When we planned our trip to North Macedonia we definitely didn’t expect to be wandering past life-sized animatronic dinosaurs in the middle of the capital. Skopje Zoo is the oldest wildlife park in the Balkans and it has a really unique charm that makes for an incredibly interesting day out.
We spent an afternoon rambling around the enclosures in a roasting 35 degrees and were absolutely melting by the time we left! Despite the intense heat and a few missing tigers, it turned out to be one of the funniest and cheapest days out of our entire trip. It was definitely worth the short walk from the city centre.
If you want to see everything from snoozing hippos to animatronic raptors, here’s our roarsome guide to visiting Skopje Zoo and Dino Park.
A Quick History
Skopje Zoo has a long history. It first opened its gates way back in 1926 making it one of the oldest zoos in the Balkans. It originally started as a tiny 4-hectare park with just a handful of donated animals but has since expanded to 12 hectares housing nearly 500 animals.
In recent years, they’ve completely overhauled many of the old enclosures to meet modern European standards. In fact, back in 2008, the city pumped millions of denars into the park to help it become a member of EAZA (the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria). Renovations are continuing today and you can see real efforts to transform some of the habitats, like the lovely themed flamingo enclosure for example. Did we mention there’s also a dino park?
How to Get to Skopje Zoo & Dino Park
The zoo is located right next to Gradski Park in Skopje and sits just behind the National Arena Todor Proeski stadium. It’s easy to reach if you’re staying in the city centre. We walked and saw some of the local sights on our way.
- Walking: You can easily walk there on a nice day by taking a stroll through the park itself. It’s about a 20 to 25-minute flat walk from Macedonia Square which is the very centre of Skopje.
- By Taxi: If you don’t fancy the walk in the heat, you can grab a local taxi to drop you right at the entrance. Taxis in North Macedonia are very budget-friendly so it’s a straightforward journey. Just make sure the driver actually turns the meter on before you set off!
- By Public Transport: There’s also lots of local bus routes like the 8 or 15 that drop you right by the City Park gates.
Since it’s so close to the centre, we recommend staying in the heart of Skopje so you can walk to most of the main attractions. You can find some fantastic hotel deals in Skopje on Booking.com.
Tickets & Prices
Admission to the zoo is ridiculously cheap at 80 MKD (roughly €1.30) and gives you access to the main park for the whole day. It’s easily one of the most affordable wildlife parks we’ve ever visited in Europe and probably anywhere for that matter!
The best part is that the massive Dino Park is just a 50 MKD upcharge at the gate. That works out at about 85 cents or less than a Euro! For that price you really can’t complain and it makes for a brilliant cheap addition to your afternoon.
If you’re travelling with young children, kids under three get in free. During the summer months, there’s also a dedicated “Baby Zoo” section which costs an extra 20 MKD. We recommend bringing physical cash (Macedonian Denars) with you as card machines can be a bit temperamental at the ticket booths.
Opening Times & Best Time to Visit
The zoo is open 365 days a year including weekends and national holidays but the opening hours change depending on the season:
- Summer (May to August): 09:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- Spring/Autumn (April & Sept): 09:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Winter (Nov to Feb): 09:00 AM to 4:00 PM
The best time to visit is early in the morning before the midday heat kicks in. It was 35 degrees when we visited and a lot of the animals were hiding in the shade to stay cool. Getting there early in the morning means you’ll have a much better chance of seeing them active and roaming about instead of napping in the heat! An early start also means you might get to avoid the massive crowds and the very loud school tours that tend to arrive around lunchtime.
Top Things to See & Do
Because the zoo is quite large, you’ll easily spend about three hours walking around. The park is home to around 500 animals from over 80 different species so there’s plenty of ground to cover. It’s definitely a city attraction in transition so you’ll spot a mix of modern setups alongside some older enclosures. Here are some of the main attractions we spotted during our visit.
The Mammals
We kicked off our adventure checking out the llamas, a single zebra and some very cute deer that looked exactly like Bambi. We also found some goats although unlike our visit to Zoo Aquarium Madrid, we couldn’t feed these. Denis was raging.
We spent ages trying to track down the Amur tigers but they were missing in action. There’s a few abandoned parts of the park where the bears and giraffes used to be but we did manage to see elephants, camels and a leopard. You’ll also find some very curious baboons and friendly macaques hanging around their enclosures. We also saw wolves which are native to the area. I knew that because I read Dracula!
The South American House
We headed inside the South American House to escape the sun. We spotted tiny marmosets, pythons and a massive tarantula hiding in the corner. This is actually where you’ll find the pygmy marmoset which is officially the smallest monkey in the world. They could definitely do with a bit of Windolene on the glass but it was great to see them up close! You can also spot boa constrictors and other snakes if you look closely at the branches. It’s on the small side as far as indoor enclosures go but was interesting nonetheless.
Penguins & Flamingos
It was a very hot day to be a penguin. We’re not sure they’re used to that heat coming from Antarctica! The flamingos on the other hand had the nicest habitat in the whole zoo. It was lovely and shaded and looked like a lot of effort had been put into it compared to some of the older enclosures. If this is a sign of what’s to come for Skopje Zoo, they’re definitely heading in the right direction.
The Dino Park
You absolutely cannot visit without heading into the Dino Park. It isn’t exactly Jurassic Park and some of the dinosaurs are definitely missing chunks where birds have pecked at them but it’s absolutely brilliant.
It originally opened back in 2021 and features 41 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that move and roar as you walk past them. It’s filled with bins shaped like dinosaur eggs and benches made out of triceratops. We had a great laugh just wandering around the shaded paths and dodging a raptor in the bushes. You can even grab a cold drink at the dedicated Dino Coffee Bar before heading back out to the real animals.
The Crocodiles
Tucked away near the reptile areas, we stumbled on the crocodile enclosure. Seeing the Nile crocodiles up close is always a highlight. They were mostly chilling perfectly still by the water but their size is incredibly impressive. That didn’t stop us spending 20 minutes looking at them trying to work out what the difference is between a crocodile and an alligator!
Curious Facts about Skopje Zoo
- It opened way back in 1926 making it one of the oldest zoos in the Balkans.
- It’s home to the pygmy marmoset which is officially the smallest monkey in the world and can fit perfectly in the palm of your hand.
- Keep an eye out for bizarre bins in the shape of dolphins, bears and frogs which have turned into makeshift ashtrays.
Food & Drink
When it comes to food inside the park, your options can be a bit hit and miss. There’s a Dino Coffee Bar inside the dinosaur park where you can grab drinks and ice creams but the main restaurant area was completely closed when we visited.
If you don’t fancy making sandwiches, you’ll find some lovely little cafes and street food vendors dotted around the wider City Park just outside the zoo gates. Grab some local popcorn or a pretzel before you head in!
Just make sure you eat your food yourself! We saw people blatantly ignoring the signs by feeding popcorn and crisps to the animals. Please don’t share your lunch with the lions or the bears!
Practical Tips for Visiting
- Baby Zoo do do do do do do: If you’re visiting with kids, look out for the Baby Zoo section. For 20 MKD kids get a bag of proper animal food and are allowed to safely pet and feed the smaller animals! We were RAGING we couldn’t do that.
- Footwear: You’ll be doing a good amount of walking across the site so comfortable runners are a must.
- Weather Prep: Make sure you bring plenty of water especially if you’re visiting in the middle of summer because the heat can be really intense. Don’t forget your sun cream either!
- Navigation & Translation: The zoo is big enough so take a picture of the map at the entrance to help you find your way around. While there’s some English signage a lot of the older information boards are in Cyrillic. Having a translation app downloaded on your phone is a lifesaver. Or learn Macedonian on Duolingo! By the way, North Macedonia isn’t in the EU so grab an Airalo eSim before you go to save on data charges!
Our Verdict on Skopje Zoo
We really enjoyed our visit to Skopje Zoo even if half the animals were missing in action. It’s a bit rough around the edges in places and some of the older enclosures have definitely seen better days. The Dino Park alone is completely worth the trip for the sheer entertainment value though! If you have a free morning in the city and want a fun budget-friendly activity, it’s worth checking out. If you’re visiting Skopje with kids, it’s definitely one of the top things to do. Give it a go. You’ll have fun!
