Al Ain Safari
217 hectares, toured by truck or 4x4.
pelican from Tokyo, Japan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Janicegoh — CC BY 4.0 · shankar s. from Dubai, united arab emirates — CC BY 2.0 · Wajhuallah — CC BY-SA 4.0 · shankar s. from Dubai, united arab emirates — CC BY 2.0
Al Ain Zoo lies in the south of the city, near Jebel Hafeet, and Abu Dhabi's government calls it the UAE's largest zoo. It keeps over 4,000 animals, from Arabian oryx and Nubian ibex to giraffes, hippos, gorillas and Amur tigers, in open enclosures grouped by habitat. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then Ruler of Abu Dhabi, ordered its founding in 1968, and its work began by protecting the Arabian oryx and the houbara bustard. By 2024 its oryx population had passed 300, with over 100 given to reintroduction projects in the UAE and the region. In 2025 it won accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and membership of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. You can feed giraffes and birds under keepers' guidance, see ring-tailed lemurs up close and catch keeper presentations on sand cats, reptiles and birds. The Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, opened in 2016 in a LEED Platinum building, tells the story of Abu Dhabi's desert and its people in five interactive galleries. The Al Ain Safari, opened the same year, covers 217 hectares and is seen only on guided vehicle tours. The zoo is on Nahyan the First Street in Shiab Al Ashkhar, with free parking; route 900 buses run from Al Ain bus station. Allow three to four hours, most of a day with the safari, and come from October to April. Al Jahili Fort and Al Ain Oasis lie 5 to 6 km north-north-east, and the Al Ain Camel Market about 8 km east, all as the crow flies.
217 hectares, toured by truck or 4x4.
Five galleries and a film, included in entry.
Among the zoo's first conservation causes.
Nahyan the First Street, Shiab Al Ashkhar, southern Al Ain
Not always: it closed for July and August in 2024, and in 2026 it reopened only on 5 September, at first from 14:00 to 22:00. In the cooler months it opens from 09:00, with closing times that vary by season, so check the official site before you go.
On guided drives of about 45 minutes that include zoo entry and, when possible, giraffe feeding: a seat on a shared truck for up to 20 people costs 210 AED, and a private SUV for up to six costs 1,050 AED. Every child needs a seat ticket of their own; book a slot ahead and arrive at least 15 minutes early.