Zoo! - We always love to visit the zoo in our vacation city. Although we’ve been to Calgary before, this was our first visit to the zoo and it was fantastic. The staff are all so friendly and there to help and answer questions at every turn. The layout is fantastic and we didn’t feel crowded on the lovely wide pathways. The exhibits are immaculately maintained and there is a great variety of creatures to see. As avid gardeners, we were truly impressed with the beautiful gardens and variety of plants and trees throughout. This is a definite stop to wander on a lovely Calgary morning or afternoon and it’s right on the LRT route - so easy to reach if you haven’t rented a car. Keep up the great work Calgary Zoo team and thanks for a lovely memory!

Zoo - Excellent Zoo I thouroughly enjoyed my visit. I would recommend this zoo to all my friends. Staff very friendly.

the zoo - it was awesome especially the hippocampus. I was surprised on the amount of people that attended. it was a nice day so all the animals were out.

Very limited in terms of animal welfare for the African side - The Inland African Park is unworthy for animals. The air is unbreathable, the animals must suffer. The giraffes have no room, the hippos were lying on concrete in the middle of their excrement in a tiny enclosure. This part of the zoo should be closed to respect animal welfare. The part about animals in Canada seems to me to be much more animal-friendly with quite large outdoor parks (except for wolves which are completely stereotyped). The volunteers are adorable, positive for the visitor.

Not impressed - Awful experience, a lot of construction happening which is not written anywhere. Tickets were over priced for what we were able to see. Only good experience was the penguin and lemur exhibits that you could be up and person with them.