Accommodation near Johannesburg Zoo
Johannesburg Zoo
The Johannesburg Zoo is an expansive 54 hectares in central Parktown, with ample trees, water features and beautiful walks. The zoo was traditionally owned and operated by the City of Johannesburg until recently when it turned into a corporation and registered as a Section 21 non-profit organisation.
The Johannesburg Zoo started in 1904 as a small public park with a peculiar mix of animals including a male lion, a female leopard and a male baboon and has grown to become the most popular public venue in the Johannesburg.
There is an impressive collection of 2070 animals, representing 365 different species. While its main focus is the accommodation, enrichment, husbandry and medical care of wild animals, the Johannesburg Zoo also offers an assortment of educational and entertainment programmes.
Interesting: The Johannesburg Zoo and neighbouring park, Zoo Lake, is one of very few public areas that was never segregated during Apartheid in South Africa.
The Johannesburg Zoo is situated on Jan Smuts Avenue, in Parkview. The main entrance is in Upper Park Drive, Forest Town.
ZOO LAKE
Just a short drive from de Pinna’s Self Catering Cottage is Zoo Lake Park, one of the city’s top daytime picnic spots. Great for walking your dog (on a Leash).
Situated off Jan Smuts Avenue across the road from the Johannesburg Zoo, it offers an assortment of activities for visitors of all ages. Take pleasure in relaxed outdoor surroundings with the choice of paddling across the tranquil man-made lake. Over weekends and public holidays the park is at its busiest, humming with large crowds, enticed by the open space and African sunshine.
For a laid-back stroll, a family braai or even a romantic picnic, this is a picturesque outdoor location in an urban area. The flourishing vegetation and open spaces creating a popular area for joggers, dog walkers and romantic couples.
The venue facilitates regular amateur soccer tournaments and has their own Bowling Club as well as tennis courts & a public swimming pool.
There are also many fun activities for children such as feeding the ducks or taking them rowing in one of the vibrantly coloured boats for hire.
Zoo Lake has become a popular concert venue and one of the largest annual events hosted there is the Jazz on the Lake concert in early September.
There is also the famous Moyo African restaurant a boat club, archery club in the park.