Where to Go in Melbourne: the 14 Best Zoos

1.Penguin Parade, & Wildlife Encounters Eco Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,774 reviews · from $118Our pick

Spend about 12 hours exploring Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary, Phillip Island’s Nobbies, and the famous Penguin Parade. Go West guides such as Cloe, Jools, Graeme, and Aleks are known for lively wildlife commentary. The small penguins appear after dark, so bring warm layers.

“We had a wonderful time on the Penguin Parade & Moonlit Sanctuary Tour. Jess was an amazing tour guide — very friendly, welcoming, cheerful and responsible. It was a very well organized and memorable trip. Would highly recommend everyone !”

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2.Werribee Open Range Zoo: Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 646 reviews · 1 day · from $37

Explore Werribee Open Range Zoo on foot, then board the included safari bus across 200 hectares of open savannah. Look for giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and kangaroos, and plan time for lion, gorilla, hippo, meerkat, and koala exhibits. Keeper talks and accessible paths add value for families.

“Great zoo! Easy to get around and plenty to see. Loved the hippo experience and deluxe safari.”

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3.Melbourne Zoo General Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 333 reviews · from $40

Use your mobile ticket to explore Melbourne Zoo at your own pace. See more than 320 species, including koalas, platypuses, penguins, elephants, giraffes, gorillas, orangutans, and lemurs. Keeper talks, children’s play areas, cafés, and public transport access make this a flexible family day out.

“Love visiting the Melbourne Zoo. Love the lions and giraffes. The zoo is kept clean. Staff are helpful. It was a great day and great experience.”

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4.Werribee Open Range Zoo General Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 143 reviews · from $40

Spend about three hours at Werribee Open Range Zoo, combining general admission with a 40-minute safari bus through open grassland. See rhinos, giraffes, lions, hippos, gorillas, monkeys, and Australian wildlife, then add keeper talks, walking trails, playgrounds, and food stops at your own pace.

“This was an amazing experience. I will definitely go again. It was great seeing the animals up and close.”

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5.Deluxe Safari Adventure at Werribee Open Range Zoo – excl. entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 68 reviews · from $43

Join a 75-minute 4WD safari across Werribee Open Range Zoo’s open plains. A guide such as Brontë or Jill may bring you close to giraffes, rhinos and zebras while explaining animal care and breeding programs. The tour is limited to 20 people, but zoo admission is not included.

“Absolutely fantastic! The truck is set up so well with seating so everyone gets a view and they go off road to interact closely with the animals but with respect to the animals. The guide talked about their fabulous breeding programs throughout. I would definitely recommend”

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6.Werribee Zoo & Werribee Mansion Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · from $104

Meet at Federation Square for a seven-hour guided outing to Werribee Mansion and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Explore the 19th-century estate, take a 40-minute safari bus ride past lions, zebras, and giraffes, and enjoy free time at the zoo. Guides Rick and David have led this trip.

“Rick has a good deal of knowledge about the origin of Melbourne, and the Werribee mansion and surrounds. First time through the mansion and knowing the history provided an enhanced experience. We enjoyed the zoo as well but the rhinos were conspicuous by there absence.”

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7.Australian Experience at Werribee Open Range Zoo – excl. entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 29 reviews · from $42

Spend 30 minutes with a Zoos Victoria guide on Werribee Open Range Zoo’s Australian Trail. See koalas close up, meet the kangaroo mob, and spot other native wildlife. Your encounter ticket includes the guided tour, but general zoo admission is separate. Covered shoes are required.

“Koalas and Kangaroos! Get up close and personal with these wonderful animals. Ranger who took us about was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Was able to take some great photos and see the animals at home and relaxed. Great day and would definitely recommend”

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8.Melbourne: Werribee Open Range Zoo & Werribee Mansion

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 28 reviews · 7 hours · from $102

Join Rick's Tours for a roughly seven-hour trip from Melbourne to Werribee Mansion and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Rick drives, shares local stories, and gives you time to tour the mansion, gardens, zoo trails, animal talks, and included 40-minute safari bus ride.

“Rick was so friendly and he knows so much about Melbourne! It was a nice tour, we had enough time for everything!”

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9.Australian Wildlife Tour at Melbourne Zoo Ticket – excl. entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 13 reviews · from $71

Start at 8:00 am at Melbourne Zoo for a 45-minute small-group tour of Australian wildlife. Meet koalas, watch kangaroos eat breakfast, visit a wombat burrow, and finish among native birds. General zoo admission is separate, so plan to add a full zoo visit.

“This was an excellent event. We were able to see the animals up close, and the keepers were so knowledgeable. It was a free day for volunteers, so they joined in the group. This made our day even more enjoyable; they were very personable.”

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10.Full Day Private Melbourne Tour with enchanting Koala Encounters.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews

Spend about eight hours with Mark’s Private Melbourne Tours, traveling by private vehicle from your hotel to Melbourne landmarks, St Kilda, Brighton Beach, Hosier Lane, and Moonlit Sanctuary. You set the pace, avoid public transport, and finish with close Australian wildlife encounters.

“We had an amazing time with Mark brought us to a lot of different sites(churches, World War sites,theaters,parlamentry building, etc) and on the journey, gave us such a detailed explanation of the rich history behind these beautiful sites. The Read more”

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11.Melbourne Zoo: Australian Wildlife Experience Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9 reviews · 45 min · from $65

Start at 7:55am for a 45-minute, English-language visit before Melbourne Zoo opens. Meet koalas Karri and Waru, enter the kangaroo exhibit, look into wombat burrows, and finish among native birds in the Great Flight Aviary. Zoo admission costs extra, and children under five cannot join.

“the tour was extremely informative and the guide Catherine was exceptional.”

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12.Melbourne: Puffing Billy Train Wildlife Zoo Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4 reviews · 8 hours

Travel by private vehicle from Melbourne to Puffing Billy, where you ride open-sided carriages through the Dandenong Ranges. Continue to Moonlit Sanctuary for kangaroos, koalas, keeper talks, and wildlife displays, then visit Brighton Bathing Boxes. Guides may speak English, Chinese, or French.

“Very very wonderful experience, my son and daughter really love. We saw train and many wildlife. The train tickets are extremely hard to get and our guide Tom helps us to purchase. Thank you team. Highly recommended.”

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13.Giraffe Experience at Werribee Open Range Zoo – excl. entry

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $63

Join a zookeeper and Safari guide at Werribee Open Range Zoo for a 90-minute giraffe experience. Visit the giraffes’ night quarters, hear about the bachelor herd, and ride an open-air vehicle across the savannah. Zoo admission is not included.

“The giraffe experience was great. Well organised, informative and fascinating for the family. The Rangers and staff were also very helpful, kind and in good spirited. We loved all of it!.”

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14.Seal Experience at Melbourne Zoo – excl. entry

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $35Best value

Spend 15 minutes with Pania, Iha, and Bella at Melbourne Zoo. A ranger introduces their personalities, shows their swimming and training skills, and explains Zoos Victoria’s Marine Response Unit. The small group has up to eight people. Zoo admission is not included.

“Very up close and personal experience. The trainers were very knowledgeable and engaging. Highly recommend.”

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