Korkeasaari Zoo — Attraction in Helsinki sub-region

Korkeasaari Zoo in Helsinki is a lovely way to spend a relaxed afternoon, especially if you’re looking for a peaceful escape from the city without leaving it entirely. Located on an island just a short trip from the center, it combines the charm of nature with the fascination of wildlife in a way that feels both accessible and calming.

The island setting itself is beautiful — surrounded by the sea, with walking paths winding through forests, rocky hills, and animal enclosures that blend in with the natural environment. The views alone make it worth a visit, especially on a sunny day.

While it’s true that not all animals were in their coops or visible when I visited — likely due to rest time, weather, or natural hiding habits — the experience was still very enjoyable. It’s not a traditional zoo packed with high-energy displays; it’s more of a nature walk with occasional, quiet encounters with animals, which felt refreshing and respectful of the animals’ space.

I appreciated the variety of animals that were visible — from big cats like Amur tigers to snow leopards, owls, monkeys, and arctic birds. The zoo focuses a lot on endangered species and conservation, which adds meaning to the visit.

One important tip: Buy your ticket in advance online. Not only do you save a bit of money, but you also skip the ticket lines entirely and can walk straight in — a small but very welcome convenience, especially on weekends or sunny days.

In short, Korkeasaari Zoo might not be the most action-packed zoo, but it offers something more special: a calm, scenic, and thoughtful encounter with nature, right on the edge of the city. Bring comfortable shoes, take your time, and enjoy the peaceful...

I visited on. Friday at the end of June 2023. Yes, you really should buy your tickets before you get to the ferry terminal, or, get on the bus. Yes, there is a massive civil engineering project going on right now that is effecting what animals are available to be seen. Please, between now and the beginning of 2027, try to check with the zoo for a full listing of what animals are available to be seen and what aren't. The civil engineering project in question is the construction of huge bridge linking the small island the zoo is on to one part of Helsinki so that the tram network can be extended to the island.

The zoo itself is fantastic. Taking the 15 minute ferry ride to the island, as I did takes you passed the docking area of the ice breaker fleet and then as the ferry manoeuvres itself into the dock at the zoo it is possible to get a good look at the beared vulture enclosure and part of the mountain goat enclosure.

There are hills everywhere. The tarmac is smooth and easy to walk on and roll over. The paths are wide and the signposts excellent. The signs, for the animals, are in Finnish, Swedish and English. Yes there is the option to listen to information for some of the bigger animal areas, again in Finnish and English, via the zoo's website and/or the zoo's SoundCloud account.

There are plenty of places to sit, stop, have a sandwich, watch the animals, take a break, whatever you want to.

As both a teaching experience and a conservation experience I rate this zoo very highly indeed. The whole place is, in my opinion, a wonderful experience and I look forward to many more visits over the years.

Thank you Helsinki...

I was long hesitating before posting this review but after looking through the previous ones I see I'm not alone with my experience. The honest opinion is that it was the most dissappoiting zoo I ever was (and I saw some bad ones in my life). This place has a really great potential, located on a beautiful island (the landscape, seaside benches, nature and terrain were probably the best part of the visit). But I came there to see the animals and that part was not ok. A lot of cages are empty. I though initally that's temporary because of nearby construction sites but I see other reviews from past years also mentioning this so I belive this is the norm. The overall number of animals to see there is low, and with the habitats planned in a way that most part is not visible I was not able to see even those who were supposedly there (and again I see there were many people complaining about this for years). I do get that animals need privacy, shelter and so on, bu I also saw others zoos that take this into consideration but also accomadate their guests (trying to incomorate some shaded glass areas and so on). I do take into consideration that I may have had bad luck, but that's it. I've spent enough time looking for 'Waldos' at each habitat to be sure that they weren't visible at all. It's not that I just didn't see them beacuse they were camouflaged. I do get this is good for animals (that's why you get 3 stars, not 1), but in terms of value for money, 23eur to see a few camels, reindeers and one big cat is...