Tbilisi Zoo
Tbilisi Zoo, Georgia's oldest, sits in the Vere valley by Heroes Square, while a larger new zoo near the Tbilisi Sea opens in stages.
Tbilisi ZooPhoto: Mostafa Meraji, CC BY 4.0Tbilisi Zoo is the oldest zoo in Georgia, founded in 1927 in the leafy Vere river valley right beside Heroes Square, a short taxi ride from the Old Town. Floods and the growth of the city have squeezed it down to 5 hectares, yet it still keeps roughly 1,500 animals, from brown bears and Caucasian deer to primates, parrots, reptiles and fish. Since 2016 the city has been building a far bigger replacement on 48 hectares by the Tbilisi Sea. Its first area, the Caucasus section, began letting visitors in on a trial basis on 9 August 2026, and the old grounds stay open every day in the meantime.
The old zoo makes an easy, cheap outing, above all with children. Paths loop under tall trees past open paddocks and older cages, and there are two indoor stops: the Exotarium, with snakes, lizards, crocodiles and turtles behind glass (it needs its own small ticket), and the aquarium, whose marine hall opened in 2007. Keep a separate half day for the new Caucasus section on the north-eastern edge of town, where red deer, European bison, bears and wolves have roomier enclosures while builders finish the rest. Its status keeps shifting, so check the zoo's official site before you set out.
History
The zoo was founded on 10 February 1927 out of the animal collection of a Caucasian acclimatisation society. Many animals starved in the hard early 1990s, and in 2012 the city chose to move it. On the night of 13-14 June 2015 a landslide upstream sent the Vere through the grounds: three keepers and roughly 300 animals died, and survivors fled into the streets, among them a hippo filmed on Heroes Square. On 17 June an escaped white tiger killed a man in a nearby warehouse before police shot it. The zoo reopened that September, and work on the new site began in 2016.
What to see and do
- Step into the Exotarium for snakes, lizards, crocodiles and turtles
- Watch sea and freshwater fish in the aquarium halls
- Learn about the zoo's breeding work for the West Caucasian tur, the goitered gazelle and Caucasian red deer
- Take a taxi out to the new Caucasus section near the Tbilisi Sea to see bison, bears and wolves in large new enclosures
How to visit
Getting there
The old zoo stands at 64 Merab Kostava Street on Heroes Square, ~5 km by road from Freedom Square or about 15 minutes by taxi, and Technical University metro station is a ~1 km walk (roughly 15 minutes). The new Caucasus section lies ~9 km by road from Freedom Square, at the far end of Khudadov Street close to the Tbilisi Sea and Ivertubani, some 20-25 minutes by taxi.
When to go
April–June and September–October, ideally on a weekday morning. Plan 1.5–2.5 hours; add 1–2 hours for the new site here.
- Look at zoo.ge or the zoo's social media pages on the day: in autumn 2026 the new site's open areas and hours were still changing.
- In 2026 entry costs about 4 GEL (about $1.50) for visitors aged 12 and up. Children from 3 to 11 pay half that, under-3s go free, the Exotarium costs a little extra, and tickets are also sold online.
- The old zoo is usually open daily from 10:00 until 20:00 or 21:00 in the warmer months, shorter in winter (about 19:00), and the ticket desk shuts an hour before closing.
- At the new site, stay on the marked path past the enclosures; landscaping was unfinished and a cafe was still under construction in August 2026, so carry water and a snack.
Weather at Tbilisi Zoo
Based on the climate of Tbilisi, 3 km away. Warmest in August (32° by day), coldest in January (0° at night), with 511 mm of rain a year. Best months: Sep–Oct.
Tbilisi Zoo: FAQ
Is the new Tbilisi Zoo open?
Partly. Its Caucasus section near the Tbilisi Sea has taken visitors in test mode since 9 August 2026, and a full opening was planned for autumn 2026 but had not been confirmed by early November. The old zoo on Heroes Square still opens daily.
Where is Tbilisi Zoo?
The main Tbilisi Zoo sits in the Vere valley at 64 Merab Kostava Street, where Kostava Street meets Heroes Square. The new grounds are on the city's north-eastern edge, close to the Tbilisi Sea reservoir.
What happened at the zoo in the 2015 flood?
In June 2015 a landslide upstream choked the Vere river with mud and trees, and the flood that followed tore through a third of the zoo. About 300 animals and three staff died, and loose animals had to be recaptured or shot in the streets. The zoo reopened three months later.
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Nearby places
Straight-line distance from Tbilisi Zoo.
