Asia
Sri Lanka
Western Province
Colombo
Things to Do in Colombo
National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka

National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka, Colombo: Address, Phone Number, National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka Reviews: 3/5

See all things to do

National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka

See all things to do
See all things to do
National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka
3
507
#62 of 152 things to do in Colombo
Zoos • Castles
Read more
Write a review
About
This zoo features animals from across Asia, as well as a nightly elephant circus.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view

Top ways to experience National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
781 within 3 miles
Palmyrah Restaurant
318
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Asian • Sri Lankan • Vegetarian Friendly
Robata Grill and Lounge
87
198 ft$$$$ • Chinese • Japanese • Seafood
Nuga Gama
1,282
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Asian • Sri Lankan • Vegetarian Friendly
AYU
119
198 ft$$$$ • Indian • European • Asian
Noodles Restaurant
891
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Chinese • Asian • Thai
Raja Bojun
559
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Asian • Sri Lankan • Vegetarian Friendly
Bowl'd
54
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Asian • Contemporary • Fusion
Cloud Red
183
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • Contemporary • Vegetarian Friendly
The London Grill
372
0.4 mi$$$$ • Steakhouse • International • European
Cheers Pub
539
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Bar • British • Pub
See all
Attractions
150 within 6 miles
Traditional Puppet Art Museum
9
0 ftSpeciality Museums
Jims Poker Room
15
268 ftCasinos
Liberty Plaza
50
255 ftShopping Malls
Nastars
2
422 ftShopping Malls
Church of St. Michael & All Angels, Polwatte
26
0.2 miChurches & Cathedrals
Expo Rail
49
0.2 miScenic Railroads
Colombo Swimming Club
52
0.3 miSports Camps & Clinics
Green Path
55
0.3 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Seema Malakaya Temple
419
0.5 miReligious Sites
Gangaramaya (Vihara) Buddhist Temple
3,096
0.7 miReligious Sites
See all
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
3.0
507 reviews
Excellent
93
Very good
135
Average
123
Poor
70
Terrible
86
cabeysiriwardhane
Western Province, Sri Lanka11 contributions
Wonderful Aquarium
The aquarium is done very nicely. Inside the aquarium very calm and quiet. The Zoo is very crowded during the holidays. If you visit the zoo in the day time on a weekday you can enjoy than a holiday. Too limited space for some animals. The zoo is open from 8. am to 10 pm during weekends (Usually 8.am to 6 pm).
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Harsha P
Colombo, Sri Lanka1,781 contributions
Animals in Hell
Family
I visited this zoo after 15 years with my family to give my daughters a lesson in some aspects of photography.
I was shocked to see the state the zoo was in & the conditions that the animals were kept in.
The was no discipline in the zoo. The staff were doing what they wanted & chatting on mobile phones & neglecting their work. The cages were smelly & not cleaned.
The zoo was full of courting couples who forgot that there were children under 16 who were there & kept caressing & fondling in broad daylight.
There were some guest who were feeding animals with salted & sugar coated food when there were boards indicating that it was prohibited.
The authorities were blind to all these.
The food stalls were dirty & the staff did not adhere to the food safety standards / requirements. The prices were too high & almost double the price as outside.
The place was littered with polythene bags & plastic bottles although there were disposal bins.
The Director & staff of the zoo need to love nature & not just do a job.
I remember this zoo when it was called the best n south East Asia 40 years ago but now it is the worst in Asia.
Written May 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jimmy S
Colombo, Sri Lanka437 contributions
overpriced for foreigners!
Family
Hello This zoo is not one to take anyone when you can go to Yala down south for a day trip if you are staying in Colombo. Overpriced way to much for foreigners compared to Sri Lankans. You can go to an elephant orphanage around Kandy also just take the exporail train.
Written December 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
dilan m
Sri Lanka31 contributions
Better than Last visit
Friends
Zoo is well cleaned and layered out properly now. Directions are given to all places so that you won’t miss anything in the park. The only the problem I noticed Is public washrooms, they are not properly maintained. Overall the visit was aw.
Written January 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Anita S
13 contributions
??ethical
I've been to a few zoos in my life and yes, I do recognise the lack of funds and resources available to a country like Sri Lanka to be able to maintain it to the standard of western countries.
However, I do have be to honest here and this place left me feeling sad.
These animals were kept in pretty bad conditions. Concrete enclosures with no trees, grass, clean water or any kind of stimulation they'd get in the wild.
The tiger pits- one had a murky bath they could sit in which was way too shallow. One pit didn't have any visible sign of water anywhere. The tigers just paced.
The black bear same story, but he swung his head in a doorway for like 10mins straight.
But the elephants....omg, I couldn't watch for more than 20 seconds. Two huge ones were chained facing forward (to the crowd walking past) by both front and back legs to poles. They literally could not move step forward or back. One just swung it's whole head constantly. Then even more horrid- a baby one in the same containment! I honestly could not even look at it like that.
They were chained like that for the entire 3 hrs I was there so I don't think it was just a short 'show' type of thing.
It's bad enough seeing these magnificent animals in cages and pens, but seeing such an enormous thing literally tied to the ground just plain sucks.
Written October 3, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
EmmKu
London, UK48 contributions
Do not go! Distressed, tortured, sick animals
Friends
DO NOT SUPPORT THIS! I'm completely fine visiting well-kept zoos where animals are cared for and healthy, physically and psychologically. This zoo was disgusting and upsetting. Beautiful elephants were repeating one movement, chained up in amidst their own faeces. Turtles swimming in circles on repeat, pale from no sun. Cages dirty, parrots losing feathers, zookeepers hustling tourists asking for money for making animals doing tricks.

You pay $25 to get in, which in this country should ring alarm bells. I hope this place closes down soon and that people will stop going.

It is beyond me how any foreign tourist could give this zoo anything more than 1 star. I found it deeply distressing and upsetting. We took a quick tour and left in tears.
Written June 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
AHP4
Colombo, Sri Lanka9 contributions
Don't go
Couples
We were looking for a place to take visiting friends on their last day in Sri Lanka and it was a mistake. Not only is it quite expensive for foreigners, it was depressingly sad. Some animals looked like they were starving because one could see their ribs, the small cages were in need of repair and many of the cages/attractions were empty. After an amazing two weeks, in Sri Lanka, it left a very poor last impression.
Written January 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
tracybalcome
Saffron Walden, UK36 contributions
I am so angry
Solo
Please, please do not visit this zoo. Surly you will realise this is not the place for these wonderful creatures and surely you will realise that it is wrong to make these magnificent animals do these ridiculous tricks. Please, please do not support these treatment of animals. No elephant should be made to stand on it's head it's tragic
Written June 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Della60
Oxford, UK24 contributions
Shame on you Sri Lanka
We took some school children to the zoo today. Sri Lanka is a country which is home to some of the world's most beautiful creatures. This zoo is the most cruel zoo I have experienced though I have not experienced that many. The tragedy of the Brown Bear will haunt me forever as well as 3 hippopotomi in a tiny pond
We are from the UK and have a charity in Sri Lanka. We had to pay 100 times more than the Sri Lankans to get in. Is this to deter us from experiencing the cruelty. Zebra in a small pen. A tiger pacing in a cage with a small amount of water. This zoo should be shut down and the animals released.
Written March 3, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Corenna E
1 contribution
So sad
Solo
The baby elephants attraction is just that... An attraction.
The babies are taken from their moms to be exhibited in this zoo. The elephant exhibit is people bottle feeding babies! It's not natural and these babies are orphans because they were taken from their mothers to put on this show!
If you must see elephants visit a sanctuary where you can see the moms feed their babies.. Or better yet, a safari or a documentary on TV.
This isn't about conservation it's about money. I hope more visitors learn about this practice and choose to stay away. I am appalled at this practice.
Dehiwala Zoo...the world is watching...
Written July 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2
…
Showing results 1-10 of 410
Anything missing or inaccurate?
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Frequently Asked Questions about National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka
We recommend booking National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 5 National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka tours on Tripadvisor
According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka: See all National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka experiences on Tripadvisor
Restaurants near National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka: View all restaurants near National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor