We took the kids there looking forward to seeing animals but there were none. It appears that they used to be there since there were directional signs still up. The park however, was standard with large garden areas and balls were allowed. There were benches and private spaces where parties were hosted undercover. Maintenance was average as the grass areas were cut, but the waterways were clogged with mud and rubble so the pumps were off. The play area was spacious but only for kids under 12. To their credit, their was a play area for people living with disabilities which I had not seen before. It was closed off, locked and dirty however.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Great Place for a pinic, perfect for families with kids of all ages. The mini Zoo has a wide variety of Exotic birds and other small animals like racoons and monkeys.....there are also turtles and alpaca and ostrichs. The fee for the Zoo is R11 for adults and R9 for kids between 2-12.....there's also a pensioners discount. There are a few stalls with sweets, chips and ice-creams available and kids are allowed to bring scooters, bicycles and the likes. There is a Play area with Jungle gyms....swings....slides...etc. There are also rides for the disabled. Thumps up for Mitchells Park still a great family Venue.

Mitchell Park Zoo is a great place to take small kids for an outing. It's more of an animal sanctuary though, than a zoo. They have monkeys, turtles, llamas, a wild pig, a crocodile and some other small birds and animals but don't come here expecting to see the big 5. Entrance was fairly cheap though and my kids (ages 4 & 1) had a blast. They do allow braais, but only if you bring a skottelbraai -- no open fires. You can have a great family day here if you plan to walk through the zoo, have a braai/picnic while the kids play on the playground.

Really enjoyed a walk through the park and visit to the zoo on a nice day. It was only 28 Rand for an adult entry ticket, and there were quite a few things to see. Most of them were birds instead of mammals and some were missing from cages / enclosures which was slightly disappointing. It was also not the cleanest / most well kept of zoos but it was still nice to see the animals! Loved the peacocks wandering around!
Visited on
Public holiday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Lovely gardens, really very beautiful, felt safe enjoyed my time there absorbing nature . Only sad part for me was to see a pot belly pig that was alone in an enclosure -they very social animals and his completely alone. He got up when I arrived and came right up to the fence to allow me to pet him. When I tried to leave he followed me right to the corner of the enclosure wanting more . Would really like to appeal to the park castodians to please consider getting him a friend.

Beautiful park that has plenty of place for kids to play as well and some lovely locations for families to meet and greet each other and have a small picnic. The mini zoo inside the park is also awesome with some lovely birds and animals inside. The peacocks walk infront of you without being disturbed by your presence. Kids would love this amazing place. Very nice for photography as well. All in all, if you are in and around that area, definitely a place for you to visit.

First visit after a few years. The place has so much potential but has sadly declined over the years. There were fewer animals than I remember (other than the monkeys trying to get into the cages!), some of the cages have fallen in, and you can see the remnants of last year's flooding. All in all, it is still a lovely outing for the family and is very well priced.
Visited on
Public holiday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

The Zoo offers a humble range of animals to be seen and is in need of some upkeep. The entrance fee is next to nothing - R11 for an adult at the time - so it's not bad at all. A website mentioned that there was an Indian elephant named Ellie, but after the visit found out that it hadn't been there for years - unfortunate. A guard mentioned that the zoo was going to be bringing in some new animals towards the end of the year (2017).

This is the park from my childhood...and I believe the playground equipment hasn't been updated from that time. Took my daughter to the park while on vacation in SA. The grassy part was pretty and well kept, but the playground equipment needs some fixing. Beware of monkeys. We also went to the zoo. There seemed to be less animals than I remember. The birds are nice but some parts need maintenance. My daughter enjoyed herself.

When I went as a child the animal conditions were not great .. but that has changed .. the zoo is wonderfull .. huge enclosure and healthy animals .. it's only R11 to enter for an adult so it's awesome. They have so many animals that I havent seen before. There are more birds than anything .. the duiker lick your hands when you try touch them so there is no fear from them. Very cool spot

Nice place to spend an hour or two. Unfortunately looking increasingly unkempt these days. Edited: As of 28 October 2023 the zoo is looking really dilapidated. Half the enclosures are empty. There's broken stuff everywhere, signs are missing, it looks like the pathways haven't been swept in Weeks, refuse bags and piles of refuse just left lying around. Seems no one cares. Such a shame.

A most pleasant trip down memory lane with little that has changed except the fact that I had my next generation with me and the opportunity to share the moment with loved ones in a place I visited nearly 35 years ago. Safe and well kept environment. Pristinely maintained. A must see for all ages.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

It's lovely and neat, was such a great experience going on a weekday as there were not many people there so there was plenty of room to move around and sit and also plenty of amenities for the kids who absolutely loved the play area and the animals at the zoo. A bit wary of caged animals, Mitchell's Park can do better than keeping caged animals animals

A great trip down memory lane. I last visited years ago as a little kid. Wonderful zoo nestled in the city, a variety of small animals, birds, and huge tortoises! A great visit for families and especially the kids. The park is also well kept for a nice picnic lunch. The park is free however there is a small entrance fee to enter the zoo, well worth it.

Large open park area for a picnic or for kicking around a ball. The park is well maintained and neat, however the playground swings and slides are old and not well maintained. The zoo area is okay, a few odd smells that comes with animals. A few of the pens are empty and need improvement. Monkeys are bothersome, they would approach kids carrying food.

A great place for a date or some time out with the kids. Entrance is pretty cheap, paid R35 for an adult and 2 kids. We had a picnic and they had a great time with the animals. You can bring in your own food or buy from the stores located inside. The park is within the vicinity as well so perfect for killing a few hours and having some quality time

Beautiful well maintained gardens in the park area. Clean & well kept. Zoo area has interesting birds etc. Cages all clean & good. Would be a lovely place to take children. Very family oriented. Recommended. Apparently very well supported on weekends.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

A very beautiful park. A nice place to come and relax with friends and family or a nice romantic picnic with your love one. Play area for kids with swings etc. Plenty of seats available. Beautiful garden for the photogenic ones. Vendors available inside, restaurants available with plenty of room to seat and enjoy your drinks and snacks.

It would have been a 5 Star, but alas ... my fa ourite restaurant has closed down. The best Cheesecake ever was to be found in that Blue Zoo Restaurant..... most disappointing the story behind its closure ‍♀️ just another sign of our times .....
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Lovely environment for family relaxation. Well kept lawns for picnics & other activities. Children can play on the grass, on slides, swings & other equipment. There's a couple of animals to see at very low prices (Adults R13 & Kids R11). A great place to go for outdoor activities permissible in South Africa's public parks.

Olace is great for family or to bring your kids and it's actually bigger than I thought. There's more a variety of birds than any other animals, all of which are beautiful! It would be nice if feed was sold for giving to the animals.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

What a great place to be at. Fun for the family. Spent the entire day at the park and kids were entertained throughout Loved the zoo. Was very educational even for the adults. Will definitely recommend it to anyone
Visited on
Public holiday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

Nice small zoo, has birds, monkey's, tortoise, lama, peacocks, lovely gardens to relax in. Zoo is cheap to enter R12 ($1) for adults. You cannot BBQ at the park unfortunately but picnics are welcome. Good place to host paid or free kiddes parties. Not too busy, mostly locals visit the park.

We went to mitchell park zoo with our family. My sisters children just love all the animals that was there. They were so amazed just to see all the beautifull animals. When we went home they keep talking about what day they had at the zoo. Will go anytime again to entertaine them again.

Needs a bit of maintenance, but still okay. Not so much to see just a few animals. Great for the kids, but would be nice if there were staff to interact with people especially the kids and the animals.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Very well maintained and beautiful place, perfect location for a picnic or family day out. Has an on site zoo which has a wide variety of animals considering the tiny R12 entrance fee. A nice little get away from the stresses of the city. Definitely recommend checking this place out

Some of the animals were not in their cages. The place is not maintained at all, the fish pond was dirty, there dead trees lying around, some of the ponds have no water in them. It was just dirt in it. It was below my expectations. But the staff there is very friendly

Absolutely love this space, clean easy to access, safe and friendly. There is also an amazing restaurant on site Barn Owl that does fabulous breakfast and affordable hia teas! Definitely recommend.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

Great clean atmosphere. The zoo is well kept, reasonably priced and grear park with lovely gardens. Lots of families attending also makes the place very friendly.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Yes

There's an old man at the Spaza shop. He's a historian who knows EVERYTHING about KZN!!! He's happy to teach so just ask a question and you'll learn sooo much!
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Still a nice experience inspite of never being updated, especially when admission costs only R14! Kids loved it. It's clean, neat and nostalgic.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

The park was okish. Should actually be called mini zoo as it does not have a lot of animals. For the entry fee it's not bad to explore. Giving it 4 stars because the actual park is very nice. We'll kept and clean for picnics etc

The array of beautiful animals and birds on display were amazing, a great place to relax and picnic with the family lots of fun
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Was fun and a lot of animals well kept. The toilet areas need to get cleaned sufficiently. Coffee shop was not open inside the zoo. The coffee shop in the gardens however are beautiful and had live piano music playing

Not really a Zoo, just Monkeys , birds and tortoises. Great park, with a spacious play area. We had a picnic over there , the grass is so green over there
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

This can be a very relaxing and enjoyable few hours. Keep back from the cranes in the zoo or they may have a go at you. Remember to scratch the giant tortoise under his chin and give the goats some leaves.

It's an ok trip ..... not terrible, not great... The play park is definitely not suitable for children to play on or in
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Adults R14 kids R12 Exciting for kids Clean Ample space around those hosting events in the open space.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

Great place to spend time with your family. Whether you want a coffee, kick a ball with your kids or educate them about wildlife in the zoo, Mitchell Park is a relaxed place to do it all.

The kids Playground is big, lots of swings, grassy play area, a coffee shop/restaurant. Safe parking and the zoo. And they have a Kids Disabled play area. Relaxing on a Sunday afternoon.

The bathrooms outside the mini zoo was in a horrible state... but the animals made up for it. Really interesting birds and some animals you dont always see. Enjoyed the experience.

Great place for family outings. My little one enjoyed seeing all the animals. I like that the play area has a play section for child in wheelchairs. It's a fun place for everyone.

Lovely experience with my twins. They enjoyed seeing the different species of birds.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

Very educative for kids and adults, big area with variety of animals and well maintained
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
30–60 min
Reservation recommended
No

Amazing day spent with family. Awesome atmosphere, safe place for kids and family.
Visited on
Public holiday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

It is such a beautiful place to have a picnic with your family and lovely animals to see. There are a few cages where are overgrown which needs some TLC.

An Affordable family trip. Beautiful little place to see some exotic animals. Definitely get some feed for some of the animals, can be bought there.

always a pleasure to be there with young children safe clean secure lots to do very pretty picture whoever is maintaining it , is doing a good job

Lovely place for a family outing. The enterance fee is under R20pp. Great picnic spot too. Parking is usually easy to find. Very pretty place.

Nice place for the family with kids. Zoo, more like a bird park, was also fun for my daughter. R12 price is not too much. We enjoyed there.

Mitchell Park Zoo very clean and beautiful place clearly the best zoo I ever been will be back there sooner than you know gotta love it..

Place has no workers place is falling apart and even if you increase the price we all know it won't go to fixing the place up

The gardens are looking great. The maintenance team were hard at work mowing the lawn, planting flowers and cleaning up.

Nice park for kids an adult to walk an play,not much of the animals to see but if you fresh air it's good place to be

Great for the kids . 1 hour walk. Low entrance fee. I will give them a 2 star rating because of the limited animal's.

Nice park, but not too much to see. Anyway, it is a pleasant walk and fresh air. Entrance cost only 14 rands / adult.

My baby enjoyed seeing all the animals. Animals look well taken care of and cages are clean. Nice family outing

One of the best Zoo's I've ever been to. It's family friendly, affordable, adventures and convinent.

Great park and zoo. Took our little one for a walk and to see small animals. Nice place to unwind

It's ok for a stroll . 15 Rands per adult entrance fee. So don't expect much.