The Giza Zoo has been closed since June 2023. If you are planning a trip there, stop reading here and plan your day differently.
The closure was announced for eighteen months for renovation. That has now turned into several years. A first reopening date was set for 2024, a second for September 2025, and most recently a phased reopening with a private operator was announced for 2026. Whether this date will hold is uncertain: three announced dates have already passed.
Adding to the difficulty for German-speaking travelers is that the condition is hard to verify. Reports about this facility appear almost exclusively in Arabic and English, and German-language travel sites consistently describe the state before the closure.
That is all the information you need for trip planning. The rest of this page explains what the renovation is about, why the facility is so well-known, and why the events there have been controversial for years. If you only wanted to know if the trip is worth it: it is not currently.
Don't go on a whim
Map services still list the facility as a sight, with address, reviews, and photos from before the closure. Travel guides and blog posts also describe it in the present tense. None of that means it is open. Check a current source before you go, and expect that announced dates may be postponed again.
A day for the plateau, Sphinx, and museum
If you had planned a family day in Giza, the closest alternative is two kilometers from the plateau: the Grand Egyptian Museum, air-conditioned and step-free. Seven to eight hours with a German-speaking guide, pickup and lunch, entrance to the grounds included.
Old, and known for a second reason
The facility is known for two reasons, the first being its age. It was laid out by Khedive Ismail and opened on March 1, 1891, making it one of the oldest zoological gardens in Africa. It was not designed as a collection of enclosures but as a botanical park with exotic trees, grottoes, and a suspension bridge, and this garden part remains the real attraction to this day. The entrance to the Giza Zoo is a good five kilometers from the plateau, in the middle of the city, not at the edge of the desert.
The second reason is less pleasant. In 2004, the facility was expelled from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Cited reasons were unpaid membership fees and disregard for the recommendations of inspectors, behind which were documented deficiencies in housing, feeding, and hygiene. In 2008, the facility joined the Pan-African association, which was intended as a step back into the world association. It has not been readmitted to this day.
The renovation and the allegations
The ongoing renovation is intended to end exactly this history. The plan is to convert to spacious enclosures without cages, a connection to the neighboring botanical garden, and operation by a private consortium instead of the Ministry of Agriculture. The announced reopening was touted as a return to international standards.
The renovation is accompanied by allegations, and these belong on this page because they are practically absent from German-language sources. Independent Egyptian media have reported on the whereabouts of the animals during the construction period, on deaths related to construction noise, and on big cats killed without the knowledge of the veterinary authorities. The consortium involved rejects the allegations. Some of the animals were moved to facilities in Alexandria and the Fayyum in 2025.
Incidentally, not only the zoo is affected. The neighboring botanical garden was closed along with it and is part of the same project; an underground connection between the two facilities is planned. So if you were looking for a green space to stroll in Giza, you will find nothing there either at the moment.
What is true cannot be determined from the outside, and this page does not attempt to do so. Two things can be stated: the events are controversial and are being followed by several independent editorial teams. And for travelers interested in animal husbandry, this is a reason to wait for the reopening and see what professional associations say about the facility then.
Frequently asked questions
Is the zoo open?
No. It has been closed since June 2023. Several announced reopening dates have passed, most recently there was talk of a phased opening in 2026.
How far is it from the plateau?
A good five kilometers, in the middle of the city. Apart from the city name, the facility has nothing to do with the plateau.
Why is the renovation taking so long?
The plan is a complete renovation of the entire facility to cage-free enclosures, plus a change of operator. The stated reasons for the delays vary.
What about the animals?
Some were moved to Alexandria and the Fayyum in 2025. Deaths during the construction period have been reported, but the consortium rejects the allegations.
Is there an alternative for a family day?
The Grand Egyptian Museum, two kilometers from the plateau, is air-conditioned, step-free, and well suited for children.