Zoológico Nacional (National Zoo), Santiago

The Chilean National Zoo (Zoológico Nacional de Chile) was established in 1925 in Santiago, covering an area of 4.8 hectares (12 acres) at the base of San Cristóbal Hill within the Santiago Metropolitan Park (Parque Metropolitano de Santiago). This remarkable zoo houses a diverse collection of 158 species, comprising thousands of animals. Its main focus is twofold: the conservation and research of the animals under its care and the provision of educational activities for its visitors.

The roots of the national zoo can be traced back to the 19th century. Professor Julio Bernard inaugurated the first zoo in Quinta Normal in 1882. Another zoo with native animals was founded in Concepción by Professor Carlos Reed 20 years later. It inherited species from Quinta Normal and received 70 animals from other zoos via the Transandine Railway. The zoo's installations were impressively completed in under two months with architect Teodoro Panuzzis' collaboration.

On December 12, 1925, the National Zoo opened to the public with Carlos Reed as its first director. Since then, the zoo's animal collection has grown significantly to over 1,000 animals from 158 species, including a jaguar, lemurs, guanacos, llamas, rhea birds, condors, Humboldt penguins, and the endangered pudú. It also houses rare species like Darwin's frog. Foreign animals such as lions, giraffes, kangaroos, elephants, and emus have been part of the zoo as well.

Why You Should Visit:
Beautifully green zoo with a crazy number of animals like llamas, elephants, meerkats, bears and giraffes.
The bird enclosure where you are able to walk amongst the various species of birds is also quite impressive.
There is a play area for children and a couple of cafes in and around the site.

Tip:
As long as you don't mind a few minutes of a steep climb, try walking up to the entrance of the zoo (take the stairs to the right of the funicular), instead of taking the funicular as it's a lot faster, especially in high season when the lineups are long.