It’s been 15 years since my last visit to the Wild Animal Park. Back then, it was during the World Expo. The main reason I haven’t been back for so long is probably the distance—there was no metro access 15 years ago, and taking the bus felt like an eternity, leaving me with quite a traumatic memory. Thinking about it now, driving isn’t too bad; it’s about the same distance as driving to Pudong Airport… Parking is convenient, the lot is huge, and it costs 30 yuan per day. Alternatively, you can take Metro Line 16 to Shanghai Wild Animal Park Station, but the station is about 2.5 km from the park entrance.
I chose to visit on a weekday this time, so there were fewer crowds. There’s also a 100-yuan experience combo ticket that includes access to all paid interactive activities, which is really great value.
After entering through the main gate, we headed straight to the drive-through zone. There was hardly any line, and we got on the bus immediately. The free bus moves fairly quickly, and the whole ride takes about 20 minutes. It pauses for a second or two in each animal area to let you take photos, though getting good shots is actually quite difficult. There are also feeding buses available as an option.
Speaking of photography, it’s definitely much easier to get great shots at the feeding experiences—the animals are up close, and they’ll crowd right up to you to grab the food from your hand~~
When it comes to the interactive experiences, you can feed practically everything: tigers, lions, zebras, flamingos, capybaras, red pandas, black bears, kangaroos, alpacas, and giraffes. Red pandas and capybaras are especially popular here. Keep in mind that each activity has specific time slots each day, usually just a two- to three-hour window starting around noon. So if you want to try them all, it’s best to avoid weekends and holidays. Also, the animals get tired too—once they’re full, they lose interest in eating~~~
The red pandas are absolutely adorable! The alpacas were way more frantic than expected—they go crazy at the sight of food. Surprisingly, the kangaroos were gentler than anticipated, and the black bears are incredibly smart; they’ll even stand up and wave at you to get a treat.
There are also other static animal exhibits featuring a truly diverse range of species. Giant pandas aren’t quite as internet-famous as red pandas anymore~~
Dining options in the park are fairly traditional overall, given that it’s been open for quite a few years. Aside from a McDonald’s, all the restaurants are park-operated. Tiger Restaurant is a popular spot where you can eat while watching tigers; the other eateries are more casual, with a cafeteria-style vibe. All in all, it’s definitely worth a visit—you can easily spend a wonderful afternoon here.
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