About Sibiu Zoo
At a glance: Zoos and aquariums in Sibiu, Sibiu County. Opening hours: daily 09:30 – 20:00. Ticket: 20 lei. The visit takes 2 – 2½ hours. Information verified on 10 October 2026.
Sibiu Zoo opened in 1929 in the Dumbrava forest, on the initiative of the Sibiu Electric Works. According to the official website, the idea came to an engineer named Szekely after he found some foxes while working on the dam at Sadu. The first animals were gifts: a wildcat, a she-wolf, a wolf, a vulture, a Carpathian red deer and wild boar, and the first bear arrived in 1930. The official site calls it the first zoo in Romania and mentions the oak at the entrance, more than 600 years old. Today it is run by a public service of Sibiu City Hall, and since 2024 the service has been called Integrated Management for Urban Ecosystems.
From 2006 the animal houses and paths were refurbished one by one, the boats on the lakes were renewed and a playground was built. According to the official website the zoo has more than 300 animals of 74 species, and the number of visitors rose from 80,000 in 2007 to over 390,000 in 2019. The route passes among old trees and two lakes, so a visit feels more like a walk in a park than a tour of enclosures.
What you can see
The official animal pages list carnivores such as the Siberian tiger, lion, jaguar, lynx and white wolf, plus large snakes (boa, reticulated python, anaconda) and a caiman. Among the herbivores are zebras, llamas, camels, the yak, the white buffalo, the Carpathian red deer, ostriches, the emu and the rhea, and the omnivores include the brown bear, the hamadryas baboon, the macaque and the lemur. There are birds too: peacocks, parrots, pelicans, storks and a white-tailed eagle. Boats can be hired on the lakes, and children have a playground. The zoo is a neighbour of the ASTRA Museum, also in Dumbrava, and there is a gate between the two.
Good to know
The zoo's official pages give two different areas: 15.1 hectares in the visiting rules and about 20 hectares on the presentation page. The latter is the more recent, but take both as an order of magnitude. The hours change month by month and differ between the two gates, so check the table on the website before you go.
- The Siberian tigers and the lions, in the enclosures in the heart of the zoo.
- The white wolves, jaguars and brown bear, visible from the protective barrier.
- A ride in a boat or pedal boat on the lakes of Dumbrava.
- The oak at the entrance, more than 600 years old according to the official website.
- The zebras, llamas and camels, easy to see from the shaded paths.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the zoo is in the Dumbrava forest, ~5 km from the centre of Sibiu, towards Rășinari, on DJ 106A. From the centre follow Calea Dumbrăvii and the signs to the zoo; the entrance and the car park are opposite the Hilton hotel. The second entrance is from the Valea Aurie district, on Ludoș street. The ASTRA Museum is right next door, in the same forest, with a gate to the zoo, but it has a separate ticket.
Public transport: the official page says bus 13 links the CFR railway station with the Dumbrava forest (the zoo); the information comes from a 2021 page, so check the route with Tursib.
- Fees & discounts
Adults: 20 lei. Children from 3, pupils, students and pensioners: 10 lei. Children under 3 enter free. Individual pass, valid for one entry a day for 12 months: the site shows “50 lei / 10 entries”, which is unclear, so ask at the ticket office what it includes. Hiring a boat: 50 lei for 30 minutes. The ticket is valid for the whole visiting time, so keep it until you leave. Tickets can also be bought online, from the official website.
- Rules
Do not go past the protective barrier at the enclosures of dangerous animals. Do not feed the animals: they have set rations, and food brought by visitors, especially puffed snacks and crisps, makes them ill. Do not throw stones or disturb them when they rest. Pets and bicycles are not allowed in. Do not drive in, and enter only through the access gates. In boats and pedal boats you stay seated, with at most 4 people. Fishing is paid.
- Facilities
playground · boat and pedal boat hire · fishing for a fee · no information on toilets or wheelchair access
Frequently asked questions about Sibiu Zoo
- How much is a ticket to Sibiu Zoo?
- A ticket to Sibiu Zoo costs 20 lei (concessions: 10 lei). Adults: 20 lei. Children from 3, pupils, students and pensioners: 10 lei. Children under 3 enter free. Individual pass, valid for one entry a day for 12 months: the site shows “50 lei / 10 entries”, which is unclear, so ask at the ticket office what it includes. Hiring a boat: 50 lei for 30 minutes. The ticket is valid for the whole visiting time, so keep it until you leave. Tickets can also be bought online, from the official website.
- What are the opening hours of Sibiu Zoo?
- Opening hours at Sibiu Zoo: daily 09:30 – 20:00. Gate 1 (Calea Dumbrăvii) hours, daily, by month: January 9:30–16:00, February 9:30–17:00, March 9:30–17:30, April 9:30–18:30, May 9:30–19:30, June–July 9:30–20:00 (shown above), August 9:30–19:30, September 9:30–18:30, October 9:30–17:30, November–December 9:30–16:00. Gate 2 (Ludoș street) runs April–September, 30 minutes later and earlier than gate 1 (e.g. June–July 10:00–19:30), in March and October only on Saturdays and Sundays 10:00–16:00, and is closed November–February. Boats: April–October, from 10:30 (11:00 in September–October) until gate 1 closes; not hired the rest of the year (official website, October 2026). The website does not give a last-entry time.
- How long does a visit to Sibiu Zoo take?
- A visit to Sibiu Zoo takes about 2 – 2½ hours (an estimate; longer with a boat).
- Can you visit Sibiu Zoo with kids?
- Yes, Sibiu Zoo is suitable for children (playground, boats).
- How do I get to Sibiu Zoo?
- Sibiu Zoo is located at Calea Dumbrăvii nr. 142, Sibiu, Sibiu County. By car: the zoo is in the Dumbrava forest, ~5 km from the centre of Sibiu, towards Rășinari, on DJ 106A. From the centre follow Calea Dumbrăvii and the signs to the zoo; the entrance and the car park are opposite the Hilton hotel. The second entrance is from the Valea Aurie district, on Ludoș street. The ASTRA Museum is right next door, in the same forest, with a gate to the zoo, but it has a separate ticket. Public transport: the official page says bus 13 links the CFR railway station with the Dumbrava forest (the zoo); the information comes from a 2021 page, so check the route with Tursib.
- When is the best time to visit Sibiu Zoo?
- The best season for Sibiu Zoo: April – October (long hours in summer).
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