Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany

It has been said time and time again; we are zoo people, so when we had the opportunity to spend a few days in northern Germany, we had to see what our options were for zoos. After a bit of online research, I came across the Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany, and thought it would be the best place for my family to visit on our little, German adventure.

This post was originally sponsored by Tierpark Hagenbeck and Tropen Aquarium on the blog My New Danish Life. All thoughts and comments are my own. Thanks to the Tierpark Hagenbeck for granting me entrance to your lovely animal park. The post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

Background Information on Tierpark Hagenbeck

I was intrigued to hear that the Tierpark Hagenbeck was founded by a man named Carl Hagenbeck who was so interested in collecting exotic animals that he opened a zoo to put them on display. He added a lot of emphasis on presentation and created many exciting displays for the various animals there.

Due to maintenance and wars, the zoo has been updated since its original opening date in the early 1900s, and it is still operated and owned by the Hagenbeck family today. One of the best things to know about this zoo is the majority of animals are not kept in cages, but instead, they are in areas that are similar to their natural habitats.

Check out this great roller coaster restaurant in Hamburg during your visit!

Instead of having a cage or fence separating visitors from the animals, there is a moat. It really gives you the feeling that you are on some type of safari! Truly a one-of-a-kind experience in northern Germany. Here’s what you want to see at the Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany.

Visiting the Elephants

Our first stop in the zoo was to see the elephants. The elephants have a fantastic, indoor area, as well as a very large outdoor area. We started with the indoor area and were happy to find them all there. A new baby elephant was just born less than two months before our visit, and we loved seeing it interact with the rest of the herd.

They all seemed to understand their places within the family. There was also another smaller elephant, which was a bit bigger than the baby, and my boys nicknamed him “big brother”. 🙂 The design of the elephant house was like nothing I have seen before. It really looked like we were in some small, Indian village, and there even was a waterfall. We were very impressed, and this was just the first stop on our tour of the zoo.

Exploring the Grounds at Tierpark Hagenbeck

Our big brother had a map and chose, as usual, to be our navigator. We saw some smaller animals just before we found a beautiful temple called the Thai Sala next to a small pond. The day was proving to be quite warm and sunny for a mid-February day. We were really enjoying being outside after what seemed like a long winter.

It was during the pleasant stroll in the sunshine that we came across a large, glass dome. It hid in the trees guarded by what appeared to be dinosaurs. When we got closer, we noticed that there were many different types of dinosaurs and even a fun, swinging bridge.

My boys abandoned their maps at this point and started exploring. I can’t say that I know many boys who don’t love the sight of dinosaurs, and mine were beyond excited to have a look at each one.

Looking to do more exploring in Germany? Check out the Playmobil Fun Park!

Entering the Dome at the Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg

After our brief encounter with the dinosaurs, we made our way into the dome. We had lots of ideas of what would be inside, and we were very pleased to see that it was home to orangutans. Little brother is very fond of all apes and monkeys, and both boys enjoyed climbing the stairs to the look-out cabin to have a better view of the animals.

Right away, we found the “king”, who definitely stood out in appearance There were also others swinging around. They all seemed to be entertaining themselves with each other and their massive “playhouse” as my boys called it!

My husband enjoyed the bench that showed us just how wide the orangutans could stretch their arms. To prove he wasn’t an ape himself, he stretched out his arms to measure his reach with the bench’s. Apparently, none of my guys measured up to the monkeys that day!

Surprises along the Way at Tierpark Hagenbeck

We continued on our way along the path to find giant turtles, leopards and a tiger side path.

The boys really enjoyed looking for signs that a tiger was in this little patch of trees, though they were just close by instead.

When we found the tigers, we were quite amazed at the site of them! They also seemed so close to us because there was no glass wall, no screen, nothing to block our view of them. They were sitting high on their little rock enjoying the sunshine. We felt so lucky to witness them in such a natural state without the fear of being eaten, of course.

There were so many interesting animals there. Some that I don’t think I have ever seen at any zoo. It also seemed that there were definitely more surprises with every turn.

Out of the blue were giant totem poles, try-on antlers, Harry Potter owls, and other beautiful animals within an arm’s length away. 

If you love Harry Potter, check out the Magical Days in Odense, Denmark!!

Visiting the Animals of Northern America

We even got to see my favorite of all, the bison! I loved that they weren’t a long distance away behind a fenced wall. Instead, they were divided from people with a moat. The bison seemed so comfortable with the visitors that they were very close to the front edge of their habitat. They were truly beautiful creatures up close!

Playgrounds at Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg

After visiting the bison, we were pleased to see a giant playground. Every zoo, in my opinion, should have a playground, and the one at Tierpark Hagenbeck was as unique as it was entertaining.

My boys wanted to try each of the different areas and loved the slides most of all. My husband and I loved the chance to take a break and of course, the nearby snack stand and restroom option.

Check out my tips for the best places in Hamburg for families HERE!

Traveling Around Asia at Tierpark Hagenbeck

Many zoos have areas on their maps that are very specific for different regions of the globe. They may even say “Africa” or “South America” on them. Tierpark Hagenbeck is different. It has many different places to explore instead of just introducing the areas to visitors. It felt that we stumbled upon these sites as part of our quest, as if we were really on an adventure.

Japanese Garden in Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany

We didn’t know what we would expect to find, and after a while, we forgot we had a map. Instead, we let our instincts guide us. There was a lovely Japanese garden called the Friends’ Association Garden.

My boys named this garden “Ninjagoland”, since the Torii gate entrances reminded them of the entrance to Ninjagoland at Legoland. Remind me later to get those boys a book at the library on Japanese culture or design. 🙂 The garden was in the middle of an area with a stream, and it was very peaceful.

Himalayan Mountains at Tierpark Hagenbeck Hamburg

After leaving the garden, we noticed a rather large mountainous structure nearby, which on the map was referred to as Himalayan Tahr Rocks. We had no idea if this was some part of the display, another adventure waiting for us or both, so we decided to keep on exploring. The mountain was man-made with stairs leading up to the top.

If you love gardens, you will love the Geografisk Have in Kolding, Denmark.

It offered some really great views of the areas we had just visited. There was also a slight view of the other side of where we were climbing. Here, we saw mountain goats climbing up much steeper sections of rock.

As we worked our way down and around, we could get a better view of them. They really knew what they were doing and seemed quite in their element on that mountainside.

Love high up places? Check out the Baumwipfelpfad in Schwarzwald Germany!

Monkeys and More at the Tierpark Hagenbeck

Throughout the zoo, there are some different, smaller buildings that house various animals. It is always worthwhile to take a peek at what you can find inside.

In one such building, we found some little monkeys. Again, little brother is a big monkey guy, so this was a treat for us. We just love seeing mommy monkeys with their little babies attached to them. It always warms our hearts to see how caring they are towards one another.

My boys always say that the monkeys are just like us. Sometimes, they argue over which one of them is represented by the baby monkey if there is only one! 🙂 They both want to be mommy’s little monkey! 🙂

The Lions’ Den at Tierpark Hagenbeck

The lions were next, and we found them grouped together, sitting in the sun much like the tigers. There was also a small section where you could stand for a closer view. It seemed that one good jump could make me a decent meal for these guys, but it didn’t seem to cross their minds at all.

I’m glad! 🙂 I loved being able to see them so clearly without needing to fear for my life! 🙂 They were content just to get a little bit of sun!

Watching the Walrus Show

A short way down the path was another large structure of some sort, which showed that we were entering Polar World. To our surprise, we found that we were just in time for the walrus’ feeding time. This wasn’t just a hungry animal having a meal, but it was also a show! The walrus would growl, slap her belly or make a kissing noise for her food.

It was quite entertaining. We were all a bit mesmerized by the site and stayed to watch quite a bit of the show before moving on to see what other animals we cold find in the structure.

Experience all the great things for families in Hamburg, Germany HERE!

Unfortunately, the polar bear area was being cleaned, so we missed out on that. We were happy to see, though, that there was something else hidden in that cave.

The Land of the Penguins

Again, this place made you feel that you weren’t in Germany, but that you were actually in a far-off, remote part of nature. The displays and decor really helped to keep our spirits high as we climbed stairs, hopped on board a snowmobile, and walked along bridges to find the penguins.

Many zoos have penguins, but I have never seen so many so close. One even stood on top of the wall which housed them. He didn’t look like he wanted to escape, but it added to the feel that we were really on some sort of South Pole expedition. The boys really enjoyed it as well!

Beautiful Flamingos of Tierpark Hagenbeck

As we left the penguins, walruses and seals behind, we passed by a beautiful flock of flamingos. We had seen some earlier in the day, but this group was much darker. I had never realized that they could be different shades of pink and salmon.

There were two that seemed to be in a disagreement and used their long necks to push each other away. Since it was Valentine’s Day, I envisioned their heads bending at the perfect angle to make a heart. I was camera-ready for such a moment, but it never came. Perhaps, that is only in the movies! 🙂

Curious to know how other cultures celebrate Valentine’s Day? Learn what Denmark does HERE!

Going on a Bear Hunt

We had one final stop before we left, but this was the most important stop for big brother. We still had yet to visit the bears! My older son loves bears, and brown bears are at the top of his list. It seems that we don’t see many bears when we have been to other parks in Europe, and again, if we do, they are far back behind a glass wall or fence.

This is not the case at Tierpark Hagenbeck. Not only is the bear area one of the prettiest of the entire zoo with a beautiful waterfall, but it also allows visitors easy visual access to the animals.

More Fun with Elephants at Tierpark Hagenbeck

As we worked our way back to the beginning of the park, we noticed that the elephants were outside for snack time. The keepers brought the elephants right to the edge of their area where the elephants could stretch their trunks out so that visitors could offer them some peanuts, an apple, etc.

Unfortunately, we didn’t anticipate this and had nothing to offer. This will have to be on our to-do list for next time we visit.

Tropen Aquarium

At the main entrance to the zoo, visitors can also have the opportunity to see the Tropen Aquarium. The park offers a discounted price if you visit both the zoo and the aquarium on the same day. We, of course, couldn’t resist checking it out!

Visit HERE to learn more about the Tropen Aquarium at the Tierpark Hagenbeck!

Overall Impressions of Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany

Overall, we loved our time at Tierpark Hagenbeck . It was easy for us to spend quite a few hours, taking our time with all the animals and different areas. We didn’t want to miss out on a thing. The park was beautifully designed, extremely clean and very well-maintained.

The animals looked healthy, and we loved the openness of the animal areas and the creativity of the decor. We will definitely be going back for another visit and would highly recommend a day trip to Tierpark Hagenbeck and Tropen Aquarium to anyone wanting to have a truly unique zoo/aquarium experience in Germany.

Plan Your Visit to Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany

Address: Lokstedter Grenzstraße 2, 22527 Hamburg, Germany

Website: https://www.hagenbeck.de/de/

Telephone: +40 53 00 33-0

Email: info@hagenbeck.de

Getting to the Tierpark Hagenbeck: You can easily get to the zoo/aquarium by subway or bus. Check out their map here for directions.

Parking at Tierpark Hagenbeck: If you are driving, you can find a nice parking garage across from the entrance. Be sure to have cash on-hand for the parking garage. They don’t take credit cards.

Discounts to Tierpark Hagenbeck: If you are looking for a discount to Tierpark Hagenbeck, you can get that with the Hamburg City Card. This is also a good deal for transportation during your stay in Hamburg. This card will pay for itself after two uses. We bought the “group” ticket for 12,20 Euros (2019 prices) for our family of 4 and used it on buses, trains and ferries. You can find prices here.

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