My family had a day on the ground in Calgary following a tour of more remote places in the Rockies, so I asked a Canadian friend what to do. His first recommendation was the Zoo, and it’s hard to fault. This is one of the best zoos we have been to, and it takes a while to see it all, so give yourself time. While it’s not open plan, the animals have space, and all appear very healthy and active. The enclosures allow good viewing, and zoo employees and volunteers always seem to be on hand to provide facts about the animals—both as species and individuals. The zoo is split into geographical sections—Canada, Asia, Africa, etc—with a separate penguin facility. Being Australian, we’d seen plenty of penguins, some in the wild, and a lot in zoos. Why go halfway to the wrong pole to see birds native to Australian, New Zealand, and other Southern Hemisphere coastlines or waters? But Calgary’s penguin facility was better than anything we’d seen in Australia or New Zealand—climate controlled, and very up-close, with staff on hand to control visitor conduct and ensure the birds’ safety. It was the first exhibit we went through, and we went through again at the end. A definite highlight. It was also great to get up close to some of the large mammals we had seen only from a distance or not at all in the wild in Canada—polar bears, brown bears, black bears, wolves and cougars. All the advice we’d received was that we didn’t want to see a cougar in the wild, and we weren’t that keen on bears or wolves either. The zoo put us literally within meters of them. There are also some great aviaries. There are also a few places to eat, with a good selection of food. We were there for hours. They don’t let you in within an hour of closing time (5PM), but my advice is to give yourself three or four hours to take it all in.

The zoo is a great activity for any age. There are certain days of the month they do the penguin walk, you can review on their website before hand. The zoo is huge with different themed sections to explore. You can literally spend all day there exploring if you want.

From the splendour of the Rocky Mountains to the heart of Destination Africa, the zoo houses over 1,000 animals worldwide. Here are some highlights: African Rainforest: Trek through this area to see the gorilla troop. African Savannah: Safari over this region to watch the Hippo's swim. Canadian Wilds: Climb to see grizzly bears. Penguin Plunge: Cool off and observe four species of penguins. Exploration Asia: Visit endangered red pandas and Amur tigers. Dorothy Harvie Gardens: Wind down your trip with a fragrant garden walk. ENMAX Conservatory: Sit with the butterflies (seasonal). Notably, every visit helps protect endangered animals at home and in the wild. The zoo also features the unique and immersive Gateway to Asia building, which includes Komodo dragons, white-handed gibbons, and a Malayan tapir.

We took our granddaughter to the Calgary Zoo for her first visit. She absolutely loved it. The highlight was definitely the giraffe’s and the hippopotamus’ as they were quite active compared to the other animals who were busy napping. Unfortunately the penguin exhibit was closed which was a bit of a bummer. I would definitely return in the future.

Attended the Polar Bear special event night. Absolutely amazing to experience. Firstly a private viewing at 5PM to see the astounding new enclosures with is plunge pools, water cooled rocks and cold showers that the bears activate by standing on a sensor pad. Then a really good 4-course gourmet meal, cash bar and 3 excellent presentations. I learned so many incredible things about our largest land mammals.. The size of these bears (1,100 lbs) and their height standing (over 10 feet) is incredible to see up close. We will do this again, as there are so many fun facts to learn. Thanks to our amazing zoo, and to Baffin and Siku.

Having walked around the Calgary Zoo, I was impressed by its organization and variety of animals. From huge giraffes to cute penguins, you can meet representatives from different continents here. Each animal lives in conditions as close as possible to their natural habitat, which creates a favorable atmosphere for observation and learning. There were also interesting educational activities that make the visit even more exciting for all ages. The Calgary Zoo is the perfect place to spend a day with family or friends.

What a great place for everyone. Staff very helpful and friendly. You can bring lunch in or you can buy it there. Lots to see. Lots of different parks for kids to play at. So parents need to read the signs that this park is for 3 to 5 year olds.

This is a great place to visit, the addition of the polar bears is a must see. You can spend a couple of hours or all day, this is a well laid out zoo, with plenty to see and do. We used it to fill in the time after hotel checkout to Airport check-in as we had a late flight. It's location was great for that as it is on the outskirts toward the Airport.

This was one of the best zoo trips I’ve had. The animals were out and about the temperature was about 18 degrees that day. Arrived between 1-3 and was able to watch the animals get fed, that definitely attracted them so close to fences for some amazing pictures. Highly recommend visiting and checking out the new Polar bear exhibit

I was travelling with my 17 y/o nephew. I was a bit worried that my cool teen would find the zoo lame or boring. Not at all, we had a blast, we stayed there 5 hours. Walked, talked, laughed, and enjoyed seeing all the animals. The zoo is beautiful, easy to navigate, the animals look happy and healthy, the staff was amazing. Excellent and fun way to spend the day in Calgary.