While writing reviews for the Phoenix Zoo and Wildlife World Zoo, I realized I'd never penned one…read morefor this place! I've actually been a few times over the last decade, most recently at the tail end of 2015 (no pun intended!).
First impressions of this place have always been that it looks and feels like a world class facility. There is simply no comparing it to most of the stateside zoos, at least not the run of the mill ones you would find in Phoenix or Tucson. That's not a knock for those folks, not by any means, but it is safe to say that Odense zoo is in a whole other league.
Odense may be a small 'big city' by most American standards, but it can still be a bit difficult to navigate for the novice tourist. Luckily, there's ample signage and a fairly accessible parking lot once you find the place. You basically park directly across the street from the entrance. Fair warning that, should you go in winter weather, beware the cobblestones and slippery surfaces on your way out of the parking lot. Many a tourist has been caught unawares and I've seen quite a few folks slipping and sliding.
Once you arrive at the entrance, you'll see their fantastic mural wall and the outer glass facade, behind which you have the gift shop (through which you exit, of course) and directly adjacent to that, the ticketing window. Fear not, should you lack the Danish vocabulary, pretty much everyone working here is well versed in sufficient English to sell you a ticket. There is much signage also in English (among other languages), so it is definitely tourist friendly.
The grounds themselves are fantastic, replete with beautiful, well kept native trees as well as a smattering of running bamboo species (interestingly, running bamboo can take the Nordic winters better than clumping bamboos, which is why you won't find the latter here). There is so much lush growth all around that you will quickly forget that you are in the modern, bustling heart of Fyn's largest city. Instead, it feels like you're out in the countryside on some pristine tract of forest land that someone converted into a zoo. You just can't get that from inner-city zoos here in the states, at least none that I've visited.
The array of animals they have here is stunning as well. While you have all the mainstays like lions, tigers, tapirs, camels, giraffes, zebras, deer, antelope, caribou, giant tortoises et al., you also have reptiles, birds and aquariums of all sizes, including fish, penguins and more. There's even a large, indoor, tropical forest exhibit, complete with free roaming monkeys, surrounding a multi-level water feature with a family of manatees. The exhibit's design is fantastic, because you get to look at them from above the surface as well as going underground, giving you an underwater view. and can see them swimming around (including a number of large fish with which they share the tank). Adjacent to this, you'll find outdoor shows with seals and sea lions, even during the winter months. And, unlike the pricing games you encounter at stateside zoos, there are no additional fees you have to pay to enjoy these parts of the facility. Admission is admission, which is the way it should be.
Food wise, concessions options are higher class than what you'd get at most stateside zoos. You have everything from quaint cafes to full service restaurants, all of them well kept and with reasonable food prices. To be sure, you will have no trouble tracking down the all important French hot dog, a Danish staple, when (not if) the craving kicks in during your visit.
All in all, definitely something that should be on your list if you're in Odense. The manatee exhibit alone is worth the price of admission (and really, how often do you expect to see manatees on an island in Denmark?), but the entire facility is amazingly well executed and the surroundings are nothing short of awe inspiring.
Definitely a must see and a place I will definitely return to on future visits to Odense.
