Dubai Zoos and Aquariums

Dubai is one of the most important cities in the United Arab Emirates, full of luxury and majesty in every detail, which offers first class entertainment options for locals and visitors. Therefore, in the city and its surroundings there are a number of zoos and aquariums whose visit is one of the essential things to see and do in Dubai.

Start with the classics: the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and The Lost Chambers Aquarium. You can also go to the Dubai Butterfly Garden and enjoy all its splendor and color or live a unique adventure at The Green Planet. Get to know the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and live an experience of interaction with dolphins at the Atlantis water park. There's no end to the options, and here's more.

With an imposing structure that makes it one of the largest aquariums in the world, the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo preserves important treasures of the underwater world. In this aquatic temple live at least 150 different species of animals that you will be able to know when you visit it.

In its more than 10 million liters of water live hundreds of animals such as seals, piranhas, crocodiles, rays and sharks. This place is ideal to visit with children, since it will be a fun experience, but at the same time of contemplation and learning about marine life.

On the other hand, one of the biggest attractions of the aquarium is its aquatic tunnel. This structure allows visitors to observe the animals from a different angle, having only the glass of the large tank as a separation. The tunnel is 48 meters long and when passing through it, various marine species can be seen swimming in the water.

In addition, in the aquarium it is also possible to see one of the largest reptiles in captivity in the world, the famous King Croc, a 40-year-old saltwater crocodile from Australia.

Information of interest

• Price: aquarium tours usually start at 42€ per person.
• Duration: the stipulated time for this tour is between 1 and 3 hours.

This is for many the best aquarium in Dubai. The aquarium is part of the Aquaventure Waterpark complex , a huge water park in the city. At least 65,000 animals live inside , circulating in approximately 11 million liters of water.

The Lost Chambers Aquarium is a themed aquarium, inspired by the kingdom of Atlantis. When visiting it, you can see:

• The Ambassador's Lagoon, which is the main marine exhibit, in a seemingly endless tank.
• Some 21 exhibits of species such as rays, groupers, clownfish, sharks, jellyfish and the famous blue surgeonfish.
• 14 themed chambers housing interesting artifacts.

If you wish, you could join the diving and snorkeling experiences offered by the aquarium. In addition, there are many other activities to do in this fascinating space, such as practicing yoga, meditation and a visit to the fish hospital. Given its location, the experience of visiting the aquarium is often combined with Aquaventure Waterpark.

Information of interest

• Price: about 54€ per person.
• Duration: there is no stipulated time to visit the site.

Although not officially a zoo, the Atlantis Dubai Water Park allows its visitors an incredible aquatic experience: interaction and coexistence with dolphins. Therefore, it cannot be missed in your 3-day itinerary in Dubai or even less, especially if you love aquatic life.

The entrance to the Atlantis Aquaventure park allows you to enjoy it in various ways, but nothing compares to the dolphin experience. For this, participants receive the necessary equipment for the activity such as wetsuit, life jacket and towel.

Before starting, the guide briefly explains what the activity consists of, safety measures and how to interact with these gentle marine animals. During this magical experience it is possible to touch the dolphins, interact and even play with them. In addition, participants receive a photograph as a record of this unique moment.

Information of interest

• Price: approximately 117€ per person.
• Duration: generally, the stipulated time is 1 hour.

Fans of reptiles, especially crocodiles, will find the Dubai Crocodile Park a perfect place. It is a park inhabited by at least 250 crocodiles from the Nile, ideal to visit with the family. In fact, if you are in July in Dubai or August in Dubai with children, admission is usually free.

The space functions as a huge complex, housing the African lake-themed aquarium, the savannah-inspired garden area, the natural history museum, as well as stores and restaurants. Purchasing tickets to the Dubai Crocodile Park gives you access to all of the above areas.

In the park area, crocodiles can be seen in their natural habitat of small lakes, waterfalls, sandbanks and islands. It is possible to see specimens that measure up to 5 meters long, becoming very intimidating.

Already in the aquarium, the habitat of these animals is shown in the aquatic areas, since they have the ability to hold their breath for up to 1 hour. In addition, they have a third eyelid that helps protect their eyes from contact with water. The museum offers information and samples of the evolution of this species to survive until today.

Information of interest

• Price: from 23€ per person.
• Hours: from 10:00 to 20:00 hours.

The Green Planet is one of those zoos you don't want to leave. In it, the animals are treated in a closer way and even have funny names. During a visit to this wildlife conservation space you can meet at least a dozen species that will leave you speechless.

In this zoo live Avo, the anteater; the white-headed marmoset, a monkey from Colombia; a bat with wings of 1.8 meters; a blue and gold macaw named Goldie; Limón, the sloth; Kendrick, the lemur and many more animals.

In addition to the appreciation of the animals, the zoo offers other activities such as encounters, which are immersive experiences with birds, sloths, armadillos, anteaters, reptiles and other species. Generally, in the company of a guide or biologist, who provides visitors with as much information as possible about the animals.

The Green Planet also offers school excursions, camping experiences in the rainforest, summer camps and the experience of being a zookeeper for a day. A range of options for fun, education and contact with animal life.

Information of interest

• Price: from 43€ per person.
• Hours: from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

If you visit Dubai in October, one of the zoos you can include in your itinerary is the Dubai Safari Park, since in this month the place usually opens its doors again after the annual break during the summer (from June to September) due to the high temperatures.

This space is home to about 3 thousand animals, corresponding to 78 species of mammals, 50 types of reptiles, 111 species of birds, as well as other invertebrate animals and amphibians. The area covers a total of 119 hectares of land and is divided by environments and themes, which are:

• The Asian village, where you can see the famous moon bear , an endangered species, and other animals representative of the Asian continent.
• The African village, with animals such as the African elephant and other mammals such as the meerkat.
• The explorers' village, where the cheetah, the fastest land mammal, stands out. In addition, you can live a safari experience.
• The children's farm, a space planned for children to share with ponies, goats, sheep, donkeys, birds, ducks and other animals.

Also, the Dubai Safari Park offers two great modalities for the tour, since it is possible to visit the zoo during the day or make a nocturnal visit, to have a different experience from the traditional ones.

Information of interest

• Price: about 243€ per person.
• Duration: it is estimated that it takes between 4 and 5 hours to visit the entire complex.

You could call the Dubai Butterfly Garden as the temple of butterflies in Dubai. This zoo is home to more than 15 thousand butterflies corresponding to about 45 species. The impressive structure is made up of 10 huge domes designed with a controlled climate for the preservation and coexistence of these animals.

The place is characterized by its colorful and variable temperature between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius, which is ideal not only for butterflies, but also for the cultivation of plants and provides a pleasant atmosphere for visitors.

With tickets to the Dubai Butterfly Garden you get access not only to the large domes, but also to the children's movie theater, butterfly museum, souvenir store and much more. Likewise, if you are worried about getting to the place because you don't know how to get around Dubai, it can be reached by car, direct bus or public transportation.

Useful information

• Price: from 13€ per person.
• Hours: from 09:00 to 18:00 hours.

About 25 km from the central area of Dubai is the Sharjah Aquarium. This space is part of the network of museums in the city of Sharjah, a neighboring city to Dubai, of great cultural importance for the United Arab Emirates.

In this aquarium there is a diversity of marine life with approximately 100 species. In its large tanks it is possible to see seahorses, sea rays, reef sharks, clown fish and much more. There are 21 aquariums containing at least 1.8 million liters of water.

Since its function is not only limited to exhibiting marine life, the Sharjah Aquarium fulfills the role of an educational center, with various programs such as turtle rehabilitation. This is to promote the preservation of ecosystems and raise awareness of the importance of protecting the environment.

Visitors can participate in some of the workshops organized by the institution, observe the feeding process of the species and live an interactive experience in the touch pool, ideal for sharing with the family. The visit to the aquarium can be combined with a private excursion to Sharjah from Dubai, to take advantage of the tour and learn more about this city.

Information of interest

• Price: approximately €7 per person.
• Hours: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm from Saturday to Thursday and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Fridays. During Ramadan the opening hours vary.

More than a zoo, the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected wildlife area located in the heart of the city of Dubai. In the hyper-arid environment of the city there is a space full of wetlands where various species of unique importance for biodiversity coexist.

In this area of approximately 10 km² you can find birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, invertebrate animals and some plants. The place is home to several migratory birds, which during some seasons such as winter take over the place to survive.

Thus, this site allows not only the appreciation of this natural wonder, but also promotes the importance of preserving wetlands. When visiting this space you can see flamingos, mallards, teals, ducks, shorebirds, birds of prey, songbirds and much more.

Information of interest

• Price: free admission.
• Duration: from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm from Saturday to Thursday and from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Fridays. During the winter, from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.

Although it is not essentially conceived as a zoo, at the Falcon Hospital and Museum you can have a wonderful experience of bird appreciation, interaction with them and a lot of learning.

In this place, dedicated mainly to the health of falcons, it is possible to learn a lot about them and get beautiful pictures holding one on your arm. The experience includes:

• Visit to the falconry museum, a practice dating back at least four thousand years. The museum houses special tools and equipment used for this activity.
• Tour of the extensive aviary, where you will be able to observe the birds in their free flight.
• Visit to the examination room, to appreciate the falcons in the process of repairing their feathers and claws.
• Tasting of an intercontinental steak, to taste the Arabian food in the hospital's conference center.

Information of interest

• Price: about 41€ per person.
• Opening hours: from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm from Monday to Thursday and 10:00 am on Fridays and Sundays. Hours vary during Ramadan.