Colombo Zoo.

Colombo Zoo is the largest one in the South East Asia region in area wise and with the number of animals in it. In addition, Colombo zoo is popularly known as Dehiwala Zoo in Sri Lanka as it is located in the Dehiwala area. Further more its Asian Elephants and Sea Lions are very popular with the local visitors. This Zoo contains lot of domesticated large Elephants where some of them gave birth in captivity. Actually these elephants are captured as calves while they were left behind by their parents or they were rescued from wells and muddy fields. You can see them doing shows daily in front of large gathering ( 2024 There is no Elephants Shows.). Every day the Elephant Show used to take place around 4:00 PM in a special arena (Currently Not Functioning). The place is very calm except for the traffic on the out side roads. Don't expect this zoo to be located near to wild area but it is located in a highly populated area. It is in the heart of the Dehiwala town in the Colombo District. This Government maintained zoo is keeping lot of animals, birds, fish, snakes, crocodiles and Snakes from all parts of the world. To view all the animals, birds and snakes in this place follow the numbers posted on each sector that used to start from the entrance. Currently lots of local visitors are coming to the Zoo and specially on School Holidays you can see lot of school children here. There are around 220 diffferernt kinds of animals are available on display.

Available Facilities inside of the Dehiwala Zoo.

Rent an electric vehicle for group of children or elders..
Restaurant with ample seating facility and serves good Sri Lanka Meals and refreshments...
Also small vendor shops are located here.
Official Souvenir Shop.
Clean Wash Rooms. Separate for Ladies and Gents.

2024 Dehiwala Zoo Entrance Ticket Prices.

Entry Ticket Price for Dehiwala Zoo, Pinnawala Zoo, and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage are recently revised.
Local People: Rs.250/-
Local Children: Rs.100/-
School Children Group of 20 Ticket Price: Rs 50/- each.
Foreigners Entrance Ticket Price: US$ 15
Foreign Children Entrance Ticket Price: US$ 7.5 (3 - 12 Years old)
SAARC Country Visitors Ticket Price: Adults US$ 10 / Children US$ 5
(Keep your Entance Ticket with you till you come out of the Zoo.)

Colombo Zoo Free Entry Days For Children.
Sri Lanka Citizens and Children can get free entry to the Colombo Zoo on the following dates.

• Children's Day (Only for children)
  
• Elders Day (People over 60 years)
  
• Free Entrance on Independence Day.
• Zoo Annversary day. Free for Children under 12 years. (88th Anniversary was on 03rd July 2024)

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Entrance Ticket.

Entry: 06:30 am to 18:00 pm (Ticket Counter closes at 17:00 pm)
Foreign Adult: US$ 15
Foreign Children: US$ 7.5 (3 Years - 15 Years)
SAARC: Adult US$ 10 / Children US$ 5 (3 Years - 15 Years)
Sri Lanka Adult: Rs 250/- (Children: Rs 100/-)
Entry Condition: Sri Lankans need to provide Passport, NIC or Driving License.
Note: If your passports have your Sri Lanka birth place, then you are entailed for to buy entrance ticket at the price of Local people.

Pinnawala Activities: Walk with Elephant: Rs 1,000/-, Elephant Bathing: Rs 750/-, Fruit Feeding: Rs 500/-.

Ridiyagama Safari Park Entrance Ticket.
Local People: Rs.500 (Earlier Rs.350/-)
Local children ticket price: Rs.150/- (Earlier Rs.120/-)

Vehicles are not allowed inside of the zoo including of bicycles and Motorcycles. There are electrically operated sightseeing vehicles are available inside of the Zoo for a small fee which is good for elders and youngsters. Each visitor must purchase the entrance ticket and must keep it with them till they come out of the zoo compound. Video equipments and cameras may require permission tickets. Polythene is completely banned in side of this zoo. So try not to bring them here. Attendants will check your belongings to see whether you are carrying any thin polythene bags or material with you. So don't bring such prohibited items with you.

Elephant show (Currently Not Provided) and sea lion show used to take place in the evenings and no extra tickets are required for to attend them. Evening 4:00 Sea Lion Show used to take place at the Colombo Zoo. Don't use your camera with flash lights while you are taking photos at the elephant show. The flash lights may irritate the elephants that are performing the show. There is special sector for the ornament fishes and snakes. One large green tree area is covered with nets where you can find butterflies and small birds.

There used to be an elephant show and sea lion show during the evenings and no extra tickets are charged for it. Don't use your camera flash lights while you are shooting photos during the elephant show. The flash lights may irritate the elephants that are performing the show. Children can have pony ride and elephant ride for a small fee during the day time. Soft drinks, short eats and full meals are available in the restaurant and small kiosks that are located in side of the zoo. Children can have pony ride and elephant ride for a small fee during the day time.

Visit Colombo Zoo in the Night Time. (Now it is closed due to less Visitors.)

• Dehiwala zoo is now opened for the visitors in the night time too on Weekends.
• On Friday, Saturday and Sunday it will be kept opened from 6:30 PM up to 10:30 PM for the visitors.
• This is the best time to watch Lion and Tiger like animals, which are used to be more active in the night time than the day time.
• Night entrance ticket is priced at Rs 150/- per head for the local people.

How to visit Dehiwala zoo?

• Taxi, tuk tuk, public bus and private vehicles are good option.
• Let the hired vehicle to leave once it drops you at the Zoo entrance and to come back later, when you need it. You may need around 8 - 9 hours to see the entire zoo.

How to reach Dehiwala ZOO?

Route number 176 public buses are running between Hettiyawatta (Kotahena) to Karagmpitiya or Dehiwala. This bus passes via Borella, Rajagiriya and Nugegoda. By travelling in this bus you can get down in front of the Dehiwala zoo. If you are coming through Galle Road, get down at the Dehiwala junction and catch the 176 bus at the Dehiwala Junction (Galle road and Hill Street junction). Coming by 119 route bus? Get down at the Karagampitiya Junction; (Next to Dehiwala Police Station) then catch the 176 starting from there to Kotahena and get down at the second halt. If you are coming by train in the costal line, get down at the Dehiwala train station and catch the 176 bus which starts outside of the Dehiwala railway station it will take you to the zoo on its way.

Traveling on the Galle Road?
Get down near to Municipal Council.
Reach Zoo Road (100 Meters)
Then take 176 route bus or hire a Tuk Tuk.

Visit Dehiwala Zoo.

Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Poya days, public holidays and school holidays used to have thousands of visitors to the zoo. You have to stay in long Queues to buy the entrance tickets. Recently a new facelift had done to the Zoo's entrance area, with beautiful structure next to the main entrance with large name sign. During the school holidays lot of visitors used to visit the zoo. Dehiwala Zoo opens on Poya Days too.

Don’t try to feed the animals as it is against the law.
Polythene bags are not allowed inside of the ZOO.
Need to buy separate ticket for the Camera and Video Equipments.

When to avoid visiting this zoo?

During Government school holidays.
Christmas and New Year Holiday season.
During Sinhala and Tamil New Year Holiday week.
Thousands of people used to visit here on these days. Some time the zoo authorities used to put sign board saying "House Full".

Colombo Zoo Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smnpe1INwc8

Zoo Entrance Video. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS_uPdkIX2A

Wiki about Colombo Zoo.