Zoo in Budapest: just a step away from the wildlife
Let’s agree that Zoo in Budapest is not the first place that your imagination draws when you plan a trip to the Hungarian capital. The zoo does not seem so interesting against the background of rich architecture and rich history of the city. I'll try to convince you otherwise.
The half a day spent in the Budapest zoo forced me to look differently at similar places – here you will be submerged into a world that is much wider and richer than the stone jungle. Opened in 1866, the zoo impresses with the grandeur and attitude towards the animals. This is a real park for the whole family. I guarantee: the smile will not come of the face of even the most grumpy grumbler.
In this article I will talk about how to get to the zoo (with all the nuances and tips), how to buy tickets, what we saw and of course, a lot of interesting photos. So, let’s go!
How to get to the zoo in Budapest
There are different options: metro, bus, taxi. I will speak about the fastest transport – the underground. You simply cannot find faster and cheaper transport. In addition, it can be used almost anywhere in the city.
The metro station you need is Széchenyi fürdo. It is the penultimate station on the yellow M1 subway line.
Here you can see a plan of my movement underground.
We leave from the station Kálvin tér – the blue M3 branch of the underground. We need to make one transition from the blue M3 branch to the yellow M1 branch, which will take you to the zoo.
First of all we go to the machine and buy a both way ticket. You will need 2 tickets. The cost of one ticket is 350 Ft.
We go to the platform of Kálvin tér station, with the train that moves in the direction of the terminal station Újpest-központ and get on the first train that arrived. At the station Deák ter we exit and head for the yellow branch M1and look for a train that moves towards the final station Mexikói út, where the zoo is located.
I want to draw your attention to the fact that thanks to this branch of the metro, you visit one more attraction. Did not expect it? But it is the truth.
While going down to the station, you will notice that it is different from the others. Unsurprisingly, this is the first metro line in mainland Europe – it was opened in 1896. The only predecessor is the United Kingdom. The city authorities did the right thing and left everything as it used to be a hundred years ago. The interior of the station will transfer you to the time of Emperor Franz Joseph, who was present at the opening of the underground in Budapest.
We go in the car and enjoy a trip in a historical place. We leave at the stop Széchenyi fürdo and get to a large square
From the metro station you need to walk a bit – it will take no more than three minutes. And here in front of me I see the cherished place, because of which I came all the way here – the zoo of Budapest.
Cost and opening hours of the zoo
In the summer the Budapest Zoo is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00, in the winter – from 9:00 to 16:00, during the off-season – from 9:00 to 17:00. Saturday and Sunday – 1 hour longer.
Entry stops 1 hour before closing.
Ticket price: 2800 Ft (about 9 euros), children – 1900 Ft (about 6 euros), students – 2000 Ft.
The ticket office is located right next to the entrance to the zoo.
So, I got a ticket, as well as a map of the territory, with the notation of all aviaries and thematic zones. Without a map it will be very difficult, as you will simply get confused on the territory of the zoo.
The choice of the route of the walk through the zoo is in your hands. So it is up to you to decide where to go first for a fascinating acquaintance with the world of animals.
In my case, it begins with the inhabitants of the lake, restless pelicans and ducks that are hiding in the thickets.
On the same lake there is a crocodile house – a whole wooden house for him alone.
Of course, we were not lucky to see the crocodile playing. His Majesty was simply resting. Next we go to bask in the wet tropics of the zoo.
This is a whole area of green plants, where on the street the air temperature was +5, and inside it was about +20.
I was welcomed by a dwarf monkey, about the size of a small kitten.
Since the zoo is divided into thematic zones, do not be surprised when you see the staging scenery.
It is striking that you do not just walk down the street and look at the cages, but dive into the atmosphere in which these animals live, periodically forgetting that you are in a zoo.
Walking through the jungle, you see a chameleon, or a lizard unobtrusively winking at you.
And these are only a few photos: birds, crawling, gnawing, spiders – there are so many of them that it is simply impossible to list them all.
Well, now I'm observing the slowest and most lazy ones. Yes, yes, they are sloths. It is impossible not to fall in love with these very imposing sloths. True, your head will go round, as you want to look into their eyes, and their head is always turned upside down.
In the lower part of the cage we see the crocodile again, and once again it is not moving. Either waiting for the victim (food), or simply basking under a lamp in his zoo apartment.
The warm jungle smoothly passed into the aquarium.
It is made in the form of a circle. Here you will see fish for every taste and color, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. I would like to note the most beautiful, and at the same time the most dangerous – moray eels and ramp.
After admiring the underwater world and leaving the tropics, I found myself on the street, and then a very unusual glade with a bunch of minks opened up to my gaze, from which the mischievous eyes of lovely and plump meadow dogs look at me. Their trembling tails, rapid movements from the mink to the mink, friendly manners, rivet your gaze. While observing and feeding these small ones, you are filled up with inner warmth and energy. How they do it is a mystery, but I did not want to move away from the clearing.
We go further to meet with no less friendly tomboys, who like to receive attention – river wolves. They strive to stick their muzzle into the crack and sniff you, and also make a small show, playing with each other. They can be safely called the mischief-makers of the zoo.
Further on the branch you can see a hidden and inconspicuous koala.
Looking at the opposite side, I notice the kangaroo, and coming closer, I understand that you can walk with them around the open-air cage.
Further, walking along the territory, I froze in perplexity: the animal that I saw was like a hare and at the same time a dog, and the most interesting thing it also resembled a small roe deer. Who it was remained a mystery, because I forgot to look at the nameplate.
Continuing my walk through the wide streets of the zoo, my sense of smell catches the fragrant smell of "knedle" – it is a delicious bun, or rather, "kruchenik", and it is impossible to resist. By the way, throughout the zoo there are many small buffets with all sorts of pastries and drinks.
Lightly refreshed, I go to the king of beasts – a noble lion and his lionesses. If you come before dinner, you can hear how the lion growls – this is how he asks for food. Oh, how strong is the vibration of his voice! The instinct of self-preservation tells you to go away, but curiosity and ecstasy chain your eyes to this view.
Leaving the king of beasts, I notice no less dangerous, but less graceful bears looking out for something or someone. Beautiful and fluffy! But you need to realize that it's a predator and you need to keep it at a distance.
And here are some other representatives of the cat family: the Siberian tigers, showing that they are not domestic cats.
And one of the most unusual cats of this zoo is the leopard.
After awesome predators, I advise you to go and relax in an artificial Madagascar: with happy chimpanzees, calm boas and good lemurs.
Many people know lemurs from the merry cartoon "Madagascar". When you look into the eyes of a lemur, you really calm down, and for a while you disconnect from reality.
When you get into the room, immersed in the habitat of lemurs, it is always warm, humid and filled with vegetation.
Looking around, I notice imposing lemurs on the branches of the trees. They watch you with interest and come closer with no fear – at this moment you can touch and stroke them, but in the zoo it is forbidden to touch animals, about what I was kindly remind by the employee.
Further on my way I see this sign.
It is impossible to pass by. Curiosity takes over and I head to the abode of gorillas and orangutans.
Adult individuals, seeing the tourists, pointedly turn away from them and sit down with their backs to the glasses, as if hinting: "This is my personal life! Goodbye!" And only kids, not understanding the behavior of adults, continue to frolic making the show for all guests of the zoo.
Continuing our fascinating journey through the continents of the zoo, we approach the next new acquaintances that arrived to the zoo from Africa.
The elephant is daunting with its size but it is calm inside. You can also stand next to them for hours, looking into their kind eyes.
Dangerous and not much smaller – hippos.
Impatient rhinoceroses.
Shy and lanky giraffes.
After leaving the huge cages, I again found myself on the street. I came to the pond, just in time for training of the fur seals. It is a spectacular show: they are doing absolutely any tricks for the delicious treats.
A smile will appear on your face when you see the following creatures. Penguins are just something. They are cute and beautiful.
Museum and educational part of the zoo
The Zoo of Budapest has one more highlight – the Magic Mountain. This is a whole complex of moves and labyrinths in rock (decoration). In fact, this is a museum complex that will tell and show you a lot of interesting things, from ultrasound of dolphins, to stuffed polar bears.
When you go inside, you understand that it was not for nothing that it was called exactly that way.
Penetrating inside through a narrow cave passage, you dive into the depths of the ocean, at the beginning of our history, into the life of the smallest insects, and become acquainted with unusual phenomena. For example, in this photo we see the whale in the real size under the ceiling, and below there is his heart. All this is accompanied by the sounds of the ocean. This is one of the most unusual places in the zoo.
And have you ever wondered about how your joints work while you ride a bicycle? At the entrance to the next room, you are greeted by a real bike and skeleton, which repeats all your movements on the bike. Sit down, twist the pedals and watch your joints rotate and cause the pedals to spin.
Interesting? Of course, and this is only the beginning! Walking on the floors of the "Magic Mountain", you will discover a lot. For example, you will meet with a mammoth.
Check the effect of ultrasound on yourself and observe the reaction of bats. Who is more impressionable? It is better to abstain, because they are fluttering right above your head.
There are a lot of simulators of different kinds and research centers. Everything can be touched and studied. For example, you can sit in an auto-simulator that will take you through the desert and shake you– on large screens in front of you the animals will run across the road and climb into your cabin.
Separately, I want to note that the zoo has a lot of colorful, interesting and instructive puzzles and games for your little ones.
After visiting all the corners of the amazing zoo, you will suddenly notice that the day is already at an end and literally after several minutes the zoo will be closed.
Your new friends are preparing for dinner and night rest. You will have absolutely no desire to say goodbye, but while going to the exit, you will feel fatigue in the body, which was previously overshadowed by unique impressions. As a goodbye before leaving, I watch pink flamingos – an ineffable beauty.
If you want to exchange the silent stone fuss of the city for a living and breathing beauty, then you can confidently plan a visit to the zoo in Budapest.
