Wild Encounter – Rabat Zoological Garden

The Rabat Zoological Garden, commonly referred to as the Rabat Zoo, is a national zoological park located in Morocco's administrative capital, Rabat. This zoo was opened to the public on January 14, 2012. It focuses on a broad range of wild African species and, more specifically, Moroccan wildlife, featuring emblematic species such as: the Atlas lions, Barbary sheep, Saharan antelopes, and Bald Ibis. Previously, the Rabat Zoo was a joint-stock company established in 2008 and wholly owned by the state, under the supervision of the High Commission for Water, Forests, and Desertification Control. This zoological park represents an investment of nearly 470 MDH, after the purchase of the former land by the real estate group, Addoha.

What does the Rabat Zoo offer?

The Rabat Zoo provides a plethora of experiences:

BIRTHDAY PARTIES:

For those looking to celebrate their birthdays at Rabat Zoo, the park offers an appealing setting. Celebrators can host their guests in the party room located at the heart of the educational farm. Guests can choose between two packages: the Gold pack and the Silver pack. The Gold pack, priced at 200 DHS, includes a cart tour, photos with the zoo's parrot mascot, and feeding the goats. The Silver pack costs 1800 DHS and offers a cart tour and a photo session with the parrot.

FEEDING SESSIONS:

Visitors can also enjoy feeding various animals and learning about these species. The park offers a unique opportunity to feed giraffes under the supervision of an animal caretaker on a dedicated platform.

GUIDED TOURS:

For groups of 20 or more, the zoo offers guided tours conducted by the zoo's animation and veterinary team. The tour covers five recreated African ecosystems present in the zoo.

ZOO TAXI:

In addition to the traditional guided walking tour, the Rabat Zoo offers its visitors a uniquely novel escape: A tour by golf cart.

EXPLORERS' TRAIL:

A newly introduced activity, the "Wild Encounter Explorers' Trail," strengthens team bonds as participants work together to overcome challenges (like being blindfolded, carrying a bag of stones, or having tied feet). It's a team-building exercise that involves finding solutions throughout the course while overcoming obstacles presented at the start of the game.  

ZOO CAMPUS:

During school and summer breaks, the Rabat Zoological Garden organizes a program named "Zoo Campus." Kids aged 6 to 12 can enjoy a fun-filled stay, participating in guided tours, educational workshops, and hands-on activities like painting, recycling, or plaster molding.

What other attractions can be found in the vicinity?

The Rabat Zoo is a magnificent and highly enriching place. You will also find other attractions available to experience in the surrounding area, such as:

Picnic Area:

For those fond of picnics, there's a spacious shaded picnic area near the entrance village, complete with tables and benches for visitors to relax. It's a perfect spot to savor nature on a beautiful day.

Football Field:

The zoo has also catered to football enthusiasts by providing a football stadium for visitors to enjoy.

How to Make the Most of Your Visit to Rabat Zoo?

The Rabat Zoological Garden is a showcase of the richness of African, Moroccan, and Saharan wildlife. Its mission is to conserve the desert's wild heritage.

Operating Hours:

The park remains open year-round, including holidays. However, timings vary with the seasons:

• March to October: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
• November to February: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• During Ramadan: 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Admission Fees:

Entry tickets cost 50 dirhams for adults and 30 dirhams for children aged 3 to 12.

Arts & Culture:

The Rabat Zoological Park offers an environmental education program aimed at children aged 5 to 12 years. This program includes the following themes: Educational workshops and a recreational-educational workshop. The educational workshops cover the dietary habits of animals (based on the quantity and types of foods consumed) and their classification. The recreational-educational workshop includes a gardening workshop with all the necessary tools. The duration of these educational workshops is 45 minutes, with a cost of 35 dh.

Recreation:

Rabat Zoo organizes school trips, allowing kids to explore five African ecosystems recreated as their natural habitats. This enriches young visitors' understanding of biodiversity and familiarizes them with the flora and fauna of their region.

Parks and Gardens:

The zoo boasts a large park called "The Educational Farm," sprawling over 5 hectares. It contributes to children's environmental education, emphasizing art and creative activities.

Dining:

The Rabat Zoo features restaurants and kiosks with varied offerings that cater to all tastes and desires. You will find delicious dishes provided by the Konopizza franchise. And in the savannah area, there is a varied menu of dishes offered by the Out of Africa restaurant.

Services:

At the level of services, the Rabat Zoological Garden offers its visitors a stroller rental service for the day, which is located at the entrance of the Zoo. The park has also thought of people with reduced mobility and has provided them with a wheelchair rental service.

Parking:

An all-day accessible parking lot also has spots dedicated to those with limited mobility.

Accommodation

Whatever your desires, whether for family holidays or with friends, Stay Here offers apartment deals next to the Rabat Zoo. These accommodations are located in Prestigia, facing the Zoo, and are equipped with all the useful services to guarantee you an unforgettable stay, such as a swimming pool. At Stay Here, our lodgings are highly rated for their location, cleanliness, and much more.

Which animals are found in the Rabat zoological park?

The Rabat zoological park has almost 2,000 animals representing 150 species from the three most common animal classes in zoological parks: Mammals, birds, and reptiles. Here are some animals present in this park:

Tigers

Tigers are part of the mammalian animals; they are easily recognizable by their reddish fur. Tigers are distributed worldwide, found in: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia (Sumatra island), China, and Russia.

Hippopotamuses

With their thin skin that poorly tolerates the sun, hippopotamuses are entirely adapted to their aquatic lifestyle. These animals are mainly found in Uganda, Sudan, the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, western Gambia, and southern Africa (Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia).  

Caracal

The caracal is a feline widely distributed in Africa and Asia, from the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent. This animal is very solitary, marking its territory with its urine and scratch marks on trees or branches.

Beisa Oryx

The Beisa oryx is an animal mainly found in the semi-deserts of the Horn of Africa and in Tanzania. This herbivorous animal has the ability to vary its body temperature. The Beisa oryx defends itself with its horns to deter its predators from any attack.

Nile Crocodile

The Nile Crocodile is one of the world's largest crocodilians. It has a massive body and is found in various water points on the African continent. This fierce animal feeds on various animals, both aquatic and terrestrial. In addition to these animals, there are also: the meerkat, Barbary macaque, Bonelli's eagle, Shetland pony, African grey parrot, Scarlet Macaw, dwarf goat, sulcata tortoise, golden eagle, squirrel, fox, and chimpanzee.

Conclusion

Since its opening, the Rabat zoological garden has received more than 600,000 visitors. In its first year, the number of visitors reached one million people. Spanning over 26 hectares, the Rabat zoo is a fresh concept compared to the old city's zoological garden, in that the animals found there come from their natural environments, which are reproduced in five natural ecosystems. The primary goal of this park is to reproduce the living conditions of endemic species and also to reproduce endangered species in a natural space.