Updated for September 2026
The Best Zoos in Bavaria
How this list is ordered: by how complete our listing is — how much we hold on opening hours, ticket prices, accreditation, photographs, animals and facilities. It is a measure of our own coverage, not a judgement of the venue. We hold no visitor scores or conservation assessments, so “best” here means every zoo in Bavaria that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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Animal encounterChild friendlyGuided tour
Tiergarten der Stadt Nürnberg
Zoo in Nuremberg
At the close of 2020 the collection stood at 6,824 individual animals across 310 species. The grounds and the adjoining Schmausenbuck land together form the Natura 2000 protected site DE6532372.
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Petting zooPlaygroundOn-site dining
Tiergarten Straubing
Zoo in Straubing
Over 2,000 individual animals are kept, in roughly 200 species. European breeding programmes are joined for wisent, Amur tiger, African penguin and Bali starling. The zoo is a partner of the Stiftung Artenschutz and a member of WAZA and ZGAP.
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Keeper talk or showParking
Tierpark Hellabrunn
Zoo in München
The park claims to be the first zoo laid out on geographic principles, and holds about 18,500 animals across 529 species. It lies inside the landscape protection area of the Isar floodplain.
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Guided tourMobility equipment loan
Zoologischer Garten Augsburg
Zoo in Augsburg
The zoo opened in June 1937 as the Park der deutschen Tierwelt, and exotic animals were added to the former Augsburger Tiergarten after the Second World War. It draws more than 650,000 visitors a year, which makes it the most-visited cultural institution in Swabia and one of the 20 largest animal parks in Germany. It lies on the northern edge of the Siebentischwald, which also serves as a water protection zone for the city's drinking water.
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Petting zooRides and attractionsEducation program
Bergtierpark Blindham
Zoo in Aying
It opened in 2004 on the grounds of a former farm and holds roughly 25 domestic and wild animal species. Alongside European natives it shows introduced species such as chipmunk, nutria and raccoon, together with rare domestic breeds. The animals are mostly kept in large enclosures matched to their natural surroundings and seen along a circuit of about 2.2 km.
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Keeper talk or showPetting zoo
Greifvogelpark Katharinenberg
Zoo in Wunsiedel
Opened in 2007, the park keeps daytime raptors including several falcon and buzzard species, a golden eagle and several vulture species, along with night birds such as the great grey owl and the snowy owl. Flying displays are held every day except Monday. It lies within the Bürgerpark am Katharinenberg, whose nature stations include a red deer paddock and an educational trail.
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Animal encounterEducation programOn-site dining
Kleinzoo Wasserstern
Zoo in Ingolstadt
Kleinzoo Wasserstern is a zoo in Ingolstadt, Germany.
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Animal encounterChild friendlyBehind-the-scenes tour
Zoologischer Garten Hof
Zoo in Hof
It sits in the north-east of the town next to the Bürgerpark Theresienstein, near the botanical garden, the Luitpoldhain and the cemetery, and receives about 80,000 visitors a year.
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Child friendlyGuided tourOn-site dining
Vogelpark Abensberg
Zoo in Abensberg
Vogelpark Abensberg is a zoo in Abensberg, Germany.
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Playground
Vogel- und Tierpark Irgenöd
Zoo in Ortenburg
Vogel- und Tierpark Irgenöd is a zoo in Ortenburg, Germany.
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Wildpark An den Eichen
Zoo in Schweinfurt
The park spans 18 hectares and draws 600,000 visitors a year, placing it among the most-visited leisure sites in Bavaria. It has been enlarged almost continuously over roughly 60 years of existence, and opens all year with free admission.
Our ranking methodology
This is not a ranking. The 11 venues above are listed alphabetically by name, the same order used throughout this site. We do not collect visitor reviews, star ratings, ticket-sales figures or a conservation-impact score, so none of those exist here to rank by — “best” in this page’s title means every venue that qualifies for this list, not first-to-last by quality. If we ever add a data source robust enough to support an honest ranking, this note and the order above will change together.