When you enter Taronga zoo, the first thing you notice is that it is completely different from the rest of Sydney. It’s like you’ve stepped onto another continent. You no longer see the hustle and the bustle of the rest of Sydney. Instead, you can hear birds chirping & animals groaning. It’s a land full of trees, plants and animals. Some of the most Asian elephants you will come across at the zoo include Porntip, Gung, Pathi Harn, Thong Dee and Luk Chai.
One of the first thing you should do when you visit the zoo is to go for the sky safari. This will give you the perfect overview of the place. You will even get to see the city & the harbor in the distance. And as far as the aboriginal language is concerned, Taronga meant sea view. You get a pretty good idea why when you visit. There are multiple different sections to this zoo but a couple of the most interesting ones which attract the most crowds are the Wild Australia & Australian Nightlife Animals section.
One of the must see exhibits at this zoo have got to be the koalas. These nocturnal animals have claws which help them climb trees. They are usually fast asleep on branches when you visit. If you’re lucky, you may just catch one snacking on a Eucalyptus leaf. That’s their diet. Don’t get your hopes us though, they usually sleep for around 18-20 hours a day. The next exhibit on your list should be the kangaroos. Did you know that there was a difference between kangaroos & wallabies? Well, this exhibit will teach you that there are 60 different types of kangaroos and wallabies.
a view from the Taronga Zoo. Source: official Taronga Zoo Facebook Page
Giraffes are everywhere in the Taronga zoo and you should visit them while you’re there as well. They really are majestic creatures and you would be a fool to give them a miss on your visit to this zoo. As far as coming and going from the zoo is concerned, there is a boat which takes 12 minutes to do either trip. While cruising through the Sydney harbour, you get to enjoy some of the other sights of this beautiful city as well.
This trip will surely make you understand the animal kingdom much more than you already do and will also bring you closer together as a family. The zoo is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm everyday and tickets cost $46 for a single adult and $26 for a single child between the age of 4-15 years. There is a concession for seniors and students who only pay $36 each. There are also discounts offered for families with 1 adult and 2 children costing $88, 2 adults and 1 child costing $106.20 and 2 adults and 2 children costing $129.60. These rates are valid till 21st January 2016. So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets today.